With its unassuming outdoor decor of wicker chairs and Heineken umbrellas, on first inspection, Crisp seems to have all the class of the neighborhood pizzeria back in the US. Once you step inside, however, if you were expecting Greasy Joe’s Pizza, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
I’d walked past Crisp several times since taking a job in an office off Mosely Street, usually as I was coming or going from lunch at a chain restaurant like Café Ono or Bella Italia somewhere else in the city. I’d never heard anything about Crisp one way or the other—it was like this little, unknown mom-and-pop shop that was just begging to be explored, especially as it’s mostly blocked off from pedestrian traffic by the current work being done on Princess Street. So, I decided on Friday that I’d venture by with my boyfriend for a little beer and pizza.
Wow, was I unprepared.
Like most offices, Fridays are denoted as "casual" days, which means that you can wear jeans and T-shirts without fear of reprimand, which is what my boyfriend and I were wearing when we walked into the front door of Crisp on my dinner break. Unlike the common café like exterior, the interior is a thing of intimidation and beauty. Crisp, white tablecloths and napkins await you at every table, as do two sets of silverware. Coke is served in glass bottles with narrow, tall glasses filled with ice and lemon. The menus are filled with truly Italian café items, like tomato and mozzarella salad with garlic dough balls and freshly made risotto, but besides the fresh food and friendly staff—who are quite easy on the eyes—there is the price. A lunch, including an appetizer and main course, is only £6, and, unlike chain restaurants like Bella or Ono, when they say £6 at Crisp, they mean it.
It is a great, atmospheric place for a casual lunch or formal date.