Restaurants

Theyre both household names, but Pizza Express has always been the extra-virgin olive oil to the more lardy Pizza Hut. Its habitat is gentrified London: if a high street has a Pret and a Costa, it will have a Pizza Express. The chain also colonises heavily touristed environs, such as the new and improved South Bank. This branch, a symphony in glass and chrome, gives you Thameside seating and views. The menu currently vaunts a Rome theme, so two thinner-crusted Romana pizzas join the uniformly good regular pizzas. Children and youths go bonkers for the comforting dough balls and their accompanying excessive butter pot, but some starters, such as marinated olives and rustica tomatoes lack flavour. Branches are often absurdly busy.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008