Ottawa Citizen restaurant critic Peter Hum has spent years tasting and reviewing pizza across the Ottawa area to compile this definitive guide. We have gathered every pizza-themed review published over the past five years in one place to help you choose your next slice. This roundup includes detailed assessments of crust, toppings, and overall quality, based on firsthand dining experiences.
Linden Pizza
Located at 119 Beechwood Avenue, Linden Pizza opened in April 2025 and quickly impressed with exceptionally thin and tasty crusts. At just a few millimeters thick, the crusts are sturdy enough for hand-held slices. Chef Mackenzie Combes excels with toppings, offering pies like the "Gorgeous Gorg" with gorgonzola, poached pear, mozzarella, fior di latte, rosemary, and prosciutto. The namesake "Linden" pizza features fennel sausage, melted gruyère, roasted leeks, and garlic confit. The hot-honey pepperoni pizza, called Valentina, is also a winner.
SchoolHouse Pizza
With locations at 11 Springfield Road and 348 Preston Street, SchoolHouse Pizza stands out for its distinctive crusts—thin, texturally perfect with a balance of crispness and chew. Made from high-protein bread flour and fermented for three days, the dough is lighter and more digestible. Notable pies include the "Made in Brooklyn" (elevated pepperoni), mushroom pizza with local Le Coprin mushrooms, garlic, and truffle, and the cacio e pepe with garlic black pepper cream, cracked pepper, and coppa ham.
Louis Pizza & Restaurant
At 181 McArthur Avenue, Louis Pizza is a Vanier institution since 1960. Founded by Louis Rizk, a Lebanese immigrant, it is now run by four generations of the same family. Pizza-maker Mounir Saab, aged 74, still crafts pies with a crust that may be the best among old-school Ottawa pizzerias—crisp on the edges and deliciously cheesy. The friendly atmosphere, personified by host Rema Saab, adds to the experience.
House of Pizza
At 160 Richmond Road in Westboro, owners Gabriel and Nadine Khater offer both thin-crust and traditional cheese-heavy Ottawa-Lebanese-style pizzas. Their house-made tomato sauce is zesty with undisclosed spices, and the cheese blend of mozzarella and brick cheese provides gooeyness and saltiness. The Canadian pizza (mushrooms, pepperoni, bacon, double cheese) is popular, while the thin-crust salumeria pizza (prosciutto, capicollo, Italian sausage, mushrooms) and Margherita with a well-puffed, leopard-spotted crust are also top choices.
