Valeries - call on me for some genuinely sensational pizza!

In search of some Italian sunshine in these dreary lockdown days, Paul Speed popped into Valerie’s Italian for some takeaway food ...

IN these dreary lockdown times, what better way to cheer yourself up than with a bit of Italian sunshine? Well that’s exactly what you get if you ring up Valerie’s Italian, on Kingsway, Cleethorpes, and treat yourself to their stellar takeaway pizzas.

I am a huge stickler for great customer service and Valerie’s are easily head and shoulders above most places, with their friendly phone manner being nothing short of exemplary.

They are always so cheerful and happy to discuss what’s on the menu, it’s a real tonic in these less than fun times and makes you feel very valued as a customer. On Saturday I rang at 11.30am to book a collection slot for later that evening.

After a brief wait on hold I was in, and placed my order.

There is a fantastic menu to choose from but to play it safe for the kiddies we plumped for the Margherita with fresh Napoli, buffalo mozzarella, sweet basil and garlic dressing.

Me being on a seafood diet (insert the punchline yourself here!) I went for the Frutti de Mare, that boasts king prawns, smoked salmon, roasted peppers, red onion, capers and a seafood dressing. The better half went for the Carne that consists

The Frutti de Mare was incredible, the luscious prawns and salmon were mouthwatering and the seafood dressing was simply divine. The capers offset the vegetables to create a tantalising flavour that was incredibly moreish.

Paul Speed

of roasted chicken, salami, smoked pancetta, mushrooms roasted peppers and a smokey barbecue drizzle. We also threw in some skinny fries as well - it was Saturday after all! Paying for the food could not have been easier.

We were sent a link to our mobile phone and the transaction was done in less than two minutes. Brilliant. When 5.30pm came around I went to collect it.

Everything was very well packaged in sturdy boxes and made carrying it to the car very easy. Right, onto the food!

Well where do I start with the pizzas?

They are absolutely superb - and a far cry from your regular takeaway pizza.

I appreciate this is largely as Valerie’s is primarily an eat-in restaurant, but if you’ve got it, flaunt it! The Frutti de Mare was incredible, the luscious prawns and salmon were mouthwatering and the seafood dressing was simply divine. The capers offset the vegetables to create a tantalising flavour that was incredibly moreish.

The kiddies loved their margherita and easily polished it off with the ‘yummy’ skinny fries.

The Carne was another delight, with the generous amount of chicken proving very tasty and the salami and smoked pancetta a winning combination.

The barbecue drizzle elevated the pizza even further, with a sweet tangy taste that begged for another mouthful.

A very satisfying meal for all, restaurant-quality in the comfort of your own home, can’t argue with that really can you?

I have eaten a huge array of pizzas over the years, ranging from utterly appalling to sensational - particularly when sampled in the mother country.

Well it is very safe to say that Valeries is firmly in the latter camp.

A real taste of Italian sunshine on the East Coast - what’s not to love about that?