What a surprise this place turned out to be. We knew it’d be good based on it’s TripAdvisor reviews, but we never expected it to blow us away. It’s one of the best Italian restaurants we’ve been to in the Philippines.
Owned and operated by Italian chef Giuseppe Genco, this pizzeria on the sleepy island of Panglao makes the tastiest wood-fired pizzas. Thin and charred in parts, the crust is soft and chewy at the center and gets increasingly crisp as you eat your way out to the edges. It’s delicious and addictive. An accomplished chef who’s spent time in the kitchens of premier hotels like the Hilton, Manila Peninsula, and Shangri-la, there’s no question Chef Giuseppe knows Italian food.
Popular with both locals and tourists alike, Giuseppe Pizzeria is a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence awardee that’s consistently rated among the top five restaurants in Panglao. It isn’t too often that you find authentic Italian restaurants in the province so eating here when in Bohol is a must.
The Best Italian Restaurant in Bohol
Giuseppe is located less than a kilometer away from Alona Beach.
The restaurant is big but it may be a good idea to make reservations during peak seasons. The place is popular so it fills up.
Temperature-controlled room selling wine, liqueur, and a variety of food products
What makes Giuseppe’s pizzas so great — their wood-fired brick oven. I didn’t know this but brick ovens apparently require zero maintenance and are guaranteed to last for 200 or so years! We’re definitely getting one.
Carpaccio di Bue — PHP 360 — Thinly sliced beef topped with iceberg lettuce, olives, marinated mushrooms, capers, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Parmesan cheese
This raw beef carpaccio made Ren do the happy dance. It melted in your mouth, like buttah.
Pizza Lorenzo — PHP 380 — Mozzarella, tomato, black olives, basil, capers, anchovy paste, and eggplant
Brick ovens make the tastiest, most beautiful pizzas. We shared this between us but you may want to order one just for yourself. So good. 😉
Eggplant Parmigiana — PHP 320
Another winner. You could really taste the freshness of the eggplant in this one. It was still firm, not at all mushy.
Always eager to try as many restaurants as we can, we don’t normally like to eat at the same restaurant more than once while on vacation, but we could easily have enjoyed every meal here. It was that good. They have enough choices on their menu to keep it interesting along with a specials board that changes regularly. They have a solid wine selection as well.
It’s funny, less than a week after getting back from Bohol, Ren saw on Booky Manila’s Instagram account that Chef Giuseppe just opened a restaurant in Manila. It’s called Sicilian Roast by Giuseppe Genco and it’s on the corner of Carlos Palanca and De la Rosa streets in Legaspi Village. We’re so there.
Giuseppe Pizzeria & Sicilian Roast, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines
Giuseppe Restaurant, Tawala, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines
Tel: (038) 510-1217
Mobile: 0917-625-5582
Email: [email protected]
Operating Hours: Mon-Sun, 11AM-11PM
Expect to Spend: About PHP 500-600 per person with drinks
Reservations: Recommended during peak seasons
HOW TO GET THERE:
Giuseppe Pizzeria is on the main road about a kilometer away from Alona Beach. You’ll see it on your left walking away from the beach.
For more Bohol travel tips, check out our First-Timer’s Travel Guide to Bohol, the Philippines
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