Chandigarh, December 3, 2025: Gourmet Investments Private Limited (GIPL), a leader in bringing the finest international restaurants to India, has brought PizzaExpress, the UK’s No. 1 Pizzeria and a global Britalian icon, to the Tricity with the launch of its first-ever restaurant in Chandigarh at Nexus Elante Mall.
This opening marks PizzaExpress’s 37th restaurant in India and extends the brand’s 60-year legacy to one of North India’s most discerning and well-travelled markets.
The Chandigarh opening of PizzaExpress by GIPL (the food and beverage vertical of Bharti Family Office), follows the strong response the brand has seen in Punjab, particularly in Mohali and Ludhiana, where guests have embraced the brand’s blend of authenticity, freshness, and flair.
“PizzaExpress has grown into a globally loved dining experience across 13 countries, and we’re delighted to bring this heritage to Chandigarh,” said Ramit Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Director, GIPL. “The city values authenticity and craft, which is exactly what PizzaExpress stands for. Our Britalian identity, iconic menu, and commitment to quality align beautifully with the way Chandigarh dines. This launch is also a key step in our strategic North India expansion.”
“Our cuisine philosophy has always been beautifully simple,” said Jerry Thomas, Culinary Head – PizzaExpress. “With our Pizzaiolos at the heart of everything, the dough remains the hero. Fresh ingredients, treated with respect, create flavours that stay consistent around the world. While our core never changes, innovation is part of the PizzaExpress DNA. That’s why international favourites like the Leggera sit comfortably alongside local adaptations. For Chandigarh, we’ve crafted dishes such as the Spicy American Hottest, Padrino, and Chicken & Paneer Coriander Pesto, developed to suit the flavour preferences of Indian guests.”
“Chandigarh, with its well-travelled, quality-conscious audience, is the ideal home for our first restaurant in Tricity. The city’s love for good food, modern design, and elevated dining fits seamlessly with the PizzaExpress ethos. said Kumar Asit, India CEO, PizzaExpress. “The response across Punjab, from Mohali to Chandigarh, signals strong appetite for premium casual dining. Amritsar and Jalandhar will therefore be the next chapters in our North India growth story and with this, we are firmly on track to reach a milestone of 50 restaurants by FY 2026–27,”
Since 1965, when Peter Boizot returned from Italy inspired by the flavours he discovered and opened the first restaurant on Wardour Street in Soho, the brand has held one belief constant: great pizza starts with great craft. The Chandigarh menu stays rooted in PizzaExpress’s heritage while embracing flavours that suit the Indian palate. At its heart are the three signature bases: Classic, Romana and newly launched Naples; carrying global favourites such as the Romana, Queen Margherita, Lava, American Hot and the Michelin-star-created Calabrese, a bold rectangular pizza born from the brand’s culinary collaboration with chef Francesco Mazzei. The Romana brings that iconic thin, stretched, crisp base PizzaExpress is loved for, while the new Naples base offers a softer, fuller, more indulgent bite inspired by the pizzerias of southern Italy.
For fitness enthusiasts, there is the Leggera, a lighter, under-600-calorie innovation endorsed by the Weight Watchers Society, perfect for fitness enthusiasts. At the heart of these signatures is the brand’s iconic tomato passata, made exclusively for PizzaExpress by the Greci family in Italy, using San Marzano tomatoes crushed within 12 hours of harvest and finished with a basil leaf for the unmistakable flavour the brand is known for worldwide.
Alongside these icons are local adaptations crafted specially for India, including the Spicy Grilled Chicken Pizza, Chicken Coriander Pesto Pizza and Tandoori Chicken Pizza, each designed to echo the region’s love for bold, vibrant flavours. And because Punjab loves its chicken, the menu also features Wings in four styles: crispy fried wings, smoky BBQ wings, classic hot wings and creamy red jalapeño hot wings.
Beyond pizza, the restaurant introduces a complete all-day dining offering: its world-famous Dough Balls, rice bowls (a first for PizzaExpress India), fresh salads, lasagne, risottos, Piadina sandwiches, handcrafted desserts such as mango cheesecake and gelato, and a child-friendly Piccolo Menu with activity packs.
The restaurant also introduces the brand’s expanded all-day dining menu to the region. Alongside its iconic pizzas, guests can enjoy rice bowls (a first for PizzaExpress India), fresh salads, hand-made pastas, and Italian sandwiches (Piadina). Handcrafted desserts such as tiramisu, the cheesecake and sticky toffee pudding, the kid-friendly Piccolo Menu with activity packs, and a refreshed beverage programme featuring cocktails, mocktails, sangrias, a carefully selected range of coffees, and a curated wine list round out the experience.
Bringing the brand’s story to life is the signature open kitchen, where guests can watch the striped-uniformed Pizzaiolos handcraft every base with flair, precision and theatre.
Ever since founder Peter Boizot opened the first PizzaExpress in Soho in 1965, the brand has stayed rooted in its constants: great food, evocative music, and distinctive design. The restaurant stays true to the brand’s design philosophy: warm, modern, and inviting, with an open kitchen that puts its Pizzaiolos centre-stage.
GIPL, the India partner for PizzaExpress, Chili’s and PF Chang’s, continues to expand with a philosophy grounded in culinary integrity, quality, and warm hospitality. Every new restaurant builds on the PizzaExpress legacy: elevated dining, meticulous craft, and unforgettable experiences.
About PizzaExpress: PizzaExpress has believed, since 1965, that dining should be one of life’s great highlights. Founded by Peter Boizot on Wardour Street in Soho, the brand has grown into a global icon known for its lively energy, handcrafted pizzas, and theatrical open kitchens. Every PizzaExpress pizzeria is built around the same philosophy: only the freshest, perfectly sourced ingredients will do, and every dish should be made with care and flair.
The brand’s signatures include its world-famous Dough Balls, the thin and crisp Romana, the bold Michelin-star-created Calabrese, and classics such as the American. Its tomato passata—made exclusively by the Greci family in Italy from San Marzano tomatoes crushed within 12 hours of harvest—remains one of the cornerstones of its flavour, used across all PizzaExpress kitchens worldwide.
Today, PizzaExpress operates more than 450 pizzerias in the UK, continually reinventing the dining experience while expanding across 13 international markets. Whether dining in or out, the brand continues to pair bold flavours and creative craftsmanship with a flair for great times, staying true to the spirit that began in Soho six decades ago.
About Gourmet Investments Pvt. Ltd. (GIPL)
Gourmet Investments Pvt. Ltd., part of the Bharti family office, was founded in 2012 with a vision to redefine India’s casual-dining landscape by bringing globally renowned international restaurant brands to India. The company has successfully introduced India to premium global restaurant brands including PizzaExpress, Chili’s American Grill & Bar and P.F. Chang’s. As on date, the company operates 50 restaurants in India. With expertise spanning brand management, marketing, culinary innovation, and guest experience, GIPL has established itself as a benchmark in India’s F&B industry and continues to be committed to delivering world-class dining experiences.
