Which Toronto restaurant serves the best pizza? I'll be there in a couple of weeks and will be taking a group of 20 somethings out for dinner and thought pizza would be a good idea. Thanks!

If I was doing this, based on my knowledge, I'd go to the Hot House CAfe at the corner of Front Street and Church Street. it is a multi-purpose Italian-oriented restaurant, and prepares thin crust pizzas. I've probably eaten 100 there. That said, keep an eye open here for some comment from someone who knows the Italian restaurants in the Little Italy district on College Streeet, where I never visit.

Incidentally, I'm way over your age-criteria, but when I'm at the Hot Hosue, there are lots of people there in their twenties.

BAK

If you're staying in the downtown area, BAK's suggestion is a pretty good one, although Il Fornello's several locations offer a not-bad pizza. If you've got a car, though, and want to travel to the Dufferin-Lawrence area, Camarra's is the absolute best in the city.

Thank you both for the suggestions!

Terroni on Queen St West is excellent as well. The restaurant is very small though and a phone call to determine if they can accomodate 20 people would definitely be wise. You can check out the menu on their website:

http://www.terroni.ca/

I think JohnK was referring to the age group, rather than the number of people - ??

Terroni, Filipo's, Ferro and Ferraro...all very good pizza in a casual atmosphere.

Wednesday night I had dinner at Amato's, on St. Clair Avenue West, at Christie Street.

I regualary get Amato's take-out pizza on Queen Stret, but had nevewr been to the St. Clair restaurant, which has a good sized sitting area with cheerful serving staff, and on Wednesday, live singing entertainment.

I was with an opera singer; my opera singer's singing teacher arrived by coincicdnece, too, and they would have been better than the paid singer, but the paid singter was pretty good, though.

In addition to lots of different kinds of Pizza, your friends/guests could order sandwiches, pasta, and more.

Prices are lowish -- two big sandwiches, both with side Caeser salad, my coffee, my hostess' free water, tax and tip, $23

A bit out of the way, but easy to get to. Taxi from the entertainment district (Toronto City Hall, or CITY=-TV building, Queen and University, etc.) to the restaurant would be about $20-22 with tip.

By public transit, subway to St. Clair West station, then westbound streetcar to Christie Street, and look straight ahead as you get off the streetcar.

It's about $2.25 per person on the subway, so that's half the price of a cab from downtown.

I had the veal sandwich and thought it very good; singer had prosciutto and cheese sandwich.

Amato's is much more casual and downmarket than the Hot House that I mentioned earlier, but much less expensive, too.

I'll eat at Amato many more times, but only because I'll be in the neighborhood visiting the singer.

BAK

I love the very inexpensive Marcello in the little Italy on St Clair West.
Very Italian with formica tables. True pizza, thin crust from a wood burning oven.