Crosta Pizzeria — Restaurant in Makati

Crosta: Where Casual Cool Meets Perfectly Charred Pizza

There’s something special about discovering a spot that doesn’t just serve good food—but nails the entire experience. Crosta, a casual and effortlessly hip pizza joint tucked into the heart of the city, is one of those rare gems. From the moment you walk through the door, it’s clear this isn’t your average pizzeria. It’s got a vibe—a relaxed confidence that doesn’t need to shout. It’s there in the warm lighting, the minimalist-yet-cozy interior, the low hum of indie tracks floating from a well-curated playlist, and of course, the scent of pizza dough caramelizing in a blistering-hot oven.

I ate in, and I'm glad I did—Crosta is the kind of place where the ambiance is part of the flavor.

First Impressions Crosta doesn’t try to impress you with grand entrances or flashy signage. It’s cool in the way that only places that don’t try too hard can be. You step in and you’re hit by the smell of woodsmoke, tomato, and bubbling cheese—a comforting signal that you’re in for something good. The decor leans industrial chic: exposed brick, matte black finishes, reclaimed wood tabletops. The layout is open, airy, and effortlessly stylish without being overdone. It feels like a local hangout, somewhere you'd meet friends on a Tuesday night that somehow turns into a three-hour catch-up session.

The staff mirror the place’s energy—laid-back but attentive, the kind of servers who know their menu well but talk to you like you’re a regular even if it’s your first time. No stiff uniforms or rehearsed lines, just a warm welcome and the vibe that they actually like working there.

The Pizza: A Study in Balance I went simple: a classic pepperoni. No wild toppings, no gourmet flair. Just a tried-and-true test of how seriously a place takes its craft. And let me tell you—Crosta takes it seriously.

The pizza arrived quickly, still steaming, the crust blistered and charred in all the right places. It was immediately clear this was a wood-fired oven job: the kind of heat you can’t fake, the kind that gives the dough its golden crunch and those telltale leopard spots. The crust was thin but not flimsy, with a firm chew that gave way to a pillowy interior. A crust you want to eat—not just the handle to get to the toppings.

As for the toppings: perfection in restraint. The tomato sauce was bright, tangy, and fresh—nothing too sweet or heavy. The cheese was melted into an even, golden pool, just the right amount of gooey and crisp. And the pepperoni? Oh, the pepperoni. Little cups of crispy, spicy glory, each one slightly charred on the edges, holding little pools of sizzling oil. The kind you want to chase around your plate with the last bite of crust. It was salty, savory, and just the right level of heat.

No gimmicks. No need for them. Just a well-executed pizza done the way it’s supposed to be.

Atmosphere Check What made the experience more than just a great meal was the setting. Crosta doesn’t feel like a pizza restaurant—it feels like a spot. A place you go not just to eat, but to be. There were couples sharing pies and glasses of wine, solo diners tapping away on laptops, groups of friends laughing over shared slices. The music was cool but never too loud. The lighting was dim but functional, casting a warm glow on the tables without making you feel like you’re dining in a cave.

It strikes that perfect balance between chill and buzzing—lively, but not chaotic. You could come here on a date or come here with your laptop and a book. It wears many hats and wears them well.

Service & Details What stood out almost as much as the pizza was how seamless everything felt. I was greeted promptly, seated quickly, and never left hanging or rushed. The server had that rare knack for knowing when to check in and when to let you enjoy your meal. When I asked about the pizza oven, he lit up and gave a quick rundown of their baking process and dough fermentation. It was clear: the team here cares about what...

As the top ranked pizzeria in the country, with raving reviews/ reels in various social media platforms, I felt that it was something I should not miss. The hype got the better of me. It was not what I hoped for. (The pizza was still relatively good though.)

-Food- I got Pepperonly 2.0 so that I can make a comparison with other stores which also offered pepperoni pizzas (I also wanted to try Morty & Ella, but the service and waiting time somewhat discouraged me). The food was good (but not fully in the exceptional realm). The flavor of mozzarella was very present. It also had a generous amount of pepperoni. However, in combination with the other ingredients, it made the pizza salty. It was delicious, but then the saltiness takes over and enveloped the other flavors.

The food was not the biggest letdown though.

-Place and Service- I was aware and prepared that there is a long line, a waiting time and limited seats at the pizzeria. However, the chaotic state of things and how it was handled made the experience somewhat ugly.

Given the limited seats, it was evident that not everyone can dine in and they will need to wait if they really wanted to, and that was okay. With this concern, there was no notice or guide on how can someone get a seat. When the staff was asked, they replied that it was an "unahan" system. It was not first come, first serve, but rather more on who first stumbled upon and took over the seats. To be clear, no matter how long you were waiting, if someone got to the seats firsts when you were making or getting your orders, when you aren't looking, it's theirs. This non-systematic way of handling seats is disadvantageous to those who are solo. Furthermore, it also creates a very uncomfortable atmosphere for diners, since they are being watched; and for other customers, who are eyeing each other to get the seats when it becomes vacant. I think that implementing a smoother and fair way to get seats will somewhat improve the dining experience.

On the other hand, the service was also lackluster. Being aware of the long waiting time before one can get their ordered pizza, Crosta does not provide a proper place where customers and delivery service crews can wait. Also, the pizza when ready, is stacked in a chaotic way that when the customers return to pick up their orders (since there is no decent waiting place), there are times the staff had to inspect again, lifting box after box. In addition, the atmosphere was also very stiff and serious, no hint of cheerfulness, and just left me tired and stressed.

I think that a pizzeria like Crosta is not only about the pizza, but also about creating a good dining experience. For that matter, it was not what I hoped for.

At the moment, Crosta is most suited for delivery. It is too crowded for dining in, and it takes too much time to wait for take out. Utilizing some space where customers can comfortably eat and/or wait for orders, will make it a little bit more neat, and the ambience less stressful. Despite not having a great experience, I'm still curious how the other pizzas will taste - I'll check again when possible.

(Erased some faces and bodies of individuals for their privacy, so the picture might be somewhat empty and show the place as spacious, which...

My boyfriend and I came here to dine for my birthday with some family. It was a chaotic experience. We ended up waiting almost an hour for our pizza.

The restaurant is clearly not optimized for the volume of customers it gets, with delivery orders taking priority over orders made in person (and orders made earlier). I saw a few people who came later than my boyfriend and I, leave with their orders ahead of us. On top of that, other customers inside the establishment were aggressive over seating due to the minimal seats available. They were hogging seats and competing for them, but since we had a senior citizen with us, the guard was nice enough to set some seats aside for us. He seemed to be the only one trying to accommodate the guests, even over the manager, the cashiers and other staff. That man needs a raise because he was playing guard, waiter, cleaner and he was attending to customers and delivery drivers waiting outside. He was the nicest person in there. The manager seemed to not care and was losing track of the orders.

Even with seats set aside, my boyfriend and I felt uncomfortable and embarrassed sitting in them due to the number of people also waiting for seating, so we stood up and waited. Customers were aggressive and one woman took a seat another lady had saved for another customer who was just ordering (they were both doing dine-in). We decided to just take the food to the car. However, the total wait time ended up being around an hour. Other people who had come later than us, received their orders ahead. My boyfriend and I were standing around wondering if it was discrimination (we're a young interracial couple and we get a lot of judgement for it). The guard noticed how long we were there and tried to look for our order for us, the female manager seemed annoyed he had asked and that we had also politely asked about 15 minutes before. It turned out our other 2 pizzas were ready and we were just waiting for the last one. We took the 2 back to the car as they were already getting cold.

The pizza was delicious, cold but still flavorful. We wanted to love the taste, however the experience inside the restaurant overshadowed our enjoyment. We patiently waited for almost an hour and had not caused a scene or inconvenience, but were still treated poorly and coldly by management staff. Everyone else in there, the other employees, seemed very stressed in the cramped conditions. It seems management is disorganised and unaccommodating, forcing even the security guard to step in and start helping out. It's a hot mess in there. We might just go to the greenhills...