The Best Pizza in Toronto

Posted by Frank
Filed in Best of Toronto
April 15, 2008

BlogTO's Best Pizza List
Now there's perfect breakfast food (eggs benny or any thing from the late, great kitchen at Mimi's at Bathurst & Queen) and there's perfect dinner food (a huge porterhouse at the Tulip or maybe some omakase courtesy Kaji-san) but is there a better breakfast/dinner food than Pizza? Luckily Toronto's got it's fair share of slice-serving establishments to provide the serious foodie and the spirit-soaked post-club crowd with enough fine examples of that Neapolitan pie to almost quench this cities nearly obscene hunger.

Toronto's Best Pizza 1
Now I know that some of you are gonna take exception to names excepted from this list but better to keep that rage like a secret until next year's BlogTO best of survey calls for entries, then loose that rage and start reppin' for your own 'hood's gift to pizzadom (yes, we know how good Pizza Gigi and Papa Ceo are-- frosh). I personally think this list is weighted impossibly towards the downtown-centric and find it hard to believe with all the good suburban burgers, we couldn't find a decent pie in Etobicoke or Scarborough for inclusion on this list.

Be that as it may.

There's still tonnes of quality present and our number one has definitely earned its place as the pole star in this culinary constellation.

Everyone loves a Terroni pizza. From the crispy crust, to the fresh ingredients, to the family run franchises popping up everywhere to the surly reactions when you ask for a substitution (silly n00b), it's the whole pizza package.

The rest of this list (including a personal shout out to the #4 position which nursed me through a recent root canal...another reason pizza is awesome is because it can be eaten while anaesthetized) are all outstanding specimens of pizza and would all be welcome additions to any empty belly cold the next morning.

That being said, let the flame-war commence!!!

Terroni

The big cheese of our list, Terroni's been slingin' some of the tastiest 'za this side of Naples for years. Super-thin crust and a wide selection of fresh toppings but don't even think about using your fingers for this pie. Cutlery is de rigeur. More...

Magic Oven

From humble beginnings across the street from Broadview Station, these purveyors of nouveau-za are primed to take over the city across five locations offering a quirky blend of toppings (check out the tandoori chicken pizza for a serious flavour treat) and crusts for any occasion from vegan to gluten free. More...

The Big Ragu

Generous on the toppings and piping hot -- key elements to a good pizza. Mix that with a thin baked crust and what you get is a sublime expression of the pie-man's art. Big Ragu's quattro stagioni rivals Queen West's 'Terroni' for best in town. (Though if you're a big fan of preserved black olives, then Big Ragu is your winner). More...

Vesuvio

Probably one of the Junction's oldest restaurants (at 50 years young) offering the kinda wood-fired delivery 'za Plato would've ordered to hold up and flicker its shadow on the cave wall. I mean it's the archetype people! Mushroom, anchovies and black olives are my personal fave! More...

L'il Baci

Thin crust pizza that stands up to some of the best food in Leslieville. Operated by the fine folks at Kubo Radio. The pizzas are big enough to share. I don't know whether tis Tanja's skill at food pornography or mouthwatering list of ingredients but the Funghi, a white pizza with crimini mushrooms, taleggio, sage and truffle oil is definitely on the must try list. More...

Bitondo Pizzeria & Sandwiches

Named after the Italian verb for 'to bite on' ;oP, it's what you'll wanna do to the tasty slices they sling the second you walk thru the door. And housed in a quaint Clinton street storefront to boot. More...

Massimo's Pizza & Pasta

Oddly enough, I was watching the 'Restaurant Makeover' on Massimo's just last night and thinking fondly of their tangy sauce and above average delivery 'za thinking I can finally stop turning up my nose and eat 'in' for a change. More...

Pizza Pide

Turkey on a pizza! No, pizza from Turkey, fool! Well technically canoe shaped 'pide' but delicious in any language. Across from Gerrard Square Pizza Pide offers some tasty varieties including ones topped with spicy Turkish sausage and sunny-side up egg! Quite possibly making the perfect breakfast food that much better. More...

Regina Pizzeria and Trattoria

Since 1981, Rocco and Mario have made Regina's the neighborhood place to be in the heart of Little Italy. Dine in or have them deliver their homemade pizzas, pastas, or tasty sandwiches. More...

Marcello's Pizzeria

Marcello's Pizzeria is a local favourite in Toronto's Corso Italia. There are more than 20 pizza options to choose from as well as pasta, sandwiches and salads. More...

Reader Reviews and Comments

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I couldn't stand the Funghi.

Posted by: Japhet at April 15, 2008 9:06 PM

c'mon, I hear you make the even the Funghi 'fun', guy...

Posted by: frank at April 15, 2008 9:10 PM

Regina?! No way!

Posted by: Teena at April 15, 2008 9:27 PM

Lil Baci is missing it's link. It goes straight to the restaurant section.

Posted by: Ryan L. at April 15, 2008 9:32 PM

Whoops, and Reginas

Posted by: Ryan L. at April 15, 2008 9:33 PM

Same with regina

Posted by: Luke W at April 15, 2008 9:35 PM

Thanks for the keen eyes everyone. The links have been fixed.

Posted by: frank at April 15, 2008 9:46 PM

I'm obviously in the minority here but, to me, a terroni pizza is good, but goddamn is it thin on pretty much everything for the price! it's pizza for gods sake! it's good, don't get me wrong, but I suspect there's a cult of terroni going on here...

Posted by: ronotoe

at April 15, 2008 10:13 PM

Maybe it was just me...but my experience at magic oven was way less that stellar...I'd go so far as to say it was possibly one of the worst pizza's Ive ever had.

Posted by: A|Layton at April 15, 2008 10:13 PM

I agree about Magic Oven - had it after reading many rave reviews and seeing it highly ranked in lists such as this and honestly could not understand why after trying it. It was pretty awful and, as I recall, there was something very un-pizza about it.

Posted by: Greg at April 15, 2008 11:06 PM

Marcello's is awesome - glad to see it made the list!

Posted by: rachel at April 15, 2008 11:38 PM

You missed these guys: http://www.dantesitalian.ca/. Pricey but it's worth it.

Posted by: markh at April 15, 2008 11:54 PM

List is way off... Il Gato Nero at the very least should be on it...

Posted by: Metro at April 15, 2008 11:58 PM

MarkH, I don't think that Thornhill counts as in Toronto, it's a different municipality. Your definition may vary.

Posted by: Ben at April 16, 2008 12:00 AM

Added to my things to do this summer!

Posted by: Justin at April 16, 2008 2:31 AM

I don't remember the name, but there used to be an incredible, tiny pizza joint right at the corner of Harbord and Spadina. They had a bunch of custom slices named after various celebs, including the Elvis (lots of meat), Tina Turner (vegetarian), etc.

I do remember eating at a Massimo's on College, which had very tasty calzones (when they first became popular, probably late 80s)

Posted by: jonson roth at April 16, 2008 2:43 AM

Oh yeah, it's called Papa Ceo. I guess you mentioned it, but it's not actually on your list, and I'm not clear on why. I've eaten in a lot of pizza places, in a lot of cities in N. America, and I've never tasted anything as good as Papa Ceo's.

Posted by: jonson roth at April 16, 2008 2:48 AM

Pizza GiGi didn't make this list?

Posted by: Dr. at April 16, 2008 3:48 AM

Terroni to me is a big time rip off.

Posted by: apetimberlake

at April 16, 2008 8:34 AM

jonson, Dr., this is a list of the best pizza in the city, not the most overcooked. Gigi and Ceo are off the list.

Posted by: Ben at April 16, 2008 8:45 AM

the best pizza i've ever had was in waterloo/kitchen at pepi's. the bacon they used were half fatty half lean and when they baked on the pizza, they had just the right amount of crunch. i would drive an hour to have that right now!

there was this pizza place i passed by on queen st. east. i think it was at the corner of carlaw? but it was a small place and had a whole variety of pizzas. not a lot of room for a sit down. i think the name starts with "am...."? has anyone been to that place?

Posted by: kit at April 16, 2008 10:51 AM

If there is one thing aside from taxes and death as being constant in the universe, the other would be disagreeing on the best pizza.

I actually have friends who insist Pizza Pizza is the best.

Posted by: Ryan L. at April 16, 2008 11:44 AM

Magic Oven uses frozen crusts - should not even be a contender let alone the #2 pick. RECOUNT!

Posted by: twerq at April 16, 2008 1:41 PM

Consider me also baffled how Magic Oven is still in business never mind on a list like this, good, perhaps even very good toppings on the worst facsimile of pizza crust ever concieved, I'm sure it the same stuff you can buy precooked and frozen at the grocery store. There's an old joke about the box being tastier than the pizza within, but in the case of Magic Oven it's no joke it's reality.

Posted by: Chester Pape at April 16, 2008 9:58 PM

I have to put in a word for Mangia&Bevi. It's hidden away, but I think it's so much better than Terroni.

Restaurant site: http://www.mbresto.com/
My blog: http://icantbelieveimbackintoronto.blogspot.com/2007/12/mangia-bevi-best-pizza-in-toronto.html
http://icantbelieveimbackintoronto.blogspot.com/2008/02/mangia-i-thought-pizza-was-good.html

Posted by: k-chan at April 17, 2008 11:02 AM

I myself was not a Magic Oven believer, because I kept having it at parties and events with the fake soy cheese pizzas which really...just don't cut it. But I had the pepperoni with REAL cheese pizza recently and it was delicious. Thin and not oozing and the pepperoni was just great!

Vesuvios is definitely up there on my list, however. Roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes and hot cappicollo? DIVINE.

Posted by: Danielle at April 17, 2008 1:18 PM

Camarra's should definitely be on this list.

Posted by: sam soulshack at June 29, 2008 10:05 AM

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