I'm tempted not to tell the Edinburgh Festival crowds about this perfect gem of a pizza restaurant

Emily Cuddeford

I’m pining for summer before it's even finished.

Every year, I have to stop panicking at the sight of the already burgeoning conkers and brambles, and remind myself to relish the season and live in the moment.

It’s just that it brings so many of my favourite things. There’s the balmier weather - except when Storm Floris is paggering us - as well as the Edinburgh Festival, and energetic new pop-ups like this place. This is going to be here over the summer only, on Thursdays and Fridays from 4pm-8pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 2pm-8pm.

You’ll find it down a side street in Leith - in an industrial building underneath one of the old railway arches, which were part of a bridge that once connected Jane Street and Manderston Street. It’s just a few doors along from Newbarns Brewery and Taproom and is a collaboration between Rachel Morgan and Emily Cuddeford of the excellent Edinburgh and Scottish Borders bakeries, Twelve Triangles, and pizza chef Alessio Dosseno. The concept is simple - takeaway Roman pizza by the slice, as well as stuff in a small fridge, including huge pots of tiramisu, and squat orange bottles of sophisticated pop like Crodino and Sanbitter.

Its off-the-beaten path location might explain why the August influx of tourists don’t seem to have discovered it yet.

They’re too busy queueing outside Lannan to notice its quiet arrival.

I visited it on the day I moved house. That’s a lot to ask of an eating spot. After all, this is the moment you anticipate, through all the viewings and stress. The time you eventually get the keys to your new home, and can enjoy the victorious takeaway trophy while surrounded by yet unpacked boxes.

We’d thought about fish and chips, but pizza won.

We probably looked a bit dusty and bedraggled, when we turned up at this space.

Under the counter, on our visit, there were the following varieties - Margherita, as well as Fennel and Salame; Potato, Garlic and Salsa Verde; and giardiniera with Pecorino, Courgettes, Pickled Chilli and Parmigiano. We’ll have one of each, kind sir. “Heated up?” “Yes please - and some of that tiramisu, too.”

Gaby Soutar

Then we hot footed it back to our new gaff, with a warm box to carry. The slices were carefully divvied up so we could each have half, starting with the most attractive-looking of the A5-sketchbook-sized rectangles. The giardiniera option was glorious, with a basting of tangy-sweet sugo, a flurry of pecorino, cross sections of courgette, and a thick 18-tog duvet of mozzarella, as well as lighter pops of flavour from the nibs of pickled chilli and grating of lemon zest. The base consists of a focaccia-adjacent pala Romana bread, so it has a good crunch and is resistant to sog, like a decent damp-proofing course. It’s also quite dense and satisfying, so one slice will go far.

Next up was the potato-slice-paved number, which had a feral and caramelised garlicky tang, and crispy bits along the tattie’s edges, with a vinegary and dark green mint salsa verde heaped on top.

The fennel version featured clumps of the eponymous veg, along with two coaster-sized leaves of salty salami, in the generously upholstered fior de latte and tomatoey base.

Usually, we’d be non-plussed by a Margherita. Too plain. However, although four slices was really way too much overall, we really enjoyed the simplest of our quartet. There was lots of cheese, all strewn with basil leaves. I was sold, though the giardiniera was still my number one.

At this point, I had become melded to the sofa, and knew that any unpacking would have to wait until the next day.

Especially since I still intended to tackle the huge pot - about a pint’s worth - of tiramisu, which was dusted with a thick layer of cocoa. Again, it isn’t a menu item that I usually get excited about, but I could write poetry about this ridiculously lush and rich version. Especially since its name rhymes with “I love you”, “hullabaloo” and “I’ll take two”.

I am SO into Pala. It deserves to be busy but, until then, I’ll take advantage of the zero queue situation and the fact that it’s near to my new house.

So, the only thing I don’t like is its transience. Please stay longer.

However, if you really must go when autumn comes, then I’ll have to remember that living in the moment is my summer motto.

Pala, 7 Jane Street, Edinburgh (Instagram @pala.edin)

Read more: “I’m always asked where to find Edinburgh’s best Sunday roast, now I know what to tell them”