I WAS done with pizzas. Oxford had gorged itself enough, the competition continuing unabated, our pizzerias creating a self perpetuating cycle of superior dough, celebrity chefs and authentic Italian ingredients which was exhausting to behold.

So no, I didn’t rush to Pizza Pilgrims despite it opening up last year in The Westgate to great aplomb, or the first foray outside of London for founders Thom and James Elliot

I had come across their their spartan but authentic wares at various festivals last summer, and yes, had been suitably impressed, their queues stretching out across the sites, the envy of every other stall-holder.

And yes, I was aware that the duo perfected their product by scootering around Italy for months on end until they had finally tied down their vision of the best possible pizza recipe, ready to bring over here.

In the end it was the kids who dragged me to Oxford’s Pizza Pilgrims, having heard about the amazing photo booth, the funky decor, and yes the great pizzas.

And I immediately thawed, because from the moment we entered, the bright, fun, colourful interior with its huge open plan kitchen, red booths and pizza box decorations crafted by the younger customers, the signs were good. The staff were cheery, the camera bulbs flashing and the menu promising.

Not planning any starters we were stopped in our tracks by the offerings – deep fried Italian mac n cheese, carciofi fritti (deep fried artichoke hearts £4) and arancini (rice balls with peas and smoked mozzarella £5). Yes to all. Served in little baskets with chequered napkins, each was delicious, piping hot, moreish and heart-attack inducing, bring it on!

Which gave us ample time to ready ourselves for the grand event, although choosing which pizza to have was more complex than envisaged, so many delicious entries on the menu that our party descended into an uncharacteristic silence. In the end we tried a bit of everything, all swapping slices with wild abandon, as we realised how good they were.

There were three white pizzas on the menu which are becoming increasingly trendy for the purists, who enjoy the more subtle flavours and ingredients undisguised by any tomato sauce.

We opted for the gianfranco gorgonzola, (fior di latte, gorgonzola, ribboned courgette, basil and oregano) which was subtle, gentle and as relevant as any tomato base in the line-up. Fresh fennel and chilli or portabello mushrooms were the other options.

The aubergine parmigiana (slow cooked tomato sauce with roast aubergine, baby plum tomatoes, fior di latte, basil and parmesan £9) was too good to pass up, or just the plain margherita (£6.95), the dish a good pizzeria lives or dies by. And Pizza Pilgrims will live by their’s, which as you can see from the picture ticked all the boxes, the dough chewy with burnt bubbles, the sauce soft and warming, the stringy mozzarella accentuated by the odd basil leaf. Simplicity itself.

Other toppings included salami, nduja, smoked anchovies or the classic marinara which the good people of Naples enjoy with tomato, oregano, fresh garlic, basil and olive oil, but no cheese. And the Calzone with salami, ricotta and mushroom (£11) which begged to be tried.

Pudding could not be managed under any circumstances, but how about some ice cream? Vanilla with olive oil and sea salt was too experimental for me to decline and I loved the strong tastes of the sweet vanilla battling with the salt and then the aftertaste of the top quality oil, but the kids were less keen.

The Nutella pizza ring with ricotta will have to wait until next time.

Pizza Pilgrims triumphed and is definitely vying for a place in the top ratings chart. But keep your eyes peeled because it’s easy to miss.