We've come very far and this final twenty, I assure you dear reader, is a parade of goodness. Debate the precise order if you must of course, here's how I see it:
#20 - Village Pizza (Dovercourt) - B+
759 Dovercourt Road
Normally if I pay five+ bucks for a slice, it better be either huge or thick. Village slices do neither and aren't particularly filling as such. More importantly though their pizza is interesting (and I didn't even try the spam one).
I went twice for two very different slices each time. First was a 1up mushroom attack: three types baked in with gorgonzola and mozzarella, super(Mario) soft and earthy, counteracted nicely with a smattering of crunchy garlic chips on top. Lots of richness and exceptionally light texture.
The second time I went a bit more traditional: electing upon the sausage slice with bocconcini, pickled hot peppers, lemony baby kale and a hint of brown butter. Texture-wise this was much different: where that mushroom pie had been smooth and oily, this sausage one was crispy with lots of dough bubbles. The crust especially was so crunchy I regretted saying "no" when asked if I wanted a drink. Beyond that though, every other element of this slice worked, with crumbly sausage not overcooked, little chili peppers providing a nip of heat rather than a punch, and a slight lemon hint helping offset the harsh bitterness of the kale (I always forget sometimes how I really don't like kale).
Village's best weapon, however, is their house sauce. While there is a charge for other sauces (garlic dip, marinara etc), they have a squeeze bottle usually available of a fantastic bright red dip. Strong hints of chilis, garlic and a herb finish, this stuff is magic and really the strongest factor nudging them into the Top 20 here over a few other places equally deserving.
#19 - Big Trouble Pizza - B++
235-1 Spadina Avenue
I seriously can't believe I just now, sitting to write this review, realized how Big Trouble Pizza (being in Chinatown) is such an obvious reference to 'Big Trouble In Little China'. Well played, sirs.
Big Trouble wins a lot of points for creativity, and loses a couple likewise. Their 'King Funghi' slice was weird to me: super chewy sprout mushrooms, dollops of jam instead of tomato sauce, even more mushrooms and tiny bits of cheese? I felt like it was in my mouth for hours.
However, the MF Prashroots slice: also mushrooms, but with truffle ricotta (whoa) and thin slices of prosciutto. Damn damn, a seriously wicked slice. Every bite was rich, salty, creamy, you just wanted to chew it slow and enjoy it, let it do its thing.
Since my two experiences were so drastically different, then came a third time! (I work very close to there on Fridays). Because of that difference, something classic and more neutral felt appropriate: their pepperoni slice. Sure enough, it's neutral and classic. Not gaining points or losing any because of it. The soppressata (thumbs up for that instead of pepperoni) is spicy but not aggressive, while the sauce and crust (thrust more into the spotlight here) show their stuff and are fairly standard, though the crust has a thin texture to it despite being visually thick.
After three(!) tries, I was compelled to go one final time before reaching amy final verdict. Why? Because those previous times I'd missed the most interesting slice to try: the Butter Jam Jam. A slice with raspberry jam, lemon zest and balsamic reduction? I'd be a terrible reviewer if I moved on from here without at least seeing if that one worked.
Does it? You know... it does. Somehow, they pull it off. Imagine a thick slice of buttery toast, loaded with jam and melted cheese. That's basically what this is, with the balsamic there to cut into the intense sweetness of the jam and the lemon zest to... make this whole thing weirder I guess? It's a messy slice to eat (the soft dough foundation floppy under the weight) and maybe the novelty of it wears off a touch once you're halfway through eating it. Still though, massive creativity points whether they pulled it off or not and I'd say they do so successfully. A really, really innovative and cool pizza joint.
#18 - Double D's - B++
1020 Gerrard Street East
This place is a funhouse madhouse, friends. You go there anytime, any day and it's likely going to be memorable for you and whoever else you bring. The first time I went was with a friend similarly curious about some legit deep dish pizza in Toronto, and the staff was basically having a dance party. On a Tuesday, no less. They bought us two shots of Jameson, for cryin' out loud.
The second time was with a buddy now teaching in China (good job but hurry the hell back would yeh) and we just went for some cheap pitchers of beer, not pizza (despite the temptation) and sat on their corner patio. At one point our cool and super eager server told us if anyone asked for her she'd be right back, then proceeded to hop into a SUV full of people blasting techno and drove off. (And she did come back!)
Right, the pizza itself. It's deep dish! Maybe not up to the absurd quality of Giordano's in Chicago or the amazing Zachary's in Rockridge, California. Taken out of comparisons like that, DD's is pretty damn good. Obviously there's a ton of sauce (duh it's deep dish) and it's full of tomato texture, like a thick hearty consistency while also avoiding soupiness. This particular slice did have a slightly stale crust (arg...), a result I suspect of my ordering a slice (and pint) special instead of ordering a fresh pie (I was in a hurry). The sausage meanwhile was delightfully smothered in the sauce and carried a presence even the bites that didn't have any.
I love this kind of pizza. DD's misses only in overall consistency (the slight staleness and cheese not quite melted compared with the rest of it). It's not Giordano's or Zachary's but DD's is mighty good, a testament to deep dish style and damn memorable if you pop in at that right time.
#17 - Bellissimo Pizzeria and Ristorante - B++
164 The Esplanade
Pure nostalgia, baby. Unless you've lived near Sherbourne and Front (nope), dated somebody who lived there (also nope) worked in that area (yep), or shot hoops on that great Esplanade court (also yep), you've probably never even heard of this place. Well, it is a gem, a downtown pizza gem hidden around the corner from skyscrapers and behind the guise of some externally dumpy looking bar.
On appearance you really wouldn't think this as a great spot for pizza. I went to high school right in downtown Toronto and one evening after the talent show we all went. At that time I thought it was just some shady spot we went to because a dude on my Improv team lived nearby. Bellissimo though is more lived-in than shady. I've been going there occasionally for five years now (starting when I worked at a bar nearby) and it's always been one the same three people taking my order.
Enough nostalgia, the pizza itself claims this spot because hey, it's really good. Real, real cheesy, like to the point you probably have to wait five minutes to even break the slices apart because it also comes out real hot. Bellissimo pizza is really about layers: the layer of dough at the bottom (so thin it'll soak up all the oils of the toppings directly above real fast), the layer of toppings all together cooking under the heat of the gooey cheese layer, the said gooey cheese layer, and anything else that escapes to the surface. If you add feta cheese for instance (a very good move, like I did here), that will rest at the top and add a serious additional salty, flaky texture. And the ingredients themselves are solid: the mushrooms flavourful and moist, the salami super thin and lightly salty, the cheese thick (probably too much so, compared to the dough) yet not so much that you get the Domino's Pizza problem where it becomes impossible to reheat.
This is one of my personal favourite spots in the entire city, but I will say objectively they drop a bit for that excess cheese and there really are significantly better choices. But not that many, and their walk-in specials (10 bucks for a medium that's really a large) just adds to the loads of positive stuff happening. Never change.
#16 - F.B.I. Pizza - B++
2336 Lakeshore Boulevard West
Mimico is a fascinating part of town. Somewhat obscure (occasionally I encounter people who don't even know where it is), obviously beautiful (close to the lake and the Humber River), sketchy in some spots but also with a serious student presence (Humber College) while the Queen streetcar holds it all together.
I traveled to Mimico twice this year specifically for pizza. Considering I live near Neville Park believe me when I say both times were worth the trip. Yeah, Calibreze wasn't anything great but Il Paesano really has a classic recipe thing going on; FBI Pizza takes it up a few levels. This pie I ordered (spicy salami with a drizzle of hot honey and pepperoncini) at first appeared seriously overcooked with those brown cheese bubbles. Instead it was a combination of mozzarella cooked at different levels: a crispiness to the cheese sure, but softness in the centre and a gooey consistency hidden by first impressions. Damn spicy too, oh yeah, yet the hot honey really combats that spice attack with a wonderful easier sweetness baked into the pizza and cheese itself (but not excessive to the point it simply thins and drips off; with honey on pizza you really have to find that sweet spot).
I was impressed and this pie is truly delicious (still maybe slightly overcooked). Maybe another time (not -10 degrees) I'll head out to Mimico again for a pie. Maybe this one, maybe a different one.
#15 - Queen Margherita (Queen East) - B++
1402 Queen Street East
Back when I worked at Libretto some of our staff occasionally debated Terroni versus Libretto. QM was the rivalry our patrons often asked us about, wondering what the exact differences were or even if there was bad blood.
As style goes they're obviously very similar. QM seems like they keep things a bit simpler: not to the point of Terroni's minimal topping/no substitutions kind of thing, just a more straightforward traditional result. Not to say this is boring pizza in any way: this pictured pie was loaded with deliciously tender pulled pork, a drizzled olive/herb oil mix, some tiny peppers for a spice punch here and there, and the classic arugula/grano padano combo landing on the pad.
This was the second time I'd been to QM, the first being a few months earlier likewise for this article but I forgot to take a picture. It's maybe for the best I did, because that first pizza was merely good while this pictured one (a daily special I think) was outstanding. This one had that dough/cheese melt in your mouth mix, with a little hint of char you expect from this type of pie, while my first go was more saucy, bitter outing (sausage and rapini) and I used a lot of nearby spicy olive oil for the excess crust. So consider it a B the first time, an A- the second. Like a roll of the dice where "good" is the worst result.
#14 - Salt And Tobacco - B++
521 Parliament Street
I went in this one not knowing what to expect: some random Cabbagetown spot I'd only heard about from Google Maps. So I was riding the wheels on a rainy December evening, happened to be passing by and thought this was the time to give them a shot. Nothing on the menu really jumped out except for a personal standard: a spicy Hawaiian.
Don't get me wrong, while I'm obviously pro-pineapple on pizza I only go for it once in a while (Once in a younger time I ordered a pie from Domino's with pineapple as the only topping. That... didn't really work). Anyhow when a Hawaiian pizza is executed like this, that is some serious points for pineapple. Everything here was top notch: tender bacon slabs (which I prefer over ham in this configuration), big jalapenos oozing with danger, fresh pineapple chunks (no residual juice suggesting anything from a can), and a dusting of parmesan all combining into a hot sweet party.
Mix in some house spiced olive oil for the crispy (soft on the inside) crust or some hot honey (even better) and this one really wins. Spicy, sweet, cheesy (focused in the centre, a slight weakness), and quite saucy, I'm confident anyone outside of a vendetta against pineapple will find this pie exceptional.
#13 - Conspiracy Pizza - B++
176 Wicksteed Avenue
Sharing a building and kitchen with a seriously legit BBQ spot in Leaside, Conspiracy Pizza is a real good pizza spot on a damn obscure street. They also follow their name with some very clever topping combinations and the names thereof: Roswell, Bay of Pigs, Halifax Explosion, Grassy Knoll just to mention a few.
I went for the Roswell (minus the olives), basically like a taco bowl meets a pizza. With so many toppings on many of their pies, Conspiracy uses a lighter touch: just a little bit of everything here and there, maintaining an intended overall flavour by not overwhelming you with one thing. Knowing they also sample many of their meats from Adamson BBQ next door, I was excited to try the pulled pork on the Roswell and holy pig man, even unsauced this thing is tender, loaded with smoke and melts in your mouth like a winter fling in the summer. What does that even mean? I don't know!
It's a phenomenal pizza, with great flavour, topping quality and combination barely matched by anyone. The crust though... man the crust. It only stands out because compared to the fact you're eating a pizza with of sour cream, cheese, green onions, ground beef and pulled pork and FRITOS and this whole thing somehow works magically, the crust is really unremarkable. It's just there, not soft and delicate or crunchy and fun, just generic and physically keeping the whole brilliance contained inside. It is what it is, get a dipping sauce I guess.
Seriously though, head up to this place or the BBQ spot. It's a weird trip (I biked up the DVP trail to get there) for a unique place and well worth it.
#12 - The Good Son (Assembly Chef's Hall) - A--
111 Richmond Street West
Now that we're in the 'A's', there won't be much quibbling about. These are really, really good pizzas and my biggest complaint about this particular spot is that they need more than four options available to order. I get the Chef's Hall is small and doesn't leave much space for things like prep, but man it's a shame to be left imagining how they'd handle some more creative pizza ideas.
Nevertheless this pizza is ridiculous. This had more salami than cheese on first thought, except the cheese jumps out at you in unexpected places, like to remind you it's still there and still delicious. There's a ton of soppressata, a ton of parmasean, all counteracted by a fat crust just meticulously sized so to absorb all those strong flavours. It's actually a pretty simple pizza and still that first bite will just pull you in. Maybe too much of everything, especially salami? Sure that makes it salty, but the quality of the salami also adds fat and spice as a counterpunch. In this realm it isn't as exciting on first glance as others but it will impress.
#11 - Cellar Door Restaurant - A--
3003 Lakeshore Boulevard
Escape From Mimico! Starring me as Sauce Pizzkin in the pie soaked streets of south Etobicoke. I (er, "Sauce") went to Mimico wanting to try Cellar but they were closed (on Tuesdays apparently). Considering the distance I wasn't sure I'd bother trying them, having to travel so far again to do so. Damn am I glad I reconsidered.
I will mention that even though I was getting take-out, the waiter and I still had a damn bizarre time interacting with each other through what you'd think would be an minimal encounter. He was like a Vulcan and my universal translator was malfunctioning. Still though, I asked for a side of tomato sauce (something I like to do when ordering a white pizza, get the best of both worlds) and while he was incredulous as to why I'd want such a thing, it came with my pizza and it was plentiful.
Just my luck a snowstorm had started while I was waiting inside for the pizza, so I had to wait for a precious, precious streetcar to get me back to Neville Park (I wanna go home!) and eat the pizza there. First bite... I went from feeling like a pizza crazed, obsessive article writing maniac to an innovative adventurist seeking the very best and succeeding. Prosciutto and arugula on a pizza is often fabulous, add a drizzle of honey and some perfectly creamy blobs of lightly peppered ricotta cheese... something wonderful happens my friends. The honey was slight but in every bite, the ricotta nicely oiled so to keep that important soft consistency, the arugula crisp fresh and the prosciutto the perfect salt accompaniment to this strong melange of leafy spice and sweet creamy flavours. Then the side tomato sauce, full of chunks of tomato and a touch of crunchy of bell pepper, yet smooth enough for easy dipping of crust, absolutely wonderful.
That crust was great also: soft and doughy, uncharred wood oven pie done to perfection. In my FBI write-up I mentioned I'd ride to Mimico when the weather gets good, well it's a tough call which place I'd go and Cellar probably has an upper hand. Just amazing pizza done magnificently.
If you think I liked those last few, next up is the final ten. I'll try to use phrases beyond "uhmdhfdfdhfdhmygawd"
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