Pizza Express — Restaurant in Oxford

We came to this restaurant yesterday (Saturday 12-2pm) for my daughters Birthday, we had booked a pizza-making party for 8 children.

We had never done a pizza-making party at pizza express before so were unsure what to expect, but we were not disappointed. We had a space at the back of the restaurant in front of the kitchen, which was perfect as it was away from the other guests so I didnt have to worry about the kids disturbing the other diners! Everything was set up for our arrival and we had enough space for our group.

Very Friendly and attentive team, we were greeted at the door and shown to our table/area promptly. The party hosts Imran and Deryn could not do enough for us and made us all feel welcomed. We were asked for not only any dietary requirements but also preferences of each individual child which was great as we had a couple of fussy ones... Imran and Deryn were brilliant at keeping the kids entertained and did not rush them at all, everything was done at the pace of the kids which was really nice and relaxed.

The price was £14.95 per child (must book minimum of 8) The children all got to make their own pizza, with lots of toppings to choose from. While the pizzas were cooking, the children each got doughballs and salad sticks. Each child was then presented with their pizza to eat... then after, they got an ice cream with toppings and unlimited squash was available throughout. Activity sheets, crayons and chef hats were on our table on arrival for the kids to do between courses... we bought our own party cake and candles with us which I gave to the host on arrival...our party host, Deryn, brought the cake over during desserts and the staff members sang Happy Birthday to my daughter.

The restaurant was not overly busy at this time, relaxed, chilled atmosphere. This is a brand new restaurant so very clean and inviting, nice modern decor. The toilets were spotlessly clean and well stocked.

I would definitely recommend this venue and the...

My recent visit to Pizza Express in Summertown was a mixed experience, combining excellent food with noticeable service hiccups.

Despite the restaurant being only half full, it took about 20 minutes before our order was taken, which felt excessively long given the circumstances. After placing our order, the menus were left on the table, and 10-15 minutes had passed and still we hadn't received our drinks. We were served the pizza by the manager who we notified that we still had not received our drinks. He wasted no time in sorting this for us. While the delay was frustrating, I must say the food was worth the wait. The pizza was absolutely delicious, with fresh ingredients and perfect seasoning.

The service, however, was inconsistent. It appeared there were one or two new staff members who were still finding their footing, and they clearly needed more training. One waitress seemed visibly stressed, though she managed to maintain a commendable level of professionalism and was doing her best under the circumstances. A further issue arose when we received the bill. It took an additional 10 minutes before we could pay, which added to the overall feeling of disorganization.

To improve the experience, I’d suggest a few changes that may already be part of the training but need better implementation. First, when seating customers, the staff should ask if they’d like to order drinks while they decide on food. This would save time and streamline the process. Second, when delivering the bill, it would be helpful to ask if the customer is ready to pay immediately, rather than making them wait to catch a staff member’s attention.

In conclusion, while the food at Pizza Express in Summertown is excellent, the service needs refinement. With some adjustments and further staff training, the overall experience could match the quality of...

Not a very good Pizza Express. Took a long time for food to arrive. Dough balls came after 35 minutes, mains ahout 50 mins in, which isn't what you expect for a Pizza Express. I have Coeliac disease and was clear about this when ordering but I believe I was served gluten as I experienced very bad gluten exposure symptoms after the meal. Usually Pizza Express is a good place to go to when you're gluten free but this one isn't at all.

I was sitting in front of the kitchen and saw that the chef and all staff were preparing food with their bare hands. It didn't like hygienic at all. I saw one staff member tearing up prosciutto with his bare hands and then not washing them before putting basil on another dish. Not great for vegetarians.

Also, I was with another person who was paying for the meal but the waiter randomly placed the bill right in front of me. My companion took the dish and put their card on it. It was in front of them with one card on it. The waiter then returned and asked "how do you want to split the bill?" looking at me. There was clearly only one card on the dish and I felt like he felt I should pay and was trying to make some kind of point. Given he knows nothing about me or the circumstances, it felt awkward and irritating.

Won't be returning to this Pizza Express again. Also the restaurant was cold, which made the long wait for food even more...