Filipinos have surely come a long way when it comes to pizza appreciation. We remain loyal to our Shakey’s favorites, occasionally long for a comforting box of 3M, cheer and clap over someone ordering a classic Meat Lovers from Pizza Hut. But we’ve also come to appreciate the guys who obsess about their doughs a little more, go the extra mile with the toppings, search far and wide for the best ovens and ingredients to create pizzas that can compete with the best in the globe.
This past Monday, three Manila establishments were named as among the best pizzerias in the Asia-Pacific by 50 Top Pizza. The awards began as a guidebook back in 2017 devoted to the search for the best pizzas the world over. It is now recognized by chefs and gourmands alike as a trustworthy guide to the finest, most delicious pizzas out there—which we assume would come in handy when we’re traveling in different parts of the world and suddenly get a pizza craving.
For Asia-Pacific’s 50 best, awarded Monday at The Peninsula Bangkok, the top spot was snagged by Australia’s 48h Pizza E Gnocchi Bar, followed by Beijing’s Bottega, and then Tokyo’s The Pizza Bar on 38th. The Philippines starts figuring in the list at No. 32, the spot of Crosta, the Poblacion-born pizzeria now very popular in its Leviste Street address.
“The restaurant is famous for its signature sourdough crust, that not only sets it apart from most pizza places, but also adds an extremely delicious detail that accompanies well the fresh toppings,” says the 50 Top Pizza review, while also commending the “warm and welcoming atmosphere” the pizzeria is known for, and also it’s “well-trained and friendly staff.”
To read more about Crosta’s beginnings, click on this ANCX feature from 2019.
Six spots later, at Number 38, the list honors BGC’s Wildflour Italian which is part of the ever-growing Wildflour empire. The review notes: “With its delicious pizzas, prepared with extremely fresh ingredients and cooked to perfection, and with its other mouthwatering typical dishes, ‘Wild Flour Italian’ truly gives the guest the possibility to embark on a journey to explore Mediterranean flavours, while dining in a relaxed environment thousands of kilometres away from Italy itself.”
For more on Wildflour Italian, click on this link.
Completing the trio of Manileños on the list is Amado Forés’ a mano in Rockwell which lands the 48th spot. It is also given a special recognition as the “One to watch 2022.” According to 50 Top Pizza, the “mouthwatering pizza” in a mano is “prepared with a delicious dough and extraordinary toppings, and it is cooked in the typical wood-burning oven, a necessary tool to add the signature smokiness of Italian pizza dishes.”
Audrey Carpio wrote about a mano for ANCX right around the time it opened. The Top 50 Pizza recognition only proves why the city’s gourmands are still talking about this Italian joint nearly three years later.