Set near Lincoln Castle in the city’s historic Bailgate quarter, Dough LoCo brings together Neapolitan-style pizza, cocktails and craft beer. It’s more playful than a modern independent pizzeria, and was initially founded during lockdown, before evolving and moving into its current, permanent spot. Since then, Dough LoCo has quickly become a reliable fixture in Lincoln’s modern food scene, pairing serious sourdough base making credentials with a fun, lively atmosphere and on-trend branding.
The space itself and its atmosphere are a crucial part of the appeal at Dough LoCo. While outside you’ll find a few brightly painted bench tables, inside offers a more rough and ready feel, complete with disco balls and graffiti-style art to lend an intentionally informal edge. Humour is alive here too, as evidenced by a ‘no riff raff’ sign above the bar. Low lighting and an energetic soundtrack completed the energetic atmosphere.
And yet, despite the decidedly stripped-back atmosphere and playful aesthetics, Dough LoCo’s menu is a more serious affair when it comes to skill. Pizzas here take cues from Naples, specialising in 48-hour fermented bases, designed to create a lighter crust and yield that signature blistered look and satisfying chew.
The Dough LoCo pizzas, naturally, still have funky names. The Weirdough, for instance, comes topped with house marinara, Grana Padano, Monterey Jack cheese, fior di latte mozarella, red onion, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, spicy ‘nduja, rocket, and balsamic. The Bomb, meanwhile, comes topped with green and red chillies, ‘nduja, pepperoni and a hot drizzle. There are many more options to choose from, and alongside pizzas, you’ll find a range of snacks and starters to kick things off, from mozzarella sticks and arancini to tear and share garlic bread served with a range of antipasti.