The Edinburgh Reporter January 2024

14 BUSINESS

Hotel with unique energy

Pizza pronto!

Businessman uses Roman inspiration to bring a slice of

the popular Italian food sector to the Royal Mile

By STEPHEN RAFFERTY

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN “pizza al taglio” has
arrived in Scotland for the first time with the
opening of Pronto Slice – the latest venture from a
fast-growing Edinburgh catering business.
Pronto Slice boss Michael Notarangelo spent
months researching and perfecting the concept

• inspired by his family’s Italian heritage – before
  opening the new premises in a prime spot just a
  few steps from Edinburgh Castle esplanade.
  Although a regular feature in small pizzerias
  across Italy, Pronto Slice is the first to introduce to
  Scotland pizza al taglio – which translates as sliced
  pizza – and is also referred to as Roman-style pizza.
  Michael said: “Our family comes from a small
  village in the Lazio region – which has Rome at its
  centre – and in every town and city there are small
  pizzerias selling pizza al taglio.
  “It’s a way of life for Italians to stop for slice, or
  have it wrapped up to take home.
  “I knew it would be a winner in Scotland too, so
  I wanted to be sure I made our pizzas at Pronto
  Slice as authentic as possible. That’s meant endless
  research on traditional Roman style pizzas,

working with high hydration dough and tweaking

the recipe until I was able to recreate the pizza

I remember from my childhood.”

While other places in Scotland sell pizza slices,

Pronto Slice’s differ as they are light and airy with a

soft and crispy base. The pizzas are at cooked in

giant bases with a range of toppings, before being

sliced to order and served.

Pronto Slice, based at 541 Castlehill at the top of

the Royal Mile and launched in partnership with

the Edinburgh-based property to retail company

Kiltane Group, marks the first “physical” trading

premises for Belmonte Catering, a bespoke street

food operation which Michael Notarangelo set up

in 2017. It operates a range of street food concepts,

including Pronto Pizza, which was launched and

sited in Edinburgh Zoo and which provided the

inspiration for Pronto Slice.

Belmonte Catering – named after the Italian

village where Michael’s family originate from

• currently has four concepts: Rollys Ice Cream,
  the first in Scotland to serve unique ice cream
  ‘rolls’; Dog n Bon, which specialises in gourmet hot
  dogs and loaded fries; StikWaffle, a hot dessert
  concept; as well as Pronto Pizza.

THE NEWEST HOTEL in town is

the W Edinburgh. Look to the

skies to see the ‘flourish’ on top of

the building situated in the

middle of St James Quarter to

find your way to the front door.

The hotel has three

restaurants: The top floors and

panoramic terraces of the

hotel are home to the

country’s first SUSHISAMBA

restaurant alongside the W

Lounge, and Brazilian-inspired

speakeasy cocktail bar named

João’s Place.

W Hotels began in New York

and now have more than 60

hotels worldwide. Theirs is

billed as a Whatever/

Whenever service provided

in “dynamic and invigorating”

interiors.

From the Ribbon Building

to James Craig Walk and the

Quarter House, each of the 199

rooms and 45 suites, many with

outdoor terraces, “offer a new

perspective on the city. Interior

designers, Jestico + Whiles, have

reimagined the best of Scotland

with locally-rooted influences

and creative collaborations

throughout the design”.

Agnieszka Rog-Skrzyniarz, Vice

President Luxury Brands, Europe,

Marriott International, said: “With

an unrivalled wealth of culture

and vibrant arts scene, Edinburgh

matches W Hotels’ legacy of

embracing local creativity and

talent. This property is set to be a

stand-out destination hotel

unlike anything else in the city,

igniting guest’s curiosity and

attracting locals drawn to the

unique energy of the W brand.”

Michael

Notarangelo