Pizza Express–the leading pizza chain in the UK–finally opened its Manila Flagship store in Uptown Mall, Taguig.
Most Filipinos who have been to Hong Kong should be familiar with this casual Italian place, known for its fresh dough and unique pizza creations.
It’s definitely a carbo-loading place! Here’s how to make every carbo bite count…
PIZZA EXPRESS BGC
Ground Floor, Uptown Mall, 9th Avenue, Taguig
Facebook: Pizza Express Philippines
Email: hello@pizzaexpress.ph
Website: https://www.pizzaexpress.com/
Pizza Express Manila was franchised in partnership with The Tasteless Group, the people behind successful restaurant concepts Hole in the Wall, Hanamaruken, and Le Petit Souffle.
It’s a treat to see how the pizza dough is made in the open kitchen.
Each pizza is carefully prepared and cooked to perfection.
Pizza Express Manila Menu: Starters and Salad | Romana Pizza | Classic Pizza and Pasta
Order a 4-course meal starting with antipasti while you wait for the pasta and pizza then end with dessert.
ANTIPASTI
Baked Dough Balls (₱195). Our famous baked dough balls served with garlic butter, pesto Genovese, or pesto Rosso.
Try these signature pillowy balls and dunk them in the three dips.
Burrata Caprese (₱525). Burrata cheese, red pepper, pesto Genovese, rocket, pine nuts.
This is my favorite, a Caprese salad served with a big fresh burrata on a bed of red pepper.
Baked Mushrooms (₱390). Baked mushrooms stuffed with pesto Rosso, pesto Genovese, and mozzarella. Finished with Jalapeño peppers, rocket, and parmesan. Let us know if you want it without jalapeno peppers.
This is a healthier choice than the dough balls. The cheese and pesto sauce explodes when you bite on the mushrooms.
Leggera Superfood (₱390). Our superfood salad packed with fibre and protein. A mix of fresh mozzarella, avocado, roasted pumpkins, beetroot, lentils, green beans, baby spinach, mixed leaves, pine nuts, basil, balsamic syrup.
This tasted like pinakbet. Too vegetable tasting for me.
PASTA
Lasagna Classics (₱385). Beef bolognese layer with bechamel and parmesan.
This is my favorite because of its saucy layers of pasta with a homemade quality to it.
Spaghetti Frutti di Mare (₱395). Prawns, clams, mussels, squid, and cherry tomatoes in a spiced Pomodoro sauce.
I like spice in my pasta with generous portions of seafood and more sauce.
PIZZA
Lava (P695). Burrata mozzarella and basil torn over a baked pizza with olives and cherry tomatoes.
Hot 10″ Neopolitan pizza topped with cold burrata, which you have to eat immediately upon serving.
Waiting would ruin the hot-cold taste effect, so better skip taking pictures.
Liguria (₱430). Prawns, mussels, squid, clams, capers, olives, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, lemon, bechamel sauce (no mozzarella and tomato).
Seafood pizza served on a 13″ Romana crisp thin crust served with bechamel sauce.
Notice the crunchy bits inside the pizza dough, which make it crunchier and more fun to eat it.
Calabrese (₱595). Our iconic rectangular pizza with Calabrese sausage, spicy ‘nduja salami, jalapeños, green chilies, and roasted peppers. Finished with fresh mozzarella, rocket, pesto Genovese, and parmesan.
This is a good pizza to share and the only one served square. Just a bit too spicy for some.
Quattro Formaggi (₱430). Mozzarella, gorgonzola, Emmental, parmesan.
The boys would love this classic 4-cheese pizza served with a crispy thin crust.
DESSERT
You can skip their desserts and save yourself from this kind of carbo.
FINAL THOUGHTS
We love their pizza! We would surely go back for the Lava and Liguria seafood pizza. Order the Burrata Caprese and Baked mushrooms for your appetizer, and Lasagna and Spaghetti Frutti di Mare for pasta. The portions are good for family sharing. Budget about P500/head.
Sit outside for a high ceiling effect, a secluded area for meetings, and a ringside view of the action inside the kitchen.
Congratulations to Charles Paw and the Tasteless Group for the successful opening of Pizza Express in Manila!
PIZZA EXPRESS BGC
Ground Floor, Uptown Mall, 9th Avenue, Taguig
Facebook: Pizza Express Philippines
Email: hello@pizzaexpress.ph
Website: https://www.pizzaexpress.com/
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Disclosure: We’ve been here twice, the first courtesy of our friend Charles, and the other where we paid for our meal. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. They have a curated selection of Italian wines that you can also try with the pizza and pasta.
Check out their White wines, Red Wines, Beers, Chilled list.
