Sweet Dreams

are Made of Cheese

Japes came to life in 2018 when Jovana and Alex—both 26 at the time—turned their shared passion for business into a mission to bring authentic Chicago-style pizza to London’s Soho. Jovana was a top economics graduate, and Alex was a professional kayaker who competed in the 2012 Olympics and won the World Cup in 2013. They first met through Red Bull—she worked in marketing, and he was a sponsored athlete. That spark fueled their dream, and ever since, Japes has served rich, indulgent pizzas inspired by Chicago’s legendary deep-dish tradition. In 2023, they decided to try something new and invented a London Style pizza, combining the best features of various styles they explored during their pursuit of the perfect pie.