I grew up in Hamilton and have nostalgic love for this pizza, which is really a soft ciabatta-like bread with a thick dense sauce on top. It's objectively not that great, but I crave it every now and then.
Is there anywhere in Toronto that does sort of a good version of this? Most places that offer thicker crust end up pretty crispy, and Detroit style does Not work when done this way.
Any recommendations, especially form fellow Hammer ex-pats who also have nostalgia for this nonsense, are appreciated.
Edit: As you can see in the body of this post, I admitted that it's "objectively not that great", so those of you who have nothing better to do than comment "BuT wHy?" or "wHo wAntS tHaT MOckeRy oF a pIzZa, aNyWAy? eVeN fOr fREe…" – go away. 🙂
by Aeyric
50 Comments
God I hope not
Prince street spicy vodka.
might want to check out the Prince Perfection at Prince Street Pizza. It bares a visual resemblance to your pizza, but I think the sauce might be a bit different. The crust is also crispy on the edges, so that might screw it up for you. Great pizza though, especially fresh to order.
You actually get this pizza in grocery store bread aisles, check Loblaws or metro
Also a former Hamiltonian…there’s only one Roma Pizza! TO doesn’t have anything else like it, really. Tre Marie bakery on St. Clair does a bready, saucey slice kind of almost sorta like a Roma but it’s still not the same. That’s about the closest I’ve come across.
Fortinos sells that, I’m pretty sure.
Your best bet for that style of crust is Tony & Nick’s at Dundas & Dufferin. But only on the party size, every other size has a standard crust.
They make proper pizza, so it will have toppings and a normal amount of sauce. But the party size sounds like a similar crust to what you describe. If you don’t want to commit to a full pizza, try one of the slices if you are in the area.
That bread is soooo good. Roma and Zarkys made one too! Hamilton kid here
Super store has a decent one lately .
If you can travel North, you can get this at Ciao Roma in Vaughan which is authentic Roman pizza.
Mac’s pizza on dovercourt used to do these. Idk if they still do, they called it a “granny slice”. It’s good as hell
A Hamilton party staple!!!
In Montreal you can get it everywhere. Red pizz’!
That pizza is very Hamilton/Stoney Creek. My Aunt and Uncle owned a restaurant for decades in Downtown Hamilton, that was one of their staples as well in the 80’s to early 00’s. It’s starting to feel like a lost art, hopefully other spots start adopting it and keeping the tradition alive.
the name is Roma Pizza in Hamilton.
No idea what the closest thing in Toronto would be, unless they ship it there too.
also from Hamilton but now live in Toronto. Always a debate whether this is even pizza. i call it sauce bread. not pizza
ROMA!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
A tomato pie
Is this bread with tomato sauce?
Closest I’ve ever seen this was in Oakville. But if you’re going to go all the way to Oakville might as well just go to Hamilton.
Looks like a cold pizza you’d get in Quebec – sometimes called a tomato pie. They’re delicious.
The pizza scene in Toronto is lacking in my opinion
For anyone reading this, Roma pizza is 100000000% better if you put it in the oven to crisp up a bit.
Edit: typo
Pretty sure Zehrs carries it.
[Where’s the cheese?](https://m.youtube.com/shorts/5j7Y2Af8gY8)
I have heard Aida’s in Woodbridge sell it.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/FifsXfMaUfNvbWrU9?g_st=ipc
Good reason to come back to Hamilton. Lol
Also from Hamilton… Roma is a special kind of gross great and I miss it too!
what is thaaat
😀
You probably want to look for “Detroit-style” as a keyword — I know a good spot up in Thunder Bay but don’t have a go to spot near Toronto 🤔
Haven’t been, but looks promising: https://descendantdsp.com/
I hope not
There’s a fortino’s at Lawrence and Allen – they might carry it. I nabbed one at a Fortino’s in St. Catharine’s this year so it’s possible!
I don’t know what this is. I don’t know if this is any good. But I support you and will join your hunt for this Hamilton-style Roma pizza in Toronto!
Fortinos sell it
Oakville grocery stores get Roma delivered daily I believe, not too far from the city
This pie is foundational. It is what I show people to explain that the sauce and the bread ARE the pizza.
Tried that once and its horrible lol
Sorry only the best can be found in the Hammer! Every other city I’ve ever been to is confused if not down right disgusted when roma pizza is explained to them haha
Roma is based on Sfincione Siciliano, a pizza popular from the agrigento region of sicily. A huge amount of Sicilians moved from that area, specifically Racalmuto, to Hamilton. They are now sister cities.
With that in mind, sometimes this slice is called a grandma pie, or marinara slice. I was just in Vancouver and a slice shop had Roma style pizza. I realize thats not helpful here but surely theres somewhere in the GTA that has this. Barring that there’s a fortinis in Mississauga.
This shit slaps tho and it’s vegan lol basically just fluffy bread with nice sauce
Yooooo I grew up in the Hanmer as well , I thought I was the only person who liked it.
I miss it so much
To all the haters, its quite tasty – perhaps you should think of if not as pizza, but instead as really high quality breadsticks and marinara sauce that come together.
Pala 148 in Yorkville sells Roman style pizza, but one that’s just marinara sauce isn’t on their menu.
https://www.pala148.com
Roma pizza is a Hammer thing.
No thank god
The argument I have with my husband all of the time (he grew up in the Hamilton area)… THIS IS NOT PIZZA.
Um. I don’t know what I’m looking at.. but I wouldn’t eat it..
Roma is Hamilton famous don’t forget that
Roma pizza!
I knew this was a Hamilton local as soon as I laid my eyes on the picture. I always found it so appealing until a few slices in – one bite too far and instant nausea would set in. Ahhh, good old Roma pizza