Is your name Franco or Franca? If so, then Franco Manca, the Neapolitan sourdough pizza pioneer, wants to give you a FREE PIZZA this January, to celebrate the opening of its new Brixton restaurant.

Franco Manca translates from Italian to Franco is missing, a name which tells the story of the brand’s roots in Brixton Market. Back in 2008, a guy called Franco asked his good friend Giuseppe Mascoli if he wanted to take over the pizzeria he founded in 1986. Alongside artisan baker Bridget Hugo, Giuseppe took over the business and called it Franco Manca in homage to the original owner. 15 years later, having expanded to 69 restaurants nationwide, the brand has outgrown its very first restaurant and is moving to a much bigger site just around the corner, at 20 Atlantic Road. Get ready for Franco Manca Brixton 2.0!

To mark the occasion, the sourdough pizza brand is on a nationwide hunt for some real-life Francos and Francas, who will be lucky enough to enjoy a pizza on the house. The offer will be available from 15th to 31st January 2024, and qualifying participants need to bring valid photo ID with them to any Franco Manca restaurant nationwide, showing their first name as Franco or Franca. They will then be able to claim a free pizza from the brand’s delicious menu, including the extra special No.10 created by acclaimed Italian chef Francesco Mazzei – topped with a lightly spiced yellow tomato base, Prosciutto Parmacotto, smoked burrata, mozzarella, fresh basil and black pepper.

Javed Akhtar, Managing Director of Franco Manca, said: “Brixton is our spiritual home, after opening our first restaurant there in 2008, so it’s incredibly exciting to be moving to a brand-new, larger restaurant in the area – just a stone’s throw from where it all began for us. The growth of the business over the last 15 years has been phenomenal, and we can’t wait to see what the next chapter has in store for us.

“To celebrate our new Brixton opening, we wanted to dive into our brand’s heritage and what better way to do this than to tap right into what Franco Manca actually means. We can’t wait to welcome Francos and Francas from all around the country into our restaurants to eat for free this month!”

From 15th January 2024, Franco Manca Brixton will be located at 20 Atlantic Road, London SW9 8JA. For full terms and conditions about the free pizza giveaway, please visit the Franco Manca website.