C
carmelas
C

Carmela's

75

Signal score

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

A midcentury NYC-meets-Little Italy pizzeria serving crisp, fold-worthy New York-style pies in a moody, low-lit Islington setting.

Cuisine

Pizza (New York-style)

Price

££

Neighborhood

Islington

Location

149A Upper St

Date SpotGroup Friendly

Ordering Strategy

Each 13-inch pizza is light enough for one hungry person. Grab your own pie, load up on crust dips (ranch and Calabrian ricotta), and pair with a classic Negroni or Mexican Coke.

What to order

Safe first

Pep Pizza with Fennel Sausage

This combination features what critics call the 'best example' of fennel sausage ever had on a pizza. The base is a 13-inch 'biscuity' crust with a tomato sauce that is 'deep and fruity.'

Hungry

Vodka Pizza

The vodka sauce is praised as being 'arguably better' than the standard tomato. Despite the 'sturdy crust' and 'hard and fast' bake, the dough remains surprisingly light, ensuring you don't feel overly full.

Wildcard

Tarragon Ranch Dip

Described as 'quite brilliant,' this dip offers a 'surprising tarragon twist' that is considered an essential pairing for the New York-style crusts.

Wildcard

Mexican Coke

An intentional inclusion from the owners' New York research trips, this version is noted for being 'sweeter than the American original' and perfectly suits the Little Italy vibe.

What to skip

Skip
Black OlivesReviewers have specifically called out the black olives as a topping that 'could be more premium' compared to the high quality of the other ingredients.

More in Islington

See all restaurants in Islington

Signal Score

75
Strong SignalStrong, consistent praise across multiple sources.Agreement 100%0 Elite · 1 Editorial · 10 mentions

Signal score reflects how strong and consistent the review coverage is, not a star rating.

Top critic: Ben McCormack (90%)

Editorial Weight 63 pts

Authority + depth + recency

Agreement 10 pts

How aligned the critics are

Coverage 4 pts

How many real review signals exist

Public Signal 15 pts

Google rating + volume

Boosts 0 pts

Manual boosts + hidden gem

Review signals

0 Elite · 1 Editorial · 2 total signals

Public signal

4.8★ (207 reviews)

Good to know

Founded by the Instagram-famous 'BiteTwice' reviewers. The interior features deep, moody red walls ('colour-drenching'), making it a surprisingly great, atmospheric spot for evening dates.

Trust signals

  • Not yet visited
  • mediumConfidence level

Feedback

Spot something off?

If a recommendation feels outdated, the map is wrong, or there is something that would make this page more useful, send it through.