Pizza, in any of its numerous forms, is beloved, and the people of London are by no means immune to its charms. Thick crust or thin, red sauce or white, toppings piled high or just smothered in cheese, it’s hard to resist the temptations of a good pizza.
Luckily, London is in no shortage of pizzerias. Across the city, there are so many fantastic places to pick up a slice or a whole pie. Ironically, this list may give you more options to go for good pizza than narrowing down your search!
ZEN'ZA PIZZERIA
Zen’Za is an innovator in the pizza world, making actually healthy pizza! Their only crust option is whole wheat and thin crust, and most of the toppings are organic and as local as possible. Their flour is ground at the Arva Flour Mills, their meat is purchased from Field Gate Organics, and many of their veggies come from Covent Garden Market.
And don’t worry, they don’t let those premium ingredients go to waste. Their pizzas are expertly crafted, balancing sweet, salt, and spice perfectly. Their menu is jam packed with new and inventive toppings, such as balsamic marinated mushrooms, garlic-soaked spinach, and shaved sweet potato.
On their menu, all of their incredibly inventive pizzas, such as the Greek Za – featuring Mediterranean flavours such as feta and olive – or the Magnum P.I. Za – fresh pineapple, bacon, and prosciutto – also have vegan versions! Any meats and cheeses are replaced by vegan facsimiles, such as coconut bacon or Nuts for Cheese. This inclusive dining experience is exciting to see in the London scene as the public demand for vegan food grows.
If you want pizza with the same great, if not better, taste without most of the guilt, Zen’Za is worth hitting up next time you’re on the prowl for pizza.
RICHMOOR'S PIZZERIA
Richmoor’s is a family owned and operated pizza joint in Pond Mills, pumping out some of the best pizza found in the city. The pizzeria was opened in 2016 by Darrell and Silvana Richards and Steven and Jessica Mooring, combining their surnames to give life to Richmoor’s.
These guys aren’t playing games, they’re looking to make top of the line pizzas, with dough and sauce made in-house and high quality toppings.
Signature and classic pies are available for quick ordering, or you can build your own. With options ranging from thin crust to deep dish, five different sauces, including Sweet Chili Thai as a unique option, and plenty of toppings to pick from, you can pick exactly how you want your pie.
One of their most unique offerings is the Pizza Burger. A hamburger patty, wrapped in pizza dough, then stuffed with classic pizza toppings: mozzarella, pepperoni, and bacon strips. That beast is then deep fried, not unlike a panzerotti. Make it a combo with fries and a drink, and you’re having quite the dinner!
To keep things exciting, they have a featured pizza every month that will disappear once the calendar changes. Previous Pizza of the Months include a Ruben pizza, featuring the corned beef and sauerkraut of the classic deli sandwich, and the Meat Sweats, a pizza piled high with everything meaty and spicy in the building.
Richmoor’s is making great pizza to share with the London community, and you’d be crazy to pass up on that offer.
PIZZA PROJEKT
Pizza Projekt is a relatively new face in the pizza scene, opening in early 2016 right next to Fleetway (see our “Best of Bowling Alleys” and “Best Places to Take Your Kids on a Rainy Day” posts), but they’re off to a booming start. Their primary focus is customization, allowing you to craft a pizza that is perfect for you.
Their signature pies, such as the Hot Carne – a pizza stacked with the spicy meats and hot peppers – or the Kahuna – their twist on the classic Hawaiian – are guaranteed winners that will leave your mouth watering just reading the menu. However, the true joy lies in their slogan, “Invent your pizza.”
With four crust options, six sauces, six cheeses, and over 30 toppings, the combinations are endless. If you’re looking for traditional toppings like pepperoni, red onion, or basil leaves, they’ve got you covered. But for the more adventurous out there, you could try to build a pie with toppings that are more off the beaten track, like pear slices, pulled pork, or Montreal smoked meat.
If somehow none of that isn’t hitting the spot quite right, Pizza Projekt offers deep dish pizzas straight out of Chicago. Deep dish is basically the opposite of thin crust – a couple inches deep of pure pizza goodness. Pizza Projekt also offers menus specifically for gluten-free and/or vegan customers, so no guesswork is required for your diet restrictions. They even have a vegan deep dish pizza, packed with Daiya vegan cheese, vegan meat substitutes, and veggies! One of its kind in London!
Pizza Projekt lets you explore the versatility of pizza with a wide range of toppings and styles. From the thinnest of crusts to the deepest of dishes, Pizza Projekt is a great place to either dine in or take out.
PALASAD
You may remember this place from our “Best Bowling Alleys” list, but Palasad also has some bomb pizza. They make authentic Neapolitan pizzas – thin crust cooked in a wood oven – much to the delight of the public.
They have a long list of classic and signature pizzas to pick from or build something to fill that exact pizza-shaped hole in your heart. Grab their Ultimate pizza, with three kinds of meat, red onion, and green pepper, or step out of your comfort zone and try their new Cubano – sweet and spicy mustard, citrus pulled pork, ham, red onion, and dill pickle – in the style of the classic pressed sandwich. Of course, you can always build your own as well. The only crust choices are thin crust or gluten free, but with an astounding 36 topping options, there are still a variety of results your pizza could end up as.
Accompany your pizza with one of their shareable plates, like their Garlic Big Loaf, a freshly baked loaf of bread stuffed with gooey mozzarella, or burrito bites, Mexican flavours wrapped up in a wonton wrapper. From the bowling to the pizza, Palasad is a fantastic experience for the whole family. For an evening out that’s more than just a meal, Palasad is a great place to head.
STOBIE'S PIZZA
The self-proclaimed King of the Big Slice, Stobie’s is the go-to place for Londoners to grab a slice. Their prime location on Richmond Row at the corner of Dufferin is central within Downtown, attracting people from every direction.
Whether you’re grabbing one of their big slices or ordering a full pie, you’ll always get something hot and fresh coming out of the Stobie’s kitchen. Priding themselves on using only fresh ingredients and never reheating their pizza.
With a bevy of signature and specialty pizzas, you have plenty of pre-arranged options to pick from, or you can create your own if nothing quite catches your eye.
They have a daily tradition of picking a couple random names, and anyone that comes in with that name gets a free slice! They blast it out on their social media every morning, so it’s worth following them if you’re looking to get a free lunch or snack when if you’re downtown. And if that’s not enough, the same rules apply for birthdays. Show up and present proof of your birthday, and a slice is yours, free of charge.
If a slice just won’t be enough, there are also daily specials on full pizzas, like two large, two topping pizzas for only $26 on Mondays or the Colossal Pizza (22 inches!) with two toppings for $35 on Fridays.
For the vegan pizza fans, worry not! Stobie’s offers Daiya shreds and vegan pepperoni, along with plenty of veggies on their Create Your Own pizzas. They also offer cauliflower wings if you’re looking for a side to go with your pizza.
With over 20 years of experience, Stobie’s is making some of the best pizza in the downtown core. Next time you’re craving a slice when you’re hanging out at Victoria Park or doing some shopping downtown, Stobie’s is the place to go.
FORMAGGIO'S PIE SHACK
The story of Formaggio’s started with a young boy who loved pizza so much he said he wanted to marry it. His love for pizza never faded, and now he’s making everyone fall in love just like he did at Formaggio’s. The pie shack itself is in the very north end of the city on Highbury, but don’t worry if you think that’s too far out of the way – they deliver.
Their pizzas are all build-your-own style, allowing for as much exploration into odd or interesting combinations as you want in your dinner. With over 25 toppings to pick from, you can create a real Frankenstein’s monster of a pizza or recreate one of your favourite classics.
Probably one of the greatest parts of Formaggio’s is the deep dish pizza. Where others define their sizes by the diameter of the pie, Formaggio’s define theirs by weight. You can either get a three-pound or a five-pound deep dish, filled with the toppings of your choice, and, to quote their menu, “sooo much cheese!” Alongside the pizzas, you can grab either jalapeno poppers or cheese-stuffed mushroom caps as an appetizer. Or if you can’t decide between the two, they do have a combo platter with three of each. There are also panzerottis in beastly proportions and a selection of sandwiches, like the Steak ‘N Pepperoni or the Chicken Club.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
TOBOGGAN BREWING COMPANY
This Downtown brewery and restaurant is serving up Neapolitan pizzas in both traditional and modern flavours. Go with a classic like margherita or Italian sausage, or try something new like a beef brisket pizza or Cajun chicken and brie.
At Toboggan, you’ll get great, local craft beer with your fantastic pizza, and that’s a hard combination to deny.
PIERO'S 241 PIZZA
While many of the other pizzerias on this list are a little more upscale, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a cheaper pizza. Piero’s 241 may not be fine dining, but it’s still an incredible pizza.
Pick from one of their specialty pies, like Canadian, Mexican, or Greek. Or, if you dare, take it into your own hands and build your own pizza with any of the over 25 toppings, for a modest $1.09 per topping (at a small size).
There are deals galore at Piero’s, from 2 Can Dine to Walk-In specials, to an incredibly reasonable student special – 2 small pizzas, 3 toppings each, 1 cheesy bread, 2 cans of Pop, 1 small Caesar salad, all for $16.99!
JOE KOOL'S
Joe Kool’s has way more on their menu than just pizza, but the one that our community brought to our attention is the Kitchen Sink, a deep dish pizza filled with pepperoni, mushroom, smoke bacon, green pepper, and ham, with the option to add onion and anchovies for no additional cost.
Alternatively, you can create your own Kitchen Sink from their plethora of toppings, including two types of olives, pineapple, pancetta, and pesto.
Joe Kool’s also has a short list of other signature pies, or a build your own, on thin crust, but the biggest public outcry was based on the Kitchen Sink.
BYRON PIZZA
Technically Bryon isn’t officially London, but it is the Greater London Area, so we couldn’t ignore Byron Pizza. First opened in 1967, and purchased by the current owners, Kevin and Denise, in 1989. They state that Bryon Pizza is built on great pizza and even better customer service.
With a wide variety of carnivore, chicken, and veggie faves, ordering from Bryon Pizza is bound to make your heart sing.