Industrial meets pizza on Queen Street East
Don’t even say the L word—“Libretto”—to John Chetti, co-owner of Queen Margherita Pizza, Toronto’s latest wood-oven pizza joint. “We’ve got nothing to do with them. Sure, one of my cooks worked there, but that’s it.”
“Anyway, we’ve got a better oven,” says chef Romolo Salvati, who has been spinning dough for 20 years, most recently at Back Alley Grill. It’s a 6,000-pound Neapolitan oven made of mortar and stone that had to be hauled into the restaurant by crane. Hovering at 845˚F, the oven scorches one pie after another in a mere 90 seconds. “Libretto’s is good, but ours is better,” he says.
“And,” adds Chetti, “we do something no one else in the pizza business does. We have a new menu every day, and everything comes in fresh daily. What we don’t use is picked up by Second Harvest.” The set menu ($25) consists of three courses—choice of starter, choice of pizza, small salad—and has set off an ongoing debate on Chowhound, with some users claiming that pizza should be simple and others racing to defend QMP’s honour. Pizza can be ordered on its own for $14 to $17.
Perched at the end of Leslieville, at the edge of that no man’s land between Greenwood and the Beach, QMP has resurrected the seemingly cursed space above Red Rocket Coffee. “It’s been a church, noodle factory, yoga studio and event space—everything but successful,” says Chetti, a real estate developer who fell hard for the space. High ceilings, factory windows, worn wooden floors, ancient brick and a view of the TTC’s Russell Yard. He took one look and, he says, “It was game over.”
“This area is the next Yonge and Eglinton,” claims Chetti. “There are a lot of people here who know their wine and know good food.” Indeed, the place has been open for less than two weeks and is already packed with customers from near and far. Groups of pretty young things in miniskirts and sequins, much too young to dig the unobtrusive ’70s soundtrack, have made the trip from Woodbridge and share the bustling room with locals in anoraks and jeans. One diner admits, “This is my fourth visit in nine days.”
Queen Margherita Pizza, 1402 Queen St. E., 416-466-6555, queenmargheritapizza.ca.
(Images: Signe Langford)
But do they have booze? I heard they couldn’t get a liquor license. I feel that’s pertinent info to the story, esp. if it’s a sequined minis kinda place.
May 3, 2010 at 1:44 pm | by NadineI had wine when I was there on Friday. The pizza was fast, but not better than Libretto. Also, the prix fixe or pizza only menu is a bit limiting for a place that would be so conducive to sharing.
May 3, 2010 at 2:21 pm | by jennyvDoes this Margherita Pizza have any connection to the one that closed down @ Elizabeth (Bay) & Dundas West a few years ago? I was very disappointed when they closed their doors. :(
May 4, 2010 at 10:12 am | by PonderingI would love to know if they will beat everyone with a pizza that isn’t made with wheat…in Italy there’s a buzz with spelt…some of us prefer to not have wheat, as we don’t like feeling like a balloon…Libretto almost had our attention until every time we call they have run out of the spelt doe…also their service has gotten cocky..so good bye bye…what do you say, isn’t about time someone steps up the friggin game on pizza and make a quinoa doe concoction (more protein than gluten) anyone else feel this way…ciao belli…
May 4, 2010 at 11:25 am | by wellreddoe, a deer, a female deer….
May 4, 2010 at 12:58 pm | by MattagascarAt this point, anything is better than Libretto. I live up the street from it and still walk by it everytime I go to Terroni. Far too much attitude at libretto if you ask me, and for all it’s “authenticity” it still doesnt taste like the pizza in naples.
May 5, 2010 at 8:35 am | by noLibrettoWent there on Fri to and semi-full room (it was 6:30 pm) and reservations. Decor & service are fantastic BUT sadly, the pizza wasn’t up to the high expectations I had having eaten at Terroni’s & Libretto. Yes, they served wine. They have a great bar on the ground level.
May 11, 2010 at 8:23 am | by mtbest pizza joint in toronto. librettos got competition. teronis on another level.
May 14, 2010 at 6:04 am | by steve gottireview your articles or tell the owner of this new place to check around twice before talking, in fact there is a small pizza place called Carpe Diem! on King St & Sherbourne that offers different pizza everyday! and they also change the menu seasonally! and by the way, why don’t I see Carpe Diem! cafe+pizzaria on Toronto Life yet??
May 21, 2010 at 11:58 am | by frankIt’s better than Libretto, better than Terroni and best of all it’s in my hood. This is my new go to place! You can’t get a better pizza in Toronto unless you hop on a flight to Italy!!!
June 12, 2010 at 9:31 am | by 1st Class GekkoYou want great pizza? I’m shocked there’s no mention in Toronto Life of Gerrard Spaghetti and Pizza House. NOW rated it #3 in its top 5, ahead of Libretto and Terroni. Amazing pizza even if the decor sucks.
June 24, 2010 at 10:31 am | by GeorgePizza was delicious, but not worth the 90 minute wait for a table. We had a reservation too, so I can’t help but wonder why they took the reservation if they couldn’t fit people in.
The servers were okay, but not amazing.
If they can figure out how to actually run a restaurant and get people moving (or not take reservations they can’t seat), then this place would be good, but everything tasted a little of frustration.
July 1, 2010 at 9:59 am | by SGPI don’t know what the heck you above me with your statements are talking about. I live in the suburbs and i drive down at least once a week to have myself a GREAT meal. I am of italian background traveled all of europe grown up on ST. Claire and College the most populated italian areas with the most Italian Restaurants, and let me tell u that the pizza at this restaurant make one of the best pizza pies i have ever tasted so u lets …to be nice call u Canadians if u want to experience a taste of italy this is the palce to go hands down……
July 4, 2010 at 4:43 am | by gusmanGreat pizza and superbly cool location, however, the pompous attitude and patronizing service was horrible. I’ll avoid this place like the plague until the staff gets over themselves a bit. The snob factor is a little premature.
September 25, 2010 at 8:14 am | by EricI have had dinner twice at Queen Margherita. It is one of the best pizza i ever had. It is true about the long wait with reservation, but i did not feel the employee/managers were snobby.
The should stop accepting reservations.
A>M>
October 1, 2010 at 5:53 pm | by Angelo