Ludacrust

17/08/2026

I left the Royal Navy thinking I was finally free. Within weeks, it felt like I’d lost everything.

After 22 years in the Navy, I’d reached the end of one life and decided to bet on another.

For most of my adult life, the RN had been my safety blanket. Same structure. Same routines. Same pay arriving every month. However demanding it was, there was always a framework around me.

Then I left.

And almost immediately, my relationship ended.

At the same time, because I no longer had a guaranteed Navy income, the bank wouldn’t let me take on the mortgage by myself.

So suddenly I wasn’t just leaving a career.

I was losing my relationship, my home and the income I’d relied on since I was 18.

I’d gone from the enormous safety net of the Royal Navy to feeling like I’d been dropped out in the wild with absolutely nothing underneath me.

There was a fairly obvious option available: go back.

Rejoin. Get the salary back. Keep the house. Return to something I knew I was good at.

And give up on Ludacrust.

Instead, I moved back in with my mum and threw pretty much everything I had left at making this ridiculous pizza idea work.

At the time, it didn’t feel brave or inspirational. It felt terrifying.

But one thing 22 years in the Navy had taught me was to stay the course when things get uncomfortable.

So I did.

This reel is a little bit of the story of how Ludacrust came about - from terrible pizzas at home, to dough mixed in a mop bucket aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, to opening the doors of our own place in Taunton.

There are plenty of bits I got wrong along the way.

I miss the Navy - but I’m very glad I didn’t go back.

Tag a mate who owes you a pizza.

11/08/2026

3 of my favourite reviews from the past couple of weeks. Stay tuned until the end to see which one hit me the hardest...

03/08/2026

I got welded in the name of showing you guys where I like to go for a b**r. Tag your mate if I went to your local - more importantly, do you have a better 4 pub crawl? Let me know in the comments...

01/08/2026

Wu Tang Cl-Anchovy.

We made a pesto with :

Capers
Parsley
Walnuts
Extras virgin
Confit Garlic
Lemon

We then mix that with creme fraiche - that's the base.

Then we're hitting it with:

Mozzarella
Anchovies
Home made dill oil
Watercress
Honey
Black pepper
Sweet pickled shallots

This pizza has no fewer than 13 ingredients, but when you include the dough, we're up to 17 constituent components - all hand crafted, all curated deliberately to deliver harmony for every bite.

Tag a mate who'd live this pizza.

17/07/2026

Getting back to the street food roots, eh. 🤌🤌🤌

☀️ Sunday plans? We'll have them covered for ya!

Saturday will be the party, so Sunday is all about kicking back, soaking up the sunshine and doing what Sundays were made for... great b**r, incredible pizza and top company! 🍻
Our Taproom is open from 12 noon right through until the final whistle, with ALL cask b**rs just £3.50 and a fantastic line-up of Quantock favourites alongside some very special guest b**rs still pouring from our big weekend celebration.
And the legend is back... Jumper from Ludacrust returns to where it all began! Fresh from opening his own restaurant in Taunton, he'll be firing up his ridiculously good wood-fired pizzas from 1pm-8pm.
If you're planning to catch the World Cup Final LIVE on our big screens (8pm KO), make sure you get your pizza order in before 8pm so you don't miss out!
England may not have made the final (we're not crying... honest! 😉), but the atmosphere at the Taproom has been absolutely electric throughout the tournament, and we're finishing it in true Quantock style.
Round up the family, grab a pint, order an amazing pizza and spend your Sunday exactly as it should be spent... at Quantock Brewery. 🍺☀️🍕

06/07/2026

Where's your favourite alfresco dining spot?

We're tucked away, not quite on, not quite off the beaten track. When booking, you can select the outdoor option.

Hit up Ludacrust.com for your reservation.

30/06/2026

🍕 We've got a new one for you...

Meet ProvMalone.

Creamy provolone. Salty prosciutto. A generous grating of pecorino. Finished with cracked black pepper and fresh rocket on our signature slow-fermented dough.

Sometimes less really is more.

The bigger question is... did we nail the name? 😏

Would ProvMalone be your next order, or have you got a better name for it?

👇 Let us know in the comments.

📍 Available now at Ludacrust.

23/06/2026

Don't sweat it - we're still here. We don't feel the heat. Come down to Ludacrust and dine alfresco in at lunch or for an evening meal.

We got you!

04/06/2026

How well do our customers know their hip hop lyrics?