Pizzeria Toscana

It's a sublime setting at Pizzeria Toscana in the lively market town of Elgin and the name pretty much sums up what is on offer here. The dining room is designed to resemble an Italian pizzeria reinforced with warm lighting, an open plan kitchen and a large area dedicated solely to pizza preparation.

The food ranges from plates of pasta and pizza to risotto, steaks and ice creams, so for starters it might be hard to resist a bowl of minestrone, or Parma ham and melon with mixed leaf salad. Careful sourcing and fresh flavours are seen in penne tossed with Italian sausages and onion in a creamy tomato sauce, and ravioli stuffed with meat and served with Bolognese sauce. Main courses turn up favourites like the succulent grilled sirloin steak and breaded haddock with salad and French fries.

Tiramisu often steals the limelight at dessert time, but not so at Pizzeria Toscana where diners are encouraged to indulge in some chocolate excess with chocolate puddle pudding, flambéed chocolate truffle ice cream and chocolate meringue rolled in praline and hazelnut dairy cream.