Readers are adamant that this traditional Italian deli serves the best pizza in Peterborough - so we gave it a try

With Peterborough home to thousands of first, second and third generation Italians, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the city boasts some amazing Italian restaurants.

In the early 1950s, Britain faced immense problems with rebuilding the country after the ravages of the Second World War and desperately needed an expanded workforce.

Much of this extra manpower came from overseas, many men arriving from various parts of Italy, in particular the south.

The vast majority of those who emigrated to Peterborough from Italy were employed by the London Brick Company.

Many of these workers and their families settled in Peterborough, with some opening restaurants and delicatessens that became well-loved in the local community.

Thanks to the city’s well established Italian community, Peterborough is now arguably one of the best places in England to try authentic Italian cuisine.

We recently asked readers on our Facebook page to suggest their favourite independent businesses in Peterborough, and it’s fair to say that one Italian restaurant in particular received plenty of nominations.

Fratelli Tavola Calda, in the Rivergate Shopping Centre, primarily serves as a delicatessen but also features a seating area where customers can stop for a bite to eat after shopping.

A number of readers had waxed lyrical about the deli and, in particular, its pizza, with some claiming that it stands out as the best in the city.

So, in the interest of hard-nosed journalism, I headed down to Fratelli Tavola Calda to put these bold claims to the test.

Inside Fratelli Tavola Calda

My visit to the deli fell at midday on a Tuesday, but I was somewhat surprised to find many of its tables already occupied.

Thankfully, the helpful waitress managed to find me a table and I settled down to browse the menu.

Offering a range of pizza and pasta dishes as well as traditional English breakfasts, the menu was far more diverse than I was expecting for a relatively small deli.

Needless to say, the only thing on my mind was pizza, so I opted for the Napoli; a traditional thin crust Italian base topped with tomato, mushroom, ham, mozzarella and pepperoni.

After placing my order, I couldn’t help but sit and admire the cafe’s quaint decor.

Surrounded by Italian flags, photos of Vespa scooters and the smell of coffee, if I’d closed my eyes I could’ve easily been sitting down a sidestreet in Naples.

A short while later my pizza arrived piping hot and covered in heaps of parmesan cheese.

It took just one bite for me to realise why this place had earned such a glowing reputation.

The most important part of a pizza is the base, and the Napoli certainly passed with flying colours.

Perhaps it was the deli’s cool Italian vibe, but I could’ve easily sat there all afternoon stuffing my face with pizza and drinking espressos.

I can’t confess to having tried every pizza available from Peterborough’s Italian restaurants, but they’d be hard pressed to taste any better than mine at Fratelli Tavola Calda.

At £14, the Napoli was reasonably priced and more than big enough to be shared by two people.

Overall, I was very impressed with my first visit to Fratelli Tavola Calda and will be returning to try more of its menu in the future (and a gelato).