To get you in the mood for the ongoing voting in the 2014 Pizza Cup, (the Round of 32 began yesterday, and see our round-up of pizza meal deals here) we've sent our minions out to patrol the streets for pizza. Here's a selection of what they've found:

Number 64 Fangjia Hutong has proved to be a fussy space over the last year or two, but that didn’t stop Paca Lee of The Box from stepping in and conceiving Ramo Pizza, a pie by the slice joint with pizzazz. It’s that pizzazz that has certainly brightened up a previously dark and dusty corner of Fangjia, and we’re finding it difficult to determine what we enjoy most: the food or the décor.

Lee seems simply to do what she likes. The Box evolved out of a love for entertaining guests at her house, and while pizza doesn’t seem like the most natural progression from Canadian diner food, she has found an Italian chef who knows what’s up. Currently, the menu features nine options for around RMB 70 for a nine-inch pizza or RMB 16-20 for a slice. The toppings range from “veggie party” to Parma ham and arugula, all with a pleasingly tart tomato sauce. In what we suppose is the Italian way, the thin pies aren’t loaded, so if you’re the type of person that can down a whole pizza, don’t let “by the slice” hold you back. Lee tackles the drink menu herself, taking tips from her own favorite cocktails she’s tried during bar hops. Look for whiskey cocktails once the cold weather hits.

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The owner did the interior herself, too, and it’s as fresh as a hot slice of pizza. Vintage tile flooring is combined with cement colored floors, walls and ceiling, intersected with banana yellow piping, mismatched chairs, pop art, and tchotchkes, plus plenty of greenery. The eclectic pairings are candy for the senses compared to some of the more minimal, chic design that seems to be a staple of Beijing’s F&B scene of late. After seeing it, it’s hard to believe it all almost never happened – Lee admits the first version of the restaurant was a shocking shade of pink.

Ramo
Daily 9am-11pm. 64 Fangjia Hutong, Dongcheng District (8403 5004)
东城区方家胡同64号
 

Photos: Sui