Award-winning pizza, from Hong Kong to Dubai
Hong Kong’s most long-awaited export is finally open in Dubai.
FALCONE, award-winning pizzeria Napoletana brought to you by Hong-Kong based Asian hospitality behemoth Black Sheep in their very first local venture, is now open, which means the gates to some of Italy’s most popular comfort classics are wide open and beckon. Think Neapolitan pizza, handcrafted pasta and freshly spun gelato – Italy’s greatest loves.
Located in Galleria Mall, Al Barsha, this the kind of easygoing, warm and welcoming space that one envisions when someone says ‘neighbourhood Italian’.
Everyone is welcome and looked after, fed generously with fuss-free, honest flavours that capture the essence of what Italy does best. While not extravagant, this is a space that embodies the sun-kissed, technicolour vibrancy of Italian cities, from the North to the South.
The Story
Led by the legendary Chef Roberta de Sario, #85 on the World’s Best Pizza Chefs 2025 list, and Chef Josh Stumbaugh, FALCONE can find its roots in Napoli, of which Chef Roberta is a native. The pair have walked the streets of the city, experienced the chaos and the animation, the romance, the colours and most importantly, the earnestness of it all.
“Every pizza has a story,” says Chef Roberta. “At FALCONE, we tell Napoli’s story with every bite, but we also write a new one here with the people of Dubai.”
From traversing the streets emanating smells of dough, smoke and basil, they combed the iconic ovens of Da Michele Condurro and Franco Pepe, and came to one conclusion – that great pizza is simple pizza, faithful to its origins; a few quality ingredients, a blistering hot oven and the spirit of sharing.
“This cuisine is meant to bring people closer. You break bread, you share plates and scoops of gelato and suddenly you have made a memory together. We hope to be the catalyst for a lot of happy memories here,” says Chef Josh.
As such, the techniques and recipes used have been passed down from some of the world’s most renowned pizzaiolos — from Pizzeria Da Michele Condurro, one of the forefathers of pizzaiolos, to Franco Pepe of Kytaly, all refined with Chef Roberta’s local flair and global experience, as well as Chef Josh’s years spent in Italian kitchens.
The Menu
FALCONE’s pizzas are made in a custom Pavesi brick oven in Neapolitan style, while adopting modern sensibilities. Here, diners will find the entire spectrum of pizza, from Margherita, with tomato, fior di latte and basil, to Salame Piccante, made with tomato, fior di latte spicy veal salami and the Neapolitan Pizza Fritta, fried then baked until extra crispy in its own oil.
Other flavours include Spinaci e Scamorza with spinach and provolo affumicata with Calabrian chilli and garlic, the Funghi with mushroom and taleggio, and the Italia with green basil pesto and tomato compote.
The menu also features a number of pasta options, including Linguine Vongole, Rigatoni Genovese, Lasagna Bolognese and Spaghetti all’Aragosta. The chicken, veal and eggplant parms add another layer of dimension to the offerings, along with the Pollo Al Forno -wood oven-roasted chicken and salsa verde.
On a sweet note, choose from the Tiramisu, the Chocolate Nemesis and a selection of freshly spun gelato, churned hourly, never frozen and gloriously creamy. At Gelato FALCONE, the in-house gelateria, guests are treated to the classic flavours that Italy grew up on, such as fior di latte, caramel and hazelnut.
The drinks programme centres around Italian sodas crafted with century-old syrups from Fabbri, who have been making artisanal syrups with real extracts of fruits like pineapple, passionfruit, strawberry and mango in Bologna since 1905.
Image credit: Supplied
Deeply passionate about food, culture and community, Manaal loves telling extraordinary stories of ordinary people. Besides sniffing out a tale to tell, her favourite things to do include binging true crime documentaries, chasing cats on the streets and curating a good outfit.
