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Queen Margherita Pizza
Category: Restaurants Pizza Pizza [Edit]
1402 Queen St EUnit 8
Toronto, ON M4L 1C9
Neighbourhood: Leslieville
(416) 466-6555
- Hours:
Mon 12 pm - 11 pm
Tue-Thu 12 pm - 11 am
Fri-Sat 12 pm - 12 am
Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
48 reviews for Queen Margherita Pizza
Review Highlights
"I know Pizza Libretto is amazing too."
(in 14 reviews)
"Me: "Oh my god, I LOVE wood burning pizza."
(in 4 reviews)
"Delicious crust - and fantastic service."
(in 18 reviews)
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48 reviews in English
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Review from Lauren M.
1/29/2012
Ooooo I love it here!
Came here for a late date with moro mu. Unfortunately, I had already eaten dinner, but he was hungry so we ordered a pizza and some wine.
The service and ambiance here is top notch. Very hipster-ish but who cares! Most of the seating is upstairs and the place looks like an old renovated factory ot loft type space. Dim lighting, soft music and a giant pizza oven at the back.
Menu is simple - 12 or so types of pizzas. They also do a prix fixe for $27 with a variety of appetizers and desserts, but the pizza itself is so huge it seems foolish to order more.
The pizza was delicious, very thin crust in the middle but a bit soft chewy edge. Toppings were simple yet flavourful.
We also tried a dessert crepe with banana, mascarpone cheese and nutella. Yum!
Small but reasonable wine list here, mostly Italian wines (duh).
Our server was very attentive but not annoying.
Already can't wait to go back when I'm properly hungry! -
Review from Imran N.
1/23/2012
I always forget to review this place after going.
From the few nepolitan pizza joints in Toronto, Queen M has the highest value. Not the highest taste, but definately up there.
The 3 course prix fix menu at $27 is a steal. The appetizers are always excellent and the deserts are quite good. The choices of pizza's are high on flavour. The best part has to be their dough. Cooked just the way i personally like it. Thin and flat but with a nice crust all around that you can actually eat without chipping teeth.
This is a good place to come for a simple evening date, or for a larger group. The upstairs area seats quite a bit.
It's also nice eating in the east end, away from all the rush and traffic. -
Review from S D.
Toronto, ON
1/13/2012
I was very pleasantly surprised by QMP. I went with a group of girlfriends, and while we had reserved a table, there was quite a bit of a wait for the people occupying our spot to leave + for the staff to clean the table. However, the staff were very apologetic and attentive in updating us on the status of our spot. They even served us wine and bread while we sat at the bar.
We were seated upstairs and the ambiance was excellent - very warm and authentic. The drinks were superb - I had a lovely grappa. The pizza I ordered, La Diavola, was delicious, with the perfect amount of spice.
I would definitely recommend this place. -
Review from Robert K.
10/13/2011 ROTD 11/24/2011
Quite tasty indeed. I ate carpaccio, pizza with anchovies capers olives, and one of those Italian donut things. Also tried the mushroom pizza.
Thoughts:
The pizza here tends to be slightly undercooked. Ask them to make yours extra-well-done.
Apps and dessert were fine, prix fixe is a pretty good deal, but next time I'll just get a pizza. That, after all, is what you're here for.
Man, I hate those stemless wine glasses.
Service was good. I made a reservation but probably would have been ok without one (though it was a rainy Wednesday night).
Contrary to my fears, East of the Don is not a savage wilderness populated with monsters and dragons.
All in all, a good meal. -
Review from Mimi C.
Toronto, ON
1/12/2012
Pretty good pizza with decent prices. Though I was surprised by the number of people that were there when I went..its location is relatively hidden since its close to Greenwood. I suppose it must be quite popular for those who live around it. Very limited desert choices. Seating can be kind of tight, my table was very close to the one next to mine and waiters would still stand and walk through the little spacing between our tables.
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Review from Steph L.
10/2/2011
Libretto may rule the pizzaland of Ossington, but Queen M. Pizza definitely rules the east!
QMP took me by surprise.
I love Libretto.
I still love Libretto.
But, QMP, I was impressed.
The atmosphere at QMP is more casual...
The menu is simple (not quite as adventurous as Libretto)...
But damn, you make a good pizza.
1) Reservations
They actually take reservations! Hooray!
This place was packed, packed, packed on a Friday night.
Even though we had to wait a bit for our table (15 mins), I never felt ignored.
I was constantly acknowledged by the owner and hostess.
2) Set Menu for $25: Appetizer, pizza, and dessert!
It's a great deal!
*Appetizer*
Antipasta platter: It was alright... completely comparable to the self-serve antipasta station at Longo's.
*Pizza*
Napoletana: Anchovies, capers, black olives, tomatoes.
Holy salt overload! Capers. Damn you.
Giovanni: Prosciutto, arugula, tomatoes.
This pizza was fantastic!!! The fresh arugula made our carby meal feel a bit more balanced.
For both pizzas, I found the crust chewy but slightly undercooked.
The middle of the pizza was a bit soggy.
*Dessert*
The pumpkin creme brule is not creme brule.
It's not. Don't pretend it is.
It's pumpkin pudding with crispy sugar bits.
But it was still yummy, like the filling of a pumpkin pie in a ramekin. =)
One thing I didn't like is that there is no paper menu available for the wine/drink list. Unless you are seated on the lower level (where the lists are written on chalk boards), you have to ask.
When I asked the waitress about the wine list, she responded "Oh! It's all in my head".
...Yeah... I just ordered a mojito.
Also, I don't like their t-shirts.
Other than that, QMP is a great casual spot for pizza! =) -
Review from Shari M.
Toronto, ON
8/7/2011
Apparently the 34th year of my life means pizza for me. Through the power of Yelp, I chose QMP to celebrate my birthday dinner with my family, BF, BFF and her BF. Wow....so glad I chose this place!
You know when you are at a big table and everyone is chatting, laughing, and the food arrives and it is complete silence?! That was us. All 8 of us were diving into these pies like greedy little pigs.
The crust is almost like a naan. Very light, airy, yet with that all important bit of crispness on the bottom. My only comment on the crust would be a bit more salt could be added to the dough. The toppings were so fresh. I sampled a couple of different pizzas and was so impressed with each. The veggie one is like a garden on a pizza, the Italian sausage one is meaty delish, and the prosciutto one was some of the best cured pork I have had.
The space is adorable, and with the wood burning oven it still manages to stay cool.
I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Bahi K.
Scarborough, ON
8/19/2011
I went into QMP expecting it to be good, but just not as good as Pizza Libretto. I had eaten twice at Libretto, read reviews of both places extensively, and in my mind, there was no possible way that QMP was going to outdo Libretto. Needless to say, I was quite shocked when I found myself begrudgingly admitting (and my foodie friend was in total agreement) that the pizza was actually BETTER!
We ordered the Giovani (incredibly light and refreshing) and the Romalo (to which we added sausage, on the recommendation of our server). Both were incredibly good, although my slight preference was for the Giovani... however, once I added the hot sauce (even the hot sauce is better here) to the Romalo (wouldn't dare adding it to Giovani, just wouldn't be right), it soared to a more-or-less equal height. The pre-fixe option seems like a great option if you're ravenous, but we were both quite sated with the pizzas and our wine.
At $45/person for pizza and a glass of wine, it's a little on the pricier end, but totally worth it considering how delicious everything is. I will definitely be going back, and even getting takeout to share with my family. -
Review from Mariko M.
8/26/2011
Finally dined at QMP tonight !
Without sounding like a broken record, making resos is *k e y* ! It was packed tonight and reservation-less folks were told that it would be a long wait. Making a reservation here is easy - you can do it on-line and you'll get a confirmation within an hour (that's what they say, anyway).
The decor of QMP is pretty cool ... there is a lower level (where the entrance is) that has a bar/waiting area and then there is the upper level, which is the dining room area of the resto. The latter looks like it used to be some sort of factory (v cool).
Menu consists of mostly (like 99.9%) pizza. You have the option of ordering Prixe Fixe items a la carte as well. I would highly recommend the M A T T E O ... it's so, so, so good. You get three types of mushrooms with shredded ricotta cheese on top. The crust is fluffy and the rest of the pie is thin. It just melts in your mouth.
I will definitely be back.
We have a S O L I D four star here ~ -
Review from Brian T.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 8/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
As a very brief update to my prior essay, I went back here a few weeks ago and had a good but not great experience. I went here with 6 people and would say that the crusts on all of our pizzas were slightly underdone.
In my opinion the best part of Neapolitan pizzas is the perfectly blistered smokey crust, so when I see one with barely a tasty black freckle I can't help but be disappointed.
Keeping things in perspective however the pizza was still very good and I have two great experiences to this one less than great experience so I'm still a fan.
Overall I would give my last visit a 3.5.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/26/2011
The Libretto vs. Queen Margherita Debate
Queen Margherita - 4.5 stars
Warning: I'm going to go on a… Read more »
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Review from Julia H.
Toronto, ON
9/1/2011
Dined here for the first time last night, and would say my experience was a solid "good". Not amazing, but good.
My boyfriend and I called ahead to make a reservation for 8pm, yet when we got there our table wasn't ready. The host said it would be 5 minutes, and then proceeded to ignore us while chatting up some regulars. Not impressed. As we were about to leave, the host called us over and led us to the upstairs dining room - 15 minutes later than our reservation. I have no problem waiting without a reservation, but come on...you call ahead, you don't wait. That's my expectation.
The upstairs dining room has a great atmosphere, but was disappointed to be seated next to the bathrooms. Another strike. But as soon as the host left, the experience got better. We had a great, friendly waitress who delivered our prix fixe menu at a good pace.
App - Ricotta drizzled with honey, cranberries and arugala - the perfect size to share (for two people without a huge appetite). Yum.
Main - Margherita Pizza. Delicious, perfectly baked, amazing sauce and herbs.
Dessert - Lemon gelato. The perfect way to finish it off. Light, tart and refreshing.
I would go back in a second, and I would recommend this to everyone. Very reasonable prices, tasty food, amazing pizza, decent wine selection, and great atmosphere. But if I make a reservation and have to wait again, I'm walking out the door. -
Review from S S.
Toronto, ON
8/27/2011
I love pizza. Most people do. There always seems to be a Terroni/Libretto/QMP debate for the best pie. Having eaten at the former two many times, I was excited to finally test this one out. QMP takes the cake.
Hands down, the best pizza I've had in this city.
We went mid-afternoon for a late lunch, and the place was pretty much empty. We shared the lunch prix fixe ($20 includes app, pizza of your choice and dessert) and it was plenty. The gelato was decent, and the selection of meats/cheese app was pretty basic.
Again, the pizza was absolutely amazing. We had the Giovanni.
The only reason for four stars is the service. It was terrible. I know it's an awkward time of day for servers, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. Perhaps it was just a fluke moment, or the server was in a bad mood, but seriously, you're there to SERVE. Is it that hard to be pleasant? -
Review from KL M.
Toronto, ON
11/20/2011
I think Libretto and Queen Margherita are pretty on par with their pizza offerings, but I do like QM's setting more and the fact they take reservations. I think the namesake pizza also has an edge over Libretto, but the best overall pizza, the chili one, can be found at Libretto. All things considered, it's a draw, and you can't go wrong with either.
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Review from Daniel B.
North York, ON
6/4/2011
Read about this place in Toronto Life as one of the top places for 2011.
Arrived and were told a table would be 30 minutes. After about 15 mins our table was read - the place was packed on a Friday night, with no reservations we did well to get in quickly.
Ordered 2 "price fixed" orders, which includes a starter, pizza, and a desert. No drinks.
The starter #1 was the Watermelon + mint salad which is very good, and simple. We liked it so much we've made it at home a few times since. Dead simple, but tasty and refreshing in the summer.
The pizzas were both different, but both shared a common flaw - the underside of the dough needs to be toasted and browned a little more. They leave it too soft, and it's even hard to manage with a knife/fork since it's quite soft. Hands work better. Would love for the pizza to be a little crunchier with the dough.
Taste was good, nothing amazing, but you can tell they use good ingredients.
Desert was a sorbet type thing, not bad. Again for summer, good choices from the chef.
We ordered a few beers and a glass of wine each - total bill was $120 with tip for the 2 of us.
Will return for more. -
Review from Josh A.
Toronto, ON
4/3/2011
Okay. The rumours are true. Reservations don't always work out as planned. But if you are patient everything will be okay. Its a busy place. I didn't even realize that they had taken over the big space above the coffee shop and it was still packed. The space is also very cool and definately first date material for all the single guys like myself.
Let's get to the food. I have to say the highlight of the night wasn't even the pizza but the hot sauce which was out of this world. Possibly from Mars. Just for this reason I'm giving this spot a 4. Now to the pizzas. I was out with my Pizza club which meets monthly and checks out different spots in the Toronto area.
Now to the Pizzas I have to admit the pizza was pretty tasty. Being the pizza club we tried five different pizzas. Unfortunately I was off to the Horseshoe Tavern early to catch Joy Formidable so only had time to taste 3 of the pizzas. Margherita, Vegetarian, and another one that has left my memory.
The Upside. Dough was fantastic and the size of the actual Pizza was perfect.
The Downside: Not much Sauce, very little cheese and toppings were sparse. The remedy for this was the hot sauce that made for a great emergency topping.
Service was great. So which Pizza was the best you ask? I'll go with the surprise winner of the Hot Sauce. -
Review from Eric W.
Toronto, ON
8/15/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Simply the most pure and perfect pizza in the city, a treasure in the east end, which is suprisingly busy given a tough location. But worth it. The 25 dollar prix fixe is a steal, with great desserts and fun starters flanking the incredible pizzas. I find myself drawn here weekly, sometimes alone and at the Bar, enjoying spot on service, speed that is pretty decent, and a great list of wines at good price points.
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Review from Bob H.
Woodbridge, ON
1/26/2012
amazing pizza, service so so but who cares about a dumb server anyway
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Review from chris s.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 9/30/2011
For some unknown reason, QMP is all the rage these days. The pizza is fine, but there are better options. They're a pizza place that doesn't do take-out! QMP is pathetically pretentious and full of themselves.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/13/2010
Fantastic space and view. Too bad the pizza wasn't great, and I left feeling ripped off. I had the… Read more »
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Review from Ashleigh G.
Toronto, ON
11/23/2010
I was recently there with a large group and the meal surpassed my expectations.
Delicious crust - and fantastic service. Our waiter had anticipated every request and we were never left waiting.
Unlike my favorite west end Napoli pizza (Libretto) they take reservations. -
Review from Deborah A.
Toronto, ON
1/19/2011
Wow, you are all so generous with your ratings of this place!
I went for the first time ( for my birthday) we had a reservation for 7:30pm and waited until 8:30 to be seated!! (by the way this was a Sunday)
The guy who was seating everyone kept saying another 5 minutes....... he didn't offer to seat us at the bar, we had to stand there for an hour!!!
Once we were finally taken upstairs and seated our waitress took our drink requests. I asked for a beer she brought it with no glass and i had to ask for one?????? why I'm not at home!!!
I didn't think the pizza was really anything worth going back for and to be honest I wouldn't go back.
It's really not worth the wait!! -
Review from Eric T.
Toronto, ON
11/18/2010
Been here twice over the past six months. I love the space. The second floor, aka the main dining room, has an open kitchen, high ceilings, rustic/industrial interior. It's a really nice place to have dinner. Great vibe.
Sadly, I can't rave about the pizza in the same way. I like the crust and most toppings, but I find the pizza slightly underdone. The centre of the pie is always soggy, making it hard to eat. I wish they could bake it a tad longer so it would crisp up a bit more. It's not true Neopolitan pizza as I've had the chance to enjoy recently in Naples. That being said, I really enjoyed the diavolo, even though it was soggy. On the flip side, they have a pizza with only sausage and rapini: no cheese, no sauce. It's weird. I do not recommend it.
I will say the prix fixe is a pretty good deal. For $25, you get a basic appetizer, a pizza and a dessert. You can pick from 3-4 appies and desserts and any of the pizza. Good for a easy date! :) -
Review from Mitch S.
Toronto, ON
4/10/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Reservations are a must! I came here by myself and still had to wait 15 minutes for a bar seat!
So is the pizza better than Libretto? I don't think so. The quality is similar but where QMP thrives is the $25 table d'hote. Basically, for $25 you get to pick any appetizer, any pizza and any dessert. Perfect little meal for a couple who's not starving.
Would I go again? Sure, I'll just make sure I make a reservation in advance. Although I don't feel it's worth the trip for the pizza alone, the place has a great atmosphere and for $25 it's hard to beat. -
Review from Jr. Bob D.
Toronto, ON
8/19/2011
I agree with BahiK-You hear SO much about Libretto and, in the end, after trying it several times, I just didn't get it. QMP, on the other hand, has taste to it. They don't seem to be resting on the name they've created, which is good. And the Prix Fixe option seems to be a no-brainer. Some good wines to choose from, an interesting decor-although it is loud upstairs but who cares? You're eating one of the top pizzas in the city.
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Review from Charles M.
9/4/2011
I am shocked to see any ratings lower than five stars. This is some of the best pizza I have ever had. We are in town for three days and will dine here twice.
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Review from Ed S.
9/3/2010
Meh. That about sums it up. Need more? Poor service and sloppily cooked pizzas = I'm not wasting any more money at QMP.
Service: 10-15 minute wait on a Friday night. That's actually reasonable considering it's a popular place and we didn't have any reservations, so no issues there. 15-20 minutes after we were seated, no one had come by to give us menus, take our drink orders or even acknowledge us. That's unreasonable. The host finally came by to check on us and he ended up taking our drink and dinner orders. Then the bartender gave me the wrong drink, but quickly rectified it once I pointed it out. He also gave us cutlery, bread and plates and served us our pizzas after another 15 minutes. Then our waitress came by at the end, cleared half the plates and gave us the bill. This ain't rocket science. The host seats you and hands you menus. The waiter comes by to give you the specials and take your drink orders. The bus boy brings the water. How is it that none of this happened?
Pizza: C'mon man, if you're gonna claim to make good pizza, then you'd better deliver. What's w/ the pizzas that have ingredients clustered together in spots rather than evenly distributed? Why's the anchovies on one side, the capers somewhere else and the olives off on their own? Is this supposed to be "rustic"? That's not rustic, that's sloppily made pizza. How come the dough isn't charred properly on the bottom, making the pizza soft and overly chewy instead of crusty and sturdy enough to support the toppings? Even I know you check a pizza's doneness by looking at the bottom to ensure the crust is evenly charred. The ingredients themselves are good and tasty, but if you can't cook the pizza right, you'll get people like me calling you out for making and serving poorly cooked pies.
UPDATE: In contrast to QMP, We went to Totonnos on the UES in NYC. We were seated immediately, given menus and drink orders taken quickly. Drinks arrived, margherita pizza w/ sundried tomatoes and kalamata olives on one half ordered. 10 min. later, our pizza arrived. Crust was thin, crusty all the way through, properly charred and not soggy in the middle. Toppings distributed evenly so every bite contained sundried tomatoes and olives. The sauce was tasty, the mozzarella was more stringy than creamy (I prefer creamy, but oh well), and the soft drinks were refilled for free. And Totonno's is not even close to the best brick oven pizzeria in NYC, just the one that was closest to us. Are you listening QMP? That's how you do it.
tl,dr; Go to Libretto or Mercatto or even Pizzaiola. Or just make your own, it's not that hard. Steer clear of this place. -
Review from Juliana H.
Toronto, ON
8/13/2011
The food is good, and the servers are great. The actual restaurant is very cute. Unfortunately, the hosts we had were useless. We ended up waiting for 1 hour and 45 minutes for a table. We specifically requested an upstairs table and in the end had to settle for a table on the crowded main floor. After expressing our dissatisfaction at the hosts' apathy to our situation, the manager ended up comping a round of drinks. One major problem with this restaurant is there is no area to wait for a table and considering how busy it it, this is an issue.
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Review from Mackenzie C.
Toronto, ON
1/12/2011
Delicious pizza that doesn't disappoint!
Was here last night, came in around 8:30pm and there wasn't a wait at all. Mind you it was 8:30pm and it was also Tuesday night with a snow storm going down.
Had the 'Roberto' Pizza which was Porchetta and hot peppers basically... and it was delicious!
Their pizza oven is flown in directly from Italy and produces top notch pizza.
Its pretty much about $18 for a personal size pizza which should fill you up. But you can add an app and a dessert for another $7.. Great value in my opinion.
Great Pizza, Definitely be back! -
Review from Cameron M.
Toronto, ON
11/15/2010
Sure the pizza is good, but it's not pioneering or so extraordinary to command the high price charged. Their goal is clearly to extract the extra $10 or so from customers by offering a prix fixe priced only marginally higher than a pizza alone; this rather too calculated and grasping for me.
The tables are unnecessarily too close together and the waiters are given to evangelize about how authentic and unparalleled the food is as though it justifies the extortion. I won't go into the political propaganda posted in the men's room other than to say it makes me wonder if this place isn't more of a club house for its owners than a place of serious hospitality. -
Review from Charlotte W.
North York, ON
5/30/2011
My bf and I tried to go to this restaurant on many occasions and were never fortunate to actually sit. The first time was on a Friday night and needless to say, it was busy. Average waiting time is an hour and even then, there are no guarantees. I really wanted to try the pizza so we decided on take out which actually could have been considered a sit-down (or rather stand-up) event. We were told to go to the bar and wait on the side to order our pizzas. The lady then asked if we would like to have drinks while we waited (great service by the way!) I indulged into my alcoholic craving and ordered a Negroni which was nice and strong. Our pizza's came and of we went, but I am sure they would not have minded if we stood and ate? We had, what else, the margherita pizza and I won't go into the debate between Libretto and this place, but it was good. Nothing to complain about except the price which some might find a bit much considering the size and ingredients.
Another time my bf and I tried to come here, it was yet again on a busy and packed Saturday evening. My bf called for reservations and was told we didn't need any because there were many tables available. I am not sure if this was a kind way of saying we don't take reservations because of course being only 5 minutes away, allowed a big group to take up all the seats. We were told we JUST missed our chance. FYI - Make reservations and HOLD on to it.
All in all, I have yet to really have a great, overall experience at this high-end pizza joint, but I am looking forward to it. The concept of simple foods (pizza, wine, and antipasto) is very appealing to me. The restaurant has two floors but I guess I should count my lucky stars that I made it to the bar at least. Will be back!Listed in: All About Leslieville -…
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Review from Greg C.
Toronto, ON
5/13/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Anyone unlucky enough to be around me from mid-December of '09 until Mid April of 2010, had to endure my excitement at this place opening. Seriously, I was like that Kristen Wiig sketch about the surprise party on SNL.
http://video.aol.ca/vi...
The windows stated "Authentic Napoletano Pizzeria coming soon"
Me: "Oh my god, I LOVE wood burning pizza!"
Martini Boys article published in February 2010 "The chefs are certified by the VPN in Italy to properly cook Napoletano pizza"
Me: "Oh my gawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwd, I really like Napoletana pizza! I'm freakin' excited!"
Kat F gave me the inside scoop on the renos in mid-March. She said it's beautiful what they've done with the space.
Me: "Oh my........." you get the gist.
This basically continued until last weekend when I had a chance to FINALLY shut up and eat the damn pies. The verdict? Superb!
We arrived on a rainy night around 9:30 and snagged the last empty table in the place. tt was packed! They've done a wonderful job with the design. White painted brick with an amazing view of the streetcar yard courtesy of the wall to ceiling windows.
Service was really on the ball and professional. No 'effing around,
People have complained about the $25 prix fixe menu being pushed on them but it really is a superb deal.
For starters, I had the butternut squash with prosciutto and arugula. The flavours played off each other really well. The bitter arugula was a nice bold counterpart to the squash and prosciutto. I had the porchetta pizza, the "S.O." had the Margherita.
With the Margherita, the first thing you notice is how amazing the tomato sauce is. There wasn't a hint of tinniness. It was really subtle and well done. The cheeses were oh so good, the only thing I could have used more of were the basil leaves but it's a (really) minor quibble.
I opted for the porchetta pizza, which had the aforementioned porchetta, hot peppers and cheese. Amazing! The great salty, sweet and spicy tastes were well balanced and I loved the subtle kick of the peppers, which normally overwhelm the pizza.
The crusts were chewy and light. These guys know their stuff. The char was dotted around the pizzas with laser like precision. Perfect.
I am giving this 5 stars because they hit the ground running when they opened their doors. It's only been four weeks and everything went off without a hitch. My new favourite place! -
Review from sarah l.
2/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've been here twice and both times I've felt like... maybe I ordered the wrong thing? I want the food to be better than what I've had because I like the idea of Queen Margherita.
First attempt:
When they first opened, Kat F and I dined upstairs on the prix-fixe menu ($25 for app, pizza, dessert). I wasn't really that into my iceburg wedge, bleu-cheese salad but the prosciutto arugula pizza was meh-to-okay. The prosciutto was room temperature/cold so I wondered if they'd put it on after it was already cooked? The dining room is nice but it's concrete/windows so it's as loud as salad king (if not louder). I couldn't eat any of the desserts because they all had dairy so they were very accommodating in offering me a fresh berry bowl instead, and it was alright. They were ready to go when they opened (professional, no opening week slip ups) but I just didn't like my food that much. I filed this under "to try again later."
Second attempt:
After a stunning pizza at Pizzeria Delfina in San Francisco last week (Kat F and I eat a lot of Pizza together... it's an omnivorous food) (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) when I came home I had a hankering for a similar pie. I thought that I would hit Queen Margherita for a second go around in hopes that it could satiate my craving. In short: it did not.
The good:
- The iceburg/bleu cheese appetizer is gone from the menu (the apps selection looked decent - there were 2/4 things I actually wanted as opposed to selecting the thing I did not want the least, like I did last time)
- The staff was nice and welcoming (and kind of cute)
- They take debit and credit (no amex)
- Proximity to my house
The bad:
- No online menu. This is unspeakably annoying. When I got there, the menus were laminated, so it's not like they can possibly be changing that much. I wish I has been able to pick my pizza and call in my order, but I had no idea what they had!
- The pizza I had today didn't come with tomato sauce. Maybe that's my bad for not looking at the menu closely enough (or not understanding the words?) but I was devastated by this unfortunate twist of fate. (I have a theory that I am not meant to be happy with take out pizza).
- The pizza was expensive. $21 for a ~12" pie that would be about 8 slices at a pizza chain.
- It wasn't the best. It WAS A LOT BETTER than Dominos or Pizza Pizza, but I wouldn't say it was better than Buca or Lil' Baci at all. I feel like I may have (again) ordered the wrong thing. It was pathetic and meager compared to Pizzeria Delfino.
- 2 parties arrived as I was waiting - a party of 7 loud, obnoxious hockey loving family members, the loudest (and largest!) of whom managed to jostle and bump me as he thunder-stomped by, even though I was the ONLY person in the room, sitting at the bar, not even close to the stairs they needed to use to make their way to the unbearably echoey dining room. The second party was two women who were rude to the staff ("two." *stomps up the stairs without the hostess even having a chance to say right this way*). Obviously... this isn't the venue's fault, but I vaguely remember it being full of assholes last time I ate here too. You can infer that it's "not my crowd" if you like.
Overall... I will probably never go here again. It's expensive, I apparently never order the right thing (how many wrong things can there be?) and I haven't ever had a good food experience here, although the staff have always been outstanding.
From what I saw today, there seem to be enough GTL buttheads patronizing it to keep it in business. -
Review from Sheila B.
Toronto, ON
7/2/2010
I order two pizzas to-go on Fathers Day, The basic Tomato-Cheese-Basil Marghertia Pizza and the Fungi (like other reviewer mentioned just plain old white mushrooms)...Took about 15 minutes after they bragged about it taking 90 seconds. price...$34.00
The interioir of the restaurant is lofty and the wood burning pizza oven at the back of the upper hall is quite majestic. The entrance downstairs is sort of a foyer/bar area with a couple of tables, and stools against the window. Not overly private and I bet come winter quite chilly.
Loved the pizza dough, i didn't find it heavy. It was thin but had that chew on it I love (some people hate that). Both Pizzas were a bit bland they need jazzing up, I grated some Permigiano-Reggiano a splash of cracked pepper and a little drizzle of Olive Oil it was then perfecto....
Although we thought the two pizzas wouldn't be enough for the 4 of us. We were suprisingly very satisfied. Will try again. -
Review from Boonie W.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 11/5/2011
Went back to give it another go. Less of a pain at lunch but the food still doesn't stand up to Libretto.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/10/2011
Good for one visit but will not go back. Don't believe the hype!
You need to really ask yourself the… Read more »
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Review from Kelly A.
Toronto, ON
Perhaps the smoothest restaurant opening I've ever seen:
- Liquor license: check
- Credit cards: check
- Competent service: check
All in all, a great pizza experience. The pizzas were simple but excellently prepared. They're somewhat cute in the fact that they offer you only a $25 prix fixe including appetiser, pizza, and salad for $25. It's a good deal, but they don't mention that you can get just a pizza a la carte. Unless you've got a giant appetite, the prix fixe will be too much food. They only have pizza as entrees - nothing else.
I have to mention the excellent service again - it was very attentive, professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. Also, the place is very kid-friendly and even had high chairs two days after opening. L'il Baci may lose this half of Leslieville. They also do takeout. -
Review from Jonathan G.
North York, ON
8/4/2011
After a late night, we decided to hit Queen MArgherita, and were delighted to find a very well-priced dinner combo menu. That, and the pizza was great (our friendly waiter said it is better in Napoli).
now that I visited Napoli, I can say yes, it is a bit better, but QMP is quite excellent! -
Review from helen y.
Toronto, ON
2/26/2011
I thought this place had better pizza than the pizza libertto.. Maybe it's just me but I thought the crust was better and the ambiance was lot cozier..!!
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Review from The Vong Choice I.
Toronto, ON
6/22/2011
On the heels of my Italy trip, my sis and I decide to try the new Leslieville pizza resto that has been the new talk of Toronto. And... as Dean Martin's famous lyrics go "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's Amore... The casual but comfortable exposed brick building is quite welcoming and the fact that they take reservations, one up's a restaurant in the West end famed for their pizza as well.
We actually didn't think to make reservations on a Tuesday night and needed to wait in the bar for about half an hour. But we were happy with our glasses of prosecco and catching up as the restaurant was buzzing with energy and filled with hungry pizza goers.
We both chose the prix fixed which was our choice of a starter (a caesar salad, or a prosciutto with orange slices, shaved parmasean on greens and choice of pizza and then dessert for $25.)
We absolutely had to try the restaurant's namesake pizza margherita and a quattro fromaggio pizza. The thin crust on our pizzas were delicioso, and came pre-sliced (a bit of a surprise), and came out not too crunchy which is truly the authentic italian style. The portion was good for an entree; we had 4 hearty slices to eat through. We were told that a pizza slice should have a sag factor and not stick out like cardboard when held out. The pizza should also resemble a leopard as pockets should be burnt and others should be golden as the pizza oven is extremely hot!!
."'xcusa me, can't you see, back in old Napoli, that's amore!" -
Review from Jenny T.
5/5/2010 5 photos
The boyfriend and I wanted to try a more true Italian / authentic pizzeria experience. So far our pizza experience has been Magic Oven, Pizza Hut, Boston Pizza, 2 for 1, Mama's Pizza, RichTree pizza and a ton of Pizza Pizza. We have been anticipating the opening of this restaurant about a month prior to its opening.
The restaurant's ambiance and decor are beautiful, it's kind of like a loft feeling, spacious, high ceilings and a kind of panoramic view of Queen St. The servers are not your white blouse, black pants kind of servers, which adds to the feel of the restaurant. Very nice service too I must add.
We ordered the fixed price menu, (refer to the picture I uploaded) for $25 and drinks on top. Their antipasti was good, we really enjoyed the Prosciutto but I really felt that this entire course was unnecessary. Usually eating these small appetizer/tapas type dishes and drinking wine is quite the experience, but then when the two huge pizzas come, it's just too much and the appetizer doesn't lead into the main dish very well.
We ordered a margarita and the fungi pizza, which is a mushroom vegetarian pizza. The pizza crust was very good, the taste and consistency reminds me of fresh naan. The margarita pizza had these two basil leaves that looked very nice but was very disappointing in taste. I didn't taste any flavour, it felt like there's not much more that was added to the pizza other than the mozarella balls. (I love cheese pizza, but this one was just lacking).
The fungi misti (mushroom) pizza was much better with the earthy taste of mushrooms, but it still felt like it was missing something... perhaps some more spice or hot sauce. There was just too much pizza too, the both of us ate the equivalent of 1 pizza.
The last course, I don't even think I can review that, we were stuffed and then they serve us salad. We didn't even want to touch it. When it comes down to it, go here for the pizza and maybe a glass of wine, but stop at that. Or do take-out - the pizza even tastes great after being microwaved as left-overs, which is not something I can say about most of the pizzas I've tried. -
Review from Vivian S.
Toronto, ON
6/4/2011
We went to QMP after reading about it in Toronto Life.
Venue:
We got a table on the 2nd floor so it was pleasant and bright. The place is casual and relaxed. Just perfect for a weekend lunch.
Food:
We had the prix fixe lunch costing $25. The Pizza Napolitano and Giovanni pizza were ok. The carpaccio is certainly good. Dessert was also satisfying.
This is a good pizzeria to go to if you're in the neighborhood. -
Review from Josh N.
Toronto, ON
6/4/2010 2 Check-ins Here
The Good:
- beautiful space, tastefully renovated and decorated
- friendly staff
- delicious pizza crust
The Not So Good:
- You can't get appetizers (salads etc) unless you opt for the $25 prix fixe option (but I don't want dessert!!!)
- Pizza was good, not great - crust was excellent, but I ordered a funghi pizza and the mushrooms looked like they came straight out of a can
- while our server was friendly, he wasn't the most attentive
- $32 with tax and tip for a pizza + tiny appetizer and dessert I didn't really want/need?
Overall I'd give it another shot, but if you're gonna charge those kinds of prices it'll take a bit more to keep me coming back.
Also, I should add that the 80's pop tunes blaring from the stereo kinda detracted from the experience - was totally out of place.
A welcome addition to the neighbourhood, hopefully they can tweak the menu/experience a bit.
