Let’s be honest: finding truly authentic Italian food in Metro Manila, even in a known foodie destination like Kapitolyo, is a monumental task. As someone who has spent time in Italy, I’m fully willing to admit I’ve become a bit of a snob about the cuisine. Most of what’s called Italian throughout Manila is meh at best. Yeah, I said it. But when I tell you a place is good, you know it meets a high bar.
What makes Amare La Cucina so exceptional? First of all, you can forget the usual exhaust and fried food smell of Kapitolyo. When you turn the corner near the old Kapitolyo stretch, there is one scent that changes everything: the unmistakable fragrance of wood smoke. That’s how you know you are approaching Amare La Cucina.
Now located a few blocks from its original Kapitolyo spot (and looking better for it!), this is the one place where you can taste the dedication to brick-oven perfection.
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Table of Contents
The Story Behind Amare La Cucina
The first Amare started in Baguio more than a decade ago. Edmark Bustos, after a family vacation in 2013, learned the art of Neapolitan style brick oven pizza making and wanted to share it with his country.
While Amare is a lexical blend of the Bustos’ siblings’ names (Alvin, Marianne and Edmark), “Amare La Cucina” means “to love the kitchen.” in Italian which is only fitting, yes?
When they expanded to Manila in 2017, they chose Kapitolyo at the right time. The neighborhood was still buzzing with small restaurants testing ideas. Amare fit right in by doing something simple: using a real wood-fired oven and inviting people to join in.
Even now, with more competition around Pasig, the restaurant hasn’t drifted from what made it work. They could’ve gone sleek and silent, but instead, they doubled down on the basics. Good dough, visible flames, and food that feels touched by human hands.
The walls are still covered in small reminders of where it started. Photos of Baguio, handwritten notes from customers, and a few burn marks near the oven that they never bothered to hide. A small sign that they still value the story over the polish.
Making Your Own Pizza at Amare La Cucina
I didn’t plan to make my own pizza on my visit. I came to eat, not to perform. But the second they told me I could, I was all in. You see, way back in the early 90’s I went back to school because I had a kid and thought “I’m never going to make any money in the construction industry”. So in addition to taking small jobs doing drywall work here and there, I ended up tossing pizzas at a New York style pizzeria in the evenings.
Fast-forward to my visit and I thought, surely I still got this. Turns out I was totally wrong about that, because I looked like a total knob trying to toss dough like my younger self.
Anyway, they hand you a ball of dough that looks harmless until it sticks to your fingers. It’s soft, elastic, and alive. There’s flour everywhere in seconds. On the counter, your shirt, the floor, your hair. The staff doesn’t judge though, they’ve seen worse. They guide you once, then let you figure it out. But go and try. It’s fun, even if you look foolish doing it.
I made two pizzas for myself with a lot of help from the chef. One I customized with tomato sauce, fresh basil, a little olive oil, and burrata(more on that later) instead of mozzarella. The other a quattro formaggio with spinach and white sauce.
When the pizza hits the oven, it’s almost instant. Flames roar, cheese melts, basil curls. The crust balloons at the edges, dark blisters forming in seconds. It takes less than five minutes, but you can smell every stage of it.
Pulling it out feels weirdly satisfying. It’s personal. You built it, you burned it, you earned it.
Where to Stay in Metro Manila Near Amare La Cucina
Luxury Accommodations: – Edsa Shangri-La, Manila – Edsa Shangri-La in Ortigas delivers five-star comfort with lush gardens, elegant rooms, and top-tier dining. A luxury stay just minutes from Kapitolyo, perfect for travelers who want resort-style escape in the city.
Mid-Range Accommodations: – Ace Hotel & Suites – Ace Hotel and Suites in Pasig combines modern rooms with access to the famous water spa, rooftop dining, and skyline views. A comfortable stay minutes from Kapitolyo with wellness and comfort in one spot.
Budget Accommodations: – Privato Ortigas – Privato Hotel Ortigas offers sleek modern rooms, a rooftop pool with skyline views, and easy access to Kapitolyo’s dining scene. A stylish budget stay for as little as $30USD a night
Looking for other great places to stay near Amare La Cucina? Use the search bar below.
Read Next: Where to Eat in Kapitolyo: 13 Extraordinary Locations
Margherita Pizza With a Twist
Here comes my snobbery. I have spent time in Naples and I’ve eaten at some of the most famous pizzerias in the city. Di Matteo, Pellone and Sorbillo to name a few. So I am very familiar with what is considered a good margherita pizza. The good news is, Amare la Cucina does it as well as anybody you will find in the Philippines. The one caveat to this? Napoletana style pizza uses fresh buffalo mozzarella, not the shredded mozzarella Amare uses. It’s still a great pizza, but I’m a weirdo. When they told me I could customize my toppings and pointed to burrata, I was all over it.
I had never had burrata on a pizza before, but I can’t begin to tell you how well this worked. You don’t get the delicate bouncy texture in your mouth that you would with buffalo mozzarella, but the creaminess and spread of the burrata is to die for. It’s creamy and buttery with a hint of sweetness and deep milky flavour. You will notice the burrata doesn’t really melt. It heats up but you have to open it and spread it yourself.
The sauce is house made from San Marzano tomatoes. A bright, tangy sauce that’s balanced with a little salt and a touch of olive oil. Fresh basil is added as it is removed from the brick oven and then drizzled with more olive oil.
The undercarriage is crisp and firm with a thin center topped off by the perfect char circling the rim. Trust me when I tell you you are not finding a better pizza in the Philippines. Pro Tip: Pair it with a nice Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon, because pizza always needs wine.
Quattro Formaggio With Spinach
This might be Amare’s most underrated pizza. The smell alone draws attention. Four cheeses melting into one molten layer. Mozzarella keeps it stretchy, cheddar brings salt, parmesan adds sharpness, and pecorino steps in with tang to finish the job.
The spinach is of the Florentine variety. It’s cooked down in cream, garlic, and extra cheese. Think of it like a savory spinach casserole on your pizza. That might sound wrong, but trust me, this is pure bliss on a thick crust.
The quattro formaggio has the same great undercarriage, rim, char and chewy centre as the margherita thanks to those brick ovens! Every bite of this pizza hits a little differently. One bite smoky, one bite sweet, one bite salty and on and on it goes.
It’s indulgent in the best way, and the portion size matches. It’s big enough to share, but it’s too good to actually share. Does that make sense?
Al Arrabiata With Bacon and Parmigiano
After two pizzas, common sense said to stop. But ain’t nobody got time for that! The arrabiata is delivered to the table still steaming, the sauce thick enough to cling to the noodles. A heavy layer of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano added by your server.
It’s not a mild pasta; the first bite brings heat that lingers at the back of your throat, followed by garlic and a sweetness from the tomato. The bacon is not just decoration here either. Tons of crispy crushed bacon tops your pasta that adds a layer of salty fattiness that you didn’t even know you were missing.
The parmigiano melts into everything just enough to tame the spiciness and turns the sauce into something complex, rich, and savoury. I could taste the chili, but it never burned. It builds slowly to where you notice it but it’s not overwhelming. Even the mildest of spice tolerances can handle this.
Of course at this point you order another glass of wine, because why not? Bite after bite and sip after sip you fall deeper into your gluttony and are thankful for every moment of it.
Roasted Speculoos and Marshmallow Pizza With Ice Cream
This is where you say, “ok this is a full on gimmick”, and you wouldn’t be wrong. But, hear me out.
In case you just fell off the turnip truck, speculoos is essentially cookie dough butter. They spread it out all over one of the pizza crusts, top it with some marshmallows, and pop into the brick oven.
What comes out is another crispy and charred pizza crust, melted cookie dough butter and marshmallows the colour of burnt sugar. When it comes out of the ovens they slap a huge dollop of vanilla ice cream in the middle of it that immediately begins to melt into the cracks and edges of the crust. 100% a gimmick gone right.
While the whole thing is a sweet indulgence, the smoky infusion from the charred crust just works for some weird damn reason. So, smoky charred crust, piping hot cookie butter and marshmallow meet cool cream from the ice cream.
Yeah, this works.
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Amare La Cucina: Prices, Hours, and Location
Prices:
Prices are midrange for what you get. Pizzas start around ₱450 and top out near ₱650, depending on toppings. Pastas start at around ₱250, and dessert pizzas hover around ₱350. Wine by the glass starts at ₱250, bottles from ₱1,200 upward. All of it is very affordable for international cuisine in Metro Manila.
Hours:
They open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday — Thursday, and until 11:00 pm. On Friday and Saturday. The lunch crowd moves quickly, but dinner fills up, especially on weekends. If you’re coming with a group, book ahead or get there early. The oven runs nonstop, so you’ll never wait long once you order.
Location:
Amare La Cucina’s new Pasig location is on Canley Rd. It’s technically outside the Kapitolyo food strip but still part of the same orbit. You can find them at 200 Canley Rd, Pasig, 1500 Metro Manila.
Amare La Cucina Final Thoughts
Ultimately, Amare La Cucina proves that finding true, high-quality international cuisine in Metro Manila is possible if you know where to look. They haven’t just imported a concept; they’ve committed to a traditional technique using the wood-fired brick oven that you can see, smell, and taste in every dish. Whether you’re customizing a pie, digging into the spicy Arrabbiata, or indulging in that smoky dessert gimmick, the food is consistently good.
Standing out as one of Kapitolyo’s best restaurants is no easy task. But that is exactly what Amare La Cucina has done, and I will die on that hill.
So, your turn. Have you tried building your own pizza at Amare La Cucina, or found another spot that tops it? Tell me where, and I’ll test it myself, purely in the name of research, of course.
Amare La Cucina FAQ
What makes Amare La Cucina’s pizza authentic?
Amare La Cucina maintains authenticity through its traditional technique, specifically the use of a wood-fired brick oven and the commitment to the Neapolitan style of crust preparation. While buffalo mozzarella is the traditional choice, the core authenticity lies in the intense, dry heat of the brick oven, which produces the signature char, flavor, and texture of the crust (the cornicione). The resulting smoky flavor and quality dough execution are the strongest indicators of authentic pizza.
Can I truly cook my own pizza at Amare La Cucina?
Yes, the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Pizza Piatto is a core experience at Amare La Cucina. The process involves the staff providing you with a fresh ball of dough and your chosen toppings. You roll out the dough to your desired thickness at your table, add the sauce and cheese, and then the chef assists you in sliding the pizza into the intense heat of the wood-fired oven. This allows you to personalize the pizza while experiencing the traditional preparation process firsthand.
What is the typical preparation time for a brick-oven pizza at Amare La Cucina?
Due to the extreme heat generated by the wood-fired oven, often reaching temperatures well over 700°F (370°C), the cooking time for a pizza is remarkably fast. Once your customized pizza is slid into the oven, it typically takes less than five minutes to cook completely.
Does Amare La Cucina offer any vegetarian or vegan pizza options?
Yes, Amare La Cucina can easily accommodate vegetarian preferences. Many pizzas, like the classic Margherita or the Quattro Formaggio, are inherently vegetarian. For vegan options, guests can order the pizza without cheese, as the house-made San Marzano tomato sauce and fresh basil are dairy-free. The DIY feature also allows guests to substitute or exclude toppings entirely to meet specific dietary needs.
What are the parking options for Amare La Cucina’s new location on Canley Road?
Amare La Cucina’s new location on Canley Road generally offers limited dedicated parking space directly in front of the restaurant. As it is situated just outside the core Kapitolyo strip, guests often find street parking is available on Canley Road or nearby side streets. However, street parking availability diminishes quickly during peak dinner hours and on weekends, so arriving early is always advisable.
What kind of wood is typically used in the brick oven, and how does it affect the pizza flavor?
Amare La Cucina primarily uses seasoned hardwood, often a local variety that burns cleanly and consistently. Hardwoods like these are preferred because they generate intense, sustained heat and impart a delicate, non-overpowering smoky infusion into the crust. This distinct wood smoke is a key component of the restaurant’s ambiance and a crucial element to the flavor profile of the dough.
Besides pizza, what are the most popular pasta dishes served at Amare La Cucina?
While the pizza is the main draw, the pasta menu is well-regarded and features both classic and localized twists. The Arrabbiata Pasta is a popular choice, known for its slow-building heat and thick sauce that clings perfectly to the noodles. Another highly recommended dish is often one of their creamy, cheese-heavy pasta options, which show off the kitchen’s use of fresh, house-made sauces and ingredients.
Is the Roasted Speculoos and Marshmallow Pizza overly sweet, or is it balanced?
Despite being an indulgent dessert, the Roasted Speculoos and Marshmallow Pizza is surprisingly well-balanced. The sweetness of the cookie butter and melted marshmallows is expertly offset by the smoky and slightly charred flavor of the brick-oven crust. This contrast between the piping-hot, creamy filling and the cool vanilla ice cream dolloped on top prevents the dish from becoming overwhelmingly sweet.
What is the best time to visit Amare La Cucina to avoid the crowds?
To avoid the heaviest crowds, the best time to visit Amare La Cucina is generally right at opening at 11 a.m. for lunch or during the mid-afternoon, between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Dinner service, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings, tends to fill up quickly. If dining during peak hours, it is highly recommended to call ahead or book a reservation to guarantee a table.
How does Amare La Cucina maintain quality control with the DIY element of their pizzas?
Quality control is maintained through the core ingredients and the final cooking process. While guests handle the dough and toppings, the quality of the dough ball itself and the precise temperature of the brick oven, which remains under the supervision of the kitchen staff, guarantee a proper bake. The staff provides clear guidance and oversight, ensuring the finished product adheres to the high standards of the restaurant’s technique.
