Forget pancakes. The pizza is queen of the hand-held meal. Here's our guide to some of the country's best
CLARE
The café attached to Holywell, a language school near Ballyvaughan, Co Clare, has a good reputation for pizzas made fresh every day. It's open to students and outsiders alike: check out the menu on www.holywell.net, under the heading - Italian café.
CORK
Darina's son Isaac Allen has a new pizza place called Cibo in Paul Street. Early days still, but worth sampling quirky combos such as Cashel blue cheese with butter cabbage, rocket and poached pear, or roasted red onions, chorizo, Gruyère and thyme. He's got a stone oven, uses a 14-inch, thin base and also sells your basic margherita etc from €10.50. Open for lunch and dinner; takeaways available (021-4271082).
La Jolie Brise. Taste best when eaten outside overlooking the harbour in summer, but it's open all year round, and they do takeaways, too. From €7. Sister restaurant of Chez Youen, and you'll find a delicious mix of French and Cork accents (028-20600).
DUBLIN
Bistro Bianconi. Discerning Ranelites highly recommend this new takeaway which opened in November opposite Ranelagh Luas stop. You can order your pizza when you get on at Stephen's Green, get off to collect it, then get back on if needs be. Very fresh and well thought out. (01-4060400). The original Bistro Bianconi is in O'Connell Street, Sligo (071-9141744), where the pizza is equally good, we hear.
Café Bar Deli, heirs to the Bewleys crown, have three outlets so far: South George's Street (01-6771646), Ranelagh (01-4961886) and Sligo (071-9140101). Their bestseller has tomato, mozzarella, rocket, ham and Parmesan, and prices range from €9 to € 13. Primarily for sit-down diners, they do takeaways on weekdays only, 12.30-6 p.m.
Gruel (01-6707119), in Dame Street, is famous for its daily roasts but the pizzas (not to mention their brownies) are pretty damn good, too. Made up in a rectangular pan with olive oil, roast vegetables and cheese, with the option of anchovies etc, it costs €4 a slice. Eat there or takeaway.
Avoca pizzas look so good that it makes them hard to pass by, even at a whopping €5 per portion. Goats' cheese, olive oil, good pesto and lots of red and yellow peppers. Suffolk Street and, in Wicklow, Kilmacanogue, Powerscourt House and Gardens, and of course Avoca.
Independent Pizza Company, Lower Drumcondra Road (01-8302044). Dublin's original takeaway pizza company started by Gotham Café's David Barry after a few years in New York. Still good.
Gotham Café, 8 South Anne Street (01-6795266). Pizzas available from mid-day to midnight. Devotees say, misty-eyed, that the pizzas here used to be better but they are still in the premier league.
Milano Ireland's answer - if not equal to - London's Pizza Express, with branches in Dawson Street (01-6707744), Clarion Quay in the IFSC (01-6119012, East Essex Street, Temple Bar (01-6703384), Cork and Galway. No bookings. Pizzas from €8. By the way, side salads come drenched in dressing, so best to order it on the side.
Pizza Stop (01-6796712), tucked away in Chatham Lane off Chatham Street gets a thumbs up, largely because the staff is so charming and the prices comparatively good. Takeaway or sit down, they also serve a mean spaghetti alio y olio.
A slice from Steps of Rome (01-6705630) on Chatham Street is quite simply the most pleasant portable lunch that €3 can buy.
GALWAY
Milano has a branch in Galway, but the reputation of pizzas made at Ristorante Da Roberta, Upper Salthill, Galway (091-585808) go before them. Booking imperative in the small family restaurant, and there's a take-away service.
Try also Pizza Eile, a new "gourmet" pizza delivery company based at 10 William Street West (091-861111), which has its own Irish breakfast pizza (cheese, bacon, fried egg, sausage and black pud on top), three types of vegetarian and two seafood pizzas, and a meat and poultry menu that includes chicken tikka toppings, potato skins and teriyaki beef.
KERRY
Novecento Gourmet Shop on Main Street, Dingle (066-9152584) is an Italian-Irish initiative serving what we reckon are the best pizzas in the Kingdom.
KILDARE
Pizzas from Zest in Clane (045-893222) are top-notch, with tasty blistered bases and delicious toppings. Since Zest made it into the new Bridgestone Guide, booking has become essential at weekends. All is not lost if you're too late: prices are reasonable enough to make the pizzas worth buying to take away.
SLIGO
See the entries for Bistro Bianconi and Café Bar Deli under Dublin heading.
WICKLOW
The Avoca County. See entry under Dublin heading.