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    Food Review: Delish Pizza Bar, Lahore

    Written by: Minahil Gillani
    Posted on: August 15, 2016 | | 中文

    (source: 'Delish Pizza Bar' Facebook)

    Last week, a cancelled class freed me and my friend up for an off-campus meal. It was 12 in the afternoon, and we were still trying to find a place that would be open at that hour, when we suddenly found ourselves in front of a small pizzeria in Y block. I am not a huge fan of pizza (shameful, I know), but my compatriot insisted that we give it a shot, as he had heard of the place before and had been meaning to try it out. For those of you who live near or around Model Town, you have probably already heard of Delish Pizza Bar, but their DHA outlet opened up just a few months back.

    Delish Pizza Bar, Lahore

    So we walked through the bright green doors into a small shop. Rather unassuming, there were three benches attached to the walls and the room had a maximum capacity of 12 people. In all honesty, I did not expect much other than the same run-of-the-mill pizza offered by a host of cafés and eateries in Lahore.

    We were greeted by a man behind the glass counter who handed us a paper menu, at which point I was slightly intrigued by the options: most pizza joints in the city offer a multitude of toppings that can oftentimes become overwhelming and even unappetizing, but these were different with a select amount of toppings and flavors on offer. There were eight flavors to choose from, so we decided on a medium-sized pizza, half Margherita and half Beef Tenderloin.

    Delish Pizza Bar, Lahore

    Delicious pizza in the making

    Behind the counter, the chef got to work in front of us on a shiny clean stainless steel counter, putting on a show by tossing and rolling out the dough. Fifteen minutes later, the waiter set down a piping hot pizza in front of us, along with a small container of chili-infused oil, which is the only condiment offered. Now I was impressed: in front of me was a classic Neapolitan thin crust pizza, dripping with sauce and sparse toppings focused on balance and simplicity, rather than twenty different mismatched toppings, which most pizza joints offer. One bite, and I was transported to the bustling bistros of the Italian Riviera – I could almost hear the accordions. The pizza had a soft, soupy center, and was a beautiful interplay of dough, sauce and oil, with high quality organic cheese tossed over it, and the perfect ratio of crispiness to soupiness. I will admit that in our haste, both of us managed to well and truly burn our mouths, but we kept on scarfing it down. There was a small fight over the last slice, which we ended up compromising on and sharing. Between the two of us, we had four-and-a-half slices each (we seriously underestimated what ‘medium’ entailed), and it was well worth the cost.

    Delish Pizza Bar, Lahore

    The simple but effective menu

    Delish Pizza’s mantra is to provide de-junked pizza with fresh organic and premium quality ingredients, and the proof is in the (pizza) pie. Also on offer are seasonal fruit drinks and lemonade sweetened with raw organic honey, as well as their home-made lasagna, which is on the “to-eat” list for my next visit.

    Delish Pizza Bar, Lahore

    Home-made lasagna                                                            Fruit drinks on offer

    Delish Pizza Bar has managed to single-handedly convert me to thin crust pizza (which I seriously disliked before). The pizzeria provides a quality experience without emptying your wallet, and is a welcome addition to DHA’s landscape. If you want the closest thing to an authentic Italian pizza within the confines of Lahore, you need to give this place a try.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021