Review: Leeds pizza place puts its customers in charge

It was a friend like this who came to mind when I visited MOD Pizza’s new city centre restaurant for the first time.

Up on the wall, there’s a selection of suggested combinations for those who find the change to decide everything a bit too much.

But for everyone else, it’s time to create your perfect pizza from the base and sauce to the toppings and dressings so that everything meets your own particular tastes.

On a midweek evening, we found it relatively busy with a number of families and larger groups but not so many people that we were queuing up for more than a few minutes.

It was a pleasant surprise too to find that there’s a flat rate for a particular size pizza base with no apparent limit on the number of toppings you can select from the wide range of meats, cheeses, veggies, spices and glazes.

I know this to be true because my boyfriend naturally selected more than a dozen of the toppings on offer as we worked along the counter under the guidance of the friendly staff.

I opted for something less complicated – salami, ground beef and mild sausage with green pepper and red roasted pepper, plus extra mozzarella.

Our pizzas ready to go into the oven behind the counter, we ordered a beer and a bottomless soft drink to wash them down.

It brought our bill to just over £20, with two free cupcakes as part of a promotion running on that day proving to be another nice surprise.

While the pizzas cooked away, we headed for one of the smaller tables tucked towards the back where a striking mural dominates the wall.

We chatted for 10 minutes or so before our meals were delivered to the table, enjoying the soundtrack and the easy atmosphere while we waited.

My pizza was a real treat, with a nice thin crust that wasn’t too crispy, plenty of cheese and a generous amount of my chosen toppings.

With mushroom, olives and artichoke (ingredients I avoid at all costs) among the myriad toppings on my boyfriend’s pizza, I can only take his word for it when he said that it too was very tasty. In no time he’d cleared his plate and was gallantly waiting to manage the last slice of mine when I found myself getting too full.

Whether you’re looking for somewhere to get lunch with the family or grab a bite with friends before hitting the city centre bars, the great value, friendly service and tasty food make this spot one to visit.