The Deep Dish: Leos Pizza Boasts Creative Yet Simple Toppings

For some of us, pizza is comfort food. But Leos takes that notion to a whole new level. The burgeoning chain, which has 10 branches in Beijing (and which the owners have written without an apostrophe in its name for some reason), tops some of its pies with potatoes and yams, and can even bake the purple tuber right into the crust if you like. The combination makes for a unique option that many a Western pizza lover may scoff at but is an apparent hit among locals thanks to its home-cooked, literal meat-and-potatoes simplicity. 

Priced at RMB 48 for a 10-inch, or RMB 71 for a 12-inch, Leos potato pizza also has a light sprinkling of scrambled eggs and a smattering of crumbled bacon. You'll hardly notice the eggs though – their flavor is overshadowed by the sweetness of the yam and the satisfying saltiness of the bacon. The crust, meanwhile, is starchy and textured enough to stick to your ribs. That quality of the dough is no doubt due to their extensive two-day preparation process. It'll make you feel like you're having breakfast for dinner and is sure to keep your hunger at bay.

We also tried their spicy chicken with sesame pepper pie (priced the same as the potato pizza), a fiery pizza that'll remind you of some of your favorite southern Chinese fare. More conventional options include their Hawaiian (RMB 42 for a 10-inch or RMB 65 for a 12-inch), their barbecue chicken (RMB 45 for a 10-inch and RMB 68 for a 12-inch), and an Italian red sausage pizza (RMB 45 for a 10-inch and RMB 68 for a 12-inch). For any of those pizzas, customers can choose to have the crust stuffed with cheese, mashed yams, or mashed regular potatoes.

The decor at their branch near Lido is light and breezy, somewhat straightforward and inviting overall. It's tucked down a street where there's plenty of construction and precious few restaurants, making Leos a newbie in an underdeveloped neighborhood. Yet its simple atmosphere and creative yet comforting selection of ingredients make it worth a visit at any of its 10 Beijing branches, even though many of them are somewhat off the beaten path when compared to counterparts that are more established (but less adventurous in terms of toppings).

Leos Pizza (Dongfengbeiqiao branch)
Mon-Fri, 9.30am-10.30pm, Sat 9am-1.30pm. 8 Tuofangying South Road (400 336 858)
朝阳区驼房营南里甲8号(东风球馆内)

Photos courtesy of Leo's Pizza