Pizza Express are consistent at releasing new menus in turn with seasons. Come Christmas time they release a festive inspired menu, which last year was a Brussels sprout pizza (don’t knock it till you’ve tried it) and they’ve recently released an autumnal range of specials, The Taste of Autumn.

Joined by two Romana pizzas, a deliciously rich cannelloni and a melt in the middle chocolate pud, the Autumn Specials menu is a comforting carb filled feast packed full of flavour to enjoy during the crisp months as well as featuring the winner of Pizza Express’ quest to find a much loved favourite dish from menus gone by which was voted for on social media.

Ravenous after a long day at  work we headed to Pizza Express at intuPotteries which is part of the Hive food complex.  I’ve visited this particular Pizza Express a few times and I’ve always found their staff to be attentive and the food delicious.  What’s not to love about pizza after all?  After ordering up a couple of Aperol Spritz we jumped straight into the starters and with eyes a little big for our bellies we order the deliciously creamy salmon risotto drizzled with lemon juice and the Classic Italian Antipasto. Finnochiona, Coppa, Milano salami and spicy Calabrese sausage D.O.P; with olives, marinated aubergine, roasted tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, sweet Peppadew peppers and dough baked with Gran Milano cheese, accompanied by garlic butter and pestorissa, a harissa and tomato dip, this was a deliciously moreish selection of finger food and certainly began to fill me up.

In fact, another Aperol later and a couple of slices of pizza later, I was so content with my food baby that I was ready to stroll home, leaves underfoot and cold air on my somewhat alcohol flushed cheeks. The Rustichella was the Pizza which stood out for me, unsurprisingly the winner of the public vote. The perfect combination of pancetta, mozzarella, and tomato finished with rocket, shaved Gran Milano cheese, roasted tomatoes and our house Çaesar dressing, it was deliciously tasty and it pained me so that I couldn’t finish the whole thing.

Dan opted for the Basilicata, a pizza inspired by the Basilicata area of Italy, famed for it’s lamb cuisine. Lamb, mint and chilli meatballs on a capia pepper and tomato base with rocket, shaved Gran Milano cheese and pesto. I always think that Pizza Express release a “f*ck it” offering every now and then which on paper shouldn’t really work, but it just does. This is the Basilicata.

Half a pizza down, it was time to ashamedly ask our server to “box it up” to enjoy as a midnight snack or warmed up as the perfect leftover breakfast.

…. before we left however, the lure of a melt in the middle chocolate pud caught my eye and whilst Dan finished off his bottle of Peroni I tucked into the moist Chocolate Fondant with vanilla gelato.

Now definitely full to the brim and clutching our leftover pizza we headed out into a cold wintery Wednesday, but with the taste of Autumn laying heavy on my belly I may have opted for for the warmth and ease of a taxi home rather than the aforementioned walk.

Pizza Express has restaurants all over the UK. Our bill was paid for in exchange for this honest review.