Go west for the best pizza in Europe
The Dough Bros in Galway is where Ireland's best pizza is at
JJ O'DonoghueJournalist
Ronan and Eugene Greaney, who run The Dough Bros in Galway City
Dough Bros in Galway have been ranked as one of Europe's best pizza restaurants. Given the stiff competition, that's a pretty mean achievement.
Twenty-eight European countries, excluding Italy, made the final 50, with Dough Bros securing Ireland's only spot on the list.
What the judges said
Dough Bros actually picked up a hat-trick of awards including Ireland's best pizzeria, best takeaway service in Europe and placing 27 overall in Europe.
When the pandemic upended indoor dining, Dough Bros - which is run by brothers Eugene and Ronan Greaney - adapted and created a starter kit to make pizza at home. The judges were effusive in their praise of the kit, but also their take-out pizza.
"They have done a great job. Besides the doughs, their selection of raw materials is always at the highest of standards. Even the kits will produce one of the best pizzas in the country.
What the brothers said
"Buzzing, we're absolutely buzzing now," said Ronan Greaney on the phone to Buzz from Galway.
"We would have loved to been there for the awards," Ronan said, especially as "they're normally held in a swanky theatre in Milan".
"We should have been tuxedoed up and arriving in stretched limos."
Unfortunately, the brothers and the team at Dough Bros had to watch the ceremony by livestream from Milan this year due to Covid restrictions.
Eugene and Ronan started Dough Bros out of a food truck, building a base before moving into Middle Street on Galway
Retaining their best in Ireland title was not easy, especially given the past year for restaurants around the country, but Dough Bros adapted quickly. They created a home-kit which has been flying off the shelves, and which the judges singled out for praise.
"They never lost courage, but instead perfected their delivery service and even created a kit to make pizza at home."
Celebrating on Instagram, the brothers admitted that the past 18 months "have thrown some major curveballs but despite it all, it has been our most rewarding yet."
"We shut our doors for the night, drank fast pints and burned new holes in our teams ears with grade A shite talk. A new 6 day record breaking hangover was set but worth every bit. A top top buzz!" the brothers wrote on Instagram.
"Thank you to everyone that has helped us along the way. We have never been more excited or driven about the future and what lies ahead!"
The two brothers are steeped in the hospitality industry: their father ran a pub and restaurant in Co Mayo and their mother managed a successful restaurant in Salthill in Co Galway. So they had a fair idea of the highs and lows of an industry which is like no other.
Dough Bros launched a DIY pizza kit during lockdown
Opening their own place was always something they wanted to do, Ronan said. A trip to Naples, the home of pizza, as youngsters gave the brothers a taste of just how good pizza can be and fast forward a few years and the brothers got serious about dough.
"Eugene got laid off from his job back in 2013, and I was finishing college down in U.L. and we just said we'd give it a go." They started with a food truck, graduated to a pop up, which lasted for two years, and moved in Middle Street in 2016.
While that sounds simple, the brothers did their homework.
Ronan took off back to Naples and went to train at AVPN, the governing body of Neapolitan pizza, where he learned the techniques of how to make dough and tomato sauce on an intensive course
"It took me years to get in to a school but once I got in it was amazing." Down in Naples he was sent off to work in local pizzerias serving up pizza to some of the most discerning customers in the world.
"It was a class experience," Ronan said.
Bufallo mozerella, sweet corn and pineapple
What makes a great pizza? That's an easy one to answer for Ronan.
"Fresh produce and technique."
Dough Bros' wood-fired pizza is inspired by Naples but uses the best of Irish cheese, charcuterie, and honey to create something distinctly unique and local
"Our mission is to be a standalone Irish pizzeria and honour a lot of the Irish producers," Ronan said. "We have the best of dairy, and meats and honey producers."
All the classics are there, from margherita to marinara and a few pun-loving ones too such as the Peter Stinger and Hey Pesto. Their suppliers in Ireland include Toon's Bridge Dairy in Cork and Friendly Farmer in Galway.
When I ask Ronan where he stands on one of the most divisive questions in pizza wars - what's his take on putting sweetcorn or pineapple on pizza? - he's, well, he's happy let people eat to their preferences.
"I did train in Naples, but our inspiration from Naples is the dough, the base, the tomato sauce. That's where we take our inspiration and produce from, but that's where it stops."
"We like to push the boundaries of pizza, so sweetcorn and pineapple are all good for us."
In fairness, Dough Bros are creative and inventive. One of their recent specials was the The Bánh Mì, a Vietnamese go-to street food with Heterichs sticky-icky pork belly, candied jalapeños, triple pickle, lime vinaigrette, coriander, sriracha.
"Not for the staunch traditionalist then," said Ronan.
What's left to say?
Galway, here we come.
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