This Week In Pizza: Gram's Pizza

 

 

In the span of trying... geez, at this point close to 175 different pizza joints in Toronto... well I've unsurprisingly exhausted anything remotely near my east end abode. 

As such, when I have a free afternoon/evening dedicated to trying a new place, there's an certain element of adventure to it, an excuse to explore an unfamiliar part of town. There's a reason I've always called these Pizza 'Quests' after all... the considerable travel required to get to a lot of these spots cannot be understated. After half an hour on any streetcar, bus or subway train here in Toronto... you're likely in a fairly different neighbourhood of the city (also counterpoint: yeah insert your TTC joke here). 

Still, tethered to the whims of public transit or not... once you're out the door and on the road... adventure! Gram's Pizza is (what a spoiler) nowhere near my house. Instead, they're located just off the western end of Dupont Street, very close to the GO Train tracks (and the Western Railpath trail that runs alongside it). 

As I type these words (in mid-August 2024) just ten days ago I'd never even heard of Gram's Pizza. A buddy from baseball with whom I chat considerably about pizza  (I'll come to Georgetown one day soon and finally try Sadboy, I swear) messaged me one evening, explaining a friend of his was raving about some pizza place named "Gram's". While a definite "I trust this dude's taste" was a factor in trying Gram's so quickly... mostly you had me at 'pizza'. But also... you had me at pizza.  

The timing worked out to try them by that Sunday. A long-ish subway ride and short bike ride later, I'd reached Dupont and Edwin. The quaintness of this stretch of Dupont is something I'd entirely forgotten: lots of little shops and storefronts, brick buildings with old weather worn paint, the intersections with  traffic lights have an unusual calmness... there's really a "main street in a small town" vibe to it all. At least if you don't go under the GO bridge and end up at the cursed Annette/Dundas/Dupont/Old Weston interchange of madness. 

After almost biking the wrong way and backtracking past the original Mattachioni (a damn good one), I found Gram's Pizza on the very same street I'd traveled northward on: Edwin Avenue, a couple doors north of Dupont. How'd I miss that?

 

 

I guess from a distance I thought it was a yard sale instead of a pizza joint? Neighbours offering piano lessons? Or running a small bookstore? Or... just about anything you can imagine? I mean that last bit within reason of course... although if "Gram's Pizza" ended up being just a front for "Gram's Mega Super Space Jetpacks" that would objectively be pretty cool.     

Can I mention the quaintness again? Gram's Pizza (space jetbacks or no) is a front row example of somebody deciding to turn their driveway into a patio, I absolutely love it. The plant boxes give the patio a cozier sense of enclosure as well, like sitting on a front porch that's extremely close to a sidewalk. Aside from a persistent bee (bastard) this was a very welcoming outdoor area to sit for a pizza slice.

Taking an interior picture didn't feel right, so you'll have to take my word that the inside of Gram's Pizza is very much like a garage converted into a takeout pizza joint. You've got semi-low ceilings, the ordering counter precisely squeezed in right by the entrance... I didn't see it but hell, if there wasn't a tool table lingering in the back I'm sure there was one not long ago.

The whole feel of the place really is a Do-It-Yourself masterclass, a true "screw it, lets start making pizzas out of the garage" and it's endlessly charming. The menu on the wall is written in sharpie marker upon the bottoms of brown cardboard pizza boxes... it's that kind of place, and I'm not really sure I've ever been to a pizza place quite like this one before anyhow.   

 

   

How about some pizza? As well as full pies, Gram's offers slices (bless them) at five bucks each, which is really quite reasonable compared with other joints (for example: the ten dollar slices at the offensively underwhelming District Pizza). 

The two slices you see above are, their vodka sauce slice on the left, their spicy soppressata on the right, and a dip of their spicy(!) garlic in the middle. I chomped into the vodka slice first, so we'll start there.

 

 

I've said many times over the years that when it comes to styles of pizzas: I'm not picky. There really isn't one type I prefer over any other, whether it be deep dish, Detroit, wood fired, New York, classic tavern style, whatever you want to call Afro's etc (it deserves its own category). If it's done well, send it express mail to my mouth hole. 

The reason I mention this is because the New York style (which Gram's is) seems to be the most widely accessible style (at least here in Canada/US, doubt that statement would fly in Italy). I've sung my praises of Descendant endlessly but I also understand that particular composition, the thick rectangular thing that looks more like a giant (delicious) brick than a pizza... might not be for everyone. Conversely, I've met a lot of people where the New York type of slice is their absolute go-to favourite. Different tastes! It makes food conversations fun (sure beats the hell out of arguing politics...)

So Gram's is a pizza in the New York style: thin, lightly crisp bottom, but the cheese has to be gooey and plentiful. Do they pull it off? Answer: damn right they do. That base crispness is completely irresistible, a perfect dual texture with the melty cheese and solid amount of sauce within. That sauce, the vodka sauce, is also quite tasty: not overly creamy or oniony, really more in the middle with a sweeter onion hint than a typical vodka sauce. 

This was probably the slice I appreciated the most of the two, mostly because I'm endlessly impressed by any place that can make such a simple slice never become boring as you eat it. It's just cheese and vodka sauce... and it needs nothing else. As tasty on the last bite as on the first. Excellent. 

While we're here, lets talk the spicy garlic dip. Spice and garlic? Together at last in dip form? Obviously I could not resist. I will say though I didn't get much of the garlic in here, but the spice element was quite different. Instead of your typical chili pepper heat, this was more like earthier spices you'd find in Middle Eastern cuisines... a black peppery sharpness rather than actual heat (although some of that does creep in). I did like it! Definitely not what I expected.

 

 

Door number two! The spicy soppressata slice. You've got your salami, jalapenos (look pickled to me) some caramelized onions and your standard tomato sauce base. 

You get a lot of the same crispness as you do the vodka slice, although this one is much floppier (there's more stuff on it). That stuff (the toppings) might just be the weak link. They're good, don't get me wrong... but compared to the base elements (texture, cheese, sauce) they don't quite match up to that exceptional level. The soppressata is very thinly sliced sure, but I don't get much of its presence in this slice. Not really a strong distinct flavour even when you get a sizeable bit of it... fairly ordinary. 

The caramelized onions are very nice though: subtly sweet, flat and moist (I hate using that word to positively describe food... 'moist' never sounds like a good thing but it is here, honestly). The jalapenos by themselves aren't particularly dangerous but their effect throughout the slice (the spicy pickled oils) is noticeable and gives the affair some nice zing.

There is a ringer in the midst, however, and it's the tomato sauce. Absolutely delightful: there's a warm, softness to this sauce, vivid without being assertive or domineering. And it lingers wonderfully after every bite... despite being in that middle between earthy and sweet, it really stands out as an excellent tomato sauce. 

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Overall! This place is seriously exceptional (my friend's friend was indeed right to rave about them). DYI charm can only carry you so far if you don't quite know what you're doing... but Gram's definitely hits the bulleye with anything you'd expect out of a NYC style slice. The crisp thinness, the flop, the cheesy presence (not too much either, juuust the perfect amount)... it's all great. 

The only weakness was the salami on the salami slice, which is unfortunate because being just 'okay' stands out on a pizza of this genuinely high quality. That won't stop me from strongly recommending them: go out to Dupont and Edwin (it's semi-close to Dundas West station, and like a block away from the most insane intersection in Toronto) and give em a try. 

Really damn good, and the experience of eating much of this on their front patio made this east-ender feel like a local of the area. There was a friendly barking dog! A huge church directly across the street! When a pie is this good and the adventure of going there is nearly as memorable... Gram's Pizza gets a firm 'A--' from me. A new favourite I'll be suggesting to many people, and on quality/merit alone I'd say a Top 20 overall in Toronto.