15+ Best Italian Pizza Restaurants in Downtown Toronto You Must Try

Sarah Wang
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Best Italian Pizza Restaurants in Downtown Toronto
Photo via View the VIBE

If you’re on the hunt for the best Italian pizza in downtown Toronto, you’re in for a treat. The city boasts a vibrant pizza scene, where traditional techniques meet innovative flavors, creating a culinary experience that’s hard to beat. From classic Neapolitan pies to creative toppings and artisanal ingredients, downtown Toronto offers a diverse range of pizzerias that cater to every palate. Whether you crave a crispy, wood-fired crust or a decadent slice loaded with fresh ingredients, this guide will take you through the must-visit spots that define the essence of Italian pizza in the heart of the city. Get ready to indulge in some seriously delicious slices!

1. Pizza Badiali

No top pizza list in Toronto is complete without Pizzeria Badiali. This iconic spot serves up mouthwatering New York-style slices and whole pies made with house-made ingredients. Their premium pizza sauce is so good you could eat it on its own. Don’t miss the vodka pie and burrata pie, though every option is a winner. With seasonal specials and comforting classics always available, there’s plenty to entice you. To avoid the lines, pre-order for pickup or delivery and enjoy each perfectly crisp, chewy slice hassle-free.

  • When: 11:30am- 10:00pm (7 days a week)
  • Where: 181 Dovercourt Rd, Toronto
  • Website: pizzeriabadiali.com/
  • Phone number: (416) 531-5555

2. CIBO Wine Bar

CIBO Wine Bar brings authentic rustic Italian charm to Toronto’s King West, making it a must-visit destination. Operated by the Liberty Entertainment Group, this eatery serves traditional dishes in a warm, inviting atmosphere. The menu features classic Italian fare alongside contemporary favorites, all set against a backdrop of stone and glass walls, rustic wood accents, and exposed brick. Ideal for both casual meals and special occasions, CIBO’s highlights include the Lamb Pappardelle, braised for 12 hours in rich ragu and topped with fresh pecorino. For pizza lovers, the Gorgonzola—topped with imported Gorgonzola, walnuts, pears, and a drizzle of honey—rivals the classic Margherita.

  • When: 11:30am- 12:00am (7 days a week)
  • Where: (Multiple locations) Downtown Location– 522 King St W, Toronto
  • Website: www.cibo.menu/toronto-summerlicious
  • Phone number: Downtown Location– (416) 504 3939

3. Descendant Pizza

Descendant is a true gem in Toronto’s deep dish landscape, serving up thick, crisp Detroit-style pizzas that are generously topped and oozing with caramelized cheese. Standout selections like the Electric Avenue and vegetarian Jaffina bring a delightful mix of ingredients to the table. While their classic pepperoni and mozzarella pies will satisfy traditionalists, it’s the inventive creations that really catch your eye. Don’t miss the Truff-Guy pie, loaded with caramelized onions, truffle aioli, and double-smoked bacon, or the Electric Avenue pie, which combines jerk chicken, pineapple, and curried lime aioli for an unforgettable flavor experience.

  • When: 11:30am- 10:00pm (Tues- Sunday)
  • Where: 1168 Queen St E, Toronto
  • Website: descendantdsp.com/
  • Phone number: (647) 347 1168

4. Fresca Pizza

A beloved fixture in Kensington Market, this Vietnamese-owned pizzeria is famous for its garlic pizza oil, available upon request for drizzling over any slice or pie. This delicious blend of garlic, oregano, and oil complements their thin, crispy crusts perfectly. Plus, with generous slices priced under $5, Fresca offers an affordable dining option that’s hard to beat.

5. Sugo And Bar Sugo

You don’t need to break the bank for your pasta cravings! If your group can’t decide between pasta and pizza, don’t worry; just pop next door to Sugo. True to its name, which means “sauce” in Italian, this place puts sauce front and center, ensuring a delicious experience no matter which dish you choose at either restaurant. Settle into a table draped with a red checkered tablecloth in a relaxed atmosphere that feels like a step back in time. Be sure to try the massive meatball alongside a generous serving of spaghetti.

  • When: (Hours vary)
  • Where:
    • Sugo: 1281 Bloor St W, Toronto
    • Bar Sugo: 1279 Bloor St W, Toronto
  • Website:
  • Phone number:
    • Sugo: (416) 535 1717
    • Bar Sugo: (416) 792 1279

6. Maker Pizza

Since launching in 2015, this pizzeria has rapidly expanded to multiple locations. Their classic pepperoni is a favorite, but exciting variations like the Spicy Pep God and Spicy Vodka Pep God add flavorful twists. Fans also love unique custom pies such as the Napoli Dynamite, featuring housemade Italian sausage, green olives, pickled jalapeños, and roasted red peppers, and the Tropic Thunder, which combines chili-infused pineapple, pickled jalapeños, pickled red onion, and salsa verde.

  • When: Hours vary (7 days a week)
  • Where: Downtown location- 995 Bloor St W, Toronto
  • Website: www.makerpizza.com/
  • Phone number:  (416) 782 2000

7. Gusto 101

This lively yet laid-back restaurant is housed in a repurposed auto body shop, featuring a retractable skylight upstairs that floods the space with sunlight and fresh air during warmer months. There’s even a cozy patio out front. The Mafalde ai Funghi is a local favorite, with its long, frilly noodles bathed in a luxurious truffle cream sauce that has become Instagram-famous. While it’s hard to resist this decadent dish, Gusto 101 also offers a variety of delightful pastas and pizzas, complemented by affordable Italian wines and inventive craft cocktails.

  • When: 11:45am-11pm (7 days a week)
  • Where: 101 Portland St, Toronto
  • Website: gusto101.com
  • Phone number: (416) 504 9669

9. Scaddabush Italian Kitchen and Bar

Scaddabush offers a diverse menu of comforting Italian dishes meant for sharing, with many options available in a “social size” for a family-style experience. A highlight for the reviewer was the daily-made, hand-pulled fresh mozzarella—an absolute must-try. Another standout was the Pesto Pollo, the restaurant’s most popular dish, featuring fresh fettuccine with a perfect chew and a delicious basil pesto cream sauce. Another house favorite, the Butcher Pizza, is also delightful, a meat-lover’s pizza loaded with bacon, sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella, red onions, and a rich San Marzano tomato sauce. Instead of the classic round shape, it was served as a delicious flatbread.

  • When: 11pm- 11pm (7 days a week)
  • Where: Simcoe Place- 200 Front St W Unit #G001
  • Website: scaddabush.com/
  • Phone number:  (416) 979 3665

10. Pizzeria via Mercanti

Pizzeria Via Mercanti offers delicious gooey and hot fresh pizzas that you can’t miss. The Margheritona pizza, topped with fior di latte, prosciutto crudo, basil, and fresh parmesan is hot and captures the essence of a good Neapolitan pizza. However, their pasta dishes deserve equal attention. Each dish features fresh, housemade pasta with classic Italian pairings. The Fagottino Di Parma’s rosebud-shaped noodles are cooked al dente, tossed in a parmesan cream sauce, wrapped in prosciutto, and garnished with parmesan shavings and fresh herbs—simple yet perfectly executed.

11. Pizzeria Libretto

Inspired by the Neapolitan pizza tradition, Pizzeria Libretto opened its Ossington location in August 2008, becoming one of Toronto’s first restaurants to serve VPN-certified pizza under strict guidelines from the Napoli government. As Pizzeria Libretto has grown to five locations and updated its menu with new ingredients and techniques, Executive Chef Rocco Agostino remains committed to the philosophy that food should be simple and made with passion. He skillfully blends his culinary heritage with Canadian values by using local ingredients to innovate traditional Italian recipes and beloved pizzeria favorites.

  • When: Hours vary (7 days a week)
  • Where: Ossington location- 221 Ossington Ave
  • Website: www.pizzerialibretto.com/
  • Phone number: Ossington location- (416) 532 8000

12. Cafe Oro Di Napoli

Cafe Oro Di Napoli’s aim is to provide the ultimate Italian dining experience in a relaxed setting in Toronto’s Old Town. Their pizzas are expertly cooked in their signature Stefano Ferrara pizza oven, and their pastas are made from scratch with the finest ingredients. Whether you’re craving a craft cocktail or eager to explore wines from various regions of Italy, they have just what you need. Enjoy watching your meal come to life in their cozy dining space, adorned with greenery and away from the hustle and bustle.

  • When: 12pm-10pm (7 days a week)
  • Where: 75 Jarvis St, Toronto
  • Website: cafeorodinapoli.ca/
  • Phone number: (416) 315 7979

13. North of Brooklyn on Rogers Road

This pizzeria has grown from a single location to several, including spots in Queen West and on Rogers Road, thanks to its blistered, fresh, and tender pies. Crafted by passionate pizza lovers, each creation—from the Truffle Shuffle and Green Out to the classic Margherita—offers a memorable experience. Fan favorites include the Killer Bee, featuring calabrese sausage, jalapeños, pickled red onions, and honey, and the Maui Wowie, an elevated Hawaiian pizza with a creamy base, double-smoked bacon, and a pineapple glaze.

  • When: 11:30am- 11pm (7 days a week)
  • Where: Downtown location- 469 Church St, Toronto
  • Website: northofbrooklyn.com
  • Phone number: Downtown location- (647) 980 7990

14. Beast Pizza

Get ready for a pizza experience like no other. Beast Pizza continually pushes the boundaries of toppings, and somehow, it always hits the mark. Their latest creation, the “Glizzy Quattro,” features four full-size hot dogs that you can wrap in the pizza like a bun. Plus, their exciting collaborations with renowned chefs—most recently with the Michelin-starred Edulis—ensure there’s always a fun and innovative twist on the menu.

15. Piano Piano

Piano Piano Italian Pizza Restaurants in Downtown Toronto
Photo via Pianopianotherestaurant.ca

Since 2016, Victor Barry has been captivating diners with his delicious pizzas and pastas at his Harbord Street location. Last year, Piano Piano expanded with a fourth downtown outpost, showcasing a menu filled with Italian comfort food classics. Don’t miss the blistered thin-crust pizzas like the Bitters, topped with dandelion greens and fior di latte, or the earthy mushroom cavatelli infused with truffle. The standout wood-fired pizzas offer smoky flavors, fresh toppings, and a perfectly crispy yet chewy crust. Plus, if you can’t dine in, you can grab frozen versions of their pizzas at grocery stores nationwide.

  • When: 12pm-10pm (7 days a week)
  • Where: (Multiple locations) Harbord location- 88 Harbord St, Toronto
  • Website: www.pianopianotherestaurant.com/
  • Phone number: Harbord location– (416) 929 7788

References

Sarah writes for Hungry 416, your go-to for the latest in Toronto’s food, entertainment, and travel scene. Her writing mainly focuses on trending events, hotspots, and festivals happening in the city.

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