Julius is the hip younger sister to Teneriffe pizza institution Beccofino. “Come early, come often” is the not-so-subtle hint in capital letters on the website and locals certainly do, with a 45-minute wait for a table common.

The large pizzeria, in a renovated Art Deco building, has a warehouse feel with its high ceilings, polished concrete floors, exposed red brick walls and wooden beams. A tiled, woodfired pizza oven is the heart of the elevated open kitchen, pumping out traditional crisp-based pizzas, which punters eagerly queue for.

Yes, the pizzas are top-notch, but don’t leave without trying the antipasti. Polpette e polenta is a highlight. Two decent-sized pork and veal meatballs, fragrant with fennel, sit in a generous dish of polenta, tomato sugo and pecorino. While the stunning burrata wobbles on a raft of roasted leeks, with breadcrumbs adding a salty crunch.

Orecchiette al cavolfiore is al dente pasta ‘ears’ accompanied by small pieces of soft cauliflower, bursts of sweet raisins, anchovies and more of those crunchy breadcrumbs.

For dessert, it’s hard not to love the fritelle – warm, soft, custard doughnuts served with mildly sweet blueberry ice cream.

With some variation, Julius shares much of its menu with Beccofino, and a few of the same attentive staff. From the maitre’d managing Saturday night queues to the waiters who lead diners to their seats, guests are made to feel welcome and looked after with warm, unpretentious service. It’s casual dining but service is efficient without being rushed and nothing is forgotten.

Like its sibling, Julius avoids cliches and instead consistently serves up regional Italian dishes that allow seasonal ingredients to stand out.

Must eat dish: Polpette e polenta
Instagram: @juliuspizzeria