You can see why Rudy’s Pizza is gaining a following, not just in York, but nationally.

It comes down to tasty pizza, causal surroundings, being well-priced and delivered by friendly and efficient staff.

The Manchester-based company, which opened its first outlet in 2015, now having 28 nationally, invited four of us to try their food and drinks.

This followed the opening of their latest branch in the former Shoe Zone at 5 High Ousegate, their fifth in Yorkshire, after three in Leeds and one in Sheffield.

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It was early Thursday, straight after work, but the place was already filling up.

We were shown to our tables and the lovely staff explained what was on offer.

There was an extensive menu and yes, it was dominated by Rudy’s famous Neopolitan Pizzas.

But first came drinks, so three of us went for spritz, the fourth had a Poretti Draught beer (£4.80 a schooner).

(Image: pic supplied)

One colleague enjoyed a blood orange and Campari Sprits (£8), another had an Aperol spritz (£8), and I had a mandarino spritz (£7.90). All were reasonably strong and lovely, and not long after we had a second round, trying something a little different. There was certainly plenty of choice.

For food, we started with the Veggie Campana (£13.90), which proved an ideal appetiser for the four of us. It featured a plate of soft mozzarella, roasted peppers, artichokes, giant salty olives, and roasted almonds with a pile of wild rocket and oven-dried tomato served with airy house bread.

We all agreed it was delicious especially washed down with a house cocktail.

For the main attraction, one colleague plumped for the house summer special - Calabrese Con Melanzana pizza (£13.90) with extra artichokes (£1).

It was a whopper (you can ask for a box to take leftovers home) and featured a yellow tomato base with mozzarella and grana Padano topped with large circles of roasted aubergine and ribbons of sweet, caramelised red onion as well as dollops of super spicy Calabrian 'nduja.

It hit just the right note between sweet and hot, and my colleague loved every bite (as did myself and other dining partners as we poached a slice!)

A vegetarian diner plumped for the Portobello pizza (£10.90), featuring San Marzano tomato, portobello mushroom, basil, oregano, Gran Padano and garlic oil.

(Image: pic supplied)

He said the mushrooms were cooked to perfection, they were fresh and hearty, with a good quality thin dough.

Having tried the Agnello Vegano (£11.90) at another Rudy’s, a colleague ordered it in York.  It features San Marzano tomato, plant-based lamb, garlic roasted tender stem broccoli, Kalamata olives and basil cheese sauce.

She says she enjoyed her pizza but thought the broccoli didn’t taste like garlic at all and was instead just boiled veg.

The mock plant-based lamb was ‘fantastic’, however, which would add to any pizza. It also worked well with the blue cheese that she added. My colleague couldn’t taste the cheese sauce, however. She added both mine and the Melanzana pizzas were fabulous.

As a meat lover, I ordered the carni (£12.70) which came with San Marzano tomato, Fior di Latte, Grana Padano, salame finocchiona, salame piccante, wild boar salame, basil, extra virgin olive oil  and fresh chilli.

It wasn’t the meatiest of pizzas but it was still extremely tasty and the thin pizza base was soft and lovely. I couldn’t eat it all and the quarter left over was still delicious cold the following day.

We also shared a mixed leaf salad at £4.50 as a nod to being healthy but was not the most appetising in appearance and it looked wilted under the weight of the vinaigrette - we left most of it on the plate.

Feeling full, the affogato (£4.70) made with vanilla gelato and a shot of espresso was the obvious choice for one of us. It fitted the bill, offering a creamy and sugary hit to the end of what was a decent dinner.

My colleague added the drinks were quite good, Aperol spritz was strong but the flavoured spritzes stood out as being better. She really enjoyed the cherry and Campari with blood orange – both specials that should be permanent on the menu.

I finished off with Rudy’s rum baba (£6.90) , featuring a light sponge cake soaked in a boozy rum, served with cream and a cherry syrup. It was a huge portion, maybe too large, and also more cherry than rum, so unlike the supermarket rum babas I am more familiar with. Still good, though.

One colleague said she loved the atmosphere and the ambiance; staff were swept off their feet, but all went out of their way to be helpful and chatty. The design was really nice and cool, with York her favourite of the Rudy’s she has been to, making you feel you were abroad.

However, she was slightly disappointed there was no gluten free option, but admitted it made sense with the style of open kitchen.

Another colleague added Rudy’s delivers fresh, tasty and well priced food- everything you want for a quick bite to eat. The venue has ben transformed from a tired old building to have new life with something casual and contemporary.

He also called it refreshing to see a chain champion quality produce and not try to be anything it isn’t. Coupled with great service, he will be back.

In just a few weeks, Rudy’s Pizza Napolitana in York has garnered 101 reviews on Tripadvisor, with an overall 5-star rating, ranking it 9th out of 568 York restaurants. Google awards it 4.4 out of 5 based on 44 reviews.

Either way, I too had a great time and like my colleagues, we will be back to enjoy its tasty, well-priced freshly made food, and great service, even if we have to pay for it ourselves!