Franco's, an Italian restaurant in Peebles in the Scottish Borders, is serving an autumn special that one food writer has described as "to die for". The Pizza Ortolana is topped with cherry tomatoes, courgettes and pumpkin, and was tried by Alexander Smail, a tourism writer for Scotland Now.
A birthday meal at Franco's
Smail visited the restaurant to celebrate his birthday, choosing it because he wanted a laid-back meal out and had not had pizza in months. He noted that Franco's is a local institution that has been in the centre of Peebles for years.
The restaurant is located at Port Brae, on the first floor of a historic building up a flight of stairs. Smail praised its authentic interior, with photos and sports memorabilia on the walls, describing it as lived-in and historic.
Busy atmosphere and great service
Despite visiting on a Thursday night, Smail found the restaurant "absolutely heaving", with almost every table occupied by the time he left. He said this added to the atmosphere, as he dislikes eating in an empty restaurant.
The service was great despite how busy it was, with the party seated almost immediately and never waiting long to be served. Smail ordered a glass of the house white, which he described as crisp and zesty, before looking at the menu.
The Pizza Ortolana
Smail's usual order is pepperoni, but he spotted the Pizza Ortolana on the specials menu and decided to try something new. He had never had pumpkin on a pizza before, but loves pumpkin and thought there was no better time to have it than October.
He was initially worried the pumpkin might be too sweet, but found the small pieces subtly earthy and just sweet enough, buttery smooth and melting in the mouth. He said the pizza captured everything he loves about autumn, with nutty and grounded flavours balanced by the freshness of the tomato.
The others at his table ordered a salad and a pizza topped with olives and capers, and were just as happy with their choices. The table also shared a portion of fries, which were deliciously crispy and salty, but skipped dessert as birthday cake was waiting at home.
Smail recommended Franco's to anyone in the Scottish Borders, and advised visiting before autumn ends to try the Pizza Ortolana for yourself.
