California Fried Chicken & Pizza

California Fried Chicken & Pizza is a long-established takeaway on the Wallisdown edge of Poole, with the original branch first opening back in 1996. As the name suggests, the menu splits its time between American-style fried chicken and a full range of pizzas, with burgers, wraps and the usual sides filling out a crowd-pleasing line-up. A Southern Fried Chicken Burger or a freshly made Pepperoni Pizza are the sort of orders that have kept it ticking over with the local late-night and family crowd for years.

It holds a top Food Hygiene Rating of 5 (Very Good) from the local authority, and it runs as a fast collection-and-delivery operation geared towards filling comfort food rather than fine dining. Online reviews are mixed, so it sits firmly in the cheap-and-cheerful camp, but its sheer longevity in the area points to a steady base of regulars who know exactly what they are getting. For straightforward chicken and pizza in this corner of town, it is a familiar and convenient stop.