Food review: Price is right at perfect pizzeria Sourced in Ludlow

While the delights of Shrewsbury’s Dough & Oil are never to be underestimated, the quality on offer at Ludlow’s foremost independent pizzeria moves into the county’s top spot.

It’s easy to understand how it can legitimately lay claim to that position.

Service is great, the interior is welcoming, the menu is exceptional and the provenance of ingredients is better than you’ll find in any competitor – and, as we all know, good food stems from good ingredients.

But first, the context.

Sourced took over premises in Ludlow’s idyllic Quality Square when another pizzaria went bump during Covid. Its predecessor was exceptional, providing great pizza and more-than-decent pasta, consistently punching above its weight.

When the opportunity arose, Sourced opened for business. It’s operated by the Crouch brothers, four South Shropshire lads who also run CSons, in Shrewsbury, and who took over the brilliant Green Cafe at Ludlow’s Dinham Weir when that became available.

The Crouch brothers are among the county’s finest operators – a family of foodies who are passionate about great flavours and about doing things well. The corner cutting that becomes a necessity for some, who battle through the cost of living crisis, the post-Brexit landscape, and a severe economic downturn, are always eschewed. They source great ingredients, they provide good service, and they invest in staff who are happy to work the floors and kitchens of the three venues that form their mini empire.

And that’s what leads to such great results. Ingredients are traceable and high end – the sort of stuff you won’t find on supermarket shelves and certainly won’t find at competitors, where cheaper, inferior alternatives are offered.

The menu is also a celebration of all that’s good and local. Even the apple juice is a single varietal from a Herefordshire orchard – everything is about quality, ethics and great, local flavours.

The location is great, too, of course, although so many locations in Ludlow are. Tucked away in a small square off Ludlow’s market place, it’s found beyond a pretty cobbled street that helps to showcase the immaculate history of south Shropshire’s foremost market town.

Sourced gave the premises a snazzy make-over when they took the keys. So there are graphics of space invaders that appeal just as much to millennials as to those of an older vintage. It’s clean and airy, too, with plenty of light flooding the space.

The staff are great. My friend and I booked a table for two earlier this week, and were the first to arrive.

Greeted with a smile and shown to a table on a small mezzazine, we had a view of the restaurant and were able to kick back and relax.

The menu is exceptional and a range of starters showcase the best of produce from Shropshire and its hinterland.

So there’s a Shropshire salumi platter with olives and pickles, or a buffalo mozzarella salad alongside heritage tomatoes from Drews of Worcester. There’s CSons bruschetta with more of those delicious, sweet Worcestershire tomatoes, or a salad of Lane Cottage leaves, alongside house dressing.

The pizza bases are made using the finest flours from Shipton Mill and Pimhill Farm, just north of Shrewsbury. The sauce features Drews’ tomatoes while the mozzarella is made by farmers at Brue Valley, using their own milk. It genuinely is a case of best practice, where every effort has been made to source the best ingredients and put them to best use.

Pizzas cater to all tastes, from those who like the Scandanavian flavours of salmon with dill, and capers, to a celebration of local lamb, from Perrywood Farm, that’s served with mint, and red and green harissa.

My friend and I both opted for a half-and-half pizza, an opportunity to enjoy two flavours on one joyous slab of carbs, protein, and fantastic toppings.

Mine was a Shroppy Guiseppe, a cleverly titled pizza that featured chorizo mince alongside chilli, apple, mozzarella, and tomato sauce.

It was fabulous. The heat was just enough – like a balmy day when the temperatures are a delightful 28C and there’s a gentle breeze amplifying the effect.

The other half of the pizza was a celebration of local vegetables and cheese. Remembered Hills blue cheese was served with onions, pesto, white sauce, walnuts and apples, with a generous selections of mushrooms.

The earthy tastes of the mushrooms allied to the herby, fragrant flavours of pesto, and the texture of the nuts, made for interesting eating. It also provided the perfect contrast to the gently warming Shroppy Guiseppe.

The dishes were well balanced, with the mild, delicate flavours of the mushroom pizza working delightfully alongside the punchier flavours of the chorizo and chilli number.

I made sure I left space for dessert, and while the Herefordshire chuckleberries sounded appealing, served alongside chocolate ganache, honeycomb, and tahini caramel, I instead opted for another local favourite, featuring gooseberries.

A gooseberry meringue was like a green-coloured Eton Mess. It featured a Hollowdene egg meringue – more points for great local ingredients – with a gooseberry and elderflower fool.

A gooseberry compote completed the dish.

The meringue was immaculate – the perfect mix of crisp, white shards with chewey, mallowey meringue. The gooseberries were similarly enjoyable, offering a well-balanced combination of sweet and tart.

It proved to be the perfect way to end the dinner and the prices were eminently reasonable.

As we left the restaurant, the sun was gently setting and a beautiful golden glow was sitting above the town.

Cars that had foolishly parked on Ludlow’s Market Square were plastered with the yellow tickets of an over-eager car park attendant – no change there – while there was a gentle bustle of locals and visitors wandering through the town.

Sourced had provided a perfectly enjoyable evening with great food, great service, and prices that felt just right.