(thing) by jmn32 Mon Sep 09 2002 at 8:59:32

Pizza Express is a chain of pizza restaurants in the UK. They make supposedly authentic thin-based Italian pizzas, significantly different from the likes of Pizza Hut.

HISTORY
The story begins in 1948, when Peter Boizot tasted his first pizza in Florence, Italy. On his return to Britain in the 1960s, he realised that this fine country lacked a pizza worthy of the name. He decided that making a good pizza needed the proper equipment - an oven that could reach the high temperatures used to cook pizza in the rest of Europe.

Peter opened the first Pizza Express restaurant, with an oven specially brought over from Rome along with a man to operate it, on London's Wardour Street, in Soho. It was a success and the second restaurant was opened in 1967 on Coptic Street, Bloomsbury.

Over the years more and more restaurants were opened all over the country and the chain became very successful. As a result of this, in 1993 the company was floated on the London Stock Exchange but three years later the franchised restaurants were bought back to give the company greater control over the brand.

With its continued national success, the company went global in 1997, opening its first non-UK/Ireland/Channel Islands restaurant in Limassol, Cyprus. There are now more than 300 Pizza Express restaurants in the UK and Ireland as well as 42 in 17 countries outside this area. These include restaurants in New Delhi, Tokyo, Paris, Philadelphia and Moscow.

INFO
Pizza Express really is very good (I particularly recommend pepperoni and tuna, but maybe I'm just weird). The pizzas are (dependant on the particular restaurant, but I believe this is usual) made in an open kitchen so you can watch the dough being thrown about, toppings being added and put in the oven - which is always fun. Service is generally good and the food is far and above the level of take-out pizza. While I know people who refer to it as 'Pizza Expense', I think the prices are very reasonable, at about £7-8 for a pizza with some toppings.

The only gripe I have is that the restaurants appear to be everywhere now. Speaking primarily of my London experience, it seems difficult to ever be more than 15 minutes away from one, which seems excessive. It seems silly to list this as a gripe given that I like the food, but it does bother me a little.

MENU
This is taken pretty much verbatim from pizzaexpress.com
Antipizze:

  • GARLIC BREAD "PizzaExpress"
    baked dough sticks brushed with garlic butter (suitable for vegetarians)
  • BAKED DOUGH BALLS
    served with garlic butter (suitable for vegetarians)
  • MIXED LEAF SALAD
    served with PizzaExpress dressing (suitable for vegetarians)
  • BRUSCHETTA "PizzaExpress"
    served with tomato, onions, pesto (contains nuts)
  • MOZZARELLA & TOMATO SALAD
    slices of mozzarella and tomato with sun dried tomato
  • TONNO e FAGIOLI
    tuna, cannelini beans, onions, olives, peppers served with baked dough balls
Salads:
  • CAESAR SALAD "PizzaExpress"
    anchovies, parmesan, mixed leaf salad, croutons served with PizzaExpress dressing
  • SALADE NICOISE "PizzaExpress"
    tuna, free range egg, anchovies, capers, olives, mixed leaf salad, fine green beans, new potatoes, tomato served with baked dough balls and PizzaExpress dressing
  • MOZZARELLA & TOMATO SALAD
    slices of mozzarella and tomato with sundried tomato served with baked dough balls
  • POLLO
    chicken breast, goat's cheese, red peppers, tomato, olives, mixed leaf salad, croutons served with baked dough balls and PizzaExpress dressing
Variations:
Pizze:
Desserts:
  • CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE
    served with cream, ice cream or mascarpone
  • CHEESECAKE
    served with cream, ice cream or mascarpone
  • DUOMO DI BOSCO
    an Italian summer pudding, served with cream, ice cream or mascarpone
  • TIRAMI SU
  • VANILLA ICE CREAM
    (suitable for vegetarians)
  • ANACLETO BOMBE
    coffee and hazelnut ice cream (suitable for vegetarians)
  • CASSATA
    a four flavoured slice of famous Sicilian ice cream (suitable for vegetarians)
  • PEAR TART
    (contains nuts)
  • FRESH FRUIT SALAD
    (suitable for vegetarians)
  • CHEESE
    served with baked dough balls
  • RAVELLO BOMBE
    chocolate and vanilla ice cream (suitable for vegetarians)
  • POSITANO BOMBE
    strawberry sorbet with a centre of marsala ice cream (suitable for vegetarians)
  • TARTUFO
    traditional Italian dark chocolate ice cream flavoured with rum and topped with cocoa powder (suitable for vegetarians)

Incidentally, my friends and I have found that a Red Martini and Lemonade tastes exactly how Pizza Express smells. Strange.

I like it!

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.