Tom [Updated 24th April 2024]
Pizza Express was a surprise find for one of the best pizzas in Singapore for us. We had passed by the Pizza Express at Scotts Square several times before and finally decided to visit this time. According to the Pizza Express website, there are currently three Pizza Express outlets in Singapore, including Duo Galleria, The Star Vista (*New*)Holland Village and Scotts Square. Our first visit was to the Pizza Express at Scotts Square…
Pizza Express Scotts Square Review
We loved the casual vibe of the Pizza Express outlet at Scotts Square. The area was clean, spacious and comfortable with prompt service. The table was also nicely laid out when we arrived. Complimentary water is also served at no additional charge…
Then, it was time to check out the Pizza Express Singapore Menu…
From the Pizza Express Menu, we found that there are mainly two types of pizzas available. The Romana is a “bigger, thinner, crispier pizza, inspired by Pizza from Rome using more of the toppings you love” while the Classic is “our original recipe which hasn’t changed since 1965”. Since we’re on the topic of 1965, Pizza Express was originally started by Peter Boizot in UK in 1965 – the same year that Singapore gained independence. Wanting to bring the taste of authentic Italian pizzas to UK, Peter even shipped in a brick oven from Naples to the first Pizza Express on Wardour Street.
After browsing through the Pizza Express Menu, we settled on the Parma Ham & Arugula ($26) with the description of “Passata, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto crudo, balsamic reduction, rocket, pesto genovese, herbs and garlic oil” as well as the Leggera Superfood ($17) with the description of “Rocket and mixed mesclun salad, cucumber, avocado, lentils, fresh mozzarella, butternut squash, beetroot, fresh basil, balsamic syrup and pine kernels“. We also added chicken for $5.
This time, we also got a bottle of Piccini Chianti at $59…
Probably because of what we ordered, we were introduced to the Pizza Express Membership Tiers and Benefits…
Due to the total amount that we spent, there was an ongoing promotion that allowed us to sign up and be immediately join the Classic+ Tier that includes
– Lifetime Membership
– Welcome Bonus of 2 x $58 Cash Voucher
– Welcome Reward of 1 x Pizza (Any choice of Pizza)
– Birthday Celebration of 3 x $25 Cash Voucher
– 1 x Complimentary Coffee from 3 to 5pm on Weekdays
This meant that when we signed up for a $58 membership, we could utilise one of the $58 on the spot. Hence, the pizza, $58 cash voucher and birthday vouchers were “free” for us to use in the future. Not too bad of a deal.
As for the pizzas, we thoroughly enjoyed the Parma Ham & Arugula Romana Pizza which had the fresh rockets texture with a tinge of bitterness along with the flavourful Parma Ham. There was the signature “crackling sound” of the crust upon each bite that made Romana pizzas our option of choice at Pizza Express. Overall, it was fresh, crisp and delicious. Pizza Express does serve up authentic pizzas, the way it should be.
As for the Leggera Superfood Salad, we enjoyed the textures of the mesclun salad that came together with the avocado, pine kernels as well as the enticing balsamic syrup. A little expensive but definitely perked up the “healthy” level of this meal.
Lastly, if you’re Classic+ members at Pizza Express, you’ll be able to enjoy complimentary gourmet coffee such as latte and cappuccino from 3pm to 5pm on weekdays. We had the latte this time and they were excellent!
Pizza Express Duo Galleria Review
For our return visit to Pizza Express, we went to the Duo Galleria outlet…
Armed with our vouchers, we visited the Pizza Express Duo Galleria and tried out the Calabrese Romana Pizza with a description of “Calabria-style sausage, spicy Italian sausage, mozzarella, jalapeno peppers, roasted peppers and red chilis. Finished with fresh mozzarella, pesto genovese, parmesan and rocket“…
We also had a plate of complimentary Pizza Express dough balls…
This time we also ordered a pint of Peroni, an Italian beer that is on tap. As we were already utilising our vouchers, we were not able to snag the happy hour prices of Peroni, instead paying $14 for the pint of Peroni.
The ambience of Pizza Express at Duo Galleria is slightly different. While the open kitchen concept remained, the premise is a little bit smaller and had dimmer lightings. If we were to compare, the Duo Galleria Pizza Express would be perfect for dates while the Pizza Express at Scotts Square would be great for families.
The Dough Balls of Pizza Express is essentially the pizza dough in a ball form. However, in this form, the dough ball is rather chewy and dipped with a nice garlic butter, made a beautiful little starter to our meal at Pizza Express.
As for the Calabrese Romana Pizza, it had the signature crisp thin crust of Pizza Express and again, we loved the fresh ingredients of rockets, mozzarella and pesto. The pizza had a spicy twist to it with the spicy italian sausage and red chilis, making the Peroni a perfect compliment for this pizza.
To utilise our 3 birthday vouchers of $25 each, we also visited Pizza Express on three other occasions to try out the Hot Honey Classic Pizza, Pomodoro Pesto Romana Pizza and the Big Bad Brownie dessert…
As always, the pizzas impressed us. It is pretty hard to beat fresh-out-of-the-oven pizzas with fresh ingredients. The Big Bad Brownie was served in a good portion and had the delectable chewy texture a brownie ought to have. Pretty good foods at Pizza Express.
Pizza Express Holland Village Review (Closed)
Recently, we also tried out the offerings at Pizza Express Holland Village. We found that in terms of the ambience, Pizza Express Duo Galleria and Pizza Express Scotts Square definitely trumps that of Pizza Express Holland Village. In terms of spaces, Pizza Express Holland Village felt a little cramped with tables relatively close to each other. However, in terms of food quality, it was still as good as compared to the other Pizza Express branches…
This time, we tried the
Impossible Teriyaki Pizza. Impossible™ teriyaki served with sauteed leek, mozzarella and spring onions. Finished with a drizzle of vegan mayonnaise and teriyaki sauce. (Available with vegan mozzarella).
La Reine Pizza. Mushrooms, olives, ham, mozzarella and passata.
Garlic Bread with Mozzarella. Our famous dough, freshly baked with mozzarella and brushed with garlic butter. (Available without mozzarella)
As with Pizza Express’ signature pizza crust, whether you go with the thin crust (Classic) or the thicker doughy-er crust (Romana), you’ll be able to enjoy the fresh ingredients used at Pizza Express. We also tried Impossible meat for the first time and found the texture to be pretty close to that of beef – but of course, in terms of taste, there is a lack of the robust beefy flavours. Nonetheless, the teriyaki did help the overall taste.
Pizza Express The Star Vista Review
One of the perks of joining the membership of Pizza Express (aka PizzaExpress Club) that you’d be treated to exclusive invites from time to time. During the grand opening of the Pizza Express outlet at The Star Vista, we were invited to try out the offerings at this new outlet through the following email:
“Our new outlet is finally here…and you’re exclusively invited!
You heard right – we are open at Star Vista from April 20th and we’re cordially inviting our loyal PizzaExpress Club members to experience the new outlet first-hand before we open our doors to the public. This invite entitles you and one guest of your choice** to a complimentary night of fun with great food and drinks as we celebrate our new milestone with you!
P.S. Exclusive door gifts available for early birds – you snooze you lose!
**Cover charge applies for additional guests – $18 adult and $8 child (below 12 years)”
After being seated, we noticed that our door gifts were already placed on the table – yay, we were “early birds”! 😂 We were then informed that we could order anything on the menu and drinks included house red and white wines. This evening, we decided to try out the pasta, pizza as well as desserts ordering:
1. Carbonara & Hawaii-Not Romana (add Calabria Sausage and Pancetta)
2. Insalata Della Casa (Salad)
3. Piccini Costa Toscana Vermentino (White Wine)
4. Santa Helena Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Wine)
5. Pasta Gamberoni al Aglio Olio
6. Tiramisu
7. Cheesecake
8. Piccini Chianti DOCG (Italy)
9. Tropical Sunshine
10. Lattes
We started off with the salad…
The Insalata Della Casa salad was really refreshing and our favourite arugula (aka rocket salad) is used. We always enjoy the light, crisp and ever so slightly bitter arugula that complements the salad sauces really well. Moreover the rendition at PizzaExpress had a good mix of condiments such as chicken, ham, quail egg, cheese and cherry tomatoes. Really good start to a meal.
Next, the pasta and the pizzas…
We enjoyed the Pasta Gamberoni al Aglio Olio (or Aglio Olio with sauteed prawns). The prawns were so fresh and succulent! Really sizeable prawns as well! As for the pasta, we the taste was quite good but we thought that the pasta could be a little less al-dente while the pasta could be coated a tad more evenly. Otherwise, a great dish overall.
As for the pizza, we LOVED it. Always enjoyed pizzas at PizzaExpress. Hence, the title of this post. With the Hawaii-Not Romana (add Calabria Sausage and Pancetta), we were glad that additions to the pizza were complimentary as well. This is because the calabria sausage added a flavour and depth to the overall taste of the pizza. Coupled with a freshly cracked egg on top (Florentine style), the texture was crisp for the crust, yet smooth on the top. Perfect pizza with really fresh ingredients. Yum!
As for the wines, even though it was a complimentary dinner for invited guests, PizzaExpress was generous with the Vermentino and Cabernet options. With the Vermentino, it was refreshing and complimented the pizza really well. As for the cab, flavourful and robust, complete with a full-bodied (ala “tear drop”) taste, we knew we were on track for a wonderful evening ahead.
We’ve always enjoyed the lattes at PizzaExpress. It could be due to the Italian espresso or the quality milk that they employ. But it is simply aromatic. Which made our desserts that much more enjoyable. The Cheesecake was very rich with a light crust beneath. The only gripe we had was probably the Tiramisu – the lack Kahlua/Marsala wine was a downer for us. But with the name of “PizzaExpress”, this is a totally forgivable little lapse. 😉
Here’s a video review of our experience at PizzaExpress Star Vista:
If you enjoyed our content, “Like” us on Facebook Today!
Looking past the complimentary vouchers, we really do think that Pizza Express has one of the best pizzas in Singapore. Prior to this, we thought that the best pizza we’ve had was the Verona Pizza in Athens. The rendition at Pizza Express comes really close with its fresh ingredients, tasty marinara base and crispy crusts. If you’re thinking of where to have some great pizzas in a casual setting and have no preference in mind, why not give Pizza Express a try? Let us know if you have visited Pizza Express in our comments section below as well!
