Danforth Pizza House

What is Danforth Pizza House? Operating out of 920 Danforth Avenue just east of Donlands Station, this strip-front East End institution has been turning out whole pies since 1964. Founded by Calabrian immigrant Angelo D'Auria and now lovingly shepherded by the Manikas family, it stands as the city's oldest pizzeria dedicated exclusively to the craft of pizza. Inside, the vintage diner-meets-parlour room keeps things straightforward with modest tables, framed archival memorabilia, and an unhurried, throwback neighbourhood energy.

Danforth Pizza House Menu & What to Order Every pie starts with hand-stretched dough that bakes into a sturdy, airy crust with a crisp underside, layered with lightly seasoned tomato sauce and thick blankets of freshly extruded mozzarella. Order The Angry Bee—a fiery East End classic stacked with Italian fennel sausage, Calabrese honey sausage, cremini mushrooms, garlic-infused ricotta, and a drizzle of hot honey over spicy bomba chilies. If you lean toward the classics, the Vodka Sauce pie with cup-and-char pepperoni or the loaded House Special deliver the satisfying chew and savoury grease-wheel charm that defined Toronto pizza long before sourdough trends took over.

Know Before You Go Seating is strictly walk-in across a handful of compact tables, but the bulk of neighbourhood traffic runs on takeout boxes stacked high on the counter. Weekend dinner rushes see steady waits for custom orders, so call your pie in well ahead of time if you're taking it to go. The shop sits a two-minute walk from Donlands subway station, with metered street parking available along Danforth Avenue.