Pizza Express is the trendiest addition to the high street in Summertown, North Oxford. One of the franchise’s newest locations and at the forefront of its rebranding wave, Pizza Express Summertown is the crema of the crop.

What’s been happening to Pizza Express in the last few years, anyway? The UK’s first pizza chain, once just a hole in the wall on Wardour Street in central London, has been quietly and assuredly going upmarket. The franchise has 370 restaurants (and counting) across Britain, and it’s raising the bar with each new location. Pizza Express is no budget pizza joint – it’s a cocktail bar, a music venue, and a stylish trattoria with great grub that doesn’t break the bank.

As far as pizzas go, you probably know the score. They start at £11.50 for a classic Margherita and include all the time-honoured mas-dough-pieces – from Sloppy Giuseppe, to the classy ham and olive ‘La Reine’, to American Hot (plus American Hottest, for the bold). The Romana pizzas are the centrepiece, (their thin crispy base has proved the most popular model over the years), but there’s also chicken or ‘nduja calzones, as well as the famous rectangular base pizza, the Calabrese. The best low-cal pizza option is the Leggera – a pizza crust with a salad in the middle.

There’s also pastas and salads on offer for the less pizza-inclined, and of course the famous dough balls, served with mouthwatering garlic butter. Admit it, you’d eat it straight out of the pot if no-one was looking. There’s vegan options across every section of the menu, and gluten-free provision on a whopping 16 different pizzas. They might have upgraded the menu, but they haven’t outgrown their kids’ menu – three courses and a Bambinoccino for just £7.95.

And the interiors? The much-loved marble tabletops aren’t going anywhere, but there’s a new, understated elegance to the decor. A mix of Scandi-wood and warehouse-chic metal chairs complement exposed brick walls lined with retro light-fittings. A select few paintings dotted about the place complete the glow-up. Head outdoors, and there’s seating at the front. Finish with a gelato in the sun and watch the world go by. Bellissimo.