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Pizza Paco: Pizza like ya mamma would make!
17August 15th, 2010barcelona, more restaurants (not LA)hey, friends! time for yet another vegan field report from barcelona, spain (often referred to as BCN in this post). this comes to us from our resident operative in europe, dadatamonkey. so sit back, relax, and enjoy his review of pizza paco…
Out on a little adventure in Barcelona, my esfuerzos took me to a pizza joint. Having asked at numerous pizza joints in BCN for vegan pizza – and found they all add milk powder to the bread base – I’d given up all hope of finding a half decent pizza to eat in BCN. How wrong can this old man be!! You know those nights where you go with the flow, trust the man, and end up doing something you never expected but will always remember? Yup. Pizza Paco was one of those. A massive thanks to Baba for this blessing. Believe me, it is a blessing. REAL pizza that’s vegan by nature and fucking gorgeous too!
Barcelona always has hidden gems on each turn it seems. This ones a tiny place hidden away in a small square in El Born. But as is so often the case, the tiny ones pack the best punch! I cannot speak highly enough about this place. When we got there (my friend Baba knows the owners, which helps!) I was “no worries I’ll have a BEER.” But… Asked the waiter about the various ingredients.. And yes…vegan was an option without cheese!!. They have one pizza on the menu that is vegan by its very nature, and a couple of others that without the cheese are too. I went inside and had a quick look just to make sure. OMFG. 00 flour. Proper stone oven. OK, lets do it. And… Boy did they do it.
La Marinara: Tomato, oregano, olive oil… AND.. Shedloads of fresh GARLIC! Simples. But the best pizza ever! As it should be. 7Euro for 13inches of heaven!
The first thing I noticed was the only instant vegan pizza on the small menu. The Marinara IS the original pizza. No cheese. But fuck me, this went beyond the normal level. Either they read minds or they love garlic. It was loaded. I am in love with this pizza. The base is perfect (a handmade stone oven at circa 500C really helps too), the sauce was made with fresh tomatoes, the oregano fresh and tasty and the garlic. Well. If you don’t like garlic. You are mad, but avoid this. Seriously. This is my new love.
La Vegetariana: Red Pepper (shush now QG), fresh mushrooms, spinach, onions, roasted baby aubergines with the tomato sauce. 9 Euro
So could the Veggie pizza from the menu be that good too you say? Oh yeah. Oh freakin yeah! To be honest I placed it second. But I’m just an old traditionalist at heart. Suffice to say the veg were cooked to pefection. This is the kind of pizza you can lift a whole slice and it stays as it should. That crust is sooo good. 00 flour and the stone oven work their magic. Also massive respect to chef because its how you work the dough that makes a pizza like this possible.
As ever, we come to my conclusion. Lets just say. Pizza Pan. As in I’m like a kid in a toy shop here… I am now PIzza Paco’d up and will be a fan as long as I live, or they are open, which I suspect will both be a very, very long time. Points out of 10? 00. 😉 Simples. Get yer ass there ass sooon ass possible, you don’t need Daiya or whatever with this quality of pizza. Just a mouth with an ever windening smile. But I’d love to try it with cheese… Let it be so.
Ps They also do a takeaway service for those lazy nights on the sofa… Just sayin..
Paco Pizza
Allada Vermell, 11, Barcelona, 08003
Open: 13:00 a 03:00
Metro: L4 Jaume I
Tel@ 93 268 2514Like most places here, no website!
Tags: barcelona, field report, pizza, spain
16 responses to “Pizza Paco: Pizza like ya mamma would make!” 
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This looks great! Have to agree with you – after years without cheese, I don’t need vegcheese on pizza anymore. Without it you can taste the dough and spices and veggies that much better! There are places in our area that do pizzas with Follow Your Heart and Daiya, but none have the excellent crust and tomato sauce of my favorite without cheese – done at a place called BJs Brewhouse. The pizza without cheese is about the only vegan thing on their menu, but it’s exceptional. All their beers are vegan too, except for two cask ales available only at some Texas locations of this chain. When you’re back in LA look for a Cali location of BJs and try their pizza without cheese. Good stuff.
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Da Data Monkey August 15th, 2010 at 07:34
Cheers Zaphod but sadly I dont live in LA! Well, not sadly actually! Agree about the cheeze too. Heresy I hear!! 😉
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marc atmtc August 15th, 2010 at 09:47
Ok this is way better than the maoz recomendation!! Marinara looks AWESOME. Barcelona it’s improving itself!
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I have found (via online searching) two places down south in my area that use the 00 flour too, and are certified by those Italian Neapolitan guys to have “authentic” Neapolitan pizza. Alas, but I have not yet visited yet! One of the menu options is vegan by default as well, just simple basil and San Marzano tomato sauce. I’m glad Paco rocked the simplicity factor with their pizza – that gives me hopes of enjoying the one near me too!
Oh my goodness, and I’m so glad you are doing vegan reports from Barcelona! Now I can contemplate further adding it to my must-visit list, with your blog as a vegan eating resource!
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Da Data Monkey August 16th, 2010 at 06:26
Marc. BCN has come a long way! Watch this space. You just have to nget under its skin, walk away from the vegan places and talk with the meaters! People seem really happy to ensure your food is vegan if approached with respect! Thats a radical change for sure!
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Da Data Monkey August 16th, 2010 at 06:28
Cheers Ruby! I highly recommend a visit. I have found some more fantastico places and will be posting them asap! As each week goes by I find more and more!
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Dennett August 23rd, 2010 at 15:42
D’amore’s Pizza in Malibu (they have lots of L.A. locations) is now serving vegan cheese pizza, too. Yay!
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I just visited pizza paco today and asked the waitress for a vegan pizza,
she said nothing was vegan!!!
(So I went to JJ’s, followed by Gopal for cake, instead)
Now I just got back to check this review to be sure I had visited the right place, I had.
The waitress did seem a bit “youth opportunities” though. -
Da Data Monkey September 19th, 2010 at 10:53
Hi Roy, Paco is defo able to do vegan pizza, I have got to know the owner and lots of local vegans eat here too. Ask for the two pizza’s I reviewed and you will be fine, I guarantee. I wouldn’t risk it after 30yrs of being vegan.
Did you get the waitresses name? I’ll try and pop in this week and get them to tell the staff what the vegan options are so it makes it easier for all.
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I’m sure you are right,
but if I ask and they say nothing is vegan I go somewhere else,
usually they would go and ask someone 1st,
but it seems a common thing here for staff not to know (or care) about what they are selling,
maybe it due to the lack of tips? -
Da Data Monkey September 19th, 2010 at 14:22
Yeah I think the lack of tips is a real problem here. However the two guys working there normally are very knowledgeable and extremely helpful. I’m guessing she was a one off worker. I actually find people in Barca to be really helpful.
And you do so look like your avatar. Now stop posting or I’ll break your legs!! Sorry people, we know each other! This is Roy from the Cat Bar. Ruddy Northerner.
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Hola:
El teléfono que has puesto no corresponde a la pizzería ¿ podrías conseguir el verdadero ?
Muchas gracias y gracias por el artículo y por el dato tan interesante! -
Da Data Monkey March 31st, 2011 at 06:31
Erica, try (+34) 63 741 4261 PP seemed to have changed their number. Apologies. Glad you found it interesting. Cheezly mozzerella is also now available, but phone first to confirm they have in stock. Ask for Alex. Gracias!
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Zaphod August 15th, 2010 at 07:17