Second helpings: Other restaurants serving superior pizzas

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Naked Pepper, Birmingham

Valvona & Crolla Caffe Bar 19 Elm Row, Edinburgh, tel: 0131 556 6066

Britain's best Italian deli opened this buzzy breakfast and lunch place at the back of the shop in 1996, and I doubt there's been an empty table since. Food is casalinga (homestyle) and relaxed, from the antipasto, and several well-prepared pasta dishes, to the killer cakes. Pizza is smartly topped with mozzarella, courgette and parmigiano, or Valvona & Crolla's own spicy sausage to match with the wines sold in the shop.

Spiga 84 Wardour Street London W1, tel: 020 7734 3444

Set up under the auspices of Giorgio Locatelli while at Zafferano, Spiga is a smart but casual Soho player. While there is antipasti, pasta and salads, most are here for the pizza, which has a thin, crisp base and intelligent toppings without getting too cheesy about it. Best is the simple prosciutto and rocket pizza, and the spinach, ham and stracchino cheese version. Tip: book a booth for two or four.

Eco 162 Clapham High Street, London SW4, tel: 020 7978 1108

Eco has style and an upwardly mobile attitude, but the star is the rustic wood-fired pizza oven, which can barely keep up with the voracious appetites of the Clapham faithful. Pizzas are the classic 12in thin-crusted jobs. Give the groovy fusion pizza a miss and stick to aubergine and sun-dried tomato, or the classically beautiful Margherita of mozzarella, tomato and fresh basil. You want lemongrass chicken? Go to a Thai restaurant.