At his eponymous restaurant Carlo’s, restaurateur Carlo Alvarez seeks to bring diners back to their childhood with good old comfort food by way of New York. Specialising in American-Italian comfort food, diners can expect mozzarella sticks, spicy vodka rigatoni, and 18” New York-style pizzas among other classics. Available whole or by the slice, these pizzas are at the very heart of the Carlo’s experience. “I want people to dig in—to enjoy, laugh, have fun, be noisy, eat with your hands,” Alvarez shares. ”Just use a napkin, who cares! Our place is solely just for comfort. We’re not going to judge.”

Related: First look: Carlo’s, the new American-Italian restaurant in BGC

Old-school Italian cooking is what you will find at Caruso. No frills, all flavour. True to the cuisine’s roots, Caruso focuses on getting passion on a plate. Their pasta and pizzas will truly not disappoint.

Tatler Tip: You should also order their veal Milanese, and osso buco with saffron risotto.

Related: The timelessness of Caruso Ristorante Italiano

A nationwide favourite, Cibo has been pleasing palates since 1997 thanks to chef Margarita Forés. “In 1987, I began my journey in Italy, learning how to cook from three Italian signoras. I learned a very home-style approach to cooking. With sessions in their kitchens in the mornings, lessons about the best and freshest ingredients in the markets over lunch, and dinners at different restaurants in the evenings, they shared priceless knowledge and wisdom about the country’s cuisine and culture with me,” she says. From traditional classics to funky new additions like her spinach dip pizza, you can’t go wrong with a tried and tested Cibo pie.

Tatler Tip: Chef Margarita also launched must-try frozen, ready-to-cook Cibo pizzas which are available in supermarkets. Perfect for lazy nights and fuss-free meals. 

Read more: Flavours of My Youth: Margarita Forés revisits the dishes that shaped her childhood

Round pizzas, square pizzas, and even star-shaped pizzas are featured in Crosta’s stellar menu. Cheesy, meat-filled and yes, vegan pizzas too are up for order. While known for their classic pizzas, Crosta also has Detroit-style deep dish, ultra-rich pizzas too. To them, it’s all about the dough, says Crosta, stating that, their “dough has been a seven-year journey and it is still evolving”.

Tatler Tip: Crosta nabbed an impressive no. 2 spot at the 50 Top Pizza awards in 2024, while its head pizzaiolo chef Yuichi Ito was crowned Best Pizza Maker of the Year.

See also: Best Pizzas in the Philippines 2024: 2nd best pizzeria in APAC and this year's Best Pizza Maker award go to the Philippines

Born out of Matteo Guidicelli’s love for Italian cuisines, comes Da Gianni. Experience their high-quality pizzas that come in classic iterations like quattro formaggi to pepperoni and even contemporary twists like a pie featuring avocado. They also make all of their pasta daily and by hand.

Tatler Tip: Da Gianni also offers a cauliflower crust pizza!

Gino’s (which is named after the owner’s son) serves up classic Italian pies. They have quite a large menu, with toppings that will tickle almost every fancy. According to team Gino’s, “the simpler the pizza, the more difficult it is to perfect”.

Tatler Tip: Try their homemade mozzarella, and their spicy honey which is perfect for drizzling over a piping hot slice of pizza.

As its name suggests, Jabroni’s celebrates the simple joys of a well-made New York-style pizza. Since launching as a cloud concept in August 2023, the brand has amassed an impressive following and has even opened its very first dine-in shop at Power Plant Mall. Playfully cheeky and unapologetically large, Jabroni’s pizzas span from classic flavours like The Vodka (spicy vodka) and The White (truffle ricotta) to special creations like The Amboy (sausage, pancetta, spicy vodka) and The Popeye (spinach and artichoke).

Inspired by Little Italy in New York City, Nolita started out as a casual dining slice shop serving authentic NYC pizza. Now, they’ve partnered with local beer brewery Joe‘s Brew to open Nolita Joe’s, a new Poblacion outpost with a selection of beers and pizzas on rotation. Open 11am til late, it’s the ideal spot for a quick pizza fix any time of day, most especially after hours.

Read more: Late night eats: 16 restaurants in Metro Manila open till late

A brand new concept by The Wildflour Group, Pizza Sisters is somewhat of an evolution from Wildflour Italian with a greater focus on pizza. “The point is really to take from Wildflour Italian— which has won many awards and so we would always want to somehow connect to that— and put it next to Pink’s,” explains executive chef Allen Buhay. “Make it more scaleable and make it accessible to a wider audience.” Set in a sleek yet casual setting reminiscent of a sports bar, Pizza Sisters offers farm-to-table quality ingredients and artisanal pies without pretensions. 

Related: Now open in BGC: Pizza Sisters by the Wildflour Group

Once a delivery-only model, the pandemic-born concept Pizzulu has rapidly expanded, with four dine-in outlets throughout the metro: San Juan, BGC, SM Megamall, and SM Mall of Asia. While their brick-and-mortar stores have surely grown popular, you can rest assured that their brick-oven pizzas still travel as well as they were designed to from the get-go.

Related: Grazing table 101: 8 Expert tips from Karla Zulueta, founder of Apéritif

Discovery Primea’s Tapenade cooked up delicious pizzas and Mediterranean cuisine. Flavours of the region pop and remind you of travels past. “From appetizers inspired by summers in Spain, to authentic dishes reminiscent of Italian dinners with the family, our selection at Tapenade will take you on a culinary journey you will return to over and over again.” Sink your teeth into their stone-baked pizzas and treat yourself to a worth-it meal.

Italian-Japanese celebrity chef Salvatore Cuomo is fondly known as “The Pizza Man” and “The Grand Chef” throughout Japan. With these two concepts, Salvatore Cuomo & Bar and Salvatore Cuomo Café, the culinary personality brings his pizza expertise to Philippine shores. Enjoy well-made Neapolitan pizzas, from a simple yet infallible margherita to a hefty beef ragu and sophisticated prosciutto e rucola.

See also: 5 best pizzerias in Tokyo, Japan

Simple, tasty Italian fare is prepared at Tartufo Ristorante. You will of course find truffles across their menu, infused into a variety of dishes. Try their pizza tartufata, carbonara or carnivore.

Thin crust and flavour-packed, Wildflour Italian pizzas are far from disappointing. “Wild Flour Italian is The Wildflour Group’s fine dining restaurant that brings a fresh, authentic Italian experience to Manila. Featuring woodfire brick oven-cooked pizzas, homemade pastas, sumptuous dinner plates, one of the most decorated selections of wines and cocktails in the country, and delectable Italian desserts, the team that brought you Wildflour and Little Flour put their own spin on Italian classics and will make you feel like you’re eating in Italy–right in the heart of Manila,” the group shares.

Tatler Tip: Don’t miss out on their pasta dishes, roast chicken, and fritto misto.