The Shanghai Napoli Pizza Joint That Sands Down Its Crust With a Power Tool Now Has a Huangpu Location

Right before serving, the chef picks up a small power sander and sands off any leopard-print char spots that got a little too dark on the crust, then brushes off excess flour and oven ash from the surface — not exactly what you'd picture in a Michelin kitchen, but it's just routine procedure at Uncle Beam & His Daughter's Huge Pizza before a pie goes out. People can't help but pause and watch the whole thing before digging in.

The name is a mouthful that sounds like a translation gone wrong, but it's actually rooted in the founder's real story. Uncle Beam is a Shanghai native who originally just wanted to make pizza for his daughter, and picked fermented dough as the healthier, less bloat-inducing option. In an interview with Minhang District's integrated media center, he put it simply: "If you wouldn't serve this pizza to your own kid, don't serve it to anyone else."

The original Minhang location opened in February 2024 and quickly earned the title of "best Napoli-style pizza in suburban Shanghai" — but the out-of-the-way spot meant most people never bothered making the trip. Now Uncle Beam has opened its first downtown location in Huangpu, tucked away on a quiet residential stretch of Julu Road, finally giving people a reason to check out the hype without trekking to the suburbs.

The pizzas come in 10-inch sizes, close to the personal-portion pies common in Europe. The hand-shaped fermented dough is baked in an actual pizza oven, with imported flour and cheese. The crust is light without being soggy, and doesn't have that overly puffy, hollow texture — each bite has just the right amount of crispness, and it holds up even if you're eating it standing up.

The Margherita runs just 55 RMB for six slices, cheaper than most comparable spots in Shanghai — though the size is a bit smaller too. The tomatoes bring a natural sweetness, and the cheese-to-sauce ratio is dialed in just right. The house specialty is the black truffle and porcini pizza (88 RMB), made with truffles and porcini mushrooms from Yunnan, paired with prosciutto and mozzarella for a fresh, fragrant bite — the kind of pizza that has people coming back for more. There's also the signature beef Napoli (78 RMB), with beef, tomato sauce, mozzarella, onions and mushrooms. The priciest option is the black truffle with a whole burrata, at 128 RMB.

The Huangpu location isn't very big — it's really more of a hub for delivery and takeout. If you're looking to sit down for a proper meal, the original Minhang spot has more space and a fuller menu.