All pizzas are reviewed on quality of base, crust, cheese and toppings where applicable although by trying to remain impartial, I have attempted to base judgments purely on margherita, also overall atmosphere which is of course going to impact how much you enjoy your pizza!
1. Bella Italia, Durham
Base - 10
Crust - 8
Toppings - 9 Overall - 9
Atmosphere - 9
Price - 8
Sitting right on the banks of the river, Bella's menu is an immediate eye catcher. Offering a full medley of rustic and contemporary Italian food, there is enough to satisfy anyone's taste buds. If you, like me, have your eyes on only one of the choices on offer, it is impossible to be disappointed, blending seamlessly their fluffy moist base to a thin, crispy crust.
2. Fiume, Washington
Base - 8
Crust - 9
Toppings - 8 Overall - 8
Atmosphere - 7
Price - 6
Again sitting right on a river, Fiume's modern style strikes you as somewhat of a shock at first. Perched on the top of a modern bar which does get rather busy, the atmosphere upon exit and entrance can be somewhat overwhelming at certain times. The restaurant itself however is somewhat flawless in it's design.
3. Tosca, Sunderland
Base - 6
Crust - 6
Toppings - 10 Overall - 8
Atmosphere - 9
Price - 9
Easily accessible by every area of the north east, right next to park lane interchange, Tosca's quaint, quirky, almost cafe-esque style makes it seem serene. The pizzas themselves amount to almost a crispy flatbread with the TASTIEST toppings you could imagine. The chocolate orange cheesecake is also to die for.
4. Mama's Italian Kitchen, Houghton-le-spring
Base - 7
Crust - 8
Toppings - 7 Overall - 7
Atmosphere - 7
Price - 6
Priding itself on being a haunt of footballers and famous people, expectations are usually met by a hair. Plain in it's presentation, slightly over average in it's quality, I feel the price reflects it's reputation as opposed to it's quality.
5. Little Italy, Seaburn
Base - 8
Crust - 5
Toppings - 8 Overall - 7
Atmosphere - 8
Price - 7
When you sometimes get a crustless pizza...
Little Italy is idyllic in it's setting, you couldn't get closer to the sea without building a restaurant on the beach. The staff are on a level of friendliness that is unheard of in most places, rumours are they're thinking of investing in a new pizza oven, watch this space!
6. Avanti, Houghton-le-spring
Base - 6
Crust - 6
Toppings - 8 Overall - 7
Atmosphere - 8
Price - 8
Another pub conversion to restaurant the same as Mama's. Many of the old features of the pub still remain though, full bar, seats built into the wall, surprisingly however this does not detract from the overall feel of the restaurant.I consider the food to be of very good quality, the more modern feel to the music played helps the atmosphere tremendously.
7. Roma, Sunderland
Base - 7
Crust - 9
Toppings - 8 Overall - 6
Atmosphere - 4
Price - 8
Strange how this used to be my favourite restaurant, until I got too full from one of their top-notch pizzas and had a panic attack on the way home.Their food is great, the restaurant itself mirrors Tosca in it's quaintness, yet it plays god awful country music, huge mood killer.
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