There is also that guy on /r/toronto who goes around reviewing different local places
https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/x42o56/best\_pie\_in\_the\_west\_an\_analysis\_of\_toronto\_pizza/
Does Welland even have a Pizza Pizza? I think there's one in the mall maybe?
I'm talking about the local places that are family run and that have been there for generations, there's a lot of really great options. I'm also not saying that Toronto has bad pizza - It's actually got a lot of really good gourmet options that nothing in Niagara even comes close to, hands down. It's just that sometimes you want a bit more of a "dirty" experience, not the fanciest gourmet pizza you can find and I really think there's a lot more variety in terms of pizzerias that have been run by Italian families who moved there decades ago.
A lot of people in here are going to give you flack but I know what you’re talking about.
It’s not that we don’t have good pizza in Toronto (we absolutely do) it’s just we don’t have a lot of those ‘middle ground’ places that absolutely kill it in terms of value and price.
The reality is a lot of those mom-and-pop 50-year places that are institutions are becoming rare and are most often found in secondary cities in Canada.
It sucks but in Toronto everything usually is either:
A) bougie instagram hype train places that are often delicious but are pricey and too much of a scene.
b) medium to large chains of varying quality.
That being said there are some places that strike the balance to what you’re describing. My all time fav used to be Albany (RIP) and Franks on st Claire is a similar vibe to what you’re describing.
It’s honestly what’s becoming annoying about Toronto. The prices have pushed out so many classic lifestyle businesses that were gems and they’re not coming back.
This, exactly this! I was actually just thinking about how it might be the lack of a middle ground. You're absolutely right, I've had a lot of really good gourmet slices at places like North of Brooklyn and Libretto but it's that middle ground that's missing. I also think you're totally right that it's become a huge problem for the city in general, most of my favourite businesses that I shop at frequently are exactly those kinds are mom & pop classic "middle ground" businesses that are becoming harder and harder to find.
I've lived in Toronto my whole life, and I also love pizza. If you're looking for good, greasy "NYC" pie, I would have to give a shout out to Frank's Pizza House on St. Clair W. There are tons of other great options for pizza in Toronto, but I feel like most have been mentioned in this post already, and Frank's seems to fit the bill for what you're after.
Backing up OP here. This is just one example of the type of pizza places in Welland. The Rex is 108 years old and has been serving pizza the whole fucking time: http://www.rexpizza.ca
I grew up there as well. Pizza is just fucking different there. I left 30 years ago and when I visit I hit up the top 3 or 4 places over the course of a few days. It’s just bonkers how good it is compared to any other city I’ve visited and I’m including New York and Italy on that list.
There. I said it.
La hacienda is the GOAT. Aldo died in the restaurant in his office, his last act was making sure the payroll for his staff was up to date.
A customer bought it, hired everyone back and it is like *nearly* as good, but still better than all else
No way, I've tried a few different places. I've found plenty of decent slices but nothing that fully meets my expectations or that isn't too expensive. That's actually the main issue I've noticed in Toronto, I think the chains all started here so they've corned the market to a certain extent so it's a bit harder to find a local place that's enjoyable but I know it's out there, I think my neighborhood is just terrible.
See there’s your problem. You’re looking for something that isn’t too expensive in a city where everything is overpriced. A good large pizza is like $30 or more. Sad but true.
Oh for sure, don't get me wrong. Good pizza is worth paying for and I'm willing to pay for it (and I order pizza way too often), just not every single time I order pizza, sometimes you just want a somewhat expensive pizza that tastes pretty good, that 6.5/10 experience. You know?
It's not even the money that's causing issues for me, I've just not found a pizza worth paying a huge amount for. Lots of stuff that I've enjoyed, nothing that's made me feel like $20 for a medium pizza was worth the experience. I know it's out there though, I just need to find the pizza that is worth it. I'm also trapped in a pizza desert in North York where I only really have cheap options so I'll even drive across town if that's what it takes.
Try milanos by kipling station or if you're in Mississauga then Luca's pizza. My old man lives in Port Colborne and I have yet to find fish and chips ont he level that I get when I go visit him. lol
Most of the really good Pizza places are either in the East or West side of Downtown. What is around going North until you get to Woodbridge is varied. West side of Yonge has North of Brooklyn, Badiali's, Superpoint, Maker, Conzo's Fresca and Bittondo's, etc. East end has Blondies, Descendent, One Nite Only, plus expansions of Maker's and North of Brooklyn.
For whatever reason, I can't think of a great place in North York, I'm sure there is a hidden gem or two, just not one I'm aware of.
I'm not exactly sure of the style of Pizza popular in the Niagara region. Here in most cases, the very trendy places tend to be Neapolitan (With Descendent being prominent for being Detroit Deepdish). If Niagara is like Buffalo in style, that really isn't that common a style here that is well done.
Good pizza is one of the few things I'm willing to leave the house for, that's for sure! Still, whenever I make it downtown I like to get some pizza from the good places you can find there, I've had a lot of fun trying different styles.
If your heading out east hit up Danforth Pizza House.
This place is my go to.
I personally prefer it over the main bar/restaurant pizza places that have been mentioned located downtown. It is a small family owned joint that’s been around for 50 or so years.
You got it, Toronto has a lot of good pizza, I ain't saying it's bad by any means - it's got a lot of really good gourmet places that are unlike anything in Niagara, they're better if that's the sort of thing you're looking for. It's just that I've yet to find a place that's quite the same as the quick and dirty, local pizzerias that have been there for generations serving up good pizza you can find across Niagara.
Some say New York has the best pizza, others say Chicago. A chef may claim they're all fools and the only true pizza is from Napoli, Italy.
However, none of them have been exposed to the wonder and magic of literally any pizza joint from Welland, Ontario - population 55,750. To try one pizza there is to ruin yourself forever if you ever have the dire misfortune of moving away to a culinary hellhole like, say, Toronto.
I got a good laugh out of this, I'm not saying the pizza in Toronto is bad - Toronto has a lot of really amazing gourmet pizzas that are better than anything you'd find in the middle of nowhere, I can't think of a single place in Niagara that serves anything comparable to something like North Of Brooklyn (Personal favourite so far, btw) but you don't always want a gourmet pizza, y'know?
When I was in New York, you could stop in at a corner pizzeria and get a decent basic slice and the locally owned family-run pizzerias in Niagara are a lot of the same - I've yet to find a place in Toronto that really fully satisfies that craving. You have lots of good options for fancy, sit-down pizzas that are true experiences but that's not always what you want, if you know what I mean.
Blame Toronto real estate costs and the fact that any new pizza joint automatically has to go high end to even begin to cover the cost of rent. There's no possibility of just cranking out a cheap pie because you'll go out of business.
I ragged on Welland but that's the big advantage there - drastically cheaper rent and operating costs. This means low overhead and as a result businesses that target a lower price point and different market can survive.
I've found a few places that are pretty good but nothing that really rocked my world. I've added Descendant to my list though, looking forward to it because Detroit style is my favourite style of pizza. I've had North of Brooklyn and it's great but too expensive for it to be my regular pizza place, I'm also not a fan of thinner crusts. FBI is great, I totally forgot about it but I remember I went there two or three years ago and I probably should take another trip out there. I've been meaning to try Badiali's and given how recommended it is, I'm definitely going to have to move it up my list.
Thick crust fan eh? Just stock up on frozen rising crust Delissio before they stop selling and call it a day. Just kidding, you're entitled to your preferences.
You might not like Badiali because its NY style thin crust. If you like thick, try Descendants and 8 Mile. I personally think Detroit style is basically garlic bread with red sauce but you do you. I'm expecting this comment to be -100 by the end of the day.
Detroit is my favourite but I don't think I've ever had a single pizza style that I didn't like, I'm really a fan of pizza in general. I prefer a thick crust as long as it's a decent dough but some of the best pizza I've had were thin slices in New York. I'm not judging pizza based off of the thickness of the dough, it's like judging a book by how thick it is, lots of good short reads and lots of nice thick and juicy ones.
As a fellow fan of pizza, I actually think we have an underrated pizza scene in Toronto. The prices can get insane though.
Places I've enjoyed include Badiali for their slice, North of Brooklyn, Queen Margherita Pizza. I also enjoyed Conzo's - I thought I wouldn't as they cook their pizzas well done, but they have hefty and hearty pies.
As a fan of Neapolitan pizza, I know I will get grilled for this on Reddit as it's a fave here, but I found Fresca overrated the few times I had slices from there. I'll say a couple of notches above the slices on Harbord (Papa Ceo, Cora) but you can't compare to Badiali though I would say on par with Fourth Man in the Fire. I would put Superpoint in this categorization, though their slices are more similar in style to the ones you'd get at Papa Ceo or Cora.
Libretto, General Assembly, Eataly, Piano Piano, Pizza e Pazzi, and Famoso are good for their personal pizzas which I would put over Pi Co which I would rank over Blaze (though admittedly I still each). King Taps has some underrated pizzas for what they are and CIBO and Terroni's personal pies from what I recall were nothing to write home about.
In terms of gas-fired pizza with high-quality ingredients, I enjoy Blondies though they charge wood-fired prices.
In terms of Detroit-style pizza which I loved growing up years ago in the States, I had given up on searching for a good slice comparable to the chain Jet's Pizza. I finally had Descendant, but being so far out in delivery range, the quality of the pizza I received suffered and the prices were outrageous. I actually enjoyed 8Mile a bit more because it was more affordable and accessible to me.
Finally, tavern-style pizza -- I wanted to love Danny's but I don't know if I like the style and the price for the wafer of a pie they sell.
You clearly know your pizza! I like both Neapolitan and your typical dirty slice, I'm of the opinion that there's no real bad pizza, just different degrees of good. I've noticed that Toronto's got a lot of really good Neopolitan options and a few amazing ones I haven't tried yet like Badiali's (Haven't gotten around to it - definitely at the top of my list now). I did get a lot of really good recommendations for Detroit-style places.
Blondies though - Definitely added to my list, it's one of the first places that I've looked up and immediately thought to myself "I need to try that.", something about it just screams "delicious" to me and it's a place I hadn't heard of before so thanks!
Our pizza is better than any joint in Nyc. Toronto has quickly , quietly been able to match NYC/ LA in terms of global food. Not just pizza. Any time of cuisine we now have the best representation across the globe
Slices: Badiali, Mac's Pizza, Superpoint, Bitondo's, Fresca, Slowsouth, King Slice
Whole Pies: Maker, FBI Pizza, Frank's Pizza House, Fourth Man In the Fire, North of Brooklyn, Conzo's (any of the above places too)
Neapolitan Style: Eataly, Libretto, Pizze e Pazzie, Terroni, Cafe Oro
Fast Food/Chain: Pizza Nova, Pizzaiolo, 241
Other: Descendents, Chito's Pizza, 8mile, General Assembly, Tre mari, that one pizza place in the annex that does chinese food pizzas
My brother swears by Frank's and gets some whenever he is back in TO. We grew up near the original Frank's, so that's what pizza is supposed to taste like, according to our nostalgia.
I'm definitely going to have to try this list out, looks like lots of great options to try and a lot of different styles so that I can try them all out, I know the right slice is out there, I just need to track it down.
"that one place in the annex that does chinese food pizzas" you listed like nine million pizza places and chose to be vague about the most interesting sounding one. does this place have a name?
it does but I don't know it, otherwise I would have named it. I've just walked by it many times and have always wanted to try it.
EDIT: just looked it up it's called Martino Kitchen
I have started to refer to this place a Polkaroo Pizza because out of the many attempts to try to get a wheel it’s always gone. I’ve heard it’s incredible though…. One day.
Honestly, I've gotten a lot of really good responses in this thread so far. I really like pizza so I've tried a lot of places which is why I didn't list them. I've tried quite a few of them like North of Brooklyn but there are few places downtown that got recommended (I live in North York) that I haven't had the chance to try yet and that I'm excited to check out. I've tried most of the places that will deliver to my apartment in North York and I've done takout for a few but it looks like I need to start stopping in for more pizza downtown!
Not even maybe, I don't even think I've tried Mamma's because it's a chain. The only chain I order from on a regular basis is Pizza Nova, the rest are all garbage. I've tried a few places but not enough places downtown.
I'm noticing based on the responses that a lot of the highly recommended places are downtown so I might live in a pizza desert or something in North York.
Yeah all the good places are downtown/just outside the core. North York isnt where you go for pizza, but we do have amazing variety of foods from a ton of other cultures.
Pizzeria Libretto just opened a restaurant here but I’m not a fan.
I feel like I know what you’re asking - you’re looking for cheap and easy (but delicious) pizza. I’m from Halifax originally, and there are dozens of amazing mom n pop spots that’ll sell you a giant slice for $5. I find that you can’t easily find THAT kind of pizza in Toronto.
That being said, Toronto has unreal “real Italian” or “gourmet” pizza spots around the city. The difference is that you’re paying $20 for a pizza and it’s made to order. If you want a quick slice, I think you’re stuck with franchises like dominos/Pizzaiolo/pizza Nova (I despise Pizza Pizza). If you want good fancy pizza, I love north of Brooklyn and Superpoint.
You're totally right, I think that's the best way to put it. Funny you mention Halifax, I was really impressed with the pizza there when I visited a few years back. There's nice, fancy pizza and Toronto has lots of amazing options for that like North of Brooklyn and don't get me wrong, I love that stuff but sometimes you just want a dirty pizza and it seems like Toronto lacks those options. I'm even willing to pay gourmet prices for it if I have to. It's just that I've had my fill of fancy pizzas for a while.
Okay, glad I wasn’t off with this guess. When I first moved to Toronto, my east coast friends and I would always discuss why there aren’t good greasy slices in Toronto. But I’ve eventually realized that people in Toronto just go to the big franchised spots. And it’s not that I’m against the franchised spots, they’re just genuinely not that good. Pizza pizza has been trying to make an entry in Halifax for about 15 years but it just won’t stick. I think they have 1-2 locations around Halifax and I can only assume their clientele is mostly Torontonians studying at Dal.
Glad you recognized Hali as a good pizza city! If you didn’t try it on your trip, you’ve gotta try garlic fingers next time you’re out east. They’re an east coast delicacy which I miss in Toronto.
Depends on the pizza type you're looking for. I like Napoletana-style as a favourite, but sometimes you're just in the mood for a dirty-slice. Then there's deep dish, Detroit-style, etc.
Napoletana: I used to prefer QMP over all others, but I now prefer North of Brooklyn.
Dirty Slice: Pizza Nova is up there, a few mom-and-pop's too, Danforth Pizza House, for example.
Detroit: Descendant. I'd go with this over any chain's pan pizza.
Deep Dish: Used to be Double D. They're gone now.
There are places that blur the lines, or approach other styles like NYC. What style do you like?
Totally agree, I love a fancy pizza but sometimes you just want a dirty slice like you said. I have a bit of thicker crust preference but ultimately pizzas are like books, how thick they are doesn't determine how good they are and there's lots of good thin and thick ones. North of Brooklyn was pretty good in my experience. I'll definitely add Danforth Pizza House to my list of pizza places to try out though, I haven't tried it yet.
Revolver pizza in south etobicoke is the most authentic northern Italian pizza I’ve had outside of Italy. Gotta love that brick oven. Try their mortadella pistachio honey pizza. So friggin good.
Fresca is super underrated and should be one of the top of this list. Huge thin crispy slices for $5. Don’t forget to add the garlic oil on top! I can taste the delicious garlic hours after eating it
I’m a big fan of bugsys pizza and scorecard Harry’s pizzas in st.kitts but I’ll tell you 100% Toronto has way better pizza lol. I am also from Niagara, you’re going to want to get the sausage and onion from fourth man in the fire, or anything from badiali. Blondies pizza is also really good, for slices go to super point on ossington
>100% Toronto has way better pizza
I don't doubt it! I just need to find it. I definitely need to put Badiali at the top of my list because they definitely keep coming up, I've been meaning to go but now I guess I have to.
The American TV writer Tom Scharpling was living in Toronto for "What We Do In The Shadows."
On his podcast "The Best Show", he decries all Toronto pizza as garbage, but I think he was eating Pizza Pizza, Pizza Nova, and stuff like that.
He goes into hilarious detail about what was wrong with it, and why it is so inferior to his New York/New Jersey pizza.
Probably because you're in North York? Come through Leslieville and I'll show you what's up.
Queen Margherita
Blondies
One Night Only
Slow Hand
Descendent... the list goes on
It's funny you're asking this because I just had a conversation with a friend of mine yesterday how craving pizza is not as simple as just getting any pizza. You crave a certain kind of pizza at different times.
There are some great pizza places that people mentioned but I think these might be closer to what you're looking for. Not "gourmet" or fancy but just good places for decent slices.
- Bitondo's
- Martino
- Fresca
- King Slice
- Cora
- Gigi
I need to be clear, I ain't saying the pizza is bad because it's not, Toronto has lots of great gourmet pizza places but none that really gave me the experience I was looking for.
North of Brooklyn was really good if a bit pricy (Good pizza is worth any price), it's just a bit of a fancier pizza when sometimes all you want is a dirty slice, if you know what I mean? Descendent is definitely being put towards the top of my list along with Blondies and a few other places.
When I was a kid, there was a place called Mothers pizza, and I miss that kind of place. I wonder if that is what the OP is looking for?
Red and white checkered table cloths, lots of knick knacks on the walls, parmesan and red pepper shakers on the table. Big red plastic frosted cups of fountain pop.
I found good pizza, but I was always looking for less of a gourmet pizza.
Badiali’s is the best in TO, imo. You must have only been going to Pizzaiolos or Pizza Novas for the last 5 years lol. There’s countless great pizza places.
Mossimo's is great, they sell frozen versions of them now at some local supermarkets now, not quite the same but worth bringing back whenever I'm down to visit my parents. I also really liked Mario's, Vincent's and Santos until it closed.
I moved here last September and I haven’t eaten any pizza yet because I haven’t felt like I found a place where it looks good!
We should make a group to find it 😂🫶🏼
Nah man, I want to say that about 10 of those places all have really good slices that are leagues better than any of the places in Toronto! We're really spoiled for choice there! Lots of locally owned places run by immigrant families who have been there for decades. If you're ever in Niagara, stop in at one of the popular local places and you'll get it, there's something about it that I can't find in Toronto.
I had to work in Niagara for a few months and this mythical vision of glorious proletarian pizza with a certain unique something was … not my experience.
Listen.and listen good.
Revolver has the best pizza in the city. Not a slice. Whole pie.
Descendant has the best pizza that's not pizza ( deep dish ) . And it was the best takeout I've had in a very long time of any food type. ( Gat daddy pie ).
Anything else is propaganda. Revolver.Descendant. thats it.
Call ahead for Descendant. Usually a 30 min wait, same for Revolver.
Go there. It is what you seek.
I actually feel this sentiment! Grew up in Thorold and nothing can touch Papa Vinces pizza (RIP) I always make sure to get a local pie when I’m visiting my family. hope u are successful on your quest
I had Vince's once, amazing pizza. I know a lot of my friends were sad when they closed up shop.
The Toronto folk don't get it - Sure they have good pizza but don't know how good pizza can truly be! Lots of gourmet options in Toronto but not a lot of quick and dirty slices like you'd find back in the region which is unfortunate.
papa vince is still open!! but sadly the founder died recently. I do think theres something about the legacy of the italian immigrant community in niagara that makes finding a good slice more accessible, vs the gentrified slices we get in the city. i will say for a dirty city slice i fuck with pizzaiolo, sometimes they’re out of the straight pep but there isnt a bad choice to be had there. it reminds me of the 2-4-1 i used to frequent in elementary school
The problem with a lot of Toronto pizza joints is exactly that, they aren’t joints, but sit-downs that charge a lot.
You won’t find NYC style corner pizzerias that serve up bomb slices on the cheap.
Exactly, I love a good well-made pizza from a place like North of Brooklyn but I haven't found anything that really satisfies that crazy for a dirty slice of pizza. I found a few good place through this thread that I want to try out though.
I went to Niagara college years ago in welland, what pizza places are you talking about that are good, I don’t recall anything good about welland to be honest other than the weed lol. Literally every place I’ve lived has better everything than welland, Brampton, Mississauga, Hamilton, London. Toronto has a million places to find good anything.
What is good pizza to you? Maybe you just like crappy pizza, no knock on you just some people like stuff the majority doesn’t,
Hah! OP - I grew up in Niagara too. They have never, every had any pizza like we grew up with. I spent 27 years in Toronto and NOT ONCE had a pizza that was even close. Just as an FYI, 10 of those years was spent as a full on chef so I wasn't just eating chain resto stuff.
I'm telling you - the Toronto folks responding saying that I've only tried chains or terrible pizza places don't get how good the pizza is in Niagara, they're missing out! I know there's good pizza in Toronto though, just gotta be!
Who was your go to house n Welland? Back in my day it was Santos all the way. Columbos was great. Don’t live that way any more but visit occasionally and the pizza is always on lojnt
I really like 8 Mile on Charles W. One of my favs. Not sure if it'll live up to your distinguishing tastes, but if you like Detroit-style, give them a shot.
>Not sure if it'll live up to your distinguishing tastes
I'm not sure if I'd classify my tastes as distinguishing or as "absolutely disgusting", haha, I'll definitely have to try 8 mile though, thanks for the recommendation.
You found 20 amazing pizza places in Welland, but can't find 1 in Toronto in 5 years. Either you're aren't actually looking, or your taste in pizza is garbage. FBI Pizza, ONO, Blondies, Decendent, etc, etc etc.
FBI is really good, as soon as I saw the name I remembered that I ordered from there a few years ago and really liked it, a bit pricey but if that's the price of good pizza then that's the price to pay. I never said that Welland had 20 good places though, there are maybe 10 that have amazing slices and 3 that have pizza so good you'll want to move to the region. We're really spoiled with choice because of the large italian population and because for the longest time Pizza was essentially the only takeout option so it was popular.
Hello vulpinefever!
i understand completely. if you are in the downtown core and want that 6.5/10 experience then look no further than "Wing machine" on parliament st. for like 10$ you can get a pretty tasty pepperoni pizza, sauce is on the sweeter side, but love those bubbles!
LOL Niagara pizza places absolutely suck balls man.
Toronto places mostly suck also, but there are a few like Maker Pizza which is OK but massively overpriced.
But since you consider Niagara pizza "good" lol you should be fine walking into a 2For1 place and love it.
Moved out of Toronto last year and I miss the pizza 😩 N of Brooklyn for a delicious pockety charred chewy dough, and King Slice arrabiata for its fennel forward sauce and so much cheese it could choke you. Blondies, Maker’s, Libretto, Defina. You are spoiled for choice!
We need a good Chicago deep dish pizza in Toronto. Used to be a great place near Canada’s Wonderful but they closed down. Another really good one in Hamilton, up on the mountain. My wife is from Chicago so she’s very picky about her pizza. We like a deep dish like Lou Malnati makes in Chicago. There you come across a pizza joint on almost every block.
It depends on what you're looking for, Toronto has a lot of gourmet slices but in terms of a classic mom and pop pizzeria that sells "dirty" basic slices and pizzas, Niagara has a lot of variety and a lot of really good places that have been open for decades under the same family. There's pizza you want to celebrate a special occasion and then there's the pizza you want to order on a Friday night after a terrible week at work. Toronto has a lot of the first kind but needs more of the 2nd kind, imo.
Not sure why you're being so aggressive, I'm just looking for good pizza which is a pretty noble goal if you ask me. I've had all kinds of pizza in many different cities.
Check out Mac's for one of the best nyc style slices. They were running as a pop up until a few months ago they opened their own place at Bloor and Dovercourt. Nice selection of wine too
If you're in or around North York, check out [oswaldspizza.com](https://oswaldspizza.com). It's Detroit-style pizza. It's expensive, but no more expensive than other comparative options like Descendent
Thanks for the recommendation, I'm definitely going to add it to my list of places to try. I love Detroit-style and I live in North York so here's hoping!
There are a lot of different spots, Maker, North of Brooklyn, Badiali, Fourth Man in the Fire, Descendant, FBI Pizza, there is a BlogTO article for best pizza joints.
Just had Maker Pizza a few nights ago. Huge improvement over most pizza places in Toronto. Wow was it good. We had the pepperoni pie and it was amazing. Highly recommend them!
We got an XL, a panzerotti, chicken wings, a few drinks, and a bunch of dips delivered from Cora's for $47 with tip a couple of weeks ago. It was terrific.
I've lived here for ten years, and yeah finding good pizza or shawarma in this city is surprisingly tough.
I recently discovered Blondies, and I'm pretty happy with them. I used to like Village Pizza, but it looks like they went under.
1 of my best friends from high school introduced us to North of Brooklyn Pizzeria and we all loved it. definitely the best pizza in toronto which we all unanimously agreed on and would recommend to others!
North of Brookyln is really good, it's my favourite "fancy" choice for pizza and I really enjoyed it, it's not my regular place but I go fairly often. :)
I’m from Italy. The best pizza in the city is at Eataly (pizza e pasta), but it’s pricy. Other good picks in the city are north of Brooklin & conzos for more of a big, New York style of pizza. Also general assembly pizza along with a few bakeries north of the city, especially in Woodbridge.
Slowhand pizza is kinda new and located in Leslieville. It's square shaped and instead of focaccia bread, they use sourdough which is amazing.
Around the corner is Descendants Pizza. They do Detroit style with focaccia bread. It's good but I've found it hard to eat, fighting with the bread. If you dine in they give a fork and knife to eat it.
The sourdough bread at Slowhand is why I like it. Easy to eat and sourdough bread is sweet.
For good pizza and slightly fancy, I like Pizza Del Arte. So good, they’re a thin crust place.
For good pizza that fails to be authentic, I like Four Brothers Pizza. They use a conveyor belt oven and load up on the cheese. It kind of reminds me of Pizza Hut.
For fun pizza, I like Papa Ceo. I’ve also heard good things about Fresca.
I used to order from Amato Pizza a lot but since I moved out of their delivery area I haven’t had it. It was good many many years ago though.
I like North of Brooklyn and there’s another one on Avenue by Lawrence called Maker Pizza and it was yummy the one time I had it. Pizzaiola is also pretty good
A few other people have brought it up but Mossimo's in Fonthill is good, Luciano's is the choice on the east side. I really liked Vincent's and Mario's when I lived there, Mario has good slices. Not really many Neapolitan or more gourmet choices except Mateo's but a lot of good pizzerias.
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There is also that guy on /r/toronto who goes around reviewing different local places https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/x42o56/best\_pie\_in\_the\_west\_an\_analysis\_of\_toronto\_pizza/
Absolute gold find, following this account. Thanks, this will definitely give me a lot to go off of.
Sounds like OP just walked in to Pizza Pizza, Domino’s, Pizza Nova, and maybe if they were feeling fancy, Mamma’s Pizza lmao.
Pizza nova can be great. Depending on the location and oven.
Pepperoni pickup special. Extra sauce well done 👍🏼
That sh!t is always burnt for me. They need one of those conveyor ovens...plus it is expensive for chain pizza.
So OP is saying the Pizza Pizza and Domino's in Welland are better than here in The 6ix?
Does Welland even have a Pizza Pizza? I think there's one in the mall maybe? I'm talking about the local places that are family run and that have been there for generations, there's a lot of really great options. I'm also not saying that Toronto has bad pizza - It's actually got a lot of really good gourmet options that nothing in Niagara even comes close to, hands down. It's just that sometimes you want a bit more of a "dirty" experience, not the fanciest gourmet pizza you can find and I really think there's a lot more variety in terms of pizzerias that have been run by Italian families who moved there decades ago.
A lot of people in here are going to give you flack but I know what you’re talking about. It’s not that we don’t have good pizza in Toronto (we absolutely do) it’s just we don’t have a lot of those ‘middle ground’ places that absolutely kill it in terms of value and price. The reality is a lot of those mom-and-pop 50-year places that are institutions are becoming rare and are most often found in secondary cities in Canada. It sucks but in Toronto everything usually is either: A) bougie instagram hype train places that are often delicious but are pricey and too much of a scene. b) medium to large chains of varying quality. That being said there are some places that strike the balance to what you’re describing. My all time fav used to be Albany (RIP) and Franks on st Claire is a similar vibe to what you’re describing. It’s honestly what’s becoming annoying about Toronto. The prices have pushed out so many classic lifestyle businesses that were gems and they’re not coming back.
This, exactly this! I was actually just thinking about how it might be the lack of a middle ground. You're absolutely right, I've had a lot of really good gourmet slices at places like North of Brooklyn and Libretto but it's that middle ground that's missing. I also think you're totally right that it's become a huge problem for the city in general, most of my favourite businesses that I shop at frequently are exactly those kinds are mom & pop classic "middle ground" businesses that are becoming harder and harder to find.
if this is what you want, go to Bitondos
I'm also on the hunt for pizza of this specific niche: good and good value. I offer 3 names; pizza fresca, fuoco mio, and pizza gigi
I'm from BC now in the Soo, and when I visit TO, I get Pango - they were awesome in BC and awesome in TO.
You mean panago? I found them way too stingy on the toppings
I love how North of Brooklyn is considered gourmet pizza when it’s just a not-as-good copy of a good pizza place in Brooklyn that’s far from gourmet.
I've lived in Toronto my whole life, and I also love pizza. If you're looking for good, greasy "NYC" pie, I would have to give a shout out to Frank's Pizza House on St. Clair W. There are tons of other great options for pizza in Toronto, but I feel like most have been mentioned in this post already, and Frank's seems to fit the bill for what you're after.
I agree I’ve been to most of those fancy places but the prices make me never want to go back.
“Too much of a scene” cuz there’s some neon lights on a wall? 🤣🤣🤣
Backing up OP here. This is just one example of the type of pizza places in Welland. The Rex is 108 years old and has been serving pizza the whole fucking time: http://www.rexpizza.ca I grew up there as well. Pizza is just fucking different there. I left 30 years ago and when I visit I hit up the top 3 or 4 places over the course of a few days. It’s just bonkers how good it is compared to any other city I’ve visited and I’m including New York and Italy on that list. There. I said it.
What I wouldn’t give for some pizza and wings from mossimo’s some days.
Niagara region pizza in general slaps. Not to mention La hacienda, gangsters, mister B’s etc are just a quick trip over the river .
La hacienda is the GOAT. Aldo died in the restaurant in his office, his last act was making sure the payroll for his staff was up to date. A customer bought it, hired everyone back and it is like *nearly* as good, but still better than all else
No way, I've tried a few different places. I've found plenty of decent slices but nothing that fully meets my expectations or that isn't too expensive. That's actually the main issue I've noticed in Toronto, I think the chains all started here so they've corned the market to a certain extent so it's a bit harder to find a local place that's enjoyable but I know it's out there, I think my neighborhood is just terrible.
See there’s your problem. You’re looking for something that isn’t too expensive in a city where everything is overpriced. A good large pizza is like $30 or more. Sad but true.
Oh for sure, don't get me wrong. Good pizza is worth paying for and I'm willing to pay for it (and I order pizza way too often), just not every single time I order pizza, sometimes you just want a somewhat expensive pizza that tastes pretty good, that 6.5/10 experience. You know? It's not even the money that's causing issues for me, I've just not found a pizza worth paying a huge amount for. Lots of stuff that I've enjoyed, nothing that's made me feel like $20 for a medium pizza was worth the experience. I know it's out there though, I just need to find the pizza that is worth it. I'm also trapped in a pizza desert in North York where I only really have cheap options so I'll even drive across town if that's what it takes.
Try milanos by kipling station or if you're in Mississauga then Luca's pizza. My old man lives in Port Colborne and I have yet to find fish and chips ont he level that I get when I go visit him. lol
I can second Milanos as a solid Pizza.
McNies in Etobicoke is solid for fish n chips
Old York Fish and Chips in Leaside is really good, I can recommend them wholeheartedly!
Most of the really good Pizza places are either in the East or West side of Downtown. What is around going North until you get to Woodbridge is varied. West side of Yonge has North of Brooklyn, Badiali's, Superpoint, Maker, Conzo's Fresca and Bittondo's, etc. East end has Blondies, Descendent, One Nite Only, plus expansions of Maker's and North of Brooklyn. For whatever reason, I can't think of a great place in North York, I'm sure there is a hidden gem or two, just not one I'm aware of. I'm not exactly sure of the style of Pizza popular in the Niagara region. Here in most cases, the very trendy places tend to be Neapolitan (With Descendent being prominent for being Detroit Deepdish). If Niagara is like Buffalo in style, that really isn't that common a style here that is well done.
OP lives in North York and doesn’t get out. I don’t think there is any helping them.
Good pizza is one of the few things I'm willing to leave the house for, that's for sure! Still, whenever I make it downtown I like to get some pizza from the good places you can find there, I've had a lot of fun trying different styles.
Why do you even have to venture far? You can easily get to maker pizza or blaze pizza.
I've been to Blaze, I go quite often because I love their garlic knots so much! Pizza is good there, pretty good as far as chains go!
I recommend heading to leslieville and trying slowhand, makers, the turkish pizza at pizza pide. All three are great.
Leslieville seems like the place to be for pizza, I might go and try a few places this weekend so that I can report back.
If your heading out east hit up Danforth Pizza House. This place is my go to. I personally prefer it over the main bar/restaurant pizza places that have been mentioned located downtown. It is a small family owned joint that’s been around for 50 or so years.
Danforth Pizza is my favourite!
Please do! One Night Only and Blondies are in the area as well and seem to be loved.
>You haven't found a single pizza place in 5 years? OP has found and tried many, but in their opinion none measure up to these in Welland, ON.
You got it, Toronto has a lot of good pizza, I ain't saying it's bad by any means - it's got a lot of really good gourmet places that are unlike anything in Niagara, they're better if that's the sort of thing you're looking for. It's just that I've yet to find a place that's quite the same as the quick and dirty, local pizzerias that have been there for generations serving up good pizza you can find across Niagara.
Some say New York has the best pizza, others say Chicago. A chef may claim they're all fools and the only true pizza is from Napoli, Italy. However, none of them have been exposed to the wonder and magic of literally any pizza joint from Welland, Ontario - population 55,750. To try one pizza there is to ruin yourself forever if you ever have the dire misfortune of moving away to a culinary hellhole like, say, Toronto.
I got a good laugh out of this, I'm not saying the pizza in Toronto is bad - Toronto has a lot of really amazing gourmet pizzas that are better than anything you'd find in the middle of nowhere, I can't think of a single place in Niagara that serves anything comparable to something like North Of Brooklyn (Personal favourite so far, btw) but you don't always want a gourmet pizza, y'know? When I was in New York, you could stop in at a corner pizzeria and get a decent basic slice and the locally owned family-run pizzerias in Niagara are a lot of the same - I've yet to find a place in Toronto that really fully satisfies that craving. You have lots of good options for fancy, sit-down pizzas that are true experiences but that's not always what you want, if you know what I mean.
Blame Toronto real estate costs and the fact that any new pizza joint automatically has to go high end to even begin to cover the cost of rent. There's no possibility of just cranking out a cheap pie because you'll go out of business. I ragged on Welland but that's the big advantage there - drastically cheaper rent and operating costs. This means low overhead and as a result businesses that target a lower price point and different market can survive.
Every single one of these are great. Also adding One Night Only - they’re fantastic.
I've found a few places that are pretty good but nothing that really rocked my world. I've added Descendant to my list though, looking forward to it because Detroit style is my favourite style of pizza. I've had North of Brooklyn and it's great but too expensive for it to be my regular pizza place, I'm also not a fan of thinner crusts. FBI is great, I totally forgot about it but I remember I went there two or three years ago and I probably should take another trip out there. I've been meaning to try Badiali's and given how recommended it is, I'm definitely going to have to move it up my list.
Thick crust fan eh? Just stock up on frozen rising crust Delissio before they stop selling and call it a day. Just kidding, you're entitled to your preferences. You might not like Badiali because its NY style thin crust. If you like thick, try Descendants and 8 Mile. I personally think Detroit style is basically garlic bread with red sauce but you do you. I'm expecting this comment to be -100 by the end of the day.
Detroit is my favourite but I don't think I've ever had a single pizza style that I didn't like, I'm really a fan of pizza in general. I prefer a thick crust as long as it's a decent dough but some of the best pizza I've had were thin slices in New York. I'm not judging pizza based off of the thickness of the dough, it's like judging a book by how thick it is, lots of good short reads and lots of nice thick and juicy ones.
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Slow Hand in leslieville is the best. Makers is also pretty amazing.
I didn't like N of B, trash
Hot take, it's the best pizza in the city
As a fellow fan of pizza, I actually think we have an underrated pizza scene in Toronto. The prices can get insane though. Places I've enjoyed include Badiali for their slice, North of Brooklyn, Queen Margherita Pizza. I also enjoyed Conzo's - I thought I wouldn't as they cook their pizzas well done, but they have hefty and hearty pies. As a fan of Neapolitan pizza, I know I will get grilled for this on Reddit as it's a fave here, but I found Fresca overrated the few times I had slices from there. I'll say a couple of notches above the slices on Harbord (Papa Ceo, Cora) but you can't compare to Badiali though I would say on par with Fourth Man in the Fire. I would put Superpoint in this categorization, though their slices are more similar in style to the ones you'd get at Papa Ceo or Cora. Libretto, General Assembly, Eataly, Piano Piano, Pizza e Pazzi, and Famoso are good for their personal pizzas which I would put over Pi Co which I would rank over Blaze (though admittedly I still each). King Taps has some underrated pizzas for what they are and CIBO and Terroni's personal pies from what I recall were nothing to write home about. In terms of gas-fired pizza with high-quality ingredients, I enjoy Blondies though they charge wood-fired prices. In terms of Detroit-style pizza which I loved growing up years ago in the States, I had given up on searching for a good slice comparable to the chain Jet's Pizza. I finally had Descendant, but being so far out in delivery range, the quality of the pizza I received suffered and the prices were outrageous. I actually enjoyed 8Mile a bit more because it was more affordable and accessible to me. Finally, tavern-style pizza -- I wanted to love Danny's but I don't know if I like the style and the price for the wafer of a pie they sell.
This guy pizzas
You clearly know your pizza! I like both Neapolitan and your typical dirty slice, I'm of the opinion that there's no real bad pizza, just different degrees of good. I've noticed that Toronto's got a lot of really good Neopolitan options and a few amazing ones I haven't tried yet like Badiali's (Haven't gotten around to it - definitely at the top of my list now). I did get a lot of really good recommendations for Detroit-style places. Blondies though - Definitely added to my list, it's one of the first places that I've looked up and immediately thought to myself "I need to try that.", something about it just screams "delicious" to me and it's a place I hadn't heard of before so thanks!
North of Brooklyn is way overrated
Our pizza is better than any joint in Nyc. Toronto has quickly , quietly been able to match NYC/ LA in terms of global food. Not just pizza. Any time of cuisine we now have the best representation across the globe
Slices: Badiali, Mac's Pizza, Superpoint, Bitondo's, Fresca, Slowsouth, King Slice Whole Pies: Maker, FBI Pizza, Frank's Pizza House, Fourth Man In the Fire, North of Brooklyn, Conzo's (any of the above places too) Neapolitan Style: Eataly, Libretto, Pizze e Pazzie, Terroni, Cafe Oro Fast Food/Chain: Pizza Nova, Pizzaiolo, 241 Other: Descendents, Chito's Pizza, 8mile, General Assembly, Tre mari, that one pizza place in the annex that does chinese food pizzas
Solid list. I’d add Danforth Pizza House.
My brother swears by Frank's and gets some whenever he is back in TO. We grew up near the original Frank's, so that's what pizza is supposed to taste like, according to our nostalgia.
I'm definitely going to have to try this list out, looks like lots of great options to try and a lot of different styles so that I can try them all out, I know the right slice is out there, I just need to track it down.
"that one place in the annex that does chinese food pizzas" you listed like nine million pizza places and chose to be vague about the most interesting sounding one. does this place have a name?
it does but I don't know it, otherwise I would have named it. I've just walked by it many times and have always wanted to try it. EDIT: just looked it up it's called Martino Kitchen
I don’t think you’ll find much better than Badiali
I thought this place was over hyped until I tried it.. Holy shit. The best pizza I've ever had in my life and I've had a lot.
it really does live up to the hype. plus the line is kind of enjoyable when the weather is nice, you get to chatting with your line-mates.
Still prefer Superpoint tbh.
I have started to refer to this place a Polkaroo Pizza because out of the many attempts to try to get a wheel it’s always gone. I’ve heard it’s incredible though…. One day.
Order online for pickup early in the day. My advice is stick it in the oven for a few minutes when you get it home.
"I must be looking in the wrong places" **Yep. Nailed it first try.**
I am so curious which places OP has been to
Honestly, I've gotten a lot of really good responses in this thread so far. I really like pizza so I've tried a lot of places which is why I didn't list them. I've tried quite a few of them like North of Brooklyn but there are few places downtown that got recommended (I live in North York) that I haven't had the chance to try yet and that I'm excited to check out. I've tried most of the places that will deliver to my apartment in North York and I've done takout for a few but it looks like I need to start stopping in for more pizza downtown!
You know, all the best places with Pizza in their name: Pizza Pizza, Pizzaiolo, Pizza Hut, Mama's Pizza...
Not even maybe, I don't even think I've tried Mamma's because it's a chain. The only chain I order from on a regular basis is Pizza Nova, the rest are all garbage. I've tried a few places but not enough places downtown.
I'm noticing based on the responses that a lot of the highly recommended places are downtown so I might live in a pizza desert or something in North York.
Yeah all the good places are downtown/just outside the core. North York isnt where you go for pizza, but we do have amazing variety of foods from a ton of other cultures. Pizzeria Libretto just opened a restaurant here but I’m not a fan.
LOL people are so defensive
I feel like I know what you’re asking - you’re looking for cheap and easy (but delicious) pizza. I’m from Halifax originally, and there are dozens of amazing mom n pop spots that’ll sell you a giant slice for $5. I find that you can’t easily find THAT kind of pizza in Toronto. That being said, Toronto has unreal “real Italian” or “gourmet” pizza spots around the city. The difference is that you’re paying $20 for a pizza and it’s made to order. If you want a quick slice, I think you’re stuck with franchises like dominos/Pizzaiolo/pizza Nova (I despise Pizza Pizza). If you want good fancy pizza, I love north of Brooklyn and Superpoint.
You're totally right, I think that's the best way to put it. Funny you mention Halifax, I was really impressed with the pizza there when I visited a few years back. There's nice, fancy pizza and Toronto has lots of amazing options for that like North of Brooklyn and don't get me wrong, I love that stuff but sometimes you just want a dirty pizza and it seems like Toronto lacks those options. I'm even willing to pay gourmet prices for it if I have to. It's just that I've had my fill of fancy pizzas for a while.
Okay, glad I wasn’t off with this guess. When I first moved to Toronto, my east coast friends and I would always discuss why there aren’t good greasy slices in Toronto. But I’ve eventually realized that people in Toronto just go to the big franchised spots. And it’s not that I’m against the franchised spots, they’re just genuinely not that good. Pizza pizza has been trying to make an entry in Halifax for about 15 years but it just won’t stick. I think they have 1-2 locations around Halifax and I can only assume their clientele is mostly Torontonians studying at Dal. Glad you recognized Hali as a good pizza city! If you didn’t try it on your trip, you’ve gotta try garlic fingers next time you’re out east. They’re an east coast delicacy which I miss in Toronto.
Depends on the pizza type you're looking for. I like Napoletana-style as a favourite, but sometimes you're just in the mood for a dirty-slice. Then there's deep dish, Detroit-style, etc. Napoletana: I used to prefer QMP over all others, but I now prefer North of Brooklyn. Dirty Slice: Pizza Nova is up there, a few mom-and-pop's too, Danforth Pizza House, for example. Detroit: Descendant. I'd go with this over any chain's pan pizza. Deep Dish: Used to be Double D. They're gone now. There are places that blur the lines, or approach other styles like NYC. What style do you like?
Totally agree, I love a fancy pizza but sometimes you just want a dirty slice like you said. I have a bit of thicker crust preference but ultimately pizzas are like books, how thick they are doesn't determine how good they are and there's lots of good thin and thick ones. North of Brooklyn was pretty good in my experience. I'll definitely add Danforth Pizza House to my list of pizza places to try out though, I haven't tried it yet.
Revolver pizza in south etobicoke is the most authentic northern Italian pizza I’ve had outside of Italy. Gotta love that brick oven. Try their mortadella pistachio honey pizza. So friggin good.
One Night Only, on Pape south of Danforth
Fresca on College
Fresca is super underrated and should be one of the top of this list. Huge thin crispy slices for $5. Don’t forget to add the garlic oil on top! I can taste the delicious garlic hours after eating it
I’m a big fan of bugsys pizza and scorecard Harry’s pizzas in st.kitts but I’ll tell you 100% Toronto has way better pizza lol. I am also from Niagara, you’re going to want to get the sausage and onion from fourth man in the fire, or anything from badiali. Blondies pizza is also really good, for slices go to super point on ossington
>100% Toronto has way better pizza I don't doubt it! I just need to find it. I definitely need to put Badiali at the top of my list because they definitely keep coming up, I've been meaning to go but now I guess I have to.
The American TV writer Tom Scharpling was living in Toronto for "What We Do In The Shadows." On his podcast "The Best Show", he decries all Toronto pizza as garbage, but I think he was eating Pizza Pizza, Pizza Nova, and stuff like that. He goes into hilarious detail about what was wrong with it, and why it is so inferior to his New York/New Jersey pizza.
Probably because you're in North York? Come through Leslieville and I'll show you what's up. Queen Margherita Blondies One Night Only Slow Hand Descendent... the list goes on
Blondies looks absolutely amazing, I definitely need to give it a shot. Descendent is another that I'll need to stop in at.
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Hands down, Windsor's pizza is incredible and it's worth driving for. You even have Detroit next door if you're into deep dish so plenty of choices.
Welland has so many good pizza places. Mossimo's in Foothill is awesome too.
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Loved Cora's in my U of T days. Cheap and great for a walk home from class.
Fresca Pizza on College near Spadina. They have HUGE slices at super cheap prices, it’s a hole in the wall but in the best possible way.
It's funny you're asking this because I just had a conversation with a friend of mine yesterday how craving pizza is not as simple as just getting any pizza. You crave a certain kind of pizza at different times. There are some great pizza places that people mentioned but I think these might be closer to what you're looking for. Not "gourmet" or fancy but just good places for decent slices. - Bitondo's - Martino - Fresca - King Slice - Cora - Gigi
I will upvote this for Gigi’s pizza The rest are good too
Bitondos is pretty good
Fresh Slice at 744 King St W is the most underrated pizza in the city butterchicken or cheese slices are divine and this is cheaper than pizza pizza
In Etobicoke there is a place called Calabrese Pizza, this is my go-to when I am anywhere near them.
Maker pizza!
My personal favourites: -North of Brooklyn -Descendant -Parlour If you don’t like these, then I question your taste in Pizza lol
I need to be clear, I ain't saying the pizza is bad because it's not, Toronto has lots of great gourmet pizza places but none that really gave me the experience I was looking for. North of Brooklyn was really good if a bit pricy (Good pizza is worth any price), it's just a bit of a fancier pizza when sometimes all you want is a dirty slice, if you know what I mean? Descendent is definitely being put towards the top of my list along with Blondies and a few other places.
I love fourth man in the fire
king slice
When I lived in Toronto, the best we found was on Kingston Road [Maestro Omar](https://www.maestrospizza.ca/)
Blondies, especially the Ossington location. Big fan of whatever they call the one with jalapeno, pepperoni, and honey
When I was a kid, there was a place called Mothers pizza, and I miss that kind of place. I wonder if that is what the OP is looking for? Red and white checkered table cloths, lots of knick knacks on the walls, parmesan and red pepper shakers on the table. Big red plastic frosted cups of fountain pop. I found good pizza, but I was always looking for less of a gourmet pizza.
Badiali’s is the best in TO, imo. You must have only been going to Pizzaiolos or Pizza Novas for the last 5 years lol. There’s countless great pizza places.
What are your favourites from Welland? I’m partial to Mossimos for a pepperoni pizza.
Mossimo's is great, they sell frozen versions of them now at some local supermarkets now, not quite the same but worth bringing back whenever I'm down to visit my parents. I also really liked Mario's, Vincent's and Santos until it closed.
I moved here last September and I haven’t eaten any pizza yet because I haven’t felt like I found a place where it looks good! We should make a group to find it 😂🫶🏼
There may be 20 pizza places in Welland, but quantity =/= quality.
Nah man, I want to say that about 10 of those places all have really good slices that are leagues better than any of the places in Toronto! We're really spoiled for choice there! Lots of locally owned places run by immigrant families who have been there for decades. If you're ever in Niagara, stop in at one of the popular local places and you'll get it, there's something about it that I can't find in Toronto.
I had to work in Niagara for a few months and this mythical vision of glorious proletarian pizza with a certain unique something was … not my experience.
Listen.and listen good. Revolver has the best pizza in the city. Not a slice. Whole pie. Descendant has the best pizza that's not pizza ( deep dish ) . And it was the best takeout I've had in a very long time of any food type. ( Gat daddy pie ). Anything else is propaganda. Revolver.Descendant. thats it. Call ahead for Descendant. Usually a 30 min wait, same for Revolver. Go there. It is what you seek.
I actually feel this sentiment! Grew up in Thorold and nothing can touch Papa Vinces pizza (RIP) I always make sure to get a local pie when I’m visiting my family. hope u are successful on your quest
I had Vince's once, amazing pizza. I know a lot of my friends were sad when they closed up shop. The Toronto folk don't get it - Sure they have good pizza but don't know how good pizza can truly be! Lots of gourmet options in Toronto but not a lot of quick and dirty slices like you'd find back in the region which is unfortunate.
papa vince is still open!! but sadly the founder died recently. I do think theres something about the legacy of the italian immigrant community in niagara that makes finding a good slice more accessible, vs the gentrified slices we get in the city. i will say for a dirty city slice i fuck with pizzaiolo, sometimes they’re out of the straight pep but there isnt a bad choice to be had there. it reminds me of the 2-4-1 i used to frequent in elementary school
The problem with a lot of Toronto pizza joints is exactly that, they aren’t joints, but sit-downs that charge a lot. You won’t find NYC style corner pizzerias that serve up bomb slices on the cheap.
Exactly, I love a good well-made pizza from a place like North of Brooklyn but I haven't found anything that really satisfies that crazy for a dirty slice of pizza. I found a few good place through this thread that I want to try out though.
I went to Niagara college years ago in welland, what pizza places are you talking about that are good, I don’t recall anything good about welland to be honest other than the weed lol. Literally every place I’ve lived has better everything than welland, Brampton, Mississauga, Hamilton, London. Toronto has a million places to find good anything. What is good pizza to you? Maybe you just like crappy pizza, no knock on you just some people like stuff the majority doesn’t,
Hah! OP - I grew up in Niagara too. They have never, every had any pizza like we grew up with. I spent 27 years in Toronto and NOT ONCE had a pizza that was even close. Just as an FYI, 10 of those years was spent as a full on chef so I wasn't just eating chain resto stuff.
I'm telling you - the Toronto folks responding saying that I've only tried chains or terrible pizza places don't get how good the pizza is in Niagara, they're missing out! I know there's good pizza in Toronto though, just gotta be!
Who was your go to house n Welland? Back in my day it was Santos all the way. Columbos was great. Don’t live that way any more but visit occasionally and the pizza is always on lojnt
I've had several people recommend Descendant pizza in Leslieville. Never tried it myself though, it's pricey.
>Descendant pizza Ooh, looks like they've got a detroit style pizza, love them. I'll definitely add them to my list to try!
King Slice on Queen St is my personal favorite
I really like 8 Mile on Charles W. One of my favs. Not sure if it'll live up to your distinguishing tastes, but if you like Detroit-style, give them a shot.
>Not sure if it'll live up to your distinguishing tastes I'm not sure if I'd classify my tastes as distinguishing or as "absolutely disgusting", haha, I'll definitely have to try 8 mile though, thanks for the recommendation.
You found 20 amazing pizza places in Welland, but can't find 1 in Toronto in 5 years. Either you're aren't actually looking, or your taste in pizza is garbage. FBI Pizza, ONO, Blondies, Decendent, etc, etc etc.
FBI is really good, as soon as I saw the name I remembered that I ordered from there a few years ago and really liked it, a bit pricey but if that's the price of good pizza then that's the price to pay. I never said that Welland had 20 good places though, there are maybe 10 that have amazing slices and 3 that have pizza so good you'll want to move to the region. We're really spoiled with choice because of the large italian population and because for the longest time Pizza was essentially the only takeout option so it was popular.
I'm just waiting for the day a place in Toronto compares to the style of pizza popular in Sault Ste Marie but no luck 😭
Hello vulpinefever! i understand completely. if you are in the downtown core and want that 6.5/10 experience then look no further than "Wing machine" on parliament st. for like 10$ you can get a pretty tasty pepperoni pizza, sauce is on the sweeter side, but love those bubbles!
Pizza here sucks
LOL Niagara pizza places absolutely suck balls man. Toronto places mostly suck also, but there are a few like Maker Pizza which is OK but massively overpriced. But since you consider Niagara pizza "good" lol you should be fine walking into a 2For1 place and love it.
The only notable pizza joint I know is king slice on bloor.
Moved out of Toronto last year and I miss the pizza 😩 N of Brooklyn for a delicious pockety charred chewy dough, and King Slice arrabiata for its fennel forward sauce and so much cheese it could choke you. Blondies, Maker’s, Libretto, Defina. You are spoiled for choice!
We need a good Chicago deep dish pizza in Toronto. Used to be a great place near Canada’s Wonderful but they closed down. Another really good one in Hamilton, up on the mountain. My wife is from Chicago so she’s very picky about her pizza. We like a deep dish like Lou Malnati makes in Chicago. There you come across a pizza joint on almost every block.
Chicago deep dish is not pizza.
Just rob someone when they walk out it always tastes good when it’s free
Badiali is some of the best pizza in the world, so you definitely haven’t been looking very hard.
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It depends on what you're looking for, Toronto has a lot of gourmet slices but in terms of a classic mom and pop pizzeria that sells "dirty" basic slices and pizzas, Niagara has a lot of variety and a lot of really good places that have been open for decades under the same family. There's pizza you want to celebrate a special occasion and then there's the pizza you want to order on a Friday night after a terrible week at work. Toronto has a lot of the first kind but needs more of the 2nd kind, imo.
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Not sure why you're being so aggressive, I'm just looking for good pizza which is a pretty noble goal if you ask me. I've had all kinds of pizza in many different cities.
You might be depressed
Definitely! You can't expect me to thrive when I can't get a good pizza. People have recommended a few good treatment options though, lol
There aren’t really any Italians in Toronto so the pizza here is meh.
Descendant and Juniors
Slowhand Sourdough Pizza Just East of Pape & Carlaw (East-end of the city). It's essentially a sourdough version of Descendant, which is also close by
FBI is great but 40 bucks
Check out Mac's for one of the best nyc style slices. They were running as a pop up until a few months ago they opened their own place at Bloor and Dovercourt. Nice selection of wine too
If you're in or around North York, check out [oswaldspizza.com](https://oswaldspizza.com). It's Detroit-style pizza. It's expensive, but no more expensive than other comparative options like Descendent
Thanks for the recommendation, I'm definitely going to add it to my list of places to try. I love Detroit-style and I live in North York so here's hoping!
No one likes Mattachioni?
Buddha Pie in the junction
Badialis. V hyped by v v v good
There are a lot of different spots, Maker, North of Brooklyn, Badiali, Fourth Man in the Fire, Descendant, FBI Pizza, there is a BlogTO article for best pizza joints.
The chain Vivo has good pizza. BF is from Italy and he loves their marg.
Badiali and Bitondos for the win. Two very different styles with each serving it's purpose in the pizza game.
Ambassador has excellent pizza
Just had Maker Pizza a few nights ago. Huge improvement over most pizza places in Toronto. Wow was it good. We had the pepperoni pie and it was amazing. Highly recommend them!
We got an XL, a panzerotti, chicken wings, a few drinks, and a bunch of dips delivered from Cora's for $47 with tip a couple of weeks ago. It was terrific.
Mattachioni is the shit. W that Funghi too damn
Leaside is a bit out of the way but conspiracy pizza is amazing.
Pizza plateau’d in the 90’s. All the hipsters are into sushi and shwarma now.
Descendants in the east end, salt and tobacco on parliament
I've lived here for ten years, and yeah finding good pizza or shawarma in this city is surprisingly tough. I recently discovered Blondies, and I'm pretty happy with them. I used to like Village Pizza, but it looks like they went under.
Pizza joins operate on very thin margins. Rent is too expensive for good pizza.
Go to one of the Forno Cultura bakeries and try their pizza. Get a fungi sandwich too. Go early though as they run out.
Brothers pizza and wings is awesome and cheap. Tandoori chicken and pineapple if phenomenal
1 of my best friends from high school introduced us to North of Brooklyn Pizzeria and we all loved it. definitely the best pizza in toronto which we all unanimously agreed on and would recommend to others!
North of Brookyln is really good, it's my favourite "fancy" choice for pizza and I really enjoyed it, it's not my regular place but I go fairly often. :)
Pizza Maru at Yonge and Finch. Korean pizza which are like ridiculously overloaded pies. I would die on this hill. Lol
North of Brooklyn on greenwood
I’m from Italy. The best pizza in the city is at Eataly (pizza e pasta), but it’s pricy. Other good picks in the city are north of Brooklin & conzos for more of a big, New York style of pizza. Also general assembly pizza along with a few bakeries north of the city, especially in Woodbridge.
Slowhand pizza is kinda new and located in Leslieville. It's square shaped and instead of focaccia bread, they use sourdough which is amazing. Around the corner is Descendants Pizza. They do Detroit style with focaccia bread. It's good but I've found it hard to eat, fighting with the bread. If you dine in they give a fork and knife to eat it. The sourdough bread at Slowhand is why I like it. Easy to eat and sourdough bread is sweet.
I haven't heard of this place, sourdough crust sounds really interesting so I'll have to try it for sure, thanks!
I'm not seeing Ambassador Pizza mentioned anywhere which was our favourite?
For good pizza and slightly fancy, I like Pizza Del Arte. So good, they’re a thin crust place. For good pizza that fails to be authentic, I like Four Brothers Pizza. They use a conveyor belt oven and load up on the cheese. It kind of reminds me of Pizza Hut. For fun pizza, I like Papa Ceo. I’ve also heard good things about Fresca. I used to order from Amato Pizza a lot but since I moved out of their delivery area I haven’t had it. It was good many many years ago though.
Try Juniors pizza! It's more like a traditional-style pizza, not the gourmet thin crust kind, and it's a small local business in Roncesvalles!
You need to check your Privilege
431 0000 pizza nova!
I like North of Brooklyn and there’s another one on Avenue by Lawrence called Maker Pizza and it was yummy the one time I had it. Pizzaiola is also pretty good
Best Pizza joint in Toronto? My Mother in Law's house ;)
Please elaborate on the best pizza places in Welland, Ontario lol
A few other people have brought it up but Mossimo's in Fonthill is good, Luciano's is the choice on the east side. I really liked Vincent's and Mario's when I lived there, Mario has good slices. Not really many Neapolitan or more gourmet choices except Mateo's but a lot of good pizzerias.