THE spirit of co-operation is propelling hospitality back into existence. The latest example is local restaurant concept Beirm hosting a pizza pop-up, working with Cottonrake. 

It is happening tomorrow and Saturday, with collections at 12 Eastvale Place, opposite SWG3’s Galvanisers Yard. 

Cottonrake is a popular fixture on Great Western Road, presenting macarons, pastries, sausage rolls, eclairs and cakes to carry away with you. The established name has made some space available in their production bakery for newcomer Alex Brady who will be making a selection of artisanal pizzas. 

The story so far: Alex travelled to Naples in 2016 to spend two months training at the famous Neapolitan pizza school of Enzo Coccia. He learned about buffalo mozzarella, visited olive groves and tomato fields. There was time working in Edinburgh before he immersed himself in the food scene in Copenhagen – “I took a lot of inspiration from there before I came back to Glasgow”. 

Beirm is his idea for elevating the traditional pizzeria experience using seasonal Scottish produce. There were finalised plans for a residency at Gnom and a pop-up at The Gate.

Then a week later lockdown happened. Ultimately Alex wants to plot a course to a sit-in restaurant – which is an ambition many of us share at the moment. 

Before he finds a permanent home, it will be more pizza drops and limited-edition events. “We work really closely with my friend Mags who has a ready-to-go cocktail business, called Hybrid Drinks. They are in Fleur and Thornwood Bar for delivery at the moment. We’re hoping for the next couple of pop-ups we can collaborate with them on the drinks menu and have natural wines and cocktail pairings to go alongside the pizzas.” 

They are offering a tightly formatted menu with emphasis on quality ingredients. You could order prosciutto cultured butter, prosciutto di Parma, dressed greens and pecorino on your pizza. Or try chilli oil, roasted honey squash, gorgonzola, squash puree and pimento pine nuts. If you are going all in then sign up for smoked mozzarella, potato, confit yolk, cured pig cheeks, garlic aioli and add truffle. Desserts are a tiramisu or an Amalfi lemon tart by Cottonrake. 

Meanwhile, the spirit of solidarity has put Rockvilla Pizza from Possil Road into partnership with Clockwork Bar and Kitchen, the newly refurbished venue in the South Side. Look out for weekend deliveries with toppings options including ‘nduja, ricotta cream or Tuscan sausage, cooked at almost 500°C to give a light, chewy and charred crust. Glasgow has entered a golden age for local pizza.