Having heard a lot of good things about The Stable in Bristol, I was eager to try the pizza and pie specialist when meeting friends for a meal out in Bath.

The Stable chain, established in 2009, is well known for its Dorset-influenced pizzas and extensive range of ciders.

As someone who loves both pizza and cider – it would probably be my death row meal, if I was ever unfortunate enough to have to choose one – I am probably The Stable’s ideal customer and as soon as I heard about the concept I was sold.

The restaurant is designed to look fairly relaxed and informal, with a largely wooden decor that suits its location in the vaulted Georgian cellars, once occupied by the late Gerry Perry-Smith’s Hole in the Wall restaurant.

While there is also a selection of pies on offer, I was instantly drawn to the interesting selection of pizzas, made using locally-sourced produce.

The menu included the Four Cheese Special, featuring Wookey Hole aged cheddar; the intriguing Lamb Roast made with Dorset lamb, and Billy The Kid, using goat’s cheese from a nearby family-run cheese farm.

In the end, I opted for the West Country Porker, featuring chorizo from the Bath Pig Co, as well as tomato and mozzarella, which cost £11.

Choosing what I wanted to drink was a slightly easier task. While The Stable has a huge selection of ciders, it also has a cider tasting board option, which costs £7.50 for five different 1/3 pints.

The selection hit the spot and provided a nice bit of variety, with sweet, dry and cloudy options on my board, which I thought was very reasonable.

My pizza arrived soon after the drinks and looked just as good as it sounded on the menu. The chunky slices of chorizo were delicious, while the pizza base was lovely and light.

The feedback from my friends was also positive, with the hand-crafted pies particularly popular with those who tried them, coming with chunky potato wedges and a generous salad.

My own meal came in at £18.50, which I felt was justified considering the quality of the food and drink.

The Stable may not be to everyone’s taste, but I will certainly be returning.

* Food served noon-10pm.

* Enjoy the cider noon-11pm.

* Families welcome, kids menu.