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The Dish

Sometimes I just want an old-fashioned corner-shop pizza slice — the kind with a medium-thin crust: not floppy like a Neapolitan or New York slice, but also not focaccia-thick like a Detroit or Philly tomato pie. Dundas Pizza’s classic pepperoni slice, $4.55, fits the bill. It’s a big slice (technically two) served on a white paper plate with fluted edges, always too small and instantly turned translucent by the grease.

There’s a decent cheese pull, and just enough char across the toppings and crust to give it that bittersweet crisp. The pepperoni is generously sliced, slightly floppy rather than the fancier cups with crisped edges. What I like most is the minimal crust width; just enough to grip, but not so much that you need a dipping sauce. It’s comforting, filling, and a steal at the price. (Go within the first hour of opening for the freshest pies straight from the oven.)

Also: take advantage of the condiments at the counter. I’m partial to the parmesan and hot pepper flakes, but a little chili sauce would be great too.

The Restaurant

Newer pizzerias try to replicate neighbourhood spots like Dundas Pizza with wood-paneled walls and red-and-white checkerboard floors. But here, it’s the real, lived-in thing, as confirmed by the area code-less phone number on the sign out front. Opened in 1995 by the chatty Tho Zuan Hoang, who’s still the sole person running the place (with occasional help from his wife), the tiny takeout shop has just one little corner table for two. This is your classic grab-and-go slice joint.

There’s no music; just the hum of the drinks fridge, the sizzle of chicken in the deep fryer, and the occasional Vietnamese program on the TV in the back kitchen. Prices are kept low thanks to Hoang purchasing the building in 1993. He told me if he had to deal with Toronto’s sky-high rent, he would have closed 25 years ago. Dundas Pizza might not be the kind of buzzy, viral spot with lines down the block, but it has a well-loved charm — a neighbourhood secret for the people who live here.

Also on the Menu

The menu has been trimmed in recent years as more restaurants have opened along this strip. Aside from the reliably good slice, the fried chicken is a delightful surprise. Seasoned simply with salt and pepper, it’s fried to order and comes out piping hot — juicy inside, with papery crisp skin that’s miles better than what the big fast food chains offer.

I ordered two pieces to go with my slice for $5, making it a very filling $10 meal for one, or a light lunch for two. As with the pizza, the condiments are key. I douse mine in white vinegar for a tangy contrast — sourness always goes well with fried food.

Explore the Area

Check out this recent walking tour of the Junction from the Star. In addition to those stops, I’d also recommend Sweet Trolley Bakery (3056 Dundas St. W.), an old, family-run bakery that makes seasonal mini fruit pies. Further west is what remains of Little Malta, a neighbourhood that was once the hub of Maltese culture but nowadays it’s mostly anchored by a church and the Little Malta Bake Shop (3256 Dundas St. W.), a cute husband-and-wife run cafe best known for their pastizzi, though the qagħaq tal-għasel, a treacle-filled pastry ring, is what I like pairing with coffee.