Giuseppe Boracay — Restaurant in Malay

NOSTALGIA DI ITALIA 🇮🇹 🍝 | They say a home is a feeling, not a place—a space where you feel secure, happy, and nourished.

In 2005, in a small town near Florence, Italy, I began my professional culinary journey. I started by cutting greens and olives for salads in a humble mess hall that served 10,000 meals a month. Later, I became the baker, cutting bread & crafting cakes for friends' birthdays—something I truly loved. Eventually, I had the honor of working as a Sous Chef under esteemed chefs like Italian Chief Chef Valentino, Brazilian Executive Chefs Ricardo and Carlos Leal. Alongside them, and with the help of all the cooks, frontline staff, and waiters, I found my second home.

Dining at GIUSEPPE in Boracay recently brought back that incredible sense of nostalgia. It was also a special moment for my son, Jacobe, as it was his first time experiencing a full-course meal at an authentic Italian restaurant. Though we’ve dined at various Italian spots before, this one felt unique. Here’s what we enjoyed:

We skipped the antipasto this time, saving it for another visit, as we wanted to focus on pizza.

We started with our refreshments right away: a MANGO PASSION BASIL smoothie for me and a CUCUMBER MANGO MINT juice for Jacobe. Both were excellent—not overly sweet, with a delightful sense of wonder as each sip introduced a new flavor to my palate.

For our first course, we ordered PENNE QUATTRO FORMAGGI. The pasta was served in the perfect dish, warm and beautifully garnished with finely chopped parsley. Cooked al dente, it was tender yet firm to the bite. The highlight was the cheese blend—melted to perfection and evenly mixed, leaving a velvety sensation on the tongue. It was incredibly delicious—Buonissimo! Unlike many commercially prepared dishes that often have an artificial aftertaste, this dish was authentic and made exactly as it should be.

Hang on, we’re just getting started!

Though the Margherita Pizza was at a discount, I chose the PIZZA QUATTRO STAGIONI so Jacobe could experience a variety of flavors. The ingredients were fresh and heavenly. The artichokes were whole and not soggy, a rare feat considering how difficult it is to transport and preserve imported ingredients. The olives delivered their signature salty kick, the mushrooms added a rich aroma, and the pepperoni—oh, the pepperoni—was simply delicious. As you can see in the video, the mozzarella melted perfectly, not just as we cut into it but especially as it melted in our mouths.

For my drink, I ordered the vino rosso of the day. In my excitement, I forgot its name—haha! Might as well have been Chianti. It was dry, strong, yet smooth. Then came the main course—the climax of the meal. Oh man, I messed up! I didn’t realize the portion of the INVOLTINO DI MAIALE (involtini, perche due? Lol) was good for four. But as it turned out, it was a blessing in disguise.

Involtino means “rolled up” in Italian, and Maiale translates to “pork.” It was beautifully plated, served with four portinos of the meat & thinly sliced, unpeeled potatoes over a heavenly homemade gravy.

The pork tenderloin was breaded and seared to perfection, creating a succulent texture and flavor. And the filling? Absolutely divine. If I’m not mistaken, it was a mix of ricotta and spinach, blended to gastronomic perfection.

Compliments to the chef, cooks, staff, and management of Giuseppe Pizzeria and Sicilian Roast - Boracay for treating us—and every guest, regardless of nationality—with exceptional care. Veramente, una roba che non te dico!

I wanted Tiramisu for dessert, but it was sold out. Hmm… all the more reason to return, right?

I ended the night with a shot of doppio espresso, while Jacobe left with a full tummy. A two-and-a-half-hour gourmet experience like this is unlikely to be replicated anytime soon.

And of course, being Filipino, it wouldn’t be complete without a takeout box. Haha!

Thank you, GIUSEPPE, for completing our Boracay experience and for giving us that comforting feeling of home. After all, home is where the...

I recently visited Giuseppe on Boracay and I have to say, it was one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had in a long time. The restaurant was overcrowded and there was very poor soundproofing which made it almost impossible to have a conversation at the table. Despite informing the waitstaff about the high noise levels from other guests, they only made a half-hearted attempt to quiet down one table, and the noise level remained extremely high throughout our meal.

The food itself was also disappointing, and despite hearing good things about the restaurant, there was nothing that stood out or was particularly memorable. However, the biggest issue by far was the noise level.

To make matters worse, when we ordered our meals, the restaurant was unable to deliver all the food at the same time, which meant that some of our party were finished eating while others were still waiting for their food. I was extremely disappointed when our waiter began clearing plates from the table while I still hadn't received my meal. I ended up telling them that they didn't need to serve me anymore when everyone else had already finished eating.

Overall, my experience at Giuseppe on Boracay was a letdown. While I will give them credit for attempting to address the noise issue, I strongly recommend that they invest in better soundproofing to create a more pleasant dining atmosphere. Additionally, they should work on improving their food delivery system to ensure that everyone is served at the same time.

I have dined at Giuseppe on Boracay many times before and have enjoyed their food. Unfortunately, during my recent visit, the food did not live up to my expectations. It was a major disappointment, especially considering my previous positive experiences at...

I’ve been to Giuseppe in Iloilo before and had a satisfying experience, so while in Boracay and craving Italian food, I decided to visit their branch here. Unfortunately, this time, it didn’t quite meet my expectations.

Ambiance The best part of my visit was the beachfront seating — relaxing and scenic, with a nice view and breeze. The ambiance overall was casual and clean, and the open kitchen is a nice touch where you can see the chefs at work.

Service Service definitely needs improvement. It felt disorganized, as if there were no assigned tables or roles. I had to raise my hand several times just to get basic attention, even though the restaurant wasn’t full. Without runners or a clear system, I imagine service would be much slower during busy hours.

Food I ordered the salmon carpaccio, but what arrived was more like a smoked salmon salad. While it was fresh and the taste was decent, it wasn’t what the menu advertised. I raised this with the staff, but they insisted it was their version of carpaccio. (If you know what carpaccio actually is — or look it up — it clearly wasn’t.)

My lasagna was also underwhelming. It tasted mostly of cheese, and the meat lacked seasoning. The flavors didn’t come together, and it felt bland overall.

Price Pricing was reasonable for a beachfront location, but not great value considering the overall dining experience.

Overall While I enjoyed the beachfront view at night, the food and service didn’t live up to expectations. Giuseppe in Iloilo made a...