Reviews Pigafetta

I have tried most of the dishes in this restaurant and this fish dish and the ensalada di salmone are my favorites. Will definitely keep on coming back.

The food was good we had 2 pastas, vangole and pomodoro; and pizza marina. There service was really good, the servers are attentive to our needs, especially on pouring water in our glass. The place is really nice.

I love Italian food. This place has become one of my go-to places for it. It's a bit pricey though. Would have loved to give it a 5-star rating if not for the price.

Looking for a classy restaurant to impress your friends? Then Pigafetta is the place to go to!

Inspired by the Italian scholar who traveled with Magellan on his voyage in search of spices, this restaurant showcases its classy and flavorful food reflecting the cultural value of the expedition itself. The exquisite Italian taste is proudly displayed in their wide array of colorful dishes from salads to pastas and main course meals. You'll never be embarassed to treat your palate and those of your friends with their food as they are satisfyingly Italian tweaked to the Filipino taste.

I personally recommend their Aglio Olio and their Salad with bacon bits and balsamic onions!

Their dishes do come with a price though. But like I said, apart from the opportunity to show off your knowledge in history, the price just really adds to impressing your friends; if you are treating them.

There is a bonus as well! Free bread on the house!! And their bread is really something you wouldn't want to skip especially with the tomato sauce that they serve with it. Pro tip: they happily serve you more bread, just ask!

With a classy and modern vibe around the restaurant coupled with excellent customer service, Pigafetta stands out as a premium food establishment worth your money.

Great place to eat lunch or dinner with family and friends. The place is quiet and accessible. The food service is great. Absolutely love the pasta and pizza. The staff have a pleasant personality and accommodate to your needs.

A truly amazing place for pasta and pizza. I enjoyed the pizza al pigafetta and also the pesto pasta in my latest visit. I also love the location since axis has ample parking space and is located at the heart of Cebu city.

True to its name, Pigafetta Resto serves sumptuous Italian dishes like pasta, pizza and organic wines and gelato ice creams. Situated in axis at Vibo Place, Escario, Cebu City.

Allow me to touch a little bit of history of who Pigafetta is as stated in Wikipedia, Pigafetta was an Italian scholar and explorer from the Republic of Venice. He traveled with the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew by order of the King Charles I of Spain on their voyage to the Indies for spices. During the expedition, he served as Magellan's assistant and kept an accurate journal which later assisted him in translating the Cebuano language. It is the first recorded document concerning the language.

Pigafetta was one of the 18 men who returned to Spain in 1522, out of the approximately 240 who set out three years earlier. The voyage completed the first circumnavigation of the world; Juan Sebastián Elcano served as captain after Magellan's death. Pigafetta's journal is the source for much of what we know about Magellan and Elcano's voyage.

Isn't it a win win situation to know more of your country's history while dining in a sublime restaurant? Lemme share to you then, on my dining experience at Pigafetta- Axis.

Just as I stepped inside this wide glass door of Pigafetta- Axis, I already got an impression of the luxurious lunch, I will be indulging myself into.

As a starter, we were introduced to an organic sparkling juice, it was very captivating as you can inbreathe the sweet aroma flavour of the Organic Pear Wine.       

We had the Insalata Salmone, a combination of arugula, salmon gravlax, vinaigrette. I like the combination of the salmon and the arugula.. it tastes different and unique but it is a good experiment for a new taste of food.

For our Antipasti, we tried the Gamberi alla Padella, shrimp with wine, garlic and pepper flakes. As a shrimp 
lover, I would say this is no doubt my favorite. 

Frutti de Mare is a combination of linguine with mixed seafood, tomato garlic and oregano. The Frutti de Mare was perfect. I love the taste of sweetness of the tomato paste mixed with the chewy texture and can be simply succulent while providing an attractive presentation. 

Pancetta is a thin crust pizza with tomato, mozarella, pancetta, bacon slices and arugula. Undeniably, delicious! 

Before we had our dessert, we tried another bottle of organic sparkling wine (pomegranate flavor) it tastes dry and semi - sweet.. I kinda like the pear flavor.

We enjoyed the chit chat time we had laughing and tasting the food served to us. This was my first visit to the place and I love the classy and spacious interiors of the place. It is ideal for business meet up and family gathering. I will definitely come back and recommend Pigafetta Axis at Vibo Place.

Pigafetta is a name that is well-known to Filipinos. He was the Italian chronicler of Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan, during his ill-fated around-the-world journey. Magellan was killed in Cebu and Antonio Pigafetta was just one of 18 survivors who was able to complete the voyage. . I can only imagine that onboard the last remaining Spanish ship were the different spices and herbs that they collected during their trip. And flash forward 500 years later, these same ingredients would bring gastronomic delights to the Cebuano shores.

We tried their seafood pizza and we loved it. Pasta was so-so. Staff knew what they were doing and were always around when we needed anything. Loved the complimentary tomato dip too. 😂

Brick walls, maps, abstract paintings, wooden tables and metal chairs, vintage tiles, industrial chandeliers, you’ll clearly notice the elegant palette mix of black, white, brown and gray upon entering. With this combination, I won’t be surprised of the romantic transformation of the restaurant at night.

For our Antipasti (appetizer) we had Pigafetta’s Mixed Antipasti Planks (farma ham, salami milano, mortadella, salam picanti, black olives, green olives, sun-dried tomato, sun-dried ripe mango, artichokes, capers and arugula) at PHP450. What I love about this dish was the way it was presented on a plank with a metal frame base and for this dish alone you’ll taste varying flavors that will really set you in the mood for an exciting meal.

For our Pasta, we had Vongole (linguine with clams, garlic and white wine) at PHP320. The seafood pasta was firm and seasoned just right, and the shells were fresh and clean. The only setback was on the time it took to get the meat from the shell when you commence eating.

For our Pizza, we had Pizza al Pigafetta (house-made sausage, mozzarella and balsamic onions) at PHP380. From its classic slow-fermented Neapolitan style crust made with caputo flour imported from Naples alone, I was already impressed. Getting a slice, you’ll salivate just by looking at the separation of the mozzarella cheese, taking into consideration the generous toppings of meat and spices as well.

For our Secondi, we had Risotto con Funghi (arborio rice with porcini and other mushrooms) at PHP 450 and Costollete di Agnello (grilled lamb chops with roasted vegetables) at PHP 590. At first glance, the Risotto looked uninviting but when I tried a spoonful, I was hooked of its mushroom goodness. For the lamb chops, I admired how well it was prepared since it smelled really good. What I did was get a little of everything on the dish and ate it at one go. And it was an explosion of flavors. Although, I wished the lamb could have been more tender the next time.

For our Dolci, we had the Tiramisu (a “pick me up” of ladyfinger biscuits, cheese, kahlua and cocoa) at PHP 190. Delectable at first glance, one bite could take you to a happy place. What was good about this dessert was that it cured the pig syndrome, that feeling of drowsiness after having a big meal. Laughs.

For our drinks, I had a glass of Tormaresca Chardonnay at PHP 160, a white wine from the vineyards of Italy which was perfect for a light meal. And since it was not enough to flush down the entire course of our meal, we ordered one more red seedless grape shake at PHP 120 and one brewed iced tea with orange juice at PHP 60. Their grape shake was good and was a first for me while the iced tea tasted way better than we expected.

The service was quick, hassle-free and professional.

A few weeks ago, there was a fleet of hungry voyagers who landed on Pigafetta, Cebu City.

Don't be startled. It's not the kind of arrival as the one by Magellan and his men, which was said to be violent from the beginning. Well, it actually was a little violent. Like the champagne glass I accidentally knocked down, luckily, it didn't contain some of the fruit wine and shatter, and then the loud clank from the silverware that I dropped on the floor, which made the other voyagers giggle... and of course... the most destructive, the DEVOURING of some of their delightful Italian creations: 

The Pizza al Pigafetta, their awesome medium-thick crust version of sausage pizza with caramelized onions. For this one they used roasted balsamic onions and I was impressed by the way its own sweetness gave it a nicer contrast of flavor. My brothers, nephews and neice killed it like they were warriors from the year 1521. 

The Quattro Formaggi, the one I've been longing to try since before the voyage after seeing it in the pictures from the restaurant's soft opening and I thought "that thing must be as yummy as it looks" and I was right! An authentic, rich, medium-thin crust cheesy goodness.

The Polpettini, or meatball in tomato sauce, is a cast-iron skillet favorite, I enjoyed the meatball's flavor having a bit of a Filipino touch, and that might be just me. But overall, you will definitely get the freshness and the locality. 

And for dessert, we had an outstanding line-up and are all equally smooth, silky and creamy: The Tiramisu, Panna Cotta and Chocolate Gelati. 

We, the tired, jetlagged voyagers had a good time in Pigafetta. The place has a cool, modern vibe. There's also something particularly satisfying about the openness of an almost all-glass restaurant. What a great addition to the Italian joints in Cebu City.