Proloco, a new pizza and sharing plates restaurant from the founders of Honest Crust and Rainy Heart, opens this week at One Port Street in Ancoats, serving 18-inch pizzas from £23 and £7 Negronis.
Dan Hope, co-founder of Manchester club Rainy Heart, and Richard Carver, founder and chef behind the award-winning Honest Crust Pizza, have joined forces to create Proloco, combining years of hospitality know-how and a shared passion for produce. The space, built around great food, generous hospitality and a love of music, is located in a new residential tower that will also soon be home to the Michelin-acclaimed Osma and Bar Dos, a new neighbourhood spot from the team behind Stray bar.
A new direction for pizza
When Honest Crust opened its first space at Altrincham Market, it was among the first to champion sourdough Neapolitan style, and remains one of the North West's best pizza spots. However, as Dan explains, when he approached Richard to discuss opening somewhere together, it was about doing something new and bringing a new element to Manchester's pizza scene.
"We've known each other for a long time - he's a hero to me for food, and I was always interested in what else he might do," says Dan. "The conversation started around pizza, and he wanted to try and create a business that his values were reflected in, and really honour his suppliers he's built relationships with."
It developed into something that felt like more than pizza - a blend of a restaurant and a place where you can get a pizza, plus plates alongside - which got really exciting for Rich as it was another way to work with his supplies.
Supplier-led menu
A core principle of Proloco will be its relationships with suppliers across the North West, many of whom Richard has long-standing relationships with. Flour will be grown and milled up in the Lake District by Lovingly Artisan, an award-winning specialist sourdough bakery, while vegetables will come direct from Cinderwood Market Garden and Organic North.
"We are going to be led on the plates in the main by what's coming from our suppliers - it's going to define how we develop menus, and seasonal input will also have an input on what people see," says Dan. "Lovingly Artisan decided to start growing their own wheat so he's got a large area in the North West Lakes. When we spoke to him it became clear that the project would become better if we used his flour milled year round so may not to impact the content of the menu."
Another in Cumbria is James Robinson, a good friend of Richard's. They've been collaborating for a few years, and he's a regenerative farmer and produces what they believe to be the finest milk in England, which will be the base for their gelato.
18-inch pizzas and sharing plates
Proloco's menu will change with the seasons and span a weekly rotating selection of 18-inch pizzas, and sharing plates drawing on Richard's longstanding connections, following a simple philosophy: local where possible, British by preference. The 18-inch pizzas are the star of the show and are designed to share with several people with prices on the seasonal specials starting from £23. The tomato butter pie is likely to be a popular choice, alongside the base topped with rolled pork belly, potato, shishito peppers and Burford cheese.
They'll do the classics too - Marinara, Margherita and Pepperoni, and all can be served half and half, to keep all your dining companions happy. These options are priced between £17 and £19 and are again, designed to share. Dips include their chilli vinegar, aioli, and Cinderwood Green Goddess.
"Honest Crust is known for wood-fired pizzas. We are using an electric deck oven, and what I can say is they will be crispy pies."
Meanwhile, dishes for the table may include the likes of fried anchovies, crispy egg with mortadella and fennel, and roasted beetroot, served with roscoff onion and French parsley. The menu will also feature artisanal charcuterie and cheeses from Somerset and tomatoes and oil from Italy.
It's worth making room for dessert too. Their gelato in flavours spanning fig leaf, plum ripple and apple sorbet are sure to be a hit.
Drinks and opening times
The hero of the drinks menu is Proloco's £7 house Negroni, alongside a number of wines, beers from local suppliers including Sonoma, and an aperitivo list spanning Red Lambrusco, Vermouth Bianco and Vermouth Rossa. Soft drinks include a range of Shrub & Soda options, house lemonade, and Zingi Ginger beer.
Dan says he couldn't have brought the vision to life without the 'amazing' team they've created too, with many of the staff members having worked in some of Manchester's very best and most exciting restaurants. "We were looking for a head chef and asked around and it was recommended to speak to Ruby Tuesday Ward who had come back to Manchester after Rochelle Canteen. We're really excited about the plates she's putting out," says Dan.
"Fay Brown whose our restaurant manager, ran Rainy Heart and she is a human being who offers magic to spaces and people. There's loads of other great people, Ruby, our sous chef has come from Winsome and Onda, and then there's a broader team of amazing humans too. All these people signed up to an idea, nothing was real, and it's blown my mind."
Proloco is open now and opening hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 4pm; Friday 12pm until 2pm and from 4pm; Saturday, 12pm until 2pm and from 4pm; and Sunday, 12pm until 6pm. The address is 74 Great Ancoats St, Manchester M4 5GU.
