I was going crazy for the pepperoni on this Preston pizza - it was food heaven!
Recommended by many and championed as one of Preston’s go-to classic British takeaway pizzerias, Antonio’s had a lot of hype around it ahead of our LP Eats review...
When we started this LP Eats season in search of the top pepperoni pizza in Preston, the city was bathed in sunshine. A couple of months on, however, and I found myself traipsing across Preston towards Ashton-on-Ribble in the November darkness, rain and a hint of icy sleet in the air as the sub-zero temperatures hit home.
But still, we had a pizza to review.
First thing’s first: Antonio’s is a classic little British takeaway, so the vice was one of industry and bustle as the staff began sorting the early orders on a Friday night. With their fetching mural outside, the establishment is one of Preston’s favourites, so I was keen to get stuck in and try the grub. 3/5 for the vibe, though.
On to the dough. A slightly thicker pizza than what you’d normally expect from a classically Neapolitan thin crust, this was nevertheless a nice and tasty dough with plenty of bite and flavour to it despite it being slightly on the denser side of things. I quite liked it - it’s a 3/5 from me.
The sauce and the cheese were a little underwhelming, however. The lack of cheese stood out - I was really missing that stringy bite with this pizza and the sauce really took over in terms of dominant flavours. Speaking of the sauce, it was a fine tomato sauce, nothing majorly outstanding about it and nothing majorly wrong with it either. Just fine. 2/5.
The toppings, however, were a different story altogether. The amount of pepperoni was generous, the quality of the meat was outstanding, the flavour was excellent, and the thickness of each pepperoni disc was great, giving each slice a nice bite and texture. Top-notch, no notes. 5/5.
Finally we come to value for money - having indulged in a feast for lunch, I only wanted a 6” pizza for tea, so ended up plumping for the smaller option and paying £4.80 for my scran. I think that’s pretty solid value - change from a fiver for what was a nice belly-filler with plenty going for it and quick service. Nice. 3.5/5.
SCORES
Dough: 3/5
Sauce & cheese: 2/5
Toppings: 5/5
Vibe: 3/5
Value: 3.5/5
Total: 16.5/25