We’ve long believed here at CIRA headquarters that .CA domains and pizza are kind of the same.
Think about it for a second: when you register your .CA domain, you have the freedom to make it into whatever you want so it’s unique to your needs and tastes. Just about anything is possible!
Same goes for pizza. You’ve got the freedom to explore and experiment with a whole world of flavours, toppings and styles of pizza. It’s one of the only foods out there where you can truly do you.
To celebrate this perfect union of pizza and .CA, we’re serving up eight great pizza spots (with a .CA domain) to try in your travels across Canada. Who knows—maybe you’ll find your new favourite spot here! Grab a plate and let’s get started.
Eight best pizza places you should try in Canada
Ciao Roma Pizzeria – Woodbridge, ON – crpizza.ca
Tucked away in an industrial area, Ciao Roma Pizzeria may just be the definition of a hidden gem. Unlike your thin-crust, Neapolitan-style pies, Ciao Roma’s “Roman style” pizza has a fluffy, bubbly crust (think focaccia bread) and is piled with fresh, flavourful toppings.
Fun fact: Roman pizza is sold “al taglio” or by slice and weight. So, depending on your craving, you can order up a light snack—or a full slab.
What to try first: we heartily recommend mixing and matching slices…but if you had to pick JUST one, start with the Tartufona that brings together mushrooms, bocconcini, truffle oil and fresh garlic.
Gentile Pizza Parlour – Montreal, QC – gentilepizzaparlour.ca
You don’t have to hoof it down to the Big Apple for an excellent New York-style slice. Gentile Pizza Parlour, right in the heart of downtown Montreal, serves up giant, 16-inch pies that offer well-cooked, crunchy crusts, fresh toppings and all the salty, cheesy goodness you’d ever want.
As an added touch, Gentile even includes detailed instructions for how to properly reheat your leftover pizza back to life in a way that won’t make Nonna deeply ashamed.
What to try first: keep it New York style and go with the classic cheese and fresh basil pizza. Then take a bite and revel in the perfect sauce-to-crust-to-cheese ratio. Maybe even fold a slice in half for the full experience!
Azzurri Pizzeria – Calgary, AB – azzurripizzeria.ca
Taking its name from Italy’s legendary national soccer team, Azzurri Pizza has racked up plenty of awards and accolades in the Calgary area for their brick-fired, Neapolitan-inspired 12” pies. Azzurri’s winning formula starts with a commitment to quality ingredients, like “00” flour (the finest there is), imported San Marzano tomatoes and their long-fermented, hand-stretched dough.
Guaranteed to please both hardened pizza snobs and casual snackers alike!
What to try: for a full Mediterranean medley of flavours, order up the Capricciosa pizza topped with soft, fior di latte cheese, prosciutto, Moroccan olives, mushrooms and artichokes.
King Slice – Toronto, ON – kingslice.ca
Ask any local, and they’ll say some of the Six’s best pizza spots are “Viet-alian.” As in, owned and run by Vietnamese Canadians who’ve perfected their own spin on pizza. King Slice is one these places and has been serving up their signature gigantic slices and pies since 1989.
What’s kept Toronto’s pizza lovers coming back? Handmade garlic dough crust and a secret family tomato sauce recipe that’s been passed on for three generations. Oh—and don’t forget their one-of-a-kind garlic oil that customers can drench their slices with!
What to try first: order the King slice special—with pepperoni, cheese, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and double cheese. Whatever you do, don’t skip the extra brush of garlic oil at the end!
Houston Pizza – Regina, SK (multiple locations) – houstonpizza.ca
Bit of trivia for you: “Regina-style” pizza got its start back in 1970, thanks to Greek immigrant (and Houston Pizza founder) Jim Kolitsas.
So, what are the hallmarks of a Regina-style pizza from Houston? It has a thin, buttery, bottom crust, sweet and tangy sauce, and a generous pile of pepperoni and other fresh toppings. As if that weren’t enough, the pie is smothered end-to-end with a thick layer of baked cheese. Sure, it’s not the daintiest pizza you’ll ever dig into, but it’s oh-so-satisfying. There’s a reason Houston continues to be the stuff of Saskatchewan legend!
What to try first: if this is your first dance with a Regina-style pie, you may as well go all in. Order up Houston’s All dressed pizza and tackle its nine layers of toppings—including double smoked shoulder, garlic sausage, back bacon, green peppers and mushrooms.
Nina Pizza Napolitaine – Saint-Jean Baptiste, QC – ninapizzanapolitaine.ca
This bright, cheery little restaurant regularly makes the “best of Quebec pizza” lists with their lovingly made wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas. Nina Pizza Napolitaine’s claim to fame is keeping things as authentic and unpretentious as possible.
So, that means fresh, high-quality ingredients, delicious dough and sauce, artfully constructed pies—and certainly no shortcuts. It also doesn’t hurt to have two fully certified Neapolitan pizza architects in the kitchen! Which begs the question: is there a way to become a certified Neapolitan pizza eater?
What to try first: order up a veggie pizza like no other! Nina Pizza’s Verdura marinata is topped with marinated eggplant and zucchini, roasted bell peppers, garlic, and fresh mozzarella.
Love Pizza – Edmonton, AB – lovepizza.ca
Creativity and twists on your typical pizza is the name of the game at Love Pizza. You could stick with the more traditional flavours, like Just cheese or Simply pepperoni but where’s the fun in that? Love Pizza’s menu practically begs you to try some of their more eccentric offerings—like their Tropical BBQ pie, with pulled chicken, diced pineapple and smoky BBQ drizzle.
And check this out: their signature pizzas are 6” wide, by 17” long—like giant flatbreads rather than your typical round pies. Perfect for snacking and sharing!
What to try first: split the difference between mild and wild—go with their Sweet heat pie that brings together their tangy tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, jalapeno peppers and hot honey. Delish.
Antica Pizzeria & Ristorante – Niagara Falls, ON – anticapizzeria.ca
Any pizza lover knows the REAL attraction here isn’t Niagara Falls…it’s Antica Pizza—a family-owned and operated ristorante that’s been a must-visit for 40 years. During the warmer months, it’s not unusual to see lines of people stretching up the sidewalk to get a table.
Chow down on one of Antica’s individual-sized, wood-fired pizzas and you’ll quickly understand why: thin, crispy crusts, homemade sauce and fine-tuned flavour combinations hit just right every time.
What to try first: we love the Quattro Stagioni or four seasons. It’s prepared in four sections, with each “slice” being a different season of the year. So, you get artichoke hearts for the summer, mushrooms in the spring, ham in the autumn and black olives in the winter.
There you have it! A cross-Canadian pizza journey that just scratches the surface (or crust) of all the goodness that’s out there. Have a favourite local pizza spot (with a .CA) you think we should feature in our next pizza guide? Let us know—and save us a slice!
See what cheesy .CA domain names are available today!
Kira is the Marketing & Channel Specialist at CIRA. She focuses on content, digital marketing and channel strategies to help Canadian business owners make the right domain choice for their business website so they can find success online.
