Ask a Glaswegian where the city's best pizza place is and the most common answer you're likely to get is Paesano.
Very arguably the city's finest purveyors of Neapolitan pizza, when we asked what people missed most in lockdown, Paesano was a regular reply.
Since opening way back in 2015, most nights at the Miller Street restaurant have been 'stowed out', to quote a famous Scottish phrase.
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Seven years on from its arrival, you'll still regular find a queue of people spilling out onto the pavement as they look to get a spot inside.
Given Paesano's popularity, they had to expand to a second site at Great Western Road. Meanwhile Sugo, Paesano's pasta-based sister site, has also been a huge hit.
Why do people keep coming back? Simply, it's the quality of the pizzas being served up by Paesano's pizzaiolos, many of whom have traded the sun of Naples, the birthplace of the beautiful Margarita, to make pizzas for ravenous Glaswegians.
Inside one of two huge ovens, at a heat of 500c, pizzas are cooked to perfection and land on the plate in just 90 seconds.
Of course, Paesano regulars will all have their favourites. Are you a number 1 - the simple tomato sugo with garlic, oregano and evoo?
Perhaps the number 4? Spianata spicy salami from Calabria with tomato sugo, mozzarella and evo? Or a number 7, the hugely popular Fresh Tuscan Fennel sausage with sugo, mozzarella and evoo.
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They all have something in common. Each pizza is made to high Napoletana standards, in line with age-old traditions, giving them that incredibly moreish base, in combination with super fresh, organic toppings.
With 10 different options - plus a rotating menu of three specials - if you can't find a pizza you like at Paesano then you don't really like pizza at all.
And for loyal Paesans, you may have noticed a new new addition to the menu in recent weeks. In at number 10 is the Spicy Ventricina and Nduja Sausage with tomato sugo and mozzarella - which comes with an incredible kick, meaning there's no need to douse your slice in chilli oil - the Ventricina and Nduja topping fuels the fire.
But, the new entry might not be the last. As all good food spots should, Paesano isn't standing still and their talented pizzaiolos are always conjuring up new tastes, which might make their way on to your plate sometime soon.
Alongside the new number 10, we popped along to Paesano Miller Street to see what's in the works and give the latest creations a try. We won't give all the secrets, but here's just a snippet of what we sampled - and there's a lot to look forward to!
Mascarpone
It's not often you'll find mascarpone on a pizza, but this one, featuring aubergine, fior di latte, garlic and sunblushed tomatoes, was a real highlight, in particular, the strength of the garlic coming through in every bite and the delicately soft mascarpone cheese.
Beef Carpaccio
For something a little different, here's a pizza fully topped with beef carpaccio, rocket, parmesan, cherry tomatoes, fior di latte and a tangy lemon dressing, giving it that extra freshness.
Mixed peppers
One for the veggies, this wonderfully fresh pizza comes with mixed peppers, mushrooms, scamorza, fior di latte and sugo, and is one where after the first slice, you just want more.
Potato, cherry tomatoes and onions
Potato on pizza? Now bear with us. It might seem controversial, but as we were told by the pizza experts at Paesano, potatoes on a pizza is one of the popular toppings back home in Naples. So who are we to argue with them?
Salami Napoli
A personal favourite, there's something classically simple about this pizza with just the four fresh ingredients of Salami Napoli, gorgonzola, fior di latte and basil. It tastes as good as it looks and if you were only to eat one pizza for the rest of your life, you'd be more than happy with this one.
Sausage and friarelli
This pizza was one that really split opinion - friarelli (broccoli) on pizza? For many, at first sight this pizza might not pass the eye test, but, there's something that just works with it, giving a delayed and delicious aftertaste. It's certainly worth a try!
And there's even more beautiful Italian creations going through a rigorous testing process at the moment, including a spicy sausage dip and a pizza with an incredible butternut base. Keep your eyes on the ever-changing specials board on their Instagram page for a chance to check them out.
But in the meantime, you'd be well worth taking a trip to Miller Street try the new mouthwatering, spicy number 10.
We got asked at the end of our trip what pizzas we'd like to introduce to Paesano - let us know your thoughts in the comments!
You can find out more and see the Paesano menu in full by visiting their website here.
