Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza (and Cello’s doughnuts), Katipunan Rd, Quezon City

A friend of my mine suggested we eat at this pizza place along Katipunan called. Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza. He recently read this article he read in the food blog Pig Out Philippines. I took a brief look at the article and noted the recommendation “Highly Recommended.” This I had to check out for myself.

I am one who is not always swayed by someone else’s food review. It is after all a matter of taste and differs from person to person.

The resto is located on the 2nd floor of the K2 Building right above Mercury Drug. It’s actually quite hidden and you won’t know its there unless you actually know what you are looking for. I later found out that Gino’s Pizza and Cello’s Doughnuts is a husband and wife operation. They share the same space with only a wall dividing the place. No Gino is not the husband, Gino is the couple’s son.

Their menu is pretty sparse consisting of six regular-sized (12”) specialty pizzas, plus two personal sized ones (6”). The owner, Jute, himself was the one who took our orders.

When we were ordering, I was somewhat dismayed by the lack of meat pizzas which is why I ended up getting Pepperoni which included Tomato, Pepperoni, Kesong Puti, Parmesan, Red Onion, and Basil and a second pizza, Bianca Verde which had Kesong Puti, Parmesan, Ricotta, Arugula, and Basil. I noted two fairly common ingredients in their pizzas… Kesong Puti and Arugula. I don’t recall ever having Kesong Puti on my Pizzas before.

The first of the two to arrive was the Bianca Verde. Since it had no meat, I kinda treated this as my appetizer. It certainly looked appetizing. When I bit into it. Oh my god! The flavors just erupted in my mouth! It was a nice mild flavor where the taste of the Kesong Puti and the Arugula was just heavenly! I thought to myself… “My God! This is sooo good!!!” Add to that the flavorful dough!

It was certainly a very thin crust, but not as stiff as Shakey’s Thin Crust.

Next came the Pepperoni Pizza. My pedestrian reaction was… where is the Pepperoni?. I was expecting the typical round slices of pepperoni. Instead we had chunks of pepperoni.

It was interesting. It was very very tasty. I did think that it didn’t taste like a traditional pepperoni pizza. Then again, I think it wasn’t trying to be traditional.

All I can say is that the pizza tasted great!

Now, if only they came out with items with beef, shrimp, or anchovies… dool!!!

On to dessert!

For dessert we went next door… or around the dividing wall… to Cello’s Doughnuts and Dips.

This was my first time at Cello’s although a friend of mine has been telling me to try it for years. Its just their original location, also on Katipunan, was rather inconvenient to get to.

I was greeted by a confusing and mouth watering array of flavor options. What originally caught my eye was White Chocolate. My friend kept on insisting on the cheese, but I needed to have the white chocolate.

Both doughnuts were sinfully heavenly (tama ba yan!?) They were served warm which added to the ecstatic experience! I would honestly say that Cello’s is one of the best kept secrets to doughnuts in the Metro. Walang sinabi si Krispy Kreme dito! Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself!

View Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza in a larger map

Location and Contact Details:

Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza
Address: 2/F K2 Building, Katiupunan Ave., Quezon City (Above Mercury Drug)
Phone: +63 (917) 538-6847
Open Monday – Saturday, 11am – 9pm

UPDATE:  I went back and ordered two other flavors…

Four Cheese Pizza (Tomato, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Blue Cheese, Ricotta).

Buffalo Chicken (Tomato, Buffalo Chicken, Mozzarella, Blue Cheese). Warning: This one is spicy.

Both are also awesome pizzas!!!

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