Famous for their mouthwatering Neapolitan pizzas and relaxed dining concept, Rudy’s have established quite a name for themselves across the country, including Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool. However, particularly in Birmingham, they seem to have formed a stronghold with two locations in the city centre, on Bennett’s Hill and Brindleyplace. As a regular at both of these joints, the addition of a Harborne jewel to the crown was more than welcome and I couldn't wait to try out the new outpost, which opened just this July.

There were lots of classic and signature spins on Rudy's pizza menu.

Although it's adopted the same rustic Italian vibe as all the other restaurants in the chain, there was something particularly nostalgic about this specific Rudy’s. The architecture was quite beautiful, with exposed brickwork peeking through various points of the interior plus a fancy red and white mosaic-tiled pizza oven. Vintage posters from Singin’ in the Rain and other musicals were framed and hung up around the walls, adding to the charm.

Seated right opposite the bar and seeing the staff with their shakers, it was pretty much impossible to avoid getting a cocktail. We decided to try out the Sospiri Spritz (£7.90). The bitter Malfy blood orange gin, floral elderflower and fruity sweetness of peach made this drink completely unique, unlike anything we'd ever tasted before. For our second sip, we quaffed a classic Aperol spritz (£7.90), which was so good that it transported us away from Birmingham's suburbs to the shores of the Amalfi coast.

There was a real laid-back vibe at our Rudy's pizza Birmingham review.

Despite trying my fair share of pizzas from Rudy's, I have never had any of the starters and was excited to do so. First, we chose to share a bowl of mixed olives (£3.50), which were plump and juicy with that classic salty flavour. Then we opted for the burrata (£7.30), served on a bed of fresh vine tomatoes and wild rocket, to counteract the strength of the olives, which it did perfectly with its creaminess. It spread over the accompanying house-baked bread like a dream, helping to soften the blow of the latter's rather burnt bottom.

However, of course, the real reason we were here was for the pizza. I decided to have the El Supremo (£13) from the specials board, while my friend ordered the Tarantina (£10.90). Described as ‘a Rudy’s twist on a best seller from the world-famous Roberta’s pizzeria in Brooklyn NYC’, the El Supremo was somewhat of a monster, boasting an impressive number of toppings. Situated on a bed of creamy fior di latte mozzarella, which comes in such a generous amount that it entirely covers the San Marzano tomatoes and gives an illusion of a white base, the spicy Calabrian pepperoni and herby Italian fennel sausage combined surprisingly well together. They were not overpowering either, thanks to the slices of fresh, crunchy green bell pepper.

Rudy's Harborne is a great shout for anyone with a hankering for fluffy Neapolitan slices.

Something that could have used a bit more power though was the Tarantina, which had been surprising given that it contained the pungent flavours of anchovies and olives. Unfortunately, the pizza was lacking the quantity of these toppings required to really pack a punch. Although our server Kirsty had been quite persistent, which was unsurprising given her extremely attentive and cheerful nature, we gave the dessert a miss this time, after being so full from some hefty starters and mains.

The DesignMyNight Digest

Having been to my fair share of restaurants within this chain, I had pretty high expectations for the new Harborne addition. While I can't say that this was the best Rudy’s I’ve ever been to, it's certainly one to look out for, as the service was attentive and the food met the chain's classic standard. However, as it's only just opened, it felt pretty overwhelmed with a large crowd of customers waiting to get their fill, so make sure to book well ahead or give one of the other branches a try.

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