A revamp, including the installation of artwork by Pizza Express founder Peter Boizot and demonstrations by pizza chefs, reaffirm the high street staple's timeless appeal.
Pizza Express has long been a mainstay of the British High Street, a step above fast food-aligned competitors like Pizza Hut and offering a lower price than other consciously swanky high-calibre establishments.
Founded in 1965, it set a standard for family-friendly Italian dining with a special occasion feel and similar chains Zizzi, Prezzo and Ask Italian have since followed in the brand's footsteps to curate widespread and well-attested blanket appeal.
Last week, the Bucks Free Press was invited down to the Gerrards Cross restaurant by manager Sanja Lourai to check out the pizzeria's newly renovated look - placing the customer at the 'front of the show' - and sample some of its classic menu items.
Situated on Packhorse Road, the Pizza Express branch was a warmly lit and bustling beacon on a dark and chilly October evening, with the new artwork and redesigned demonstration space amplifying its well-trod line between sophistication and comfort.
As a starter, I had the buffalo mozzarella and tomato dish (£7.95), dotted with homemade basil and pine nut pesto, an evergreen option that made for a tasty few mouthfuls.
It was the ideal precursor to my main course, a Romana base Fiorentina pizza (£13.95), a crispy pizza base topped with tomato, mozzarella, Gran Milano cheese, black olives and garlic oil as well as, of course, a fried egg and spinach.
My eyes turned out to be a little bigger than my stomach, but the competitively sized 14-inch pizza had a delicious combination of salty and creamy flavours, with the Gran Milano and mozzarella ensuring paramount cheesiness with a tangy kick.
In an age of increasingly experimental bases - from sourdough to charcoal - it was a reminder that you can't go wrong with a long-held favourite.
The highlight of my meal, however, was the dessert. An unassuming option, the Caffé Reale (£6.95) comprised a small bowl of sweet figs drenched in a cinnamon and white wine spiced syrup, served with a dollop of mascarpone.
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The syrupy figs offset the creamy heft of the mascarpone in a consummate balance between sweetness, spiciness and a near-savoury richness, making it the perfect way to finish the night.
My colleague Isabella Perrin also enjoyed her meal, describing the loaded pesto dough balls (£7.25), accompanied by a tomato dip, as "warm and moreish" and the Padana pizza (£16.95), which included goat's cheese, sweet caramelised onions and spinach, as "rich and enjoyable" although the onions had "slightly overpowered the rest of the flavours".
She also tried the traditional Italian dessert tiramisu (£7.75), with creamy layered ladyfingers dipped in coffee and Marsala wine, which she said she "couldn't fault" apart from its generous portioning which would have been "perfect to share for two".
Is Pizza Express your go-to High Street pizzeria?
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