Restaurant India News: PizzaExpress Opens at Elegante Mall, Strengthening North Delhi’s Dining Scene

PizzaExpress has opened a new restaurant in the North-West region of Delhi at Elegante Mall, expanding the brand’s footprint in India to 38 locations. The outlet introduces the brand’s all-day dining format to a residential and commercial neighbourhood known for family dining and social gatherings.

The brand traces its origins to 1965 when Peter Boizot opened the first PizzaExpress restaurant on Wardour Street in Soho, London. Over the decades, the restaurant chain has expanded internationally and is now present across multiple global markets.

A central element of the brand’s menu is its Romana pizza, which features a thin, hand-stretched base prepared from dough made fresh daily and baked in traditional ovens. The preparation process is carried out by trained pizzaiolos, with guests able to observe dough preparation and baking through the restaurant’s open kitchen setup.

The menu includes several established dishes associated with the brand, including Dough Balls served with garlic butter and the Calabrese pizza, a recipe created by a Michelin-starred chef. The kitchen also emphasises ingredient sourcing, including tomato passata supplied by Grecci farms in Italy along with selected toppings used across the menu.

To align with local preferences in the North Delhi market, the menu also includes items such as Chicken Tikka, Chicken Coriander and Paneer Coriander pizzas, in addition to appetisers like chicken wings.

Ramit Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Director of Gourmet Investments Pvt Ltd, said: “North West Delhites have always been big-hearted foodies where stepping out to eat is a regular ritual, and pizza sits right at the centre of this craving for easy, social, shareable food. PizzaExpress, meanwhile, is all about slow proved dough, crafted toppings and a relaxed, premium casual vibe that turns a simple pizza outing into an occasion. This makes PizzaExpress at Elegante Mall the perfect meeting point for the way West Delhi enjoys their food and how we serve, giving us the perfect opportunity to bring our high quality gourmet pizza with the craft, ingredients and dining experience that define PizzaExpress, even closer to everyday outings for this neighbourhood.”

The restaurant’s food offering extends beyond pizza, with menu sections covering starters, soups, salads, pastas, Italian sandwiches and desserts. According to the company, the menu has been structured to cater to different dining occasions including quick meals, casual gatherings and family dining.

Jerry Thomas, Culinary Head at Gourmet Investments Pvt Ltd, said, “At PizzaExpress, the menu is built around craftsmanship and variety. While our Romana pizzas remain at the heart of the experience, guests can also explore a wide selection of starters, soups, salads, pastas, Italian sandwiches and desserts. The idea is to offer something for everyone whether guests are stopping by for a quick bite, a relaxed meal with friends, or dining with family.”

The restaurant also includes a Piccolo menu designed for younger diners, offering smaller portion sizes and dishes tailored for children. The interior layout incorporates an open kitchen format where guests can observe pizza preparation in real time. The seating design and interior layout aim to accommodate casual dining, group meals and family visits throughout the day.

Globally, PizzaExpress operates more than 450 restaurants across the United Kingdom and has a presence in 13 countries. In India, the brand entered the market in 2012 and has since expanded across cities including Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Mohali.

In India, the brand is operated by the Bharti family office’s hospitality arm, Gourmet Investments Pvt Ltd, which manages several international restaurant brands in the country including Chili’s American Grill & Bar, P.F. Chang’s and Ministry of Crab. The new PizzaExpress outlet at Elegante Mall is currently open for both dine-in and delivery services.