Say hey to pizza as Presto opens
Town centre: ‘Proud Egyptian’ expands Italian food firm
An Egyptian street food business owner with a passion for Neapolitan pizzas has opened his own store in Maidenhead town centre.
Hesham Fouda has been serving fresh pizzas from his Presto Italian gazebo in Maidenhead Market for the past three years.
The 40-year-old is now expanding his operation by running a new shop in Bridge Street, formerly occupied by Yourz to Eat.
Hesham said: “The idea was that I wanted to share my passion for traditional Neapolitan pizza made freshly to order for the Maidenhead community.
“I’m actually Egyptian and people get really surprised when they try my pizzas and ask what part of Italy I’m from.
“I am a proud Egyptian and I don’t like to pretend I’m an Italian.
“To get the response back from the Italians who say they love what I’m doing and you’re absolutely doing it right is really good to hear. “
The new Presto Italian store features a large pizza oven, breakfast-bar style seating for five people and
Egyptian-inspired artwork.
Hesham told the Advertiser that he believes his new takeaway venue is located in a prime hospitality spot in the town centre.
“We believe we’re in the right location because this is almost like the food quarter of Maidenhead now,” the St Luke’s Road resident said.
“We’ve really built up our customer base from the gazebo and how long we’ve been trading and it has been received very well.”
Presto Italian will be open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 9.30pm.
The company has signed up to Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat and is also offering a click and collect service.
Its gazebo at Maidenhead Market will continue to operate on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.