Curry Paneer Sona Pizza (P295), Queens at Bollywood

This vegetarian-friendly Indian-style pizza has a pronounced curry flavor, and is decked with mozzarella, bell peppers, cilantro, and bits of paneer – an unsalted, fresh cheese common in South Asian recipes and similar in texture to cottage cheese. It's a nice touch, and if anything, we'd wish there was more of it. More heavy snack than meal, Queens' paneer sona comes in a firm, falt pita-like crust reminiscent of Indian bread. For those looking for more protein, there's a chicken curry version elsewhere in the menu.


Queens at Bollywood is at Level 3, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City. Tel. 757-3536 / 0932 410-4818
Open 12:00 PM to 12:00 AM Mondays to Thursdays and Sundays, 12:00 PM to 2:00 AM Fridays and Saturdays

Shawarma Pizza (P280), Café Mondial

Though it might take months of therapy to recover from Shivaker's “Shawarma” song, you can find sweet consolation in Café Mondial's hefty pita-wrapped shawarma pizza. Heavy on tomatoes and onions,  stuffed with strips of sirloin beef and mozzarella, this dish cruises along the flavors of the Mediterranean–smoky, sweet and garlicky with a twang of sourness. The grilled pita itself is chewier than your usual shawarma stand's, and the house garlic dip, sweet and mildly sour, is a must. Carefully drizzle, not slather, over your pizza. A spoonful is more than enough to kick things up a notch.

Cafe Mondial is at Ground Level, Silver City (across Tiendesitas), Julia Vargas Avenue corner C5, Pasig City
Open 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM daily, Wednesdays 5:00 PM to 1:30 AM, Fridays and Saturdays 5:00 PM to 3:00 AM, Monday, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM

Sisig Pizza (P320), Cerchio

There's no way to eat this meat-lover's fantasy with poise, so just forget it. Shifting between chewy and crispy, soft but with periodic crunch, this pizza is decked with fried pork chunks, tender fat, and, just to reach its ridiculous calorie quota, crushed chicharon. It's an indulgent, oily affair, and once you get through the protein-rich layer, there's the tinge of egg and mayonnaise on your palate. Thankfully, bits of red onion break through the savory with welcome sweetness. It should go without saying that pairing this baby with beer is a must for maximum satisfaction.

Cerchio is at 76 Scout Limbaga Street (near Tomas Morato), Quezon City. Tel. 351-5279 / 998-0939
Open 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM Mondays to Thursdays / 12:00 to 3:00 pm, 6:00 PM to 1:00 AM Fridays to Sundays

Bianca Verde (P315), Gino's Brick Oven Kitchen

From its charcoal-based brick oven that cooks pizzas in just under two minutes to the homemade kesong puti and backyard-grown arugula and basil, this young, ambitious pizzeria takes freshness and authenticity very seriously. While pizza chains might lord it over with boodles of toppings, Gino's takes its cue from Neapolitan pizzas—keen on gourmet ingredients and generous on crust. Their Bianca Verde makes do without tomato sauce, opting instead for kesong puti (fresh carabao's milk naturally), ricotta, parmesan, and crisp arugula. Light on toppings yet rich and satisfying, this feels genuinely Italian downright to the slightly burnt crust. Finish with their trademark Nutella dessert pizza.

Gino's is at 2/F (above Mercury Drug), 341 Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Tel. 215-0484.
Open 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily

Filipino Pizza (P300), Gourdo's

The Gourdo's branch at the Fort Strip has some amazing finds in their restaurant including a quirky Filipino pizza boasting a carefully-picked selection of native ingredients—longganisa bits, farmer's cheese, slices of green mango, and even salted egg all layered on a cheese pie. The final product is moist and gooey, with a play on contrasts and strong influxes of different flavors that are the trademark of Filipino cuisine. Each mouthful can be sweet, salty or sour, smooth or grainy depending on where you bite. Some will find it amazingly versatile, others, quite schizophrenic. Bold and creative, this pizza is a must for the more adventurous diners.

Gourdo's is at The Fort Entertainment Complex, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. Tel. 845-1700
Open  10:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily

Four-Cheese Truffle Pizza (P520), KYSS

There doesn't seem to be an end to the truffle trend in sight. From fries to dim sum to hell, even popcorn, chefs are keen to infuse their dishes with the potent whiff of truffles. Not that it's a bad thing. In fact, it's hardly gimmicky given that KYSS' indulgent Four-cheese Truffle Pizza smells heavenly. Or earthy to be precise. Here it's eight bubbling slices of unadulterated devotion to cheese—cheddar, mozzarella, bleu, and gruyere. It's sharp, sometimes bitter or salty, but always gratifying with that constant cruising presence of truffle oil that never quite overpowers your taste buds. Pizzas are meant for sharing, but this one begs to be fought over.

KYSS is at 5345 General Luna Street (across A Venue), Makati Avenue, Makati City. Tel. 519-6925/6.
Open 7:00 PM to 10:30 PM daily

Pizza Carbonara (P460), Lolo Dad's Brasserie

Subtly flavored, this artisanal hybrid shies away from the usual trick of smothering pizza with toppings, instead opting for scatterings of mushroom and smoked bacon, parmesan, and an over easy egg. It seems like a spartan combination, but on a fragile, airy crust, it's pure magic. You'll pick up a range of flavors with each crackling bite—butter with hints of garlic, the richness of the lightly runny egg yolk, and even the slightly sharp bite of parmesan. This is as much a play on textures too: There's something satisfying, almost primal, about shattering the crust with your teeth and fingers. And don't even think about having this to-go. This is a pizza rightfully savored straight from the oven.

Lolo Dad's Brasserie is at G/F, 6750 Building, Ayala Avenue, Makati City. Tel. 813-6750.
Open 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM Mondays to Saturdays

Laing Pizza (P480), Sandy's

You'll pick up a whiff of Bicolano cooking well before the staff at Sandy's brings out your order of Laing Pizza. That's right, gabi (Taro) leaves cooked in gata (coconut milk) are layered on dough and tomato sauce before being smothered in mozzarella. It's a jarring combination, one that you'd think fit for only the most fortified of digestive systems, but surprisingly it works—if you like laing to begin with. This wouldn't be authentically Bicolano without chilies, and expectedly, your meal is constantly pervaded by mild to medium heat. While not everyone will take to it (Sandy's sports more traditional fare including a chicken adobo variant), it's a step in right direction in terms of inventiveness. Now if they could make a Bicol Express pizza…

Sandy's is at 154 Katipunan Ave. Brgy. St. Ignatius, Hernandez Bldg. White Plains, Quezon City and other branches. Tel. 721-8334
Open 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily

Hamonado Pizza (P269.95), Torch

Torch loves playing Frankenstein with fusion recipes that borrow from different regions. Not that it's a bad thing. In fact, their Hamonado Pizza speaks volumes: a bubbling bed of mozzarella topped with pork hamonado, chili fingers, fried eggs, and slices of tomato and cucumber, this bestseller exhibits Spanish and tropical influences. It's a gratifying, eyebrow-raising pizza that harks back to the heartiness of Filipino breakfasts. Along the way you'll pick up undercurrents of sweet and spicy broken by refreshing cucumber as you make your way from one crisp edge to the other.

Torch is at Home Studio Building, 63 Connecticut Street, Greenhills, San Juan City. Tel. 502-0000
Open 7:00 AM to 12:00 AM daily

Smoked Salmon, Egg, and Wasabi Pizza (P318), Yumemiya

Japanese cuisine has the occasional, quirky habit of transforming Western dishes into something distinctly theirs like korokke (croquettes) and seaweed spaghetti. Enter Yumemiya: a franchise from Tokyo serving some wildcard pizzas, one of which is topped with salmon and a delicate, over easy egg. Not surprisingly, there's the telltale taste of smoked salmon followed by rich egg and, but what keeps this pizza from being cloying is the inclusion of wasabi. It's not enough to bring you to tears, but we'd like to see the staff add more for better contrast. Expect a doughy, buttery crust that meshes well with this pizza's decidedly Eastern flavor.

Yumemiya is at Upper Ground Floor, NorthEast Square Building, 47 Connecticut Street, Greenhills, San Juan City. Tel. 772-4838 / 721-0700
Open 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM daily