Oswald's Pizza at Chef's Hall in the Financial District is the restaurant's first downtown brick-and-mortar location after the pizza joint sprouted up in the northern end of the city during the pandemic.

On the menu here are Detroit-style pizzas, known for their thick, rectangular crust that's equal parts crispy and chewy.

At Oswald's Pizza, you’ll find six tasty combinations including Truffle Shuffle, Classic Pepperoni, Mac Daddy and Butter Baddy.

Partners Sara McCulloch and Ryan Silber came up with the idea of Oswald's Pizza a few years ago when things began to slow down with their catering business, Encore. 

This gave head chef McCulloch some time to experiment with recipes that eventually led to the creation of their own spin on Detroit-style pizza using focaccia.

"I've been making focaccia forever and I wanted to figure out how I could include it in a pizza," McCulloch tells blogTO.

McCulloch and Silber started Oswald's from their own kitchen, selling pizzas every Thursday during the pandemic. They built a strong customer base during this time as they continued to work on their pizza recipes.

Given the positive reception, the duo began selling Oswald's Pizza at Encore catering events as well in a bid to showcase their offerings.

Now Oswald's has its first location with the partners working on expanding their business and brand. 

An important focus at Oswald's Pizza is the crust and McCulloch ensures that it's made with care and precision to maintain its quality.

The special crust at Oswald's Pizza takes nearly three days to make, from start to finish. They have a dedicated team at their commissary kitchen making dough everyday to keep up with the demand.

McCulloch explains that the focaccia is infused with olive oil and allowed to ferment for 48 hours, which helps to enhance the final product's flavour and texture.

While other pizza places offer a long list of pizza types and toppings, Oswald's decision to stick to only six pizzas is an intentional move. 

"We believe the pizzas here are more of an experience. We want our customers to try our pizzas just the way we've envisioned them, right down to the kind of toppings and sauces that we use," McCulloch explains.

They want to steer clear of customizations because the pizzas are crafted in a specific way and they want their customers to experience that to the fullest. 

Classic Pepperoni ($7 for a slice) is brimming with delicious Ezzo pepperoni slices and lots of shredded mozzarella. The soft focaccia is a treat to bite into and pairs excellently with the homemade san marzano tomato sauce and fresh basil.

Truffle Shuffle ($7 for a slice) features a generous amount of white truffles and shaved parm topped with a truffle mayo drizzle. The bechamel sauce and caramelized onions infuse the slice with a rich and creamy texture.

Mac Daddy (($7 for a slice) is an interesting spin on the famous Big Mac and comes together perfectly with the mozza-cheddar blend, the ground beef and the shredded iceberg lettuce. The pickles add a welcome dash of tartness to every bite you take.

Oswald's Pizza is located Inside Chef's Hall at 111 Richmond Street West. It's open Monday through Saturday from 11.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.