Darlington pizzeria Stable Hearth was named England's best for the fifth year running earlier this month – we went along to see what the fuss is about.

A pizza is pretty simple, right? How good can it get?

It turns out the Italian staple can get pretty blooming good. At least it does at Stable Hearth on Darlington's Duke Street. The pizzeria, which opened there in 2017, was named England’s best at the national Italian Awards earlier this month for the fifth year in a row.

After hearing of Stable Hearth’s latest accolade I decided I finally needed to turn up the steps into their Duke Street venue having walked by umpteen times blissfully unaware of the award-winning food on offer.

On a chilly, windy Sunday evening it was myself and Echo colleague Nick Gullon who decided to pay a visit after a day manning the fort at Echo HQ. You wouldn’t expect a pizza restaurant to be busy on a Sunday ahead of the new working week, but the restaurant was busy and there was a slight moment of panic when asked by the staff if we’d booked. We managed to bag a table near the open kitchen and could feel the warmth coming from the pizza oven, the perfect spot on such a grim night outside.

Looking at the menu I was a tad overwhelmed. I’m a fan of a small menu, give me a few choices and let me find one or two I want. Here I could probably have ordered half of the dozens of pizzas on offer. Eventually, I settled on the Three Little Pigs pizza (mozzarella, smoked pancetta, Cumberland sausage and black pudding) as did Nick, plus a portion of hand-cut chips each. The drinks menu was equally comprehensive, and I opted for the sweetest rose wine (£6.90) on offer while Nick chose a 'Vixin cider' (£9.50) which had a beautiful apple flavour.

The drinks list is as comprehensive as the main menu. Nick chose the apple cider while I went for a glass of sweet rose wine.The drinks list is as comprehensive as the main menu. Nick chose the apple cider while I went for a glass of sweet rose wine. (Image: DANIEL HORDON) Now a staple of the British diet, reports suggest more than half of us tuck into a pizza each week. Most of us have a pizza pie lurking in a freezer drawer ready for a quick tea or at least order a takeaway semi-regularly. But the pizzas at Stable Hearth are different. Gone are the thick, chewy or solid bases we’re most familiar with. These are Neapolitan-style pizzas with a soft, foldable base and blistered, puffy crust. Basically, if you cut a slice and lift it by the crust the pointed middle will stay put on the plate and droop from the crust, rather than rise as a floating platform for cheese and whatever toppings you have chosen.

But first it was starters, and I opted for the Angioletti Fritti Con Rucola E Pomodori (£9.95) – basically a rocket and tomato salad with little fried dough ‘angels’ and torn burrata on top. I often joke about being such a fan of rocket I could eat a bag as if it were a bag of crisps, and this portion was so big it felt like I had an entire bag. The burrata was creamy and it all came together to create a refreshing dish.

Nick's Arancini (top) and my salad with burrata (bottom).Nick's Arancini (top) and my salad with burrata (bottom). (Image: DANIEL HORDON) Nick ordered the Arancini with lemon mayo (£7.50) which he seemed to massively enjoy, saying they were crispy and full of flavour, with the citrus dip being an excellent addition.

Then it was time for our pizzas (£15.95) which looked as impressive as they hit the table as they sounded on the menu. The pizza was beautifully cooked with a perfect crust and the Neapolitan thin base. I had worried the super thin base would make everything a bit messy and feel like the pizza equivalent of a pie with a soggy bottom, but I was proven wrong. Everything complimented each other to make this one of the best pizzas I’ve had, and the lack of a thick, doughy base meant I wasn’t left needing to undo a trouser button afterwards.

The 'Three Little Pigs' pizza.The 'Three Little Pigs' pizza. (Image: DANIEL HORDON) We also ordered a portion of hand cut chips each (£4) – mine topped with parmesan and chives and Nick’s with roasted garlic and rosemary. These were tasty but we agreed they were a tad underdone for both of our likings, and more closely resembled fried potato wedges than a chip with a crispier exterior and fluffy inside.

Our half-eaten portion of chips, which we felt could have been a bit crispier.Our half-eaten portion of chips, which we felt could have been a bit crispier. (Image: DANIEL HORDON)

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Finally, we found some room for dessert, gelato (£4.50) for each of us, which was cool, refreshing and tangy to round off our meal. The blood orange was a particular highlight.

Gelato for dessert.Gelato for dessert. (Image: DANIEL HORDON) It is clear to see why Stable Hearth has received such high praise. It isn’t just the food that shone through – the staff were chatty and seemed to really enjoy their work, and the restaurant had a great atmosphere on what could have been a quiet night.

Ratings (out of ten)

Surroundings: 8
Service: 9
Food quality: 9
Value for money: 8