From O-style to Detroit deep dish
Think back, way back, to the first pizza you ever ate. It was probably from a chain, maybe at a birthday party or school event. It likely was topped with just sauce and cheese, perhaps pepperoni. And you loved it. As the years went on you tried more styles of pizza — thin crust, thick crust, Detroit style, Neapolitan, New York — with more adventurous toppings such as anchovies or pineapple. With each new pie came a new appreciation for how good pizza can be. And an appreciation for regional or artisan pizza doesn’t mean what came before was somehow worse.
In the past several years, Ottawa’s pizza scene has exploded, getting better and better, mirroring our own appreciation of this most perfect of foods. Ottawa-style pizza is characterized by a hearty crust that lands on the thicker side of the spectrum. These pies are saucy, toppings kept in place by a blanket of golden-brown cheese. Unlike other regional styles of pizza that benefit from immediate consumption, Ottawa-style pies are well suited to travel and delivery. Eat them fresh out of the oven, and you’re in for a messy slice, one that may require the dreaded fork-and-knife approach. You could call O-style the lasagna of pizzas, which is to say, two or three slices is probably enough, though you’ll want more, and the leftovers are crave-worthy. Few pies are as satisfying the next day, reheated or not, as Ottawa-style.
Ottawa residents will fight tooth and nail defending their shop of choice, but nobody has been doing O-style longer (more than two decades) and arguably better than Bronson Pizza. Bronson’s crust is delicious, speckled golden-brown and shatteringly crisp on the outside, pleasantly soft and bready in the centre. The sauce has a sweet-tart zing, heady with dried oregano, and each pie is a cheese-lover’s delight. Also worth mentioning is the infamous “Gravy Slice” at House of Georgie Sorento’s Pizza. A textbook O-style pepperoni slice, mounted with a ladleful of thick, delightfully peppery chicken-and-beef gravy. Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it, especially after a night of excess.
Ottawa-style not thick enough for ya? Then look to the Motor City. Stay Gold Pizza has been slinging deep, deep-dish Detroit-style pies for about three years now. Not familiar with Detroit-style? Picture this: a thick, pillowy crust, almost focaccia-like topped with tangy red sauce and melty cheese covering everything end-to-end, baked in a deep, square pan. The cheese bubbles up against the edges of the pan as the pie bakes, leaving crispy, golden, lacy edges that are the most magnificent feature of this Michigan marvel. Stay Gold boasts some classic pies, but the inventive combinations really shine. The ‘Nduja Miss Me for instance is topped with spicy ‘Nduja sausage, mozzarella and ricotta and chives for a delicate, oniony pop. The Dolla Dolla Bill is covered in buffalo sauce, morsels of kaarage-style chicken, pickles, finished with a drizzle of ranch. Worth the dolla dolla bills, y’all.
Then there are artisan pizzas — places that go the extra mile with their pies. For dine-in pizza bliss, the nod has to go to Heartbreakers Pizza, which boasts not only ethereal pies but a well-curated wine list. This chic neighbourhood pizza parlour sits in the former space of Blumenstudio and is a survivor of a tumultuous pandemic opening. Owner (and jill-of-all-trades) Juliana Graf recalls having to close the doors four days after opening them for the first time and having just $27 left in her bank account. Luckily for us, they rebounded and Heartbreakers is stronger than ever. Just make sure to make a reservation, as this lil’ place gets packed. The staff are real gems, too. All friendly and welcoming and they really know their stuff.
The pizza at Heartbreakers has thin crust with a touch of chew you’d expect from a live, dynamic dough. The sauces are bright and exciting. The kitchen is scrupulous in choosing suppliers for vegetables, meat, and cheese. Think mushrooms from Le Coprin or veggies from Terramor Farm. All of this results in pies so carefully curated you might call them ethereal. Standouts are the Sweetheart, Heartbreaker’s signature pie with aged mozzarella, pepperoni, jalapeno and honey; and the Fun Guy, featuring Le Coprin ’shrooms, a roasted mushroom cream sauce, grana padano and chives.
There’s also a guest collaboration pie every month, with proceeds going to a different charity. A recent favourite was the Heartbreakers x Bellwoods beer collab: a pizza topped with buffalo chicken, aged cheddar, caramelized onions and jalapeño, finished with a drizzle of blue cheese ranch dressing. Proceeds from the sales of that pie went to the Ottawa branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association. These special pizzas are highlights, so get ‘em while they last, and feel good about doing it. Seriously, if you’re reading this and you haven’t been yet, what are you waiting for?
What’s that you say? Heartbreakers is booked full? The day got away from you and you missed your chance to place a pick-up order? Don’t fret: Pizza Nerds will take care of you. These fine folks are obsessed with pizza, and their pies might be the perfect intersection of the high-quality and travels-well circles of the Ottawa pizza Venn diagram. Another pizza joint that opened just ahead of 2020’s lockdowns, Pizza Nerds is the brainchild of Eric Robertson-Tait and John Macklem. Both restaurant industry veterans, having met while working at Elgin Street’s Pure Kitchen. They bonded over their shared love of the industry and desire to open a welcoming and comfortable neighbourhood space. Oh, and to make amazing pizza.
Again, we’re talking a fermented, high-hydration dough that results in a little char, some bubbles here and there and complex flavour you’ll notice in the first bite. Pizza Nerds (also sometimes known as City Goose, but that’s a story for another time) playfully names its pies after Ottawa neighbourhoods, so it’s fun to see what kind of combo represents your hood. For instance, the Albert, which aside from sauce and St. Albert cheese, comes topped with kimchi, green onions, and black sesame seeds for a slightly spicy, umami-rich bite that is unlike any other in the city. There’s rotating special pizzas, hidden pies that you’ll need to scour the menu for, and so much more. These guys really are nerds when it comes to pizza.
So, how about it? Mouth-watering yet? Craving a slice? What are your favourite pizza joints? We’d love to hear about them. Let us know and maybe you’ll see a pizza part two – electric boogaloo.
Zachary Resnick is a chef-turned-freelance writer and television host, born and raised in Ottawa. He enjoys travelling for food, writing about food, reading about food and has even been known to eat food.
