Pizza Volante: Simply Making Baguio The Place To Be

In all honesty, being at Pizza Volante feels pretty much like listening to Marvin Gaye’s, “Got To Give It Up” and Sting’s “Englishman in New York” combined. How groovy and jazzy it is, is so simple, uncomplicated, and delightful. It’s a natural “feel good” – just like Pizza Volante. Why, you ask? Well, it’s because everything about Volante speaks about the best of the sophisticated laid-back side of Baguio that not many understand. (You’ll have to be a local to know for sure). But of course, with the friendly nature of Baguio people, any pilgrim is more than welcome to experience this and the best place to do so is at Pizza Volante.

Pizza Volante’s company profile explains how the pizza phenomenon began. It started in the very kitchen of the Nassr home as a delivery operation. Sir John, the owner, would make the well-known handcrafted pizzas and everyone in the family would help pack them up. We were told by Miss Lei, one of the key people in Volante, that their kids would simply write, “Volante” on the cardboard boxes and they were good to go. They delivered their first orders to family and friends. It was this concept that gave birth to the company name. “Volante” means “flying” in French which explains their logo – a pizza with wings. This symbolizes a speedy delivery, as explained by Sir Hector, Volante’s General Manager. The Flying Pizza becomes one of Baguio’s superheroes.

Advertising was pretty much by word of mouth alone, and from there, the rest was history. On December 1, 1999, they put up a small take out counter in the lobby of the former Session Theater right in the middle of Session Road. In a year, they hired four employees and Volante occupied the left side of the lobby serving five tables. In just a few months, it was a success and in a while, the entire lobby was utilized for dining. In three years, the second floor, which used to be the theater’s projection room, was opened to accommodate more customers. Today, Pizza Volante has about 180 employees serving more customers in four fully-operational branches: Session Road, Ayala Techno Hub in Camp John Hay, Wright Park, and Subic. Pizza Volante is “born and raised” in Baguio and they intend to set up more branches in the country. A Baguio pride indeed.

Pizza Volante is Baguio’s “friendly neighborhood” joint that naturally lets you enjoy the company of those who matter or have some needed me-time. They first opened with the students in mind which explains their price range. Everything on the menu is so affordable, you’d find yourself saying, “Thank you Volante for loving Baguio this much!” In fact, if you have a hundred pesos in your pocket, you can easily enjoy a 6-inch Pizza Margherite and a drink of your choice (either coffee, iced tea, or calamansi juice). If not pizza, go for their single order pesto, Mama Lou’s Apple Pie or their waffles, each also being less than a hundred.

Throughout the years, Volante then began adding more items to their menu appealing to more sophisticated tastes. Some of these include their salmon sandwiches, salads with blue cheese dressing, the Po Boy Shrimp Sandwich, Alfredo pasta with shrimp, Chili Dog, and so much more. Everyone who is a Volante regular would have personal favorites and it’s what keeps them coming back. Trust me, in time, you’d easily have your “go-to” thing that’s consistently comforting.  Again, it’s never complicated. So, it is best first get acquainted with Pizza Volante’s classics and you could work your way up from there.

Pizza Volante Classics That Can Be Your Next Favorite

The management of Volante always makes it a point to buy fresh produce every day. That in itself guarantees that everything that comes out of the kitchen is of the best quality. From salads, sandwiches, pasta, rice meals, side orders, and pretty much everything on the menu, everything is fresh, guaranteed.

Let’s get things straight, Volante is not Volante without Coffee. Seriously, it’s one of the reasons why Baguio loves Volante so much. Where else can you get a cup of coffee for only Php35 PLUS a refill in Session Road? It’s also the reason why Volante is known as a place to talk, to be alone, to work, to check papers, or just simply enjoy staring at people walk by in Baguio’s early morning while reading the morning paper. Coffee is a necessity for many reasons, and that is equally the same number of reasons why you just can’t talk about Volante and not mention coffee. Enough said.

The Breakfast Starter (Php 136). Among the best things in Volante’s menu is the possibility of having breakfast 24/7. The Breakfast Starter is as good as it gets at any time, whatever the weather. You’ll get your fill with two eggs (scrambled or fried in the sunny side); a choice of either bacon, ham, hanna sausage or embotido; a choice of either waffles, Corsican rice, plain rice, or garlic rice; and of course the choice of drink – brewed coffee, hot choco, lemonade or iced tea. Whatever the combo, it’s always a winner depending on what you crave for at that certain time and day! It’s always good to have options.

Volante’s Salads are as healthy as it gets. The Greek Salad with Feta Cheese and Pita Bread (Php 239) has always been a personal favorite. It’s a zesty and vibrant salad, bringing any weary soul to life. It has sort of the same effect as coffee when you need a picker-upper. The only difference is it’s more adventurous. After mixing in its lemon dressing, you’ll need every element of the salad for that perfect mouthful. The strong flavors of the lemon, onion, and olives, becomes subtle and just right with the lettuce, tomato, feta cheese and pita bread.

The Garden Salad with Roasted Chicken (Php 153) is a tummy filler for any health nut who needs to detoxify or destress yet still get all the energy they need for the day. It’s the healthy kind of creaminess with Volante’s homemade blue cheese dressing on the freshest lettuce, tomato, cucumber, watercress and some peppery bell peppers.

Now, let’s talk about what Volante is primarily about – PIZZA!!! A few things to mention about their pizzas. One, the reason why Volante’s pizzas have a certain signature taste and identity is because all necessary preps for these flying munchies are done in Sir John’s very home. To this day, his very kitchen supplies all three stores in Baguio City. No wonder, Volante is always consistent. Their pizzas are subtly smokey, seasoned perfectly by the very ingredients themselves. They’re never oily and won’t ever use MSG (in their pizza and in everything else on the menu, take note). When baked, their pizza dough is just the right combination of crunch and chewiness. Volante is practically a master in its craft.

Pizza Marengo is for those who have a relationship with chicken and shrooms. The Marengo is savory and filling with chicken breast that is sautéed with mushrooms, onions, and highlighted by some smoked bell pepper. Their menu specifically mentions that it is a recipe created by Napoleon’s chef at a small town in Italy. (Prices: 6” Php 92, 8” Php 182, 10” Php 269, 14” Php 545)

The Vegetarian’s Dream Pizza will make you change your mind about being a veggie-lover. If you survey a slice, you’ll see some zucchini, onion, mushroom, roasted bell peppers, and broccoli. Yep, broccoli. But then, when you take a bite, it’ll make you think of going vegetarian. It’s also as filling as the protein-charged meaty pizzas. (Prices: 6” Php 89, 8” Php 175, 10” Php 263, 14” Php 524)

One other pizza that has quite a story is Volante’s Kenny George Pizza. We were told that Kenny and George are two of Sir John’s good friends. As a trio, they’d ride their motorbikes at times simply enjoying wherever the road would take them. One time, they were at Sir John’s place and he asked his friends what they wanted to put on their pizza. So, they went on and suggested to throw in some Hanna sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, and mozzarella cheese as pizza toppings. Because it was that good fresh from the oven, it was instantly included in the menu. Today, it’s one of Volante’s best sellers. (Price: 6” Php 87, 8” Php 162, 10” Php 246, 14” Php 495)

Now, let’s focus on pasta. For pasta lovers everywhere, Volante has a pretty good selection of signature pastas. The first to mention is Volante’s Pesto. If you were like me who vowed to never try any other pasta that’s not red, then hear me out. The first time I dared to try Pesto was at Volante as a college freshman straight from high school. It was a growing fame that time I tried it.

Before me was a hot plate of steaming pasta, that glistened with olive oil and made oddly attractive with fresh pesto. I mixed everything together and found myself amazed at how such a small clump of the pesto would embrace the whole plate. I made my way into it, and with every nutty, creamy, minty bite, I tried to figure out what I was eating. I finished the whole plate, and my curiosity was never satisfied. I knew then that Pesto is that pleasant mind-boggling dish that makes you happier, one plate at a time. Today, Volante’s Pesto is a true best seller. (Pesto Prices: Pesto on Pasta Regular Php 75, Large Php 135; Pesto on Pasta with Shrimp Regular Php 155, Large Php 293; Pesto On Pasta with Roast Chicken Regular Php 93, Large Php 179).

Volante’s Pasta Alfredo with Shrimps is a sophisticated classic made affordable for Everyman. Its creaminess is made subtly sweet with the shrimp, onions and mushrooms. It’s the bacon and select spices that make it light up with added flavor. (Price: Regular Php 183, Large Php 350)

The Pinoy in any of us would need rice and Volante has got that covered. Volante’s Grilled Pork with Corsican Rice is a winner for those who cannot live without rice. The peppery Corsican rice goes really well with the juicy grilled pork in its tangy BBQ sauce. The veggies with gravy complete it as a balanced meal. A Pinoy’s best friend.

For dessert, two of Volante’s best sellers are the Choco Vanilla Affair (Php 93) and Mama Lou’s Apple Pie (Php 75). When you order their Choco Vanilla Affair, you’ll instantly turn into your five-year-old self with each decadent spoonful of that rich hot chocolate lava cake with the cold and comforting vanilla ice cream. It’s a chocolate lover’s dream.

Mama Lou’s Apple Pie, on the other hand, is made fresh daily by an 89-year-old wonder woman who still drives her car around town. When this is served, it’s fresh out of the oven, steaming hot with the heady aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg. You also have a bottle of maple syrup to your liking. The pie crust is perfect and the apple slices are just divine. You can order this as is or ala mode. Also, you can order a whole pie, just be sure to mention this to your friendly Volante waiter. It can be available the next day after ordering.

Volante also offers a variety of summery cocktails namely the Mojito (Php 69), Frozen Margarita (Php 69), Rum Coke Morgan (Php 90), and Tequila Rose (Php 120). They also serve a variety of wines by the glass.

Having Volante in the City is a gift. It’s just great to know that it was friends and family that made Pizza Volante happen in the first place. Similarly, this is how every customer is treated and it’s almost second nature to Baguio locals to prefer Volante to enjoy a good time with good food that is affordable and never complicated. (Yes, we will keep saying this). You’ll enjoy food that the friends and family of the Nassr’s love eating themselves. As Sir John says, “I only serve what I like to eat. If I don’t like it, I won’t serve it.”

Everything on the menu is good, that’s a promise. Volante is a place for everyone. You just really can’t say Baguio and not mention Volante. “Whether you are a student, a young professional, or a family group, you will find something to your liking at Volante.” – the very words of The Flying Pizza.

Visit Pizza Volante in any of its Baguio branches at the former Session Theater, Session Road; at Ayala Technohub, Camp John Hay; or at Wright Park. All branches in Baguio are open 24/7. When in Subic, visit Pizza Volante at Sta. Rita Rd, Olongapo, Zambales. Check them out on Facebook at Pizza Volante.