Staying at The Forest Lodge in Baguio City did not require us dining only at The Twist or side-tracking to its neighbor hotel-restaurant, Le Chef at The Manor. Of course, we were also free to eat at other places inside John Hay and even outside the camp. With a wide selection of outlet stores, charming cafes and specialty restaurants on sight, the Mile Hi Center fronting The Manor caught our attention. For late lunch, we decided to try Carlo’s Pizza.
Carlo’s Pizza is an Italian, casual dining restaurant with 13 outlets in different parts of Metro Manila. It’s interesting to learn that this branch in Camp John Hay is the first of Carlo’s Pizza which was established way back in March 2002.
Review of Carlo’s Pizza and Italian Food Restaurant (Camp John Hay, Baguio City)
Ambiance: β β β ββ
Hosting a cozy ambiance for some relaxing meal, Carlo’s Pizza has kept its interior design simple. Bright yellow wall paint and hanged pictures of food and relevant pictures can drive customers’ senses to a creative frenzy. The vibe was laid-back. My only gripe was that the space was quite cramped with tables and chairs put side-by-side, making everyone hard to move around.
Service: β β βββ
The server for our table was familiar with Carlo’s Pizza’s menu and was good at recommending the best dishes. The thing that broke their five-star score for “service” was the staffs’ lack of attention. There seemed enough manpower with three to four of them working for about five active tables in a dining room whose size was pretty manageable for everyone to handle.
I kept raising my hand, hoping for them to take notice. Without luck, I had to stand up a few times to make them aware of my presence. There was even a time when the guy at the counter already met my gaze and saw my arm up high, and he still failed to reach out to us or conveyed to a coworker about it. I was asking for the bill. Ugh, I hate the feeling of being ignored as a paying customer. Who doesn’t?
Food: β β β β β
The Nachos Supreme (PhP 235) consisted of crunchy and colorful feast of nachos topped with seasoned ground beef, mushrooms, black olives, jalapeno chilies, tomato salsa and creamy cheese sauce. It was an easy favorite since the distinctive flavors and components were all intact. Nachos with these ingredients left our lips greasy but that’s okay. The varied texture was creative.
Appropriate amount of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese made the Lasagna alla Carlo (PhP 190) a winner. It was composed of layers of homemade lasagna pasta, meat sauce, Italian sausage, creamy cheese, bechamel, and pepperoni. Overall, a good balance of proportions of ingredients made this lasagna a gratifying treat.
The Pizza Capriccioso (Regular 9″: PhP 285, Large 12″: PhP 395, Family 15″: PhP 560) with pepperoni, ham, bacon, Italian sausage, mushrooms, black olives, onion and green pepper was triumphant. While ingredients were plenty, they all worked. The pizza was made with freshly made dough, punctuated and drizzled with olive oil, and stone-baked with imported pizza sauce made from Roma and tomatoes blended with herbs and spices. It was most unique on the menu with rich flavor worth trying.
Note: All the pizzas are handmade to order hence there’s an expected waiting time of about 20 to 30 minutes.
The one thing that didn’t beat my expectation was Carlo’s Pizza’s Creamy Pesto Pasta (PhP 175)βpasta tossed on creamy basil pesto. It lacked on the pesto flavor and the looks department. That said, I was also right when I thought that it would not be delicious as I would have liked.
Price for Value: β β β β β
Our dining experience at this pizza joint in Camp John Hay had been satisfactory.Β Having tried both the pasta and pizza here, I would most certainly recommend the latter.Β Carlo’s Pizza is definitely a good place for pizza lovers. Prices are very affordable given the portion and tastes of their food.
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
The photos look so enticing! I’ll sure to drop by Carlos’ pizza when we’re in Baguio. My daughter hasn’t been there yet so hopefully this Summer!
Yes! Baguio is a perfect getaway from the summer heat of Manila. There are also other new and unique restaurants there but if you’re craving for pizzas, then you should definitely go for Carlo’s Pizza. π
I was at Baguio the other week and saw Carlos Pizza na but didn’t try kasi we thought it’s like any other pizza joint. The pizza looks very yummy. I actually have a belief na walang masamang pizza! HAHA
Haha! Yeah, I love pizzas too! Well, I must say their menu doesn’t really offer much difference from other pizza restaurants but their food still taste great nonetheless that is worth trying. π
Oh my I also hate being ignored at restaurants. It makes me feel like I’m raising my hand in a classroom when I have my hand up long enough. Sad that the service wasn’t that exceptional since the food looks good.
The management should consider training their employees on how to provide friendly and active service to the customers. Good customer service would surely help bring up the atmosphere and make the diners feel satisfied more than just the food.
I agree with you. One look at that creamy pesto pasta and you’d immediately know that it would disappoint, it was much too pale!!! anything pesto should be greener.
The appearance actually matches with the taste of the pesto pasta as it was quite bland. I just really hope there was more pesto ingredient than the cream for the taste to be richer.
The nachos look amazing! They’re my fave. I’ve heard so many good things about Carlo’s regarding their food. Too bad customer service is not as great.
And their colorful nachos made the experience even more enjoyable! Haha Continuous improvement must be present in any business and so I truly wish them to do a better service next time.
I am Italian, so I love it all! Those nachos look amazing, too!
Oh, that’s nice! Their nachos were in different colors which I found very cute. I even thought each color had a different flavor but they actually all tasted the same. π But yes, I loved it! π
The interior of the establishment is just so cozy. A good place for lovers to share light moments while eating 2 or 3 pieces of any of those deli pizzas.
With the cool temperature in Baguio and comfortable dining place, eating there with your loved ones would truly be a great time to chill out and have fun.
I get so frustrated when the service isn’t what it should be. And being ignored is one of my biggest complaints when it comes to dining out. I realize I’m not the only customer, but if I’m paying for service, I expect to receive it.
I agree. Restaurants may prioritize their menu but they should also consider how to offer good customer service because it is part of the package in providing a great dining experience.
I used to live in Baguio but I never had a chance to try this pizza joint. Must go back!
Oh, they also have a branch in Pasig, Tomas Morato, QC, Taguig and Tagaytay but I guess it would really be more special to dine in the first ever branch of Carlo’s Pizza. π
If there is one fit food blogger in the blogosphere that would have been you. Anyhow, i am planning to visit baguio, I would take note of this. π
Hahaha thank you! It’s awesome to be fit and eating right. π
Hello. :)) I really really love your food posts especially this one. This has been my food indulgence since time and memorial.
Thank you! Your comment is much appreciated. π
Omg why did I read this at 8am lol…. Now I’m going to have delicious food on my mind all day long. Those nachos loom amazing
Haha! Taking a heavy breakfast is also a good idea to keep you inspired throughout the day. π
It all looks so yummy! I love the nachos and that pizza looks so good! I love all you reviews π
Thank you, Felice! Their food sure do taste savory especially the pizza. π
The food looks amazing but I’m sorry to hear about how poor the service was! I love pasta and that creamy pesto pasta looks delicious!
Yeah, their service has to improve. If you prefer a creamy pasta, then their pesto pasta may be a great choice. π But I still really expected more of the pesto taste in the dish π
Spectacular review! All to often I see bloggers only taught the good about food and places or they’ll take amazing photographs of cupcakes that are actually horrible. I felt your review was honest, insightful and clearly set expectations. Well done!
Thank you! There’s nothing more fulfilling than helping others in choosing the best restaurants in town and what’s good to try. π
You give such great reviews! That pizza looks delicious!
Thanks, Jessica! Hope you could also try it soon! π
I hate being ignored when I want to pay the bill or any other service especially when they resturant aint even that busy. This is wonderful review, thank for sharing
If only they can just continue to ignore us even if we leave without paying. Haha Anyway, they serve great food with nice ambiance so their place is still worth a visit. π
I am a HUGE Italian fan. Awesome post!
Thanks, Cia! This restaurant indeed serve great Italian food. π
Your restaurant reviews – whether positive or negative – always make me want to visit your country. It must be such a wonderful place to live.
Thank you! The Philippines is really very interesting with its culture, exciting destinations to visit and the warm people it has. π
Wait a minute, they had NACHOS at an Italian restaurant? Hmmmm. And it’s too bad you had to keep waving for service. That’s a major pet peeve of mine. At least the food was tasty π
Yup! Their food did pay off the poor service but still hoping there would be an improvement soon! π
Give me a good pizza with olives and I’ll be super happy. The nachos look great as well.
Haha! I’m not fond of olives but they do give flavor to the food! π
Sounds like a great place to eat. All of the food looked really good especially the Nachos.
Yup! The nachos were great starters that really made our tummies happy. π
The food looks amazing i would love to try it. I like the decor very fresh looking.
Their food are worth a try! We also felt the place was very cozy so our stay was more enjoyable. π
I love how honest your reviews are. The pizza looks fantastic. Great photos.
Thank you! I think it is better to be honest, may the review be good or bad, because this will help other customers in deciding what to eat or order and the restaurants as well to improve their performance. π
One of my favorite Pizza place in Baguio. It’s also reasonably priced.
Yup! It’s very affordable considering their good food and nice setting. π
Bummer about the poor service. That can totally ruin any dining experience π
It was disappointing especially since there were not much customers to serve. But I still hope some improvement would be made soon because it would be such a waste if their poor service would be remembered more than their great food.
Pizza and cold weather? That sounds perfect!
Perfect combination, indeed, especially when I am with my family! π
My appetite will love this Italian resto
Thank you! It’s definitely not a letdown! π
Pizza & pasta, two of my favorite things to eat. The food looks absolutely delicious.
Me too! But I hope the creamy pesto pasta would taste more pesto than milk. Hehe
I get really frustrated with bad service and that’s one of the reasons I stopped visiting certain restaurants.That’s the first thing they need to work on!
That’s true. Customers won’t be able to fully enjoy their meal with poor customer service.
This looks like a cozy welcoming place to eat indeed. The food looks amazing. The pizza looks so delicious. Yummy!!! Thanks for sharing.
Sure, Rebecca! A nice interior, good food and lovely company do make the dining experience a memorable one. π
Everything looks delicious and the place looks comfortable.
Their food were also “comforting” with the nachos, pizzas and pastas! Now I’m drooling again. Haha
Everything looks delish! I so want to try that resto! I just hope they have already improved their customer service to date.
Yes, I hope so too especially since it is the first branch of Carlo’s Pizza that may be the representative of all other branches.
I am a pizza girl for sure! I wish I could eat it every day lol!!!! Looks so yummy!
I couldn’t agree more! If only I wouldn’t get chubbier then pizza is gonna be my water. Haha (Kidding, it’s quite unhealthy.) π
Most of these dishes look very appetizing. I would really like to try their pizza.
Hope you could try it because they are really delicious! π
Everything looks good. It’s not great you had to stand up to get attention, but hopefully they’ll improve in that area…or it was just one of those days. π
Yeah I really do hope that they improve on that area. Customer service matters a lot in restaurants nowadays. Some restaurants even have gimmicks with their staff members so they can encourage more diners to enter and experience the best their people can offer.
Your posts always make me hungry! Yesterday was national nacho days in the USA and all I want are the nachos you got!
Oh wow that’s very timely for you to grab nachos. These are really good. π
Your always review the most amazing eating destinations. Even the places with horrible reviews still look amazing. I’d love to visit the Philippines and just take an eating tour.
Hehe it’s part of entertaining the readers. I would always want to capture the details through photos and descriptive and words clearly. Sure, give the Philippines a shot and hope you enjoy our wonderful country! π
The nachos and the pesto looks yummy! will try to visit the place when we go to Baguio π
Sure, this place deserves to be visited and liked. You’ll also have a good time exploring Camp John Hay.
The food looks good but the service would probably drive me off. It’s one thing if a place is really busy and understaffed, but it’s another one completely when people are standing around twiddling their thumbs or chatting instead of doing their work.
My thoughts exactly. Thanks for elaborating the scene. The management should do something about it.
You had me at, “Pizza”. This place looks delicious!
Everything we had was good except for the pesto. It was like one of the worst pasta I’ve tried so far.
Lots of different meals you can choose from and they have many specials! Besides that, there’s pizza, there’s Lasagna, my all time fave pasta meal.
Sounds like pizza and lasagna for you are great comfort food! Well, those will truly make your day. π
Ugh, i really hate being ignored by restaurant staffs too!!! Sometimes there are so many of them and i have no idea what they’re good of if they never pay attention to the customers! I’ve followed you back on IG and the pic of the restaurant that you commented on is where i recently experienced being ignored too hahaha. It was pretty hilarious though how severely under-trained they were zzz.
Hi Mindy! Thanks for the follow back! Ohh too bad for that restaurant you visited. The lights and the ambiance really looked too lovely and pleasing. Haha the staff may just be half-asleep and half-awake with their eyes opened.
My hubby is Italian from his father’s side of the family so I got the chance to try some really delicious food in the past. I love going to Italian restaurants!
Food in Italian restaurants are usually expensive so we’re somewhat surprised that prices of the food here at Carlo’s Pizza was relatively the affordable type. Very nice!
I love Italian food, but don’t really go out and venture to new Italian restaurants…odd. Thanks for sharing the food pics…the entrees look really good.
The nachos and the pizza were superb. The other two dishes were only average (the pesto pasta didn’t really satisfy me).
You’re making me wish there was one of these in my neighborhood! Or, maybe not! LOL
Haha why not? If it were, then maybe you’d be one of the frequent customers among your neighbors. π
I love a good Italian restaurant and this looks like one I’ll try when I come in town. Thanks for the recommendation.
You’re welcome! Hot pizza is an ideal food to devour while in a cold-weather place like Baguio. π
The Nachos looked very yummy and so did the pizza. Loved reading about this little Italian place and I’m like you I absolutely hate when I go to a restaurant and I’m trying to get the waiters attention and they just ignore me. That is not good customer service!
Yeah they better watch out on that. Food is not the only thing that makes customers stay.
Woah! I remember that resto!
and i got to agree with you, the pizza they serve were much better. I don’t know if its the fresh ingredients and the atmosphere, but my family enjoyed the simple things..
and that was way back I can’t remember anymore …
Hay… How I miss Baguio now that it’s getting colder
I am really missing the cool temperature in Baguio! Around this time of the year in Manila, we should be experiencing chill winds, right? But we’re sad that it’s still like an ordinary day just cooler than summer. π I just count myself lucky because I’m most of the time in an air-conditioned area.
I can’t remember if we ever dine there yet or not – but I love pizza – might as well have a go again once we reached baguio.
Yup! Well, there’s also a branch of Carlo’s Pizza in Tagaytay. If you don’t feel like spending a rather long time in traveling just to taste their pizzas and pastas, you can always opt for that one nearer. π
Cool post! Love the food reviews – I know where to look when I visit PH.
There are lots of restaurants in the Philippines that’s worth trying. Remember this one in Baguio.
God it looks so tasty <3
If you love pasta and pizza, definitely this joint is waiting for you. Walk by in next time. π
What a fun little restaurant! I’m always looking for new pizza places π
This one is a must-try! You can go to the branches that are nearer to you in the city.
I love lasagna and I would like to try the Lasagna alla Carlo. Looks real good.
Yeah but it can be improved further by adding more layers and thickness of cheese. π
I miss Baguio already, we just went there for the long Christmas break. And it’s not helping seeing your resto review in Baguio. :p
Haha Baguio was overcrowded last Christmas. I bet you had a blast spending vacation and celebrating the holidays there. π
This is a great place to visit in Baguio. I would love to try the nachos and the pizza.
Yup the nachos are nice and crispy. Good choice for a snack. π