As summer draws to a close the Arndale shopping centre is still alive with shoppers looking for holiday sales or back to school bargains; so, if you find yourself peckish whilst on a shopping spree, PizzaLuxe is the go-to pizza place in the Arndale.
Located in the Halle Place food court in the Arndale Shopping centre, PizzaLuxe is a sit-down restaurant containing a classy authentic pizzeria aesthetic with tiled walls and floors, intimate lighting, and luscious green plants everywhere. The restaurant consists of cosy booths and tables which immerse you in the Italian style whilst also overlooking the ongoing bustle of shoppers.
The menu has a wide selection of sides, salads, and pizzas to choose from including the classics as well as exciting new flavour combinations and the option to choose your own pizza toppings or salad ingredients.
The food was not the only eye-catching feature on the menu as there were just as many tempting choices when it came to ordering drinks with a vast range of spritzers, cocktails, and mocktails on their new summer drink menu in partnership with Double Dutch. Needless to say when me and my brother arrived, we were spoilt for choice deciding what to eat and drink.
After much deliberation I chose the Classico Palermo pizza – a traditional mushroom, ham & chorizo topping, delicately flavoured with parmesan, truffle oil, and sage. The juiciness of the pork paired perfectly with the sharpness of the cheese and the subtle flavours provided by the sage and truffle meant this was no ordinary ham and mushroom pizza, but a masterpiece of taste. To accompany my pizza I ordered the LuxeGin & Tonic, which was the restaurants own flavour of gin served with another explosion of aromas: lemon peel, lavender, and elderflower tonic.
My brother, an avid pizza lover (& consumer), is also a stickler for traditional pizza toppings, ordering the Pepperoni Doppio which had the perfect balance of delicious dough, rich tomato sauce, and succulent sausage. The pièce de resistance for him, however, was the thin crust, freshly made sourdough base which we were told is a 96-hour slow-proved recipe to provide the tangy sourdough flavour we all crave.
Naturally we both devoured our food with delight, exchanging slices and agreeing the food perfectly emulates the genuine pizzerias we have eaten at in Rome.
The rapid service by friendly and passionate staff makes PizzaLuxe a perfect stop for a quick, refined meal while shopping or a casual evening drink and bite before hitting the town. Alternatively during the day PizzaLuxe has a quaint coffee and cakes stall selling premium Italian coffee and freshly baked cakes to go for the shoppers who want to chase their next sale instead of a sit-down meal.
For those budget conscious students, PizzaLuxe is offering a pizza (or a salad) & a cocktail for £15 until the end of September that ensures anyone can experience their great food and drink without breaking the bank.
Words by Chris Jackson
