Celebrate your local independent restaurant on National Pizza Day (February 9).

Lucca

Where: 39-43 High Street, Manningtree

Price: From £7.70 to £11.50

Lucca is relaxed enough to drop into for a quick casual lunch or supper, but buzzy enough to work for a special occasion or date night too. The menu is very very extensive, with loads of types of pizza and pasta, including many speciality ingredients. And the wine list is decent too.

Bring your appetite as the pizzas and especially the calzone, are very generously sized. Instead of dessert, we recommend a few nibbles to start. The zucchini fries with pecorino and lemon oil go down a treat while you wait with a glass of prosecco. Favourite pizzas include the pomodorino with fior di latte and smoked mozzarella, roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic and pesto drizzle, and the al bosco, with DOP gorgonzola, Capel organic mushrooms, sweetly earthy speck ham, rocket and pecorino.

A Slice of New York

Where: 11a Friars Street, Sudbury

Huge, New York-style pizzas, paying homage to owner Shawn’s American heritage are the order of the day here. You can buy lunch or dinner by the slice to eat in or take away, and the 20ins pies, made with prime ingredients from scratch, will easily feed a family of four.

The all-meat pizza with bacon, ham, pepperoni and sausage, is quite the feast. There’s another topped with buffalo chicken. And the buttery garlic knots are pretty great too.

Dough & Co

Where: North Street Sudbury and 48 St John’s Street Colchester

Price: £10 to £12

Ambitious young chef/owner Chris opened his second branch in Colchester less than a year after launching his first business in Sudbury in 2018. Diners in Sudbury will be pleased to know the somewhat cramped seating has been changed, and that lots more space can be found in the Colchester branch. Chris imports the finest Italian flour, San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella and cured meats for his wood-fired pizzas. Choose from several interesting varieties including The Very Spicy One (Calabrian n’duja sausage and chilli oil), and The Spanish One (marinated spicy king prawns, chorizo, spring onions and red peppers).

K Bar

Where: 33-37 St Nicholas Street, Ipswich

Price: Large pizzas (18ins) from £12 to £18

Sip on craft beers while you tuck into these pretty huge pizzas, including vegan options and even one topped with crisps - yes, crisps. The bases are made by hand and long fermented for a great crust, and local and the best Italian ingredients are used to conjure up the inventive topping combinations. Some of our favourites are the Percy (pulled pork, Frazzles and fior di latte), Bruno (chorizo, n’duja sausage, roquito peppers and hot sauce), and Kato (hoisin sauce, sticky chicken, spring onions, sweetcorn and sesame seeds). Pizza is served 5pm to 9pm and from 3pm Saturday.

The Pizza Loft

Where: 1 Bixley Drive, Ipswich

Prices: £7 to £10

It’s in an unlikely location, out of the town centre above another business, but lots of Ipswich folk say this is the best pizza in the area and say it’s as good as they’ve had on holiday. The owner/chef goes out of his way to make customers feel at home and indeed, the basic, simple restaurant is much like being in someone’s dining room. Pizzas are generally simple with traditional toppings such as tomatoes, mozzarella and chilli, or ham and mushroom. Families are very welcome. It’s open from 6pm Thursday to Saturday and Saturday lunchtimes.

Suffolk Stonehouse

Where: 18 St Mary’s Street, Bungay

Price: £8 to £12

One time winner of the best pizza in the UK, this is another family-friendly joint, fermenting its dough slowly and topping each pie with lovely local and continental ingredients, giving each one a name linked to the area.

The Hoxne, for example, is topped with spinach, free-range egg, olives, garlic, tomato and mozzarella, the Blythburgh with 20 hour slow-cooked pulled pork, onion jam and barbecue sauce, and the Harleston with rosemary chicken, roasted peppers, tomato and mozzarella. Gluten-free bases are available for an added charge.

Enzo’s

Where: 51A High Street, Southwold

Price: £9.50 to £13.20

Owner/chef Enzo has certainly made an impression on Southwold residents and visitors, who are loving the family-friendly vibes and authentic flavours of the petite pizzeria. Every plate is made and cooked fresh to order from the small menu, and matched by reasonably-priced wine. Booking is essential at weekends especially. Try the Mamma’s Originale, topped with house tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil, with 20p going to the RNLI, or brave it with the Vesuvius – tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni and fresh chillies. It’s cash only.

LP Bar

Where: 2 Woolhall Street, Bury St Edmunds

Price: £11.50 to £14.50

A funky bar and restaurant in the centre of Bury St Edmunds specialising in burgers and pizza - all named after musical legends and cooked over fire. So you’ve got the John Lennon with Parma ham, olives, wild rocket, Parmesan and garlic oil, the Stevie Wonder with peri peri chicken, chorizo, mixed peppers and mozzarella, and the Etta James with smoked salmon, avocado and mascarpone.

It’s great for families wanting to escape the chains at lunchtime.