With National Pizza Day just around the corner, we heard that an Italian restaurant in Cardiff had been shaking up its menu, so we headed into the city to see what all the fuss was about.
ASK Italian is a familiar name on the high street with around 65 restaurants across the UK. We have visited a few of its sister brands under the Azzurri Group, but somehow ASK had slipped under our radar until now. When news landed that the chain had launched its most indulgent pizza menu to date, it felt like the perfect excuse to put that right.
The Cardiff restaurant sits on the corner of Wyndham Arcade, right in the heart of Mill Lane. It is a lively part of town with plenty of competition, but ASK manages to feel welcoming and relaxed with seating inside and a handful of tables outside for alfresco dining. We had booked for midday on a Saturday and arrived to find the place already starting to fill up.
Our server Nika greeted us with a warm smile and was brilliant with our little one, Oscar, which instantly set the tone for the visit. As first timers we were not entirely sure what to expect, particularly when it came to portion sizes, but it did not take long to find out.
For starters we went for the N’Duja and Cheese Dough Bites (£9.50) and the Pesto and Cheese Bites (£9.25). When they arrived we were genuinely surprised by how generous the plates were. These could easily be shared between two and would still feel like a proper treat.
The N’Duja bites were the standout. They came curled up with mozzarella and served with a rich tomato sauce laced with that spicy sausage meat. The flavour was more fiery and meaty than eye watering hot, which suited us perfectly. The pesto version was equally enjoyable, aromatic and garlicky with a lovely wood fired taste. Honestly, we could have happily returned just for those starters with a couple of cocktails.
With National Pizza Day in mind, pizza had to be the main event. We ordered the Calzone Carne Piccante (£18.25) and the Stromboli with added fresh chillies (£16.50). All the pizzas are made using Wildfarmed regenerative flour and topped right to the edge with olive oil and cheese. A nice touch was the scissors brought to the table for slicing, which felt a bit unusual at first but actually worked brilliantly.
The Stromboli was a classic pepperoni pizza on a tomato and mozzarella base. The extra chillies gave it a good kick, though after the punchy starters it felt slightly overshadowed. That was more about our ordering enthusiasm than any fault of the pizza itself.
The calzone, however, was an absolute winner. Packed with pepperoni, ham, beef and red wine ragu, mushrooms and chillies, it delivered exactly the bold flavours we were hoping for. The base on both pizzas was excellent, crisp and firm with just the right amount of chew. Each slice held its shape perfectly, a detail that real pizza fans will appreciate.
ASK Italian clearly understands families too. The children’s menu is fantastic value at £7.95 for three courses with options like pizza, bolognese, chicken pesto pasta and even a chicken burger. For younger diners there is the Tiny Tums range at £3.50, and peas are free, which is always a win with parents.
Olivia went for the Gelato Doughnut Sandwich from the children’s menu, a doughnut filled with vanilla gelato and drizzled with chocolate sauce. The portion was huge and disappeared in record time.
We were also grateful for the ASK Italian takeaway boxes when we could not quite finish everything. It meant nothing went to waste and we enjoyed round two later at home.
Because of its location tucked into the arcade, ASK Italian could be easy to overlook, but we are glad we did not. It feels like the kind of reliable spot you can return to whether it is a family meal, a casual lunch or a pre theatre bite.
The new Pizza a Mano range is at the heart of the menu revamp. These are 14 inch hand stretched pizzas, stone baked in house and designed to spill over the plate. There are ten options starting from £13.50, all bigger and bolder versions of the classics.
To mark National Pizza Day on 9 February, ASK Italian is running a Box of Chance game in restaurants. Diners can choose a box at the table containing either pizza scissors or a pizza wheel. Pick the scissors and you win a free pizza, choose the wheel and you get 50% off instead. The offer runs all day in restaurant only with one play per guest and a minimum drink purchase required.
ASK Italian Cardiff can be found at 24 to 32 Wyndham Arcade, Mill Lane, CF10 1FJ, and there is also a restaurant in Swansea. If you are planning to celebrate National Pizza Day, this might just be the place to do it.
