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Danforth Pizza House
Category: Restaurants Pizza Pizza [Edit]
920 Danforth AveToronto, ON M4J 1L9
Neighbourhood: The Danforth
(416) 463-4927
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 3 pm - 10 pm
Sun 4 pm - 9 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
42 reviews for Danforth Pizza House
Review Highlights
"So completely homemade old school style."
(in 7 reviews)
"He has perfected the medium thickness crust pizza."
(in 23 reviews)
"...but flavorful, and the cheese is just the right amount."
(in 3 reviews)
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42 reviews in English
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Review from Hoa N.
1/17/2012
We go when the store is slow so we don't have to wait long. We go when Mama needs an easy slam-dunk dinner. We go early and gleefully walk home with a brilliant cheese pizza. Large: $16, easily feeds a family of four including two growing boys.
Perfect chewy crust. Perfect cheese chars. Perfect sauce. Perfect.
The last time we got carry out from here, it took 20 minutes to make the pizza. I told my boys to sit and watch the owner make the pizza while I walked to the LCBO and came back. Angelo, flour-covered like a pizza angel, said this was fine.
I came back and the four of us (my boys, me, and Angelo the owner) peacefully co-existed to the aroma of cheese pizza. It is a kind of heaven. The interior is simple and unembellished. NO horrible annoying music playing, just quiet. As we waited, I skimmed a weekly news-rag on the counter. We all sat in thoughtful silence. And then it was ready and we raced home so that we could eat this divine food.
On the way, we passed Pizza Pizza w/ its garish lights and many loud phony photos of their food. My youngest boy said, Eww, gross. And we talked about how calm Danforth Pizza House was, how much we appreciated that kind of meditative attention.
And then we devoured the pizza.
This place is so beloved, someone maintains a fan website for it:
http://www.daemonize.c...
That's devotion. -
Review from Chris K.
Toronto, ON
12/7/2011
I wasn't sure what to expect from Danforth Pizza House because the set up is so out of the ordinary, but I really enjoyed the pizza I ordered. The Italian man who runs this place knows what he's doing.
First off, the dough is made from scratch and the toppings are fresh. And if you want to wait the 45-60 minutes (I didn't), it's all made right before your eyes. There's nothing fancy about the pizza and that's what makes it great. It's like something you would make at home, but even better.
The edges of the crust were a bit burned and the pizza was a bit greasy, but that didn't make it any less tasty. In fact, I think it tasted even better the following day.
I got a medium two-topping pizza for $16 and it was ready in about 45 minutes.
I say the place is out of the ordinary because the guy was basically making pizzas in the dark (the only light was the fading sunlight through the front window), he wrote my order down on a piece of ruled paper next to other orders that were illegible, the cash register is ancient (along with most of the kitchen/counter area) and the customer area is really barren.
I walked in to place my order, so I didn't have any problems with the phone. Cash only. -
Review from James K.
North York, ON
11/25/2011 1 photo
MY OPINION: Absolute best 'neighborhood-style' pizza in the city!
This old-school cheesy-greasy-delicious pizza simply cannot be beat.
Ignore the negative comments below - I've travelled North America in search of great food, and this pizza absolutely stacks up, along with joints in NYC, Chicago, Buffalo, among the best of the best.
If you only eat cracker-thin, organic spelt crust, gluten-free, broccoli and free-range poached-pear pizza, OR if you are one of the deeply twisted individuals that votes for Pizza-Pizza as the best in Ontario each year, then don't bother with DPH, go nuke a Delissio.
However, if you love a seriously cheesy, greasy, smoky, chewy-soft-crunchy pizza, with some weight and some char spots and a nicely browned top (check my pizza photo in the photo gallery), then this is your nirvana :-)
As mentioned, cash only, no delivery, zero ambiance, only the bravest would eat-in, so call-ahead, plan to wait 45 minutes, take it out, and enjoy! -
Review from Nicole C.
This will be quick since there's not too much to add over my fellow Yelpers - just some quick tips:
1) Bring cash - their register is from the stone age and debit/credit card machines were no where in sight. The prices are flat rate though - $20 for a large 2 topping.
2) Do a walk by. Seriously if you're not in the area don't bother. They're notoriously bad with the phones apparently
3) Be prepared to wait an hour for your pizza. They only have one stove.
4) GET THE BACON. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GET THE BACON!!!Listed in: The East End Mom
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Review from Justin W.
11/18/2011
Great pizza! Order in advance. This guy has been making pizzas on the same oven for 42 years after he moved to Toronto from Italy. He has perfected the medium thickness crust pizza! It comes out hot crispy and chewy. I love this pizza!
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Review from Nicole M.
Vancouver, BC
11/29/2010
We tried calling to place an order but couldn't get through. So we walked over instead. This is when we discovered that the phone was purposely off the hook!
An older gentleman was the only one working and had a handwritten laundry list of pizza orders that were placed before ours. He told us it'd be 45 minutes - we returned in 50 minutes and the pizzas were ready to go!
The pizza was really good, worth the wait. If anything, a bit too greasy/cheesy for me, but quite tasty. -
Review from eune y.
Toronto, ON
11/16/2010
This place makes me want to eat pizza everyday for the rest of my life. I think it's important to order pepperoni...it is really good pepperoni and I don't usually like pepperoni. If you are doing vegetarian I might skip the green peppers. They don't seem to work with the sauce and smoky crust. it's not just hype...this is one of the best pizza's in TO and it's gigantic.
I love how despite the fact that I've picked up pizza here at least 5 times now I always pass the place when I'm looking for it. It's like it's playing hard to get which makes me what it more. :) Keep your eyes peeled. -
Review from Adrian P.
East York, ON
11/29/2010
A nice family run establishment that I would love to give a higher grade, but the pizza just isn't that great.
I find the cheese rubbery and over cooked. The sauce and crust is decent, but nothing special. I don't think they're exactly tracking down the best or most fresh ingredients.
Toronto still needs to step up its pizza culture and learn a thing or two from NYC. -
Review from Evan J.
Toronto, ON
6/4/2011
This was a total let down. I almost can't believe I ate at the same pizzeria as my fellow yelpers who previously reviewed Danforth Pizza House.
Me and my husband ordered the house special pizza. The pizza looked promising, but one bit and I was completely let down. The dough and crust was as tough as cardboard and burt! The cheese has no pull or gooey goodness to it. I took a bit and all the harden cheese would side off the pizza. This pizza was not better than a Pizza Pizza slice in my opinion (and that is not saying much) And it ran me $26.
I ate a leftover slice the next day and surprisingly it tasted a tiny bit better, but still really bad. I will never eat this pizza again, nor will I recommend this place to anyone. Horrible pizza in my opinion. -
Review from Kat F.
The pizza upskirt on the slices here is otherworldly. Like, holy hotness. Don't know what a pizza upskirt is?? Apparently it's a phenomenon, as documented here: http://www.flickr.com/...
Even if you know the address you'll walk straight past it, I promise. It's a totally shy and unassuming spot along the Danforth that's absolutely no fuss. No slices here. No zany toppings or weekly specials - just no nonsense pies and your choice of pop, water or Brio to drink. That's it. Call ahead to place your pickup order or dine in if you like, but it's cramped in here. There's no delivery, but you won't mind making the trek so you can see your pizza go from dough ball to flattened disc to all dressed, baked and gooey. You can watch every stage as it's happening.
I wanna scream the following at you in all caps, but for sanity purposes I won't (but just picture it):
An entire small pizza.
Made from beginning to end (~15-20 minutes) before your very eyes.
By a father and son team since the 1960s.
For $7.
INCLUDING TAX.
Not a joke. Add toppings for $1 each - even if you add mushrooms, tomatoes and green peppers you're still looking at $10 flat. You can't get a Dominoes or P-squared for that little, and this shit's coming to you fresh off the battello.
On my third or fourth visit I got misty-eyed when I talked to "the mom" and literally held back tears as I asked:
"How can your prices be so low? They're TOO low. You could charge the double. Please let me pay you an extra dollar or two. The cost to labour ratio is out of whack. How can you guys thrive?? I don't ever want you guys to stop making me pizza. Please don't ever leave me."
Special yelper appearance/run-in by Kit C, who when asked "Oh, have you been here before?" replied "Yes, just last week for the first time. I couldn't stop thinking about it."
I just can't get you outta my head, Danforth Pizza House.
NOTE: Please note the opening hours. You can't call/show up here five minutes before close (they probably won't answer anyway) given the pizza-making process and expect to get in.Listed in: Cheap Toronto Eats, Toronto's Most Incredible…
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Review from Jason K.
East York, ON
1/30/2011
By far my favourite joint to get a pie in Toronto. There are still some well reviewed places I haven't yet visited, but it will be tough to beat DPH.
Simple pizza, with great crust, a rich and flavourful sauce and a short list of good toppings. -
Review from Bijan V.
8/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
I have to say maybe I just don't get good pizza but this place was just 'okay'. It was good pizza don't get me wrong but nothing that everyone makes me think I need to trek out here for! The ingredients are very normal, there are only a few toppings you can order and the prices are okay. The sauce is authentically italian and the crust is 'meh'.
It's your standard home-made pizza and honestly the only great thing about Danforth Pizza House is the amazing 80-90 year old man making everything by himself behind the counter. I almost wanted to go over there and hug him... but I probably would have crushed his bones.
Also, don't even think about sitting down here, your best bet (if you have a car) is to order it in advance and head on over to the beach and sit on the boardwalk and have the pizza!
It was nice to try it out but I really doubt I'll be back again.
OH and most importantly: CASH ONLY (have a look at their register in the pictures) -
Review from sarah l.
Elliott and I literally ate a large pizza yesterday. This guy has a hollow leg. Maybe both of them are hollow. It was a lot of pizza.
Danforth pizza house is old and has no decorations and they make everything from scratch. The owner has been the owner for 50 years and his son has been working there for 15 years. I have a feeling not much has changed :)
The good:
- cheap prices, and everything is on the whole number. There is no $7.95 here - it's either $7 or it's $8.
- The cash register is really cash only. I think it was an antique when they opened 50 years ago.
- The guys who work here are great
- The pizza is good
The bad:
- limited seating (we sat at the bar which was awesome)
- no slices (I can kind of see why)
- I wish my pizza was cooked 1 or 2 minutes less and it would have been very close to the best I've ever had
I will DEFINITELY come back here again. These guys do one thing, they do it well and it's a really charming family business that will be getting more of my business.Listed in: List of great dumps
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Review from Belly M.
4/9/2010
Danforth Pizza, Danforth Street, 3/16/10
After a busy day which started with Little Belly meeting her heroes, the Yo Gabba Gabba crew in person, followed by a brisk run through the Toronto Necropolis and Riverdale Park (a zoo right in the same park as the cemetary. Bellyman loves Toronto!), Belly Family needed food. When hungry, worn down and ready to collapse, what better food than pizza to restore a family and fuel Belly Family for a night of sightseeing?
Bellyman can't think of one...
Yelp once again provided the answer in the form of Danforth Pizza. Bellyman has had pizza in cities all around North America, and has to say: Danforth Pizza is THE most unique place he's ever been to. First, there's the owner. Bellyman thinks he's about 80 years old. He works alone most nights, churning out pizzas one at a time. For some reason, he leaves the lights off, so it's tough to know if he's open (Belly Family thought he was closed when we passed by, but the Yelp reviews said to give it a shot anyway). He makes pizza, and that's it. Small, medium and large with about 10 toppings. Bellyman was surprised to see pineapple on the list, but Canada's a liberal country. Maybe it's rubbed off on this crusty old Italian.
The pizza, though, is the star of the place. The owner might just be an odd fellow, but he knows how to make one hell of a pizza. He's obviously been doing it forever and is a master of his craft. Bellyman has worked in a pizza place, and has never seen a person man an oven so perfectly. Every pizza came out with the consistency of a machine. But, Bellyman digresses...one day, when in Philly, Bellyman will review for you Charlie's Pizza. Bellyman grew up on Charlie's Pizza, and always makes sure to visit at least once when there. Bellyman misses Charlie's Pizza a whole lot, and if he moved to Toronto with Belly Family, would miss it more.
Danforth Pizza would fill that void.
The pizza was a masterpiece of the trade. The crust was crispy, but risen. It wasn't limp and flat, it had heft to it. It could stand on its own, so Mrs. Bellyman didn't need to embarrass Bellyman by folding it (even though she still did). The cheese...how does Bellyman describe it? It was some odd extruded variety, it looked in the bin like packing peanuts! But, when it melted, it was gooey and crispy on top and....the sauce was just about the right amount of sweet and spicy, although a LITTLE over on the sweeter side. Noticeable, but not distracting.
About the only thing Belly Family did not like was the pepperoni. That, however, was not the fault of Danforth. Canadians have a weird thing about pork products in that they have no idea what they're doing with them. :) I still love them, though! The pepperoni was thin and floppy, not thick and greasy and fattening like Americans like it. Oddly enough, though, that wasn't enough to stop Belly Family from finishing off a whole medium in about 15 minutes.
Verdict: Stop what you're doing right now, get your passport (go get one if you haven't got one) head to Toronto and try this pizza. Bellyman knows you won't be disappointed! Make sure you have cash, though. Bellyman doesn't think the owner knows what credit cards are, let alone would he take them. His cash register? Bellyman can only describe it thusly: click, click, click, KACHUNK, wizzzz, BING! -
Review from Kit C.
Toronto, ON
5/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
I have to thank Yelp for leading me to this venerable pizzeria. I don't like what it says about my biases that I have passed this joint literally thousands of times over the last decade without noticing it as it is right around the corner from me. Then again, its frontage looks like it has been fading since the day it opened in 1964.
The Danforth Pizza House is nothing less than a time machine back to much simpler era before debit or even credit cards, when pizzas were simpler and humbler. There are ten ingredients available, and one type of crust: doughy and perfectly charred on the bottom.
I can't think of another restaurant in town that reminds me so strongly of the best pizzas from my childhood in Toronto, and I thank the owners for sticking to their guns all these years. -
Review from Jay G.
Toronto, ON
9/30/2009 ROTD 8/24/2010
This is probably one of the smallest and sketchiest pizza places I've been to. Although, not as small as Bitondo's it is much sketchier as the place is empty, sticky counters, chairs are worn and plastic, and paint peeling from the walls.
You are greeted by a grumpy old man needing dough and throwing pizzas together that looks like he just stepped out of Naples. The cashier lady is super nice and makes up for the less than charming older fella.
Here's the goods, the pizza is phenomenal. I wouldn't classify it as traditional pizza but it is definitely a New York style pizza made with a lot of care. To me it's the perfect balance of traditional pizza and New York style pizza, just in between my two favorite styles. I would definitely call ahead to place your order as the wait time could be 45mins. Go for the house special and you won't be disappointed. Crust is crisp and slightly chewy, sauce is simple but flavorful, and the cheese is just the right amount.
Overall the prices are fantastic for the quality New York style pie you get. I recommend taking out and eating elsewhere. A bit of a bummer that they don't do delivery but the trek along Danforth should make for a good story.
Note: No slices, pizzas here can only be bought by the pie and they are HUUGE so bring hungry friends.Listed in: My Pizza List
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Review from Ricky C.
Toronto, ON
5/31/2010
Great hot, fresh pizza at this mom and pop joint. Limited topping options, but it think that works well with this kind of no-nonsense pizza place. A medium pizza is more than enough for 2 people. Sauce is great, seems very homemade-ish - doesn't have much of a salty taste to it.
The only 2 downsides I see with this place:
-crust is a bit too thick for my liking
-not a wood oven pizza, so it doesn't have that same flavour.
Oh, and bring cash - I don't think they accept debit/credit. I'm not 100% sure though. -
Review from Greg C.
Toronto, ON
1/18/2010 ROTD 4/22/2010
5 stars all the way! This is seriously simple, amazing and cheap pizza. You literally have to look twice to find the spot. They don't even have an illuminated sign anymore, so look twice.
This is the epitome of old school pizzeria. There's a mountain of pizza boxes, a beautiful espresso machine, a fridge full of Brio and a cash register that rang in the first purchase of the Gutenberg Bible. People have commented on the owner being grumpy but I think it's more that he's concentrated on putting out quality product.
The product is a thing of beauty. The perfect blend of crust that is firm and the right amount of char, yet can support a mountain of bubbly cheese without becoming a grease napkin (see Mama's Pizza).
This is also a highly addictive product, as you can easily gorge an entire pizza in one sitting. Makes excellent leftovers the next day, if there's any left. I'd recommend the Hawaiian with bacon. -
Review from E M.
Toronto, ON
7/17/2010 1 photo
No menu. No price list. Zero ambiance. But delicious pizza that took me back to my childhood when pizza wa less complicated - pre-Gourmet Pizza era, no caramelized onions here.
Excellent crust and browned cheese, my deluxe with extra cheese was cooked properly and was tasty.
The gentleman behind the counter was a little crusty (no pun intended) with my initial questions about what kinds of pizzas were available and the sizes, then he just asked me what I wanted on it. He soon warmed up and was very friendly and cordial.
I've now been here a few times. Bring cash (I doubt they take credit) and lots of PATIENCE. Is the "Fast Take Out Service" painted on the window a joke??!! Even calling in advance doesn't seem to help. I've had to wait every time. But it's damn fine pizza. -
Review from Andrew G.
Toronto, ON
1/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm not often out in the East end, so when a comedy performance brought me and some chums out to the Danforth last week, I pulled out my handy Yelp app to guide us to a pizzeria that Chum One said he was told about by a friend of his. We read reviews for Danforth Pizza House, and decided it was the best candidate, so we headed over.
When we got there, the woman at the counter took our pizza orders (it seemed quite economical for the three of us to just order a small pizza each, and share slices). She scribbled it down on a piece of paper, as she occasionally pressed the button to hang up their phone -- which seemed to be intentionally left off the hook -- when it would begin to blare the dial tone, as phones off of hooks are wont to do.
The phone, by the way, was probably the most modern piece of equipment in there. I pointed to the ancient analogue cash register and quipped to Chum 1, "I take it they don't do debit." Chum 1 laughed, but I think it was just because he recognized my joking tone and was being polite; we both knew that was a lazy half-joke on my part. I should have taken the time to think of something better.
Anyway, we were told they'd take about an hour. They took a little longer, but no biggie. About halfway through eating my black-olive/pineapple pizza (my go-to topping combination), I took a break to go to the bathroom, where my defining Danforth Pizza House moment would occur.
I'm going down the stairs, when I hear the unmuffled sound of a man's urination into a toilet. "If the door is properly closed," I correctly surmised, "I shouldn't be able to hear that." Sure enough, I get to the bottom of the stairs to see the chef/owner man doing his thing in the men's room, door fully ajar. Sure, his back is to me, but it's a private, one-toilet bathroom, clearly visible as soon as you reach the bottom of the stairs. Closing the door would take a minimal amount of effort (but then he'd also have to click on the light, which he also didn't do). I politely hang back, waiting my turn to use the washroom. Chef-man finishes up, dusts his hands off against his big chef apron a few times and leaves the bathroom. He turns around, sees me, gives a surprised, "Oh!", then continues up the stairs. YOU DIDN'T WASH YOUR HANDS! But he had already left the range of my psychic projection. The bathroom was not nearly on the clean side neither - that toilet rim couldn't have been cleaned in the last week, I'd guess.
Anyway, I didn't touch the rest of my pizza. Chum 1 and Chum 2 seemed not altogether turned off when I told them what I saw, but they can swim in their germ cocktail, for all I care! (That's not a nice thing to say about your chums, Andrew) (SHUT UP!)
How was the pizza? Definitely above the quality of most Toronto pizzerias. Probably in the top 10% for my palate. Definitely below Libretto though. To their credit, it's great to see such a genuine mom-and-pop, everything-handmade-in-front-of-you pizzeria. I'd have given four stars if I didn't witness what I think is an inexcusable sanitary violation.
Oh, how's this, this is better: I should have pointed to the old register and said, like, "Where do I swipe my debit card in this thing?" No, that's not great either. Forget it. -
Review from Jonathan K.
Toronto, ON
3/1/2010
This place deserves an "A" for authenticity. The great pizzas don't hurt, though.
This pizza is the real deal. Solid, not fancy, but oddly memorable.
Why not eat in and try it right out of the oven? Waiting a couple minutes with the pizza in front of you as it cools off is wonderful, exquisite torture. Try it! -
Review from George C.
Toronto, ON
5/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hands down one of the best pizza's you're gonna eat in Toronto. I don't know what that awesome old guy does to these pies, I only hope he keeps doing it forever!
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Review from Jay D.
Toronto, ON
6/7/2010
Delicious pizza. Doesn't taste like big chain pizza at all. Tastes homemade with simple but great tasting sauce and lots of cheese.
Yummy. -
Review from Sam G.
Toronto, ON
7/30/2010
Look, the pizza is good however I can't say I'm not a little disappointed based on the expectations I had from the 4.5 star rating!
Pluses:
- Crust is nice and chewy
- Pizza overall tastes good, though the sauce is a little bland
- Decent amount of toppings (we got the House Special), not overloaded by any means
- Price - medium house special was 16.50 tax in, which was a reasonable amount of food for 2 guys and one girl, not tons though
Minuses
- the wait at 7:45pm on a Thursday was 50 minutes (luckily Yelp prepared us for that)
- the pizza did not look like the one used for the profile pic (eg. that one appears to be just overloaded with cheese and toppings... was there double cheese on that?)
Overall
I would go there again if its convenient. Also, I'd give it another try to see whether I just got a mediocre pizza (for them) on the day we ordered. -
Review from Sheila B.
Toronto, ON
2/18/2010
**This is just great homemade with love Pizza....ok we all have our favourite place but this is ours, we try to order at least once a week (usually friday when you are so tired and don't feel like cooking and the brats are whining I'M HUNGRY)
**Always get a Large house special well-done...will Post a pic next order. The crust is chewy I love that, I think another reviewer mentioned they didn't like that aspect of the dough...so you are warned it is chewy and yummy.
**The cheese is overload you do not need extra/double whatever.....I love the tomato sauce no sugary ketchup crap like the chains, just homemade Mamma Sauce.
**The older man who has mastered this for the last 40 something years doesn't chitty chat but hey he has orders up the ying yang.......
**note: sometimes my large is $19 sometimes its $21 and sometimes its $23 not sure on the price, I don't ask.
**Waiting time 20-60 minutes....or even longer and for god sake do not order a slice you will never be asked back
**decor circa 1960 in your italian Nonnas basement
**....p.s. hate Brio taste like coke with cigarette butts in it -
Review from Matthew S.
Toronto, ON
1/30/2010 4 photos
All the signs point to Danforth Pizza being my kind of place.
The storefront is uninviting and nondescript. As you approach you're convinced that it's not just closed but completely abandoned. You try the door and are surprised to find that it opens.
Inside things look just as deserted. There's not a single light on in the whole place and the ancient espresso machine and cash register makes it feel like you've entered a time warp.
As your eyes adjust, a women appears out of the darkness to take your order. She's amazingly warm and friendly and suggests a medium pizza for two people ($15 with 3 toppings). The menu is simple - no gourmet toppings here. We decide to eat in for the full experience.
The pizza is made by a small old Italian guy. He's not the talkative type but he's friendly enough and you can tell he's made thousands of pizzas in his day. In about half an hour our pizza is ready and is delivered to the table by the old guy.
I love everything about the experience and wish I could say I love the pizza. It is certainly good pizza but not excellent. Nothing about it really blows me away. The simplicity of the pizza is comforting and it puts a smile on my face knowing places like this exist.
If I lived in the neighbourhood I would come here often but for a west ender I don't think it's worth the trek across town. Except maybe once, just for the experience. -
Review from N J.
8/1/2010
Ok, so Yelp is a great resource and usually pretty reliable. So when my husband saw all the positive, glowing reviews for Danforth Pizza House and found the old-school family operation enduring and commendable, it was a no-brainer; we jumped into a cab from downtown and got over there pronto.
The outside was exactly as others had described: non-descript, old window writing, dark inside, we could have missed it. As we enter, there was the older gentleman behind the counter. We greeted him and gave him our order. We sat quietly at one of the table in the back and waited with great anticipation for 20 minutes (which compared to others, wasn't so bad). We saw the gentleman hand roll the dough and work his skills with awe.
Then we get the pizza and, sadly, it was only... okay. A bit of a disappointment. We got it with onions and green peppers. The dough was nice, thick and crusty. But the sauce was bland and lacked flavor. And the cheese wasn't much better. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, but all the raving reviews had us expecting something more.
We only went the one time, so I'm not sure if it was just an off-night or just our pizza. Either way, I think I can say their pizza isn't consistent, at best.
But from a philosophical standpoint, I would recommend Danforth Pizza House because I would want others to patronize this establishment. I appreciate the small town, authentic feel of this place and would hate to see them go out of business. And there are loyal followers out there that suggests that they do have a good pie.
I would say go, check them out, but temper your expectations and know that they lack in ambiance. -
Review from Katrina L.
Richmond Hill, ON
8/18/2009
This tiny little establishment in which you can see through the window or inside the old man slaving away on the many pizzas being ordered is dainty. It is old and hot and in serious need of some restaurant makeover. But this place is far from being in any kind of trouble.
Famous for their traditional pizza, no gourmet items just the bare essentials. And word is that if the old man is taking your order, you get 3 tries to place a correct order or else he tells you to vamoose. No delivery, no slices, just one size pizza for take out. Okay, if you want to eat in, there are a few tables with sketchy looking chairs.
But this place is known for the way their pizzas taste and I gotta say, it completely impressed me. I'm not a big pizza eater, so when I eat a good pizza and want to go back for more, you know it's amazing.
It is a little out of the way since I'm rarely in the Danforth area and when I am it's always west of Pape and not east. It is a great pizza but I'd probably only come here maybe a few times a year since it's quite the lengthy drive or transit. -
Review from Joseph A.
10/24/2009
It's not all that.
Good pizza but far from great.
The crust dough is too chewy and the tomato sauce is bland.
The price is low, that much is true. But I wouldn't go out of my way for this pizza. -
Review from Mikey C.
Toronto, ON
1/21/2011
Amazing old school pizza!
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Review from David M.
Toronto, ON
2/2/2010 2 photos
I feel that to truly judge a pizza, it should be at it's simplest; plain cheese (See Ray's, NYC). I was meeting Jonathan K here at 6 pm, so called in our order before heading over. The very polite and efficient woman who took my order informed me, in an apologetic way, that it would be 45 minutes. They were very busy and do the pies "in order".
The decor has been described before, so I won't repeat it, but we did eat in and it was perfectly acceptable. The pie arrived fresh and very hot. It's an old-school pizza (don't think Terroni, Libretto), with a substantial, well done crust. The top was well done too, with some brown spots on the cheese. I'm sure this is intentional, as the cook knows what he's doing. It had a lot of tomato sauce, which I'm usually not crazy about, but this was a good quality, fresh tasting, light sauce.
It was a good experience, and I will definitely be back again for the plain cheese, and will experiment with their limited and basic toppings. Large pie was $14. Danforth Pizza House - Since 1964!Listed in: Pizza
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Review from wendy l.
Scarborough, ON
11/10/2010
Ok, Yes it's really Busy!
Yes it's not aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
The boxes are plain white, there is no advertising, no chain, no delivery.
It's not a first date restaurant, or really a place to eat in.
But the pizza is by far one of the best in the eastend of the city.
Domino's, Pizza Pizza, Diamond, Pizza Pizza, Pizzaville do not hold a candle to Danforth's Pizza. I've been a regular here for about 25 years.
I've never had a bad pie. It's hard to get on Friday and Saturday nights because of yelp and urban spoon but it's really good pizza. -
Review from Kelly O.
7/19/2010
The pizza here really IS amazing. So completely homemade old school style. It has a real New York vibe, where the focus ain't on the sign or tables, just on the pies. The ancient man that makes them is literally covered with flour from hand kneading the dough and tossing it fresh for every customer. The sauce is delicious and tangy, crust is chewy, fresh and crispy on the outside. The price is unreal, only 7 bucks for a small that could feed 2 people (and I can eat a lot of pizza!)
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Review from Andrew L.
Toronto, ON
6/4/2011
Thought we would try it out since we were in the neighborhood and it had mainly positive reviews. Ok so yes it is a mom and pop type place, but man, this mom and pop are dirty! You don't want to eat there. Old, dark, kinda creepy and not clean. No, no, no. Got it to go and it was piping hot, smelled pretty good and didn't take very long, half hour tops. Got home and found out that not only was the pizza (we got the house special) very bland, but the bottom of the crust was burnt. I have had better pizza from a box and certainly didn't pay $26 bucks for it. You can do better than Danforth Pizza House.
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Review from Joe S.
East York, ON
8/18/2010
This is the one time that yelp reviews really disappointed me. I don't know how this one got such good reviews. I ordered a large house special. Yes it looked great and the crust was quite good, but that's where it ends. The pizza was way overcooked, the sauce was way too sweet, the pepperoni was very small and bland, and the sausage tasted strongly of juniper berries. I HATE juniper berries! After eating about 2 slices I ended up throwing away the rest. Very disappointing!
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Review from Josh A.
Toronto, ON
4/17/2010
Nice family operated Pizza House that has been around for eons. Great place to grab food for the Only Cafe, a small little bar/hang out down the road, who let you bring in food from outside spots. Pizza ain't gourmet but is definitely tasty, cheap, and hits the spot. Very old skool place that only offers a small list of standard toppings (e.g., pepperoni, mushrooms, Green Peppers, Tomatoes) and nothing extravagant. More of a take-out spot but they do have tables to eat in.
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Review from SNACKe R.
Toronto, ON
2/10/2009 1 Check-in Here
I can't believe this place hasn't been reviewed yet.
First of all, it has been there forever (45 years). Second, it is the best pizza in town. Literally. Third, this is a no-nonsense establishment. You want delivery? Too bad. You want a slice? Too bad. You want (insert gourmet ingredient here) on your pizza? Too bad.
What DPH does, and does extremely well, is make old-skool pizza. Pizza the way you dream it must have tasted in the old days. Pizza made by someone who really cares about it, and whose life has been spent perfecting that art.
My favourite part about the DPH pizza is the crust. The man takes great care in how long he cooks the pie, and I think that's critical. He usually cooks it so it is slightly black around the thin part of the edge of the crust. What this results in is a crust that is satisfyingly crisp on the outside, but gives way to a wonderful soft flavour inside. It is really a sensual experience biting into one of his pizzas.
Please try this pizza, while you can. And check out the old cash register while you are there, -
Review from Darren L.
Toronto, ON
3/14/2010
Great crust and always with a thick browned cheese layer. Delicious! ...and friendly people!
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Review from Ryan F.
Toronto, ON
4/18/2009 1 photo
A local takeout pizza gem for decades, with a few tables for eat-in if you can't wait. A very rich pizza that puts the chains to shame.
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Review from Stephen B.
Toronto, ON
4/7/2010
Fun place. Relaxed and authentic.
