As pizza is named the nation’s favourite dish*, over 50,000 ‘pizza mentalists’ have told Pizza Express what they’d like to see star on its menu, and a panel of food experts have chosen five finalists to go through to a public vote.

The Create Your Pizza Challenge – launched in July – tasked food lovers with coming up with the ultimate pizza idea. The prize? £5,000 in cash plus the chance to feature on the Pizza Express menu, which is enjoyed by over 6 million customers at 376 restaurants nationwide.

A panel of discerning pizza-loving judges, including lauded chef Francesco Mazzei of L’Anima restaurant in London, and The Sunday Times food writer Lucas Hollweg, was headed up by Pizza Express Head Chef of 29 years, Antonio Romani.

Some of the more creative entries that won’t be joining the pizza hall of fame include: the Beerski (a beer battered pizza dough served with a packet of dry roast peanuts and a pint); The Pavarotti (a double sided pizza packed with the late singer’s favourite foods, including muccino cheese); and The Moscow (a beef and tarragon pizza laced with vodka).

The top five creations are being put to the public vote, with the most popular winning a coveted spot on the menu. You can vote for your favourite pizza online or via text. There will also be the opportunity to taste the final five pizzas at ‘Regional Eats’ at selected Pizza Express restaurants in each of the finalists’ hometowns.

The Create Your Pizza Challenge Top Five
1. Pizza Of the Gods (pictured above) - Sophie Paterson, from Edinburgh, has suggested a thin and crispy pizza base, spread thinly with a layer of sweet tomato and sweet pepper pasata, topped with roasted butternut squash, hot and fiery chorizo, chunks of goats cheese and finished off with a sprinkling of chilli, rocket and chopped parsley. Club member and Judge Morag Athersmith comments; “…it came out and gave me a great big hug".

Sophie’s pizza (pictured above) will be available to try at: Edinburgh Pizza Express, 111 Holyrood Road, EH8 8AU on Tuesday 9th November

2. The Leaning Tower of PizzaExpress – Bright young spark Oliver Evans, aged 10 and from Castleford, has created a pizza shaped like Italian landmark ‘The Leaning Tower of Pisa’. Topped with his favourite Italian ingredients including; olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, red onions, pepperoni, salami and mozzerella cheese, Oliver has specified that each ingredient should represent a level of the tower, with rocket used to represent the grass at the foot of the iconic monument.  Food writer Lucas Hollweg comments; “…he could be a master pizziola one day…". Oliver’s pizza will be available to try at: PizzaExpress Xscape, Unity 11, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 4TA on Friday 29th October.

3. Pizza Da Morire - Simon Pritchard, from Sutton Coldfield, wants to see a thin pizza base infused with finely chopped rosemary. Topped generously with gorgonzola, caramalised leeks, artichoke and streaky crispy pancetta, it will be finished with a drizzle of spicy chilli oil. Antonio Romani, PizzaExpress Head Chef comments; “A unique combination of flavours, but they work so well together. A pizza to die for". Simon’s pizza will be available to try at: PizzaExpress Sutton Coldfield, 5 Birmingham Road, B72 1QQ on Tuesday 2nd November

4. Pizza Levantina - Sarah Walker, from Norwich, is looking to secure a spot for the first vegan pizza on the PizzaExpress menu. Her pizza is topped with freshly made chick pea and coriander falafals on a base of tahini, matchstick shaped courgettes, chopped garlic and a sprinking of sesame seeds, all browned to perfection. “….a real winner because it’s really different ….." comments Francesco Mazzei, award winning chef. Sarah’s pizza will be available to try at: PizzaExpress The Forum, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1TF on Wednesday 3rd November

5. Cortona - Kim Starr’s creation involves a ‘snowy’ covering of Buffalo mozzarella on a thin and crispy base, followed by a scattering of porcini and other seasonal woodland mushrooms and topped with bresola strips in honour of the local Chianina beef. Kim, from Walton on Thames, then finishes her masterpiece with peppery rocket leaves, a sprinkling of parmesan shavings and a drizzle of fragrant truffle oil. “It just worked. I’d order it again and again" Comments Lucas Hollweg. Kim’s pizza will be available to try at: Walton on Thames PizzaExpress, 111-115 New Zealand Avenue, Surrey, KT12 1QA on Saturday 6th November

* according to a recent survey by Tesco

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