But thankfully, it was only the name that was absent from the menu – Hebden's in Hangingroyd Lane, Hebden Bridge, is now Pinocchio's Italian Restaurant.

The wooden floors still creak and I was pleased to see the grand piano still enjoys pride of place.

Although no one was tickling the ivories during our visit, the piped music and simple decor helped to create a very pleasant atmosphere.

It is not always easy to find somewhere to take your partner when you have three ravenous teenagers in tow but Pinocchio's was well suited to the challenge – a family restaurant with style that wasn't too demanding on the wallet.

The first thing you see when you arrive at this ex-fish and chip shop are the specials boards, and pretty special they are too. Linguini, calamari, bruschetta, green shell mussels, hot avocado and prawns, monkfish, stuffed aubergine and house pizza, to name a few.

The menu, of course, contains all these with variants and much, much more.

I chose spare ribs as a starter – ample for one, plenty of meat and the special tomato and herb sauce was delicious, and was soon mopped up by the rest of the team with an extra basket of bread. Sue went for her favourite – mussels in a white wine, dried tomatoes and garlic sauce, which she said was one of the best.

But the purpose of our visit was to sample and share the pizza and we weren't disappointed. Napoletana with anchovies, capers and olives, and a calzone filled with chicken and spinach.

The others went for a traditional Hawaiian, spaghetti carbonara, chips and side salad, which all went down a treat.

Having enjoyed a holiday in Sicily this summer, we had become quite expert at spotting a decent pizza and these were top notch, hardly surprising as our hosts were Italian.

We needed a breather before tackling the comprehensive dessert menu and the only disappointment was that the flute of Irish coffee ice-cream, served with swirls of whisky ripple sauce, was sold out.

So we opted instead for a trio of real Italian ice-cream, hot chocolate fudge cake and tiramisu – which is apparently Italian for pick-me-up, or should that be lift-me-up?

All that food was washed down with half a carafe of wine from the extensive cellar, Peroni beer and copious soft drinks, helping to boost our bill to £80, good value for five hungry diners.

You'll struggle to find Pinocchio's on the internet as it only got its new name at Christmas, and if you want a copy of the menu you'll have to join the queue.

I was told that customers keep disappearing with them but like us, I'm sure they will be back because this is an Italian restaurant with a real taste of Italy, family friendly, welcoming and a service that was swift without being rushed.

Well worth a visit.

But be sure to book for a Saturday or you might miss out.

Ratings
Name: Pinocchio's Italian Ristorante Pizzeria

Address: Hangingroyd Lane, Hebden Bridge.

Phone: 01422 843745

Food 4/5
Atmosphere 4/5
Service 4/5
Value 4/5