The Pizza Scene in Toronto Is Starting to Seriously Rival New York

As a Canadian from the West, on my way to Toronto after two months in New York City, two names stayed on my mind: Badiali and North of Brooklyn. Even on the West Coast, we kept hearing about them. Instagram didn’t help either. Every scroll, another perfectly blistered crust. Another hot honey drizzle. Another pizza box with grease stains.

Like I said, I had just come off living in New York for five weeks before this trip. My pizza expectations were high…maybe unfairly so. For reference, Lucali was my favourite. Love John’s of Bleecker too. I had a great day in the park with a Chrissy’s pie. For slices…L’Industrie. Joe’s. Mama’s Too. Luigi’s in Brooklyn was amazing, where one pizza master makes every single pie in a small storefront, using random misprinted pizza boxes because they’re cheaper. It’s iconic to those in the know, and those in the know…well, you know.

So, anyway, I came in with some pizza baggage.

Badiali was the one that I started with. I took one bite and knew. The crust, the sauce, the flow of the place—it cracked something open in me. Kind of a joke, kind of not: I was suddenly on a mission. A pizza mission. A mission to find myself? This wasn’t just a great few slices of Toronto pizza…it was some of the best I’d had in two months. And if you’re doing your math correctly, yes, that means my time in NY included.

One slice turned into five shops. Five turned into ten. What began as curiosity became obsession. It ruined my trip. I asked strangers. I asked hospitality. For what it’s worth, the servers at Bernhardt’s were the most helpful. I mapped out spots like Superpoint, Raffaella, Fourth Man in the Fire, Slowhand, Mac’s, and more. Some were old-school. Some were modern and loud. Some were both.

Toronto didn’t feel like it was trying to be New York. It just felt like itself. And that made me want to keep eating. So I did. And this column? It's more of a diary of a writer who met the faces of the pizza gods on both side of the border.

Toronto doesn’t really brag about its pizza scene. At least not the way New Yorkers do. Or Chicagoans. Or any other American city in the Northeast, where people argue over places that peaked in 1998. Toronto keeps it quiet. Understated. But it shouldn’t. It’s time to boast.

What I didn’t expect to find here was how deep the pizza love runs. Not just casual Friday night takeout. I mean a lust for pizza. A real obsession. In every neighbourhood, you’ll find someone with a strong opinion on dough hydration or which mozzarella blend a place uses. People here care.

It makes sense. Toronto is a food city. It’s diverse, it’s global, and it’s full of people who know good food when they taste it. You’ve got world-class jerk. Amazing Vietnamese. Some of the best Caribbean food outside the islands. So maybe pizza just felt too basic to put on a pedestal. But after eating around the city, I can say this: it belongs on one.

People talk about sushi in Vancouver. Teriyaki in Seattle. BBQ in Texas. Burgers in Calgary (okay, maybe that’s just me trying to start it, but it still SHOULD be true). They should be talking about pizza in Toronto. In a lot of ways, it’s right there with New York. I know that sounds like a reach. It’s not. And we’re not even getting into the sandwich scene yet...I started noticing a theme when walking into different shops. There’s a kind of confidence in these spots. Not flashy. Just real. Most of them are pretty chill. You sit, take a look at the wall menu, and immediately spot the thing you want, but keep reading anyway. That’s always a good sign.

Sometimes we ordered slices, sometimes full pies. Sometimes we were in and out in 20 minutes. Other times we stayed for an hour, asking questions, ordering more. Every place had its own flow. Some leaned old-school with big ovens and cash-only signs. Some were pop ups that were too good to ever stop doing it. A city that, without ever really saying it, quietly built one of the best pizza scenes in North America.

We started with Badiali. This was the one. My favourite slice in Toronto. The reputation held up. Really, it was my favourite slice in the country. Maybe even the continent. No joke.  It started with a team of restaurant vets who knew how to do it right…and they do. No gimmicks, no shortcuts, just real, solid pizza. Sitting confidently on Dovercourt in the West End, Badiali is a walk-in only restaurant with a small bar for a few to stand and a cute patio if you can get a spot. It’s got New York roots with Canadian care. The dough has crunch and chew. The tomato sauce is bright. The cheese blend melts just right, with one of the best reheats I’ve ever seen. Their vodka pie is a must, but even a plain cheese will change your day. I loved the salami and hot peppers with a hot honey drizzle and the ranch on the side.

Next was Superpoint, a spot that straddles two worlds. There’s the front where you grab a slice and go, and the back where you sit down for a full meal. It’s on Ossington, surrounded by bars and vintage shops. The vibe is laid back, but the food is serious. Their pizzas are thin, crisp, and cooked just right. We tried the Burrata & Honey pizza and it hit hard—sweet, creamy, salty, and hot. Perfect balance. This is the place you drop into before a night out and end up staying the entire night anyway. They also have pastas, small plates, and a well-curated natural wine list. 

North of Brooklyn is the reliable hitter. They’ve been around for a while and have locations across the city. Think classic New York-style with people carrying their boxes to the park all summer. Their Killer Bee pizza (with sausage, jalapeños, red onions, and honey) is one of the city’s best combos. The Truffle Shuffle is also great if you want something richer. They’re not flashy, but they’re consistent. It’s the kind of place you go back to again and again. Honestly, not really sure why they don’t do slices with no sit-down, but they’ve earned the right to do whatever they want.

Beast came out of a whole different food world. Originally a nose-to-tail restaurant, they turned to pizza but didn’t lose the edge. Their pizzas are creative, bold, and full of flavour. It’s a spot for food people. They do whole-animal dinners too, with six courses built around one animal. But even just grabbing a pizza there feels like you’re in on something special. Their toppings go places others won’t. Beef tongue? Sure. 

The Fourth Man in the Fire brings the retro pizzeria vibe. It’s all checkerboard tiles, red sauce, and good energy. They’ve got full pies, slices, and…donuts? Their Brooklyn squares are like Detroit-style, baked in trays and topped with basil and parm. The pepperoni slice is a hit, and the coconut cream pie is low-key one of the best desserts we had the whole trip. The vibe is fun, almost like a pizza party. Good for groups, good for takeout, good for when you just want something classic and comforting.

Gracie’s Pizza is a pop-up that feels like a secret club. It runs out of Get Well, a bar with arcade pinball games and old-school dive energy. The guy behind it—Chris—started making pies for friends. Word got out. Now, it’s one of the most hyped pop-ups in the city. His sourdough crust is special. It’s got bite, flavour, and the toppings always hit. You have to follow their Instagram to know the specials, and that exclusivity adds to the magic. The Sweet Squash pie with pecorino and chive pesto is weird and wonderful. It’s made perfectly, and reheated in a toaster oven (to perfection, by the way).

Slowhand is doing Detroit-style like they’re in Detroit. Located in Leslieville, it’s a neighbourhood favourite. The crust is thick but light, crisp at the edges from cheese caramelization. They cut the pizzas into four square slices…perfect for sharing or just crushing solo. The Double Trouble with Ezzo pepperoni and basil is the winner. Bonus: it’s dog-friendly, and the mural outside gives it a fun, artsy vibe.

One Night Only (ONO) started during the pandemic, as a backyard pizza night between two friends. They sold pies from their porch, and now they run a proper shop on Pape Ave. It still feels like a passion project, just way more polished. The crust is thin and crispy, and the dough is fermented for 72 hours, giving it that depth of flavour. The menu changes often, but everything is dialled in. It feels personal. Like it’s for the community. They even did a collab with Coors Organic and donated proceeds to charity. Hard not to root for them.

And then there’s Raffaella, inside the Annex Hotel. It’s new, but it feels lived-in. Chef Simon Vickerson used to make pizzas in a tabletop oven on College Street. Now, he’s running a sit-down spot named after his grandmother. The sourdough crust has a 48-hour ferment. The toppings are added with intent. The Annex pizza (spicy sausage, whipped ricotta, roasted red peppers, hot honey) is a must. So is the French Fig. They also do pastas and tiramisu. The dining room is perfect for a pizza date.

We actually ALSO tried Mac’s on our way to the airport…and maybe it was the sadness we were leaving this pizza city, but it was low key one of the best slices we had the entire trip. These places just refused to quit, every single spot was so fantastic.

Look…in all seriousness…of course New York has better pizza. Take out the sit-down-only spots like Lucali or John’s of Bleecker, and let’s talk slices. NYC still wins. There’s just more of it. More options, more history. It’s part of the culture. They changed, for the better, pizza across the world. Our favourite slice in Toronto is New York-style. That’s the blueprint.

But Badiali? It holds up. Against any of them. Slowhand, Gracie’s, Mac’s, Superpoint,…they’re not elite NYC, but they’re better than most in any of the boroughs. And with the sides? The dips? The honey? The donuts? Toronto’s got its own thing going. Maybe everyone in Toronto already knows that. 

Maybe I’m just a pizza-loving tourist. Doesn’t matter. Next time I’m back, I’m in line at Badiali. Standing outside. Brio in hand. Pizza in the other. Then off to Bernhardt’s for the tartare and the rotisserie chicken.

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