PizzaExpress

You're at the Quays on a shopping mission or grabbing lunch before catching a show at the Lowry, and you want something decent that won't bankrupt you. PizzaExpress delivers exactly that. The Salford location sits within the designer outlet, so it's got that easy-going, no-fuss vibe — strip away the fine-dining theatre and you're left with what actually matters: a proper wood-fired oven pumping out consistently good pizzas. The dough's been their thing since the 1960s, and you can taste it. Service is straightforward and efficient, which works when you're on a schedule or just want to eat without ceremony. It's not breaking new ground, but that's sort of the point.