Pizza Express ReReview!
- Becki
- Jan 12, 2018
- 6 min read
I went to Pizza Express this afternoon with my friend Lesley, a place that I really enjoy going and the first Pizza place that accepted me with open arms. I have already reviewed Pizza Express before, I just believe I need to do it a little more justice. After all, they go out of their way to help me eat. The least I can do is give them a proper review!
For those of you who haven't been there, or reading from another country. Pizza Express is a restaurant that you find in almost every town or city across the UK, it specialises on Pizza but not expressly! They also do Pasta dishes, Calzones, Salads and a wonderful range of sides, desserts and well, a ton of Pizzas! There really is something for everyone there, they ensure that be you Vegan, Coeliac or maybe just a little fussy you will eat and enjoy whatever is served to you. At a good price as well!
I remember going there quite a bit when I first started out on this diet. I worked away from home a lot, so finding a place which was the same UK wide and not needing to worry at all was brilliant. They were one of the first restaurants to be approved by the Coeliac foundation for their Gluten Free bases, so definitely safe for me! Without further ado, here is a more complete review on them...
Staff:
Every time I go to a Pizza Express they are always more than accommodating and friendly. I have always received the right meal, even when in a large group of people as they take great care over what is being ordered. Especially when there are dietary requirements involved.
When I first went there after my Gluten Intolerance was discovered, they explained the menu to me and even prior going to the restaurant I had looked online for the ingredients in their base. When I couldn't find completely what I was looking for, I emailed them and they were more than willing to share what the Gluten Free base contained. For me, this was great as it saved me the embarrassment of asking there and then! (Even though I am sure they wouldn't have made a fuss at all, more of a personal choice.)
Pizza Express is quite a popular place to eat as well, so it must be said that even at their busiest their service never falters and I have never had to wait too long for a meal. Even in the busy Wembley Park one right before a sold out Wembley Stadium Coldplay concert!
9/10
Food:
The menu in Pizza Express is great for a variety of diets, all of the Pizzas can be made Gluten Free and they can also swap the cheese on any pizza to Vegan Mozzarella too. The Vegan Mozzarella is relatively new to the menu, though I am sure I speak for the Vegan community and Dairy Intolerant in saying thank you for this welcome addition!
For a starter, they offer a few alternatives for me. I used to enjoy the Roasted Tomatoes, which are a bowl of beautifully flavoured with Garlic oil Sun Dried Tomatoes. They were a perfect little starter for when everyone else wanted something before the main and I didn't just want to watch them all eat. This was before the Gluten Free Dough Balls arrived onto the menu.
As soon as I saw that the Dough Balls came in a Gluten Free version that was also able to be Vegan I hopped straight on that train. I used to love Garlic Bread (as I mentioned yesterday) and loved nothing more than tucking into Dough Balls with Garlic Butter. So to be able to revel in that again just with oil instead was great. They are wonderful balls of doughy heaven, baked to perfection and steaming hot when served fresh. When I have them as a take away, I like to make my own Garlic or Salted Butter to dip them in to get the full effect. Though when in the restaurant I don't complain to have them with oil or alone!
My favourite Pizza that I have stuck with for many years is the Pianta. It is a cheeseless Pizza with Pine Nuts, Mushrooms, Artichokes and Spinach topped with Rocket on a Spicy Tomato sauce and Gluten Free base. Many people think a Pizza without Cheese is madness. However to those people I say you haven't tried it, I love the Pianta and even when they brought in the Vegan Mozzarella I would still have it from time to time. The taste of the Spices mixed with the crunch of the Pine Nuts, flavour of the Artichoke and my favourite Pizza topping (Mushroom) was a winning combination. Sometimes the amount of Rocket on top was a little excessive nevertheless I always managed to eat it all.
Sadly it occasionally drops off the menu. It did for a little time before, though they still made it when I asked and it wasn't there today. I hope it comes back, it certainly is my favourite and I'm sure others love it too!
The Pizza I enjoyed today was the Vegan Giardiniera on a Gluten Free base with added Spinach. I love Spinach on a Pizza and no matter how old I get, it will always remind me of PopEye! Moving on, the Pizza was amazing today as always! This Pizza has Vegan Mozzarella, Artichoke, Mushrooms, Red Onion, Black Olives and a base of Tomato Sauce with Garlic oil and topped with fresh Parsley. I am not a huge fan of Olives, yet again today I tried one. I don't know why, I still don't like them! The rest of the Pizza was delicious, the combination of all of the fresh vegetables and wonderfully gooey melted Vegan Mozzarella is a winner. They really do well with their combinations, that is for sure.
The Gluten Free base today was one of the best I've had, sometimes it can be a little hard to cut on the edges. Today, it was perfect, held its shape when picked up but with the typical Pizza droop from the weight of the toppings. 100% one of the best Gluten Free bases out there.
I would definitely recommend this Pizza to my fellow Vegans, those taking part in Veganuary or anyone wanting to experiment a little!
As you can see from the size of the section, I love their food. Though I am not quite finished yet as they have desserts that are available for me too. Although the only thing I can eat from them is the Sorbet, it is still a welcome refreshing sharp and sweet end to the meal. Plus for those of you on a Gluten Free only diet, their Brownie is made Gluten Free. This is amazing as it is the main one they sell, not one they bring out for Gluten Intolerant or Coeliac people so you know it will be fresh!
10/10
Allergies/Intolerances:
I think my food section speaks volumes for this without much further need to carry on. However, I will talk about the fact they are accredited by the Coeliac UK foundation in being a restaurant that caters completely to Gluten Intolerance. They are only one of two restaurants I have seen with that accreditation, though the first I ever experienced early in my Gluten Intolerant days.
Their website has a full and complete allergen menu tick sheet, including any specials they have brought out for the season. This is great as this isn't always available online, so the specials are something I would usually have to check at the restaurant.
As I said before, their staff take great care in ensuring you get exactly the right food and that it is served with no fuss, worry and with everyone else at the table.
10/10
If you haven't tried Pizza Express or you're newly Vegan, Gluten Intolerant or have other dietary requirements. I highly recommend going there to have a great meal, they treat you well and you know you're in safe hands with the backing they have. Plus, from my review you should have no doubt that what you're going to eat is going to be simply divine.
Has anyone reading this tried any varieties of the Pizza's from here? If so, any new recommendations to mix and match my Vegan Mozzarella would be welcome! Happy Veganuary Day 12 and Happy Birthday to my Sister-In-Law Ally!