Decoding the science behind pizza with Bengaluru’s new restaurant, Pizza No Cap

“It started with an obsession,” says Vichita Kumar, chef and co-founder of Bengaluru’s newest pizzeria, Pizza No Cap. “We fell in love with pizza-making and went deep into the craft, experimenting, testing, and constantly trying to understand what makes a truly great pizza.”

The pizzeria’s approach is rooted in science and experimentation, where the fermentation, hydration and protein percentages of the dough take precedence. The restaurant has wood fired Neapolitan pizzas with toppings that are cuisine agnostic, from Kerela beef fry to cider glazed pork belly, and are guided by a ‘why not’ attitude.

Located on Ulsoor Road, I visit on a weekday for lunch. The interiors are industrial in style, with exposed brick walls and metal chairs. At the heart of the restaurant is the brick oven where all the magic happens.

Rahul Singh, one of the co-founders and chef says, “The oven was built entirely by hand, brick by brick, using locally sourced materials. We didn’t have the budget to invest in an imported oven, so we decided to figure out how to build one ourselves.” Attention was paid to the curvature of the dome, the thermal conductivity, and heat retention.

The brick oven at Pizza No Cap

Rolling in the dough

The third co-founder, Siddharth Nest, is a trained microbiologist, and says he treats fermentation as a living science. “While our dough formula is proprietary and closely guarded, the larger philosophy is that we have never really “arrived”; we are constantly refining and evolving with every batch,” he says.

“Through long, cold fermentation, several processes happen simultaneously, and gluten proteins are partially degraded, making the dough easier on the body. The chemistry itself is straightforward, but achieving the right balance consistently takes time and precision.”

The Ottoman pizza
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

The menu

The concise menu has small plates, salads, beverages and the pizzas. The drinks are fermented in house and include options such as strawberry mead and ginger pop. Chillies on fire, the first dish on the table is a vibrant pickled number. Cheese stuffed chillies are blistered and charred, and served atop a red sauce.

The yakitori sticky chicken is a Japanese-style skewered chicken. The marination of scallion, tomato and a chunky garlic tare (a Japanese seasoning sauce) makes this one delicious.

Now coming to the pizzas. We order the roasted in greens. This one has a topping of creamy spinach, orange glazed fennel, chimichurri and fried potato chunks. The sour dough base is light, airy and charred just right. But I miss a touch of chilli oil or sauce to dab on the crust.

Another option that sounds unique, so naturally I order it, is called the Ottoman. A smaller pizza, this has a kebab made of chickpea on top, with a Baharat (west Asian) spice mix, and brined raw mango pieces. I enjoy the combination of flavours.

Other pizzas include Kerala flex, (tenderloin pepper fry, curry leaf aioli and toasted coconut), cider pork (cider glazed pork belly,) and smaller pizzettes with Goan chorizo and brown butter poached cabbage.

I end with a banana and brie dessert, a sweet and nostalgic banana cake with a bright fresh strawberry coulis.

Bengaluru’s pizza circuit has some strong players. Pizza No Cap makes its presence felt with the attention to detail, and creativity.

₹1,800 for two. At Ulsoor road, Bengaluru. Open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday to Sunday. For more details, call 7619125496

Published – March 30, 2026 08:00 am IST