PizzaExpress, the renowned pizza chain that has been around since 1965 in Wardour Street, London, has made its way to Bengaluru, through Gourmet Investments Private Limited, the food and beverage venture of Bharti Family office. Recently, PizzaExpress launched its flagship restaurant in Koramanagala, bringing its famous pizzas to Indian consumers.
The chain has made a name for itself in the UK with its simple recipe: well-kneaded dough, a simple tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and various toppings. With over 400 restaurants worldwide, the chain has expanded globally and made its Indian debut in Mumbai back in 2012.
Calabrese pizza | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Apart from their signature UK favourites such as the rectangular-shaped Calabrese pizza with hot Calabrese sausage, fresh red chillies, emilgrana cheese, and spicy, soft n’duja sausage, PizzaExpress also caters to the Indian palate with a range of pizzas with an Indian twist, such as the chicken coriander pesto pizza and the tandoor chicken pizza.
The chicken coriander pesto pizza is a delightful blend of Italian pesto sauce with the aromatic Indian coriander, while the tandoori chicken pizza pays homage to India’s love for tandoori cuisine, with succulent pieces of tandoori chicken topping a crispy thin crust.
Apart from the delicious pizzas, the restaurant’s history and legacy are a big draw. PizzaExpress was founded over 50 years ago by Peter Boizot with a simple vision to make the best pizza in town, which remains at the core of the chain’s identity.
PizzaExpress, Bengaluru | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
At their flagship store in Koramangala, the ambience is modern and stylish, with comfortable chairs and bright lighting. The atmosphere is lively, with a constant hum of conversation and the aroma of freshly baked pizza in the air. The service is friendly and prompt, with staff catering to your every need.
For starters, the dough balls with a trio of dips — pesto, pesto rosso, and garlic butter — were fluffy on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside, with the dips adding some variety to the appetizer. The American Hottest pizza was piled with pepperoni, jalapeno, N’djua sausage, passata, buffalo mozzarella, parsley and some delicious chilli oil. Our table had ordered a Romana base version of it, so we just rolled it up and made light work of it.
Although the coffee bar side of the menu was a bit underwhelming, the highlight of the meal was the raspberry cheesecake served with raspberry coulis. The cheesecake had a smooth and creamy texture, with the tanginess of the raspberry coulis perfectly balancing the sweetness of the dessert.
In conclusion, PizzaExpress with its fluffy doughballs, Calabrese and Romana thin crusts, is a welcome addition to Bengaluru’s vibrant food scene. With its history, legacy, modern décor, and friendly service, PizzaExpress provides a lovely dining experience for its customers.
