PizzaExpress — Restaurant in East Hampshire

This was our second visit in a few weeks, as we loved the look and feel of the restaurant.

This particular visit was extremely disappointing. We arrived and ordered all fine, I specifically requested no parsley on my pizza. The waiter did not make note of the order at the time. Later on, I excitedly pointed out our order coming out of the oven to my partner. However, I then noticed the manager of the restaurant alongside the chef, picking off the parsley with their bare hands, which I assume hadn’t been washed.

The manager and chef noticed myself and my partner watching them do this. The manager then came over with my partners pizza and side. He told me that the chef accidentally put parsley on the pizza so a new one was coming out of the oven in 3 minutes time. However, because he was picking the parsley off of the original pizza, I very highly doubt he was going to mention this to me and the only reason he “gave me a new one” was because I had noticed what he was doing and was clearly disgusted. He bought the new pizza out just a few minutes later.

I am struggling to understand how a new pizza could have been prepped and cooked in less than 5 minutes. Was I lied to?

I wouldn’t have minded if the manager came over, was honest and said a new pizza would have taken 10-15 minutes. I’m absolutely convinced I was still given the pizza that both the chef and manager put their fingers into to pick out the parsley, instead of admitting their mistake and making me a new one. I feel completely disgusted, even days after, knowing I have eaten something that’s had someone else’s hands all over. How would the “manager” feel if I put my fingers into his drink or food? He was handling menus and greeting other customers, before putting his fingers into my food and then serving it to me. I don’t believe he would have confessed to his mistake if he did not see us watching. Even then, he still served me the same pizza.

We won’t be returning but I do expect an explanation as if we pay for a meal out, we expect it to be a...

I find it very difficult to relate some of the recent reviews to the place I have just eaten in. It has been a regular meeting place for myself and a friend over the last few years and has always been ok. This time, to start with, the door from the high street was locked and a sign directed us to an entrance around the back in Waitrose car park. The manager saw my friend at the door, and in spite of the fact that he is clearly disabled and walking with two sticks, refused to let us in. The restaurant was completely empty at 1pm which should have rung alarm bells. Firstly the waitress seemed unable to understand what we were ordering, and as a result a wrong starter arrived. I have been a Pizza Express regular since the early 70’s so I know what the food should be like. The doughball starters were small and tasteless and looked like they had been taken out of a freezer and microwaved. The pizzas were as thin as a sheet of cardboard and about as tasteless. The toppings - double cheese etc in my case —were if anything even thinner and more tasteless. Finally the bottle of Montepulciano, if in fact it was that wine, tasted like the cheapest table wine you might get in a knock-off corner grocery. All in all a very black mark on the name of Pizza Express. Have these been sold off as franchises? If so I would advise PE to keep a closer eye on quality control before its good reputation built over many decades is reduced...

Came here for dinner with the family.

The restaurant was pretty quiet.

Drinks order turned up with one drink wrong despite the fact we thought he hadn't got it right and confirmed it and he still got it wrong.

We wanted an adults spaghetti Bolognese which they now apparently don't do....an Italian chain that doesn't offer this... ridiculous.

They offer it as a kids meal though...but apparently can't just give you an adult portion so we ordered the kids meal for our 14 year old.

The portion size from the kids meal was once again too small, even for our ten year old...not to mention the quality was not good, it had hardly any pasta, a tiny portion of pasta and a tiny amount of cheese provided.. very disappointing.

The adult meals were ok but nothing more, no problems but the food wasn't outstanding or anything.

Drinks generally were expensive for what they were. We asked for some tap water part of the way through....this never turned up.

We actually laughed when the kids deserts came out....literally like one small brownie square...