Franco Manca, Westfield London

When you’ve got a group to feed and nobody can agree on what they fancy, Franco Manca inside Westfield is our go-to recommendation. Their sourdough bases are slow-proved for over 20 hours and cooked in a proper wood-fired oven, which puts it several notches above the usual shopping-centre pizza option — genuinely good, not just convenient. It’s relaxed rather than formal, which makes it an easy choice with kids in tow after a morning of shopping, and quick enough that it won’t eat into your afternoon plans. Portions are generous, prices are reasonable for the location, and there’s usually a table available outside peak lunch and dinner windows. Given it’s inside Westfield, it’s about as close as it gets — a two-minute walk from either of our apartments, no tube or bus required. That makes it a genuinely practical option on an arrival or departure day, when you don’t want to be far from your bags. Go around 5pm on a weekday to beat both the lunch and dinner rush, or expect a short wait at weekends.