A new pizza takeaway has been the talk of the town since it opened in Sunderland, with foodies raving about the mouth-watering variety of food available. We went to try out SLICE at its newest location in the city centre of Sunderland – here’s what we thought.

In a town that boasts a staggering six Greggs, it is safe to say that Sunderland City Centre was well due a brand-new lunchtime food destination – and it has finally arrived.

SLICE is the newest addition to Market Place in Sunderland, serving up pizza by the 12” slice as well as in the form of meal deals, that adds on a portion of fries and a drink.

Read more: What we thought of lunch at the G & Tea House, Great Ayton

The Northern Echo: Outside SLICE in Sunderland.

The brand-new unit has been decked out with modern exposed brick and a mural, electronic TV menu’s and glass displays where you could see all of the slices before you choose.

Our trip took place on Saturday, August 12 during the lunchtime rush. Many had clearly had the same idea of grabbing a pizza slice for lunch, as we had to wait around five minutes in the queue. Luckily, the speedy service meant that the queue went down quickly, and we were able to make our order.

The menu is split in two, offering “classic slices” that include margherita, pepperoni, bolognese and cheesy garlic bread. This core part of the menu differs to the “special slices”, which from August 8-13 meant that a chicken fajita and a halloumi slice were on the menu.

The Northern Echo: The food at SLICE in Sunderland.

Apart from the margherita that costs £3, each slice is priced at £3.50, which can be made into a meal with fries and a drink for £6.50. You can change said fries to “loaded” fries for an extra £2.

I decided to go for the meal deal and picked the special chicken fajita slice with seasoned fries and a can of pop. My friend chose the pepperoni slice as well as a slice of cheesy garlic bread.

I must say the service inside was great. The staff were really attentive and made small talk with us whilst we waited for our food, which was a nice touch as we felt really welcomed.

Our next problem was finding seating. The unit itself is very small and has a small bench style set up that can only fit about four people.

Sunderland is not famous for its abundance of benches, so we faced a walk to try and find somewhere to sit. This may be changed in the future by the owners, who could decide to install outdoor seating which would make it a bit easier to sit and enjoy the food.

The Northern Echo: The food at SLICE in Sunderland.

After finding somewhere to sit, we tucked into our slices. The chicken fajita was tasty, and the vegetables were soft and nicely cooked. I also thought the amount of tomato base and cheese was generous – they do not skimp on the toppings which is something other pizza places tend to do.

For me though, the highlight was the crust, which was airy and crunchy, adding a real authentic feel to the slice. The only thing I would change is a bit of spice on the fajita slice, but that is my own personal taste.

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The Northern Echo: The food at SLICE in Sunderland.

The fries were another incredible highlight, as they were seasoned with what tasted like a paprika salt mix. Rather than just plain old fries, these were different and nicely done.

According to my companion, the pepperoni slice was well done, with a decent amount of toppings and an incredibly cheese-filled slice of cheesy garlic bread.

Overall, I was really impressed with SLICE. The food is tasty, priced well and the service was top-notch. For a lunchtime pick, if you’re out in Sunderland, it’s a reliable choice if you just fancy a decent portion of pizza and don’t want to break the bank.