Your Total Guide To eating & drinking

Review: Pizza Express

Team Total were invited to review the New Pizza Express at Swindon Designer Outlet.

Following an influx of new restaurants in the town centre, there’s never been a better time to dine out in Swindon.

Leading the way with their delicious and affordable take on Italian cuisine, is firm family favourite Pizza Express.

Although Pizza Express isn’t necessarily a new concept here in Swindon, the chain’s latest opening in the Designer Outlet is sexier, sleeker and more stylish than its Old Town counterpart.

White walls, black furnishings and a minimalist approach help to give the restaurant a sophisticated yet modern brasserie feel reminiscent of any top London eatery.

The light, bright, airy space boasts a medley of different sized tables, booths, plastic chairs and banquet style seating. Plus, for those who want to see the pizza chef in action, there are a few seats available overlooking the open kitchen.

We’re pleased to report that not only does the restaurant look great, but the food and service are equally as pleasing.

It felt only right to begin the meal with a hearty helping of dough balls. The “Dough Balls Doppio” is a double portion of the restaurant’s signature dish – perfect for sharing. The plate was served with a trio of delicious dips, which included pesto, garlic butter and n’duja (spicy softened sausage and olive oil).

Alongside the dough balls we opted for the “Classic Italian Antipasto”. Beautifully presented, the dish consisted of cured Italian meats with large green Sicilian olives, roasted tomatoes, baby mozzarella, sweet peppadew peppers and rocket with warm dough sticks.

Between the six of us, the Dough Balls and Antipasto proved to be perfect way to ward off any pre-dinner hunger pangs, without spoiling our appetites.

Once they arrived, our main meals ranged from an always popular Sloppy Giuseppe Pizza, to Lasagna Classica with a side order of Polenta Chips and parmesan.

From the timeless tastes of the La Reine to the fresh flavour of the Pomodoro Pesto, the floury pizza bases, were pleasingly thin and crispy. The delicacy of each base meant that the toppings weren’t dominated by stodge and that eating a whole pizza didn’t leave you feeling stuffed. We’d recommend opting for the bigger, thinner and crispier Romana base for a small extra charge.

The Lasagna Classica was fresh out of the oven; hot and bubbling at the corners. There was just the right amount of pasta to meat, and the béchamel was to die for.

No meal would be complete without a sweet treat to finish, and fortunately for us, there were plenty of puddings for us to choose from.

After a brief period of the deliberation we finally made our decisions and eagerly awaited the arrival of our final course. And what a final course it was; The Chocolate Glory was an indulgent affair complete with ice cream, chocolate brownies and lashings of hot gooey sauce, while The Raspberry Sorbet was deliciously sweet and served with a chocolate straw and fresh mint.

All in all we had an enjoyable evening and would highly recommend a visit. Pizza Express provides the perfect setting for a casual meeting with friends or a low key dinner with family, in contemporary and relaxing surrounds.

My star ratings (out of five):