Fans of Neapolitan-style pizza were probably delighted to hear that Santa Maria opened in Kew, Richmond, back in January 2025.

The south west London spot is the sixth branch of the chain, with the first opening in 2010 in Ealing.

Close to Kew Gardens Station, Santa Maria's ruby-red restaurant replaces The Glasshouse, which shut in 2022.

Inside, diners will find plenty of seating with portraits of Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona (who led Napoli to their first-ever league titles) and Saint Mary, both watching over customers as they eat their food.

A portrait of Diego Maradona as Jesus (credit: Cesar Medina).

To start, I enjoyed Santa Maria's Classic Bruschetta, topped with fresh chopped vine tomatoes, garlic, oregano, extra virgin olive oil, and basil. The dish was crunchy and sweet, with tomatoes packed full of flavour.

The bruschetta was paired with Tempranillo Sancho Garcés, a balanced, smooth, and fruity red wine.

Classic Bruschetta, the perfect starter (credit: Oliver Monk).

Now, onto the main event—what everyone comes to Santa Maria for: the pizzas. I tried the Santa Caterina, topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella fiordilatte, salame Napoli, fresh chilli, and parmesan.

The pizza is as authentically Neapolitan as they come without actually being in Naples.

The dough is thin and crunchy, yet soft once you bite into the crust. For chilli lovers, the fresh chilli and salame Napoli give the pizza a delicious smokiness and kick.

Santa Maria has 17 different pizza toppings to choose from (credit: Oliver Monk).

Not essential, but highly recommended, are Santa Maria's signature sauces: Its Garlic Mayo – rich and creamy, the Mushroom & Truffle Cream – fresh and fragrant and the 'Nduja Cream – spicy and bold

With little room left, I finished with Affogato Al Caffè—a soft scoop of vanilla gelato drowned in a nutty shot of espresso.

Affogato Al Caffè - espresso done right (credit: Oliver Monk).

Santa Maria is a 100% authentic Napoletana pizzeria, serving 17 different pizza flavours, including vegetarian and vegan options, all at a reasonable price.

To find out more and to book a table click here.