Mamma Mia! Pizza & desserts beat oysters as the real food to get you in the mood

MANCHESTER, U.K. - Feb. 3, 2014 - PRLog -- Forget caviar, oysters and asparagus this Valentine’s Day, the food that really gets our pulses racing are decadent desserts, sexy sharing platters and passionate pizza, a new poll has revealed.

The survey by Italian restaurant group Pesto asked 2,000 adults nationwide to pick the top dishes that got them in the mood for romance.

Whilst more traditional aphrodisiacs fared badly, the top three choices for making our libidos leap are chocolate desserts, with over one in four choosing this romance sweetener at 28%, sharing platters of meats & cheeses (23%) and sharing a pizza (17%).

Other romantic choices include spicy pasta dishes, curry and even fish and chips further down the list, which all still came ahead of conventional choices oysters (6%), asparagus (5%) and caviar (3%) at the bottom of the table.

Men and women also show they have slightly different tastes when it comes to ‘romantic’ foods; with more women opting for the sweeter options – one in three choosing a dark chocolate dessert as their top in the mood food – whilst men chose the spicy, savoury options.

Co-owner of Pesto Italian Restaurant Neil Gatt comments: “Food has been long linked with romance and it’s no surprise that the top three choices are well-loved foods that we are able to enjoy with that special someone.

“Sharing food together with a partner, from a dessert with two spoons to splitting a sharing platter or a pizza, is not only tactile but is very intimate so it’s no wonder that people are choosing these dishes over those traditionally thought to be romance enhancers.”

Pesto has a special sharing menu available at all pub sites this Valentine’s Day for £22.95 each and is also helping couples ramp up the romance this Valentine’s Day with a quirky pizza proposal.

It is offering an exclusive personalised ‘marry me’ heart-shaped pizza option for any diners wanting to pop the question on Valentine’s Day in any of its restaurants by calling ahead and pre-booking a ‘personalised proposal pizza’.

Pesto Italian Restaurant first launched its unique Italian dining experience of ‘piattini’ to the UK in 2006 focusing on small authentic Italian dishes ideal for sharing.

The company currently has seven restaurants nationwide including venues in Manchester Trafford Centre, Glasgow and Cheshire and will be opening its first West Midlands restaurant in Sutton Coldfield in late March.

For more information visit www.pestorestaurants.co.uk

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Notes to Editors

·         Research of 2,000 adults nationwide undertaken by OnePoll commissioned by Pesto Restaurants

·         Pesto Restaurants offers a unique Italian dining experience of ‘piattini’, small plates of authentic Italian dishes, perfect for sharing.

·         Pesto Restaurants first launched in 2006 and currently has seven restaurant venues in key city centre locations including Glasgow as well as rural pub locations including Tarporley and Wilsden which form part of the Pesto in a Pub brand and has recently announced it will open an eighth restaurant in Sutton Coldfield in late March.

·         Pesto’s menu offers over 40 dishes with most around £4, ideal for sharing.