Descendant Pizza : Toronto, Ontario

Name: Descendant Pizza
Address: 1168 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4M 1L4 Canada
Website: Website
Wifi: No
Tender: Credit, Debit, Cash
Neighbourhood: Leslieville, Toronto
Type: Pizza

Descendant Pizza  is located in Toronto’s Leslieville neighborhood and is the only spot in the city, actually only place in Canada, that serves up Detroit style pizza.

So what exactly is Detroit style pizza? Though often described as a deep dish pizza, owner Chris explains that it’s not. In fact, the pizza is a descendant of a Sicilian style pizza which is how he came up with the name for restaurant. A Detroit style pizza is characterized by it’s square shaped slices. It’s also baked in a much deeper pan giving a much thicker crust with a texture similar to that of focaccia. The cheese is also sprinked on the pizza dough from end-to-end and as a result caramelizes as it bakes to give you a nice crispy and golden edge. If the pizza has tomato sauce it is also ladled on top of the pizza after it has baked, instead of being spread over the dough beforehand and baked in the oven like most pizzas.

The artwork and walls immediately catch your attention when entering the space. It oozes with character and definitely has a rock star vibe. I like it. A lot. Local Toronto artist behind the popular Playdead Cult was commissioned to transform the space from a blank space to an artistic visionary masterpiece with a little bit of edge.

 

The space seats around 20-25 people, with counter height window seating and a row of 2-person table seats that line the back wall. A long communal table that can seat around 8-10 people anchors the opposite wall for family-style dining. In addition to the art on the walls it’s hard not to take notice of the furniture which was custom made by local Toronto craftsman Son of a Woodcutter. The tables are pieces of art in themselves being made from refinished reclaimed wood.

 

First we start with a salad. It’s dressed with a light Caesar dressing, cheese, chopped nuts, dill, and grapes. It tastes like a lighter and more refreshing Caesar salad and the grapes give just the slightest amount of sweetness that make this a perfect salad for the summer.

Next are the chicken wings, which are a special, with the flavor rotating every few weeks. This week the wings are served with spicy Korean Gochujang sauce, cilantro cream, slivered green onions, and fresh cilantro. When it comes out from the kitchen I’m a slightly surprised. It’s one of the nicest presentations, if not the nicest, chicken wing presentations I’ve received.  Definitely a much more upscale version of the bar food classic. The wings are crispy on the outside and the meat is tender and moist on the inside. Just the way I like it. The Gochujang sauce gives just the right amount of heat while the cilantro cream, green onions, and fresh cilantro add just the right amounts flavor and freshness.

 

After a good start with the appetizers it’s on to the main attraction, the pizza. First, I try “The Good Old Days”, which is topped with marinated roasted red peppers, house made fennel sausage, shaved red onion, sauce, basil aioli, grana padano ($17 CDN + tax  for 8×10 pizza, $30 CDN + tax  for 10×14 pizza). As described, the edges are perfectly crispy and golden. It’s one of the best features of the Detroit style pizza as far as I’m concerned. The ingredients taste fresh and go well together. The tomato sauce and basil aioli has been ladled on top of the pizza, and while it’s something I’m not accustomed to it also ends up being a feature I enjoy about the Detroit style pizza. The flavor of the tomato sauce shines without overpowering the other ingredients as opposed to being hidden under a layer of cheese like the nameless forgotten backup singer in a band.

Next, I try the “IT’S NOT GOOD, IT’S GRAPE” pizza which is topped with Nduja salami, grapes, rosemary, calabrian chili, fennel herbed cream,  and arugula ($19 CDN + tax for 8×10 pizza or $31 CDN + tax for a 10×14 pizza). A unique offering, it’s definitely the first time I’ve had grapes on a pizza before. It works well though, especially when paired with the other toppings. I would almost describe it as a salad on a pizza. A really good pizza.

The last of the pizzas I try is the “TRUFF-GHI” pizza which is served with a cheese blend, slow-roasted garlic cremini mushrooms, double smoked bacon, and white truffle sauce ($18 CDN + tax for a 8×10 pizza or $30 CDN + tax for a 10×14 pizza). The flavors are just right and what I like about this pizza is that you could also easily ask them to hold the bacon to turn it into a vegetarian pizza that could easily hold it’s own against, and even crush, any meat-laden pizzas in a pizza death match. You know, if pizza death matches were actually a thing.

 

Ok, so I’m about to explode at this point from all the tasty food I’ve eaten but then I’m asked if I want to try the Strawberry Prosciutto ice cream and suddenly I find just a little bit more room in the belly. I’ve never tried or even heard of prosciutto ice cream before so I can’t resist and am thankful that I’m wearing a loose fitting billowy dress.   A scoop of prosciutto ice cream is served with strawberry compote, extra virgin olive oil, micro basil, and then topped with a puff pastry crumble ($5 CDN + tax).

Ok, so prosciutto ice cream is not as scary as it sounds. In fact, it’s delicious. Especially when paired with the strawberry, basil, and olive oil. The prosciutto flavor is subtle and the sweetness from the strawberry balances well together, similar to how the classic Italian pairing of prosciutto and melon work well together. The basil also adds crazy bursts of freshness and the puff pastry crumble contributes just the right amount of texture. Order NOW.

Overall the experience at Descendant pizza was perfection from start to finish. A word of warning though that these pizzas are deceivingly filling. The square slices appear reasonably sized and manageable but the hearty toppings, generous amounts of cheese, and thicker crust would satisfy even the largest 300 lbs. linebacker appetites. Most people would be satisfied with just 2 slices of this pizza. Maybe you could pack down 3 slices if you had slept in and were too unconscious to eat breakfast that morning. Hey, that’s kind of another feature though as this pizza is so good that you’ll want a few slices leftover so you can eat them later during that impending Netflix marathon.

 

Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored, however the meal/items were complimentary. All opinions expressed are my own. All menu offerings and prices are accurate as of time of posting. Please refer to restaurant/shop for most up to date information.

*All images are copyrighted Allons.Y Styling & Photography. Please do not use or re-post without written consent and provide credit where applicable