PizzaExpress is a chain, and it makes no secret of it — the same Romana and Classic pizzas you would get in any branch, fired in the open kitchen and slid out thin and blistered. What makes the Bournemouth branch worth a mention is the room it lives in. It occupies a corner of the BH2 leisure complex, built on the site of the town’s old coach station, and the fit-out leans into that history: Pop Art on the walls and vintage signs listing bus destinations that no longer run.
The food
The menu holds few surprises if you have eaten at a PizzaExpress before, which is rather the point. Dough balls to start, a Margherita or a Fiorentina from the Classic range, or the thinner, wider Romana if you are hungrier. Pasta, salads and the familiar puddings fill out the rest. Vegan and gluten-free bases are handled properly here rather than as an afterthought, and there is a children’s menu, so a mixed table is straightforward. It is dependable food at a predictable price — you know what you are getting, and it arrives as expected.
The setting
The interior is brighter and more considered than the chain’s average, thanks to the coach-station theme and the double-height space. Outside, a terrace strung with festoon lights and planting gives you somewhere to sit on a warm evening, away from the noise of the complex indoors. It makes a good spot before or after a film — the Odeon is in the same complex — and the pace suits an early dinner more than a long, lingering one.
Where it is
BH2 sits on Exeter Road, a minute from the Square and looking straight across at the Lower Gardens. That is about as central as Bournemouth gets, which makes this an easy walk from most town-centre lodgings and from the seafront just beyond the gardens. ASK Italian shares the same complex if you fancy comparing Italian chains, and the Bournemouth International Centre is close by for a pre-show meal.
Good to know
Collection and delivery are both available if you would rather eat in your apartment, and you can book a table online, which is worth doing on weekend evenings and around events at the BIC. Opening hours vary through the week and across the seasons, so check before a late visit. For more options across town, see the restaurants guide.