There was a time when Pizza Hut was Pakistan’s undisputed pizza giant. That hold has weakened in recent years as local chains like Cheezious, 14th Street, and New Yorker Pizza have pulled in customers with heavier toppings, bolder sauces, and a more desi flavor profile.
That is what made OxBite stand out.
Located in the heart of Commercial Market, Rawalpindi, OxBite is the new “It” fast food joint in town. Owned by Gul Sher, OxBite shares its building with a Pizza Hut branch owned by the same person, which likely explains why OxBite’s pizza carries a similar overall feel. The difference is that OxBite pushes that formula more directly into the desi fast food lane.
The restaurant has also built a strong local reputation, backed by a reported 4.8-star rating on Google Reviews and steady organic growth on social media, with much of its popularity driven by word of mouth among younger customers.
A recent visit to the Rawalpindi-based fast food joint showed that while it is not perfect across the board, one item on its menu manages to bring back the feel of Pizza Hut’s older deep-pan style pizza with the local twist.
We tried OxBite’s Creamy Melt Pizza, 3-Piece Fried Chicken, and Oven Baked Pasta, with the total bill coming to Rs. 3,038, which is fairly reasonable compared its competitors.
The Creamy Melt Pizza was clearly the best of the three. The dough was soft and thick, very close to the deep-pan texture that once made Pizza Hut a default choice for many Pakistani customers.
The sauces were balanced and flavorful, while the overall taste felt like a familiar Pizza Hut-style base adapted to modern local preferences. It had that old-school comfort, but with the richer, more forward desi touch now commonly seen at outlets like Cheezious.
The Oven Baked Pasta came in second. It was creamy, cheesy, and filling, with enough richness to work as a proper side or even a light main. The flavor was decent, but it did not do much beyond that. It was satisfying without being memorable.
The 3-Piece Fried Chicken was the weakest item on the table. It was crispy, but a little too crispy. The chicken itself was flavorful and seemed heavily seasoned in the style many local outlets now use, possibly through deep marination or spice injection. Even then, it did not rise above average. More importantly, it was nowhere near serious competition for KFC.
OxBite does not fully impress across its menu, but it does not need to. The pizza is good enough to define the experience on its own. The pasta is fine, the fried chicken needs work, but the Creamy Melt Pizza gives this local fast food joint a clear identity in a crowded market.
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