'We just fell in love with the slice culture': Inside the new NYC-style pizza spot under Leeds railway arches
‘We’d gone on holiday to America, and we just fell in love with the slice culture there - it was such a buzz’
Underneath the railway arches in Holbeck is not where one would expect to find one of Leeds’ hottest new openings.
But since switching on the ovens in June, Edges Pizza, the two-man pizzeria run by chef-schooled Edge Denston and Grace Ward, has stayed busy.
Collection-only, Edges Pizza specialises in New York-style takeaway pizza - a thin pizza made with bread flour, olive oil and a blend of pre-ferments, then baked lower and slower than the Neapolitan-style pizza the UK is more familiar with.
The idea, naturally, came from a visit to New York.
“We’d gone on holiday to America, and we just fell in love with the slice culture there. It was such a buzz,” Grace told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
Before settling in Holbeck, Edge and Grace travelled around markets and food events with a portable electric oven, gradually building up the business.
“Edge just kind of started playing around with the Neapolitan oven at home, and just went from there,” said Grace.
“We started doing it at markets, little pop-ups and kitchen residencies and stuff, and it just kind of spiralled from there.”
After a summer residency at Green Room in 2025, the couple decided to take the step and find their own permanent location.
“We knew we needed somewhere with parking, and in the city centre, that’s just really not possible,” said Grace.
And so Edges opened on Bridge Road in Holbeck.
And they don’t mess around with their pizza. The pizzas are 18 inches, the dough is left to ferment for several days - with Edge often spending his days off preparing the next batch - and the menu is compact but varied.
“New York pizza’s just texturally different to Neapolitan. It’s crispier,” said Edge.
Rent under the arches in Holbeck is beneficial to keep costs down; the drawback is less exposure than on the high street. But the ambition, the pair says, is to eventually move into a dine-in venue.
“We couldn’t afford to open a restaurant, really. So we thought this would be the perfect in between,” said Grace.
“We want people to be able to sit down and enjoy it, basically at a table. We’d love a sit-down place eventually,” Edge added.
The first few months in business have been good. They are busy daily and have gained backing from some of the biggest names in Leeds’ hospitality industry.
A few lessons have been learnt along the way. “Hire staff,” mainly, said Grace.
“Running a business full time is different to doing it as a side hustle alongside a job,” added Edge.
For the pair, moving from markets and pop-ups to their own permanent premises has been a big step.
Edge puts the first few pizzas in the oven as service approaches.
“We’ve been busy every day since we’ve opened, so super grateful for that,” said Edge.