**A Slice of the City: The Mainstreeter’s Ottawa pizza taste-off**

Our restaurant savant digs into the crust, cheese, sauce and toppings of five nearby Ottawa pizzerias that define the city’s signature style.

QUINN ABUGOV

Ottawa might not be the first city that comes to mind for iconic pizza, but locals know that we have a distinct style built on thick crust and toppings tucked under a generous layer of cheese. This Ottawa style of pizza grew from traditions introduced by Lebanese immigrants in the nineteen seventies and eighties, and it has since become a familiar part of the local food scene.

For Part One of The Mainstreeter’s taste test we set out to explore classic family run pizzerias that have been serving hearty pies. We avoided large chain restaurants and selected five long standing local spots. They are listed in alphabetical order.

To ensure fairness, we ordered the same large pizza from each business. One half was cheese with tomato sauce, and the other half was a combination featuring pepperoni, green peppers, and mushrooms. Each pizza was evaluated on four elements: crust, cheese, sauce, and toppings. Five points were given for each element, creating a total possible score of twenty. That score was then multiplied to produce a final number out of one hundred.

We also included a price guide that uses one, two, or three dollar signs. Price and ambiance were not factored into the scoring.

Price *

$$$ – 35$+

$$ – 25$ – 35$

$ – Under 25$

*Cost for one large half cheese and tomato sauce, half combination pizza (pepperoni, green peppers, mushrooms).

Colonnade Pizza – $$$

Crust Ranking:                 3^rd out of 5
Toppings Ranking:          3^rd out of 5
Cheese Ranking:             1^st out of 5
Sauce Ranking:                5^th out of 5
Overall Ranking:              4^th out of 5

Colonnade Pizza on Metcalfe Street has been an Ottawa institution since 1967, so we decided to see if it still lives up to its reputation. The restaurant was bustling for a Tuesday evening, which added to the sense of tradition and popularity.

The crust was well cooked with the right thickness that held its own without flop for the first slices. However, the pie did become soggy after sitting on the serving plate for a few minutes, which took away some of its initial appeal.

Without question, the cheese was the standout feature at Colonnade. It was high-quality mozzarella with excellent browning on top and a crisp finish that added texture. We also liked how the cheese melted onto the crust, creating a rich edge that was a pleasant surprise. The sauce, on the other hand, was disappointing. There was plenty of it, but it was watery and lacked depth of flavour, lacking in spice or herbs that could have complemented the other elements. The toppings were a mixed bag. The peppers and mushrooms were among the best we had on our tour, fresh and vibrant, and not overly soggy after cooking. The pepperoni was typical deli-style, lacking in flavour and crispness, and the overall topping ratio felt off as the crust softened toward the end of the meal.

Cumberland Pizza – $$

Crust Ranking: 4^th out of 5

Toppings Ranking:          5^th out of 5
Cheese Ranking:             3^{rd (tie)} out of 5
Sauce Ranking:                1^st out of 5
Overall Ranking:              5^th out of 5

Cumberland Pizza, located on Nelson Street across from the Rideau Loblaws in the Market/Lowertown area, has been a family-owned Ottawa institution since 1973. The shop is primarily geared toward takeout, but there are a few tables for those who want to enjoy their pizza fresh from the oven.

The crust was appealing at first with good browning, crunch and no flop, though it began to sag under the weight of the toppings as we worked through the slices. The cheese was plentiful and flavourful, with an excellent pull that made each bite satisfying, although it was paler than some Ottawa-style pies and lacked the deep browning that adds extra richness.

The toppings were less impressive. The deli-style pepperoni was bland and did not bring much character to the pizza, while the vegetables were slightly watery and muted in flavour. The sauce, however, was exceptional and easily the highlight of the meal. Tangy, garlicky and layered with spices, it added depth and brightness to every bite and stood out as the best sauce we tasted during our Ottawa-style pizza tour.

Isabella Pizza – $

Crust Ranking:                 2^nd out of 5
Toppings Ranking:          2^nd out of 5
Cheese Ranking:             3^{rd (tie)} out of 5
Sauce Ranking:                2^nd out of 5
Overall Ranking:              1^st out of 5

Isabella Pizza, located just west of the Pretoria Loblaws, has been a local favourite since 1975 and continues to deliver on the promise of classic Ottawa-style pizza. The restaurant boasts a cozy dining area for those who want to enjoy their meal fresh from the oven, as we did.

The crust was one of the best we tried: sturdy, crisp on the outside and soft inside, holding up beautifully under a generous layer of toppings. It struck the perfect balance between chewiness and structure. The sauce was another highlight, fresh and bright, with the flavour of tomato taking centre stage. Unlike some Ottawa-style pizzas that use spice blends with cinnamon or nutmeg, Isabella keeps it simple, and the result is clean and satisfying.

The cheese was rich and high quality, though in a few spots it didn’t fully cover the pizza. The toppings were plentiful and fresh, and the large, deli-style pepperoni suited the under-the-cheese cooking style perfectly. Isabella scored the top rating in our pizza review and the low price was a bonus in a world where large, dressed pizzas typically can run you upwards of $30.

Kouzina Pizza – $$

Crust Ranking:                 5^th out of 5
Toppings Ranking:          1^st out of 5
Cheese Ranking:             5^th out of 5
Sauce Ranking:                3^rd out of 5
Overall Ranking:              3^rd out of 5

Kouzina Pizza, tucked inside the Lees Avenue Towers in Old Ottawa East, is a local favourite that came highly recommended, so we had to give it a try even though it is primarily a takeout spot.

The pizza arrived fresh and looked appealing, but the crust was the weakest element. It was fairly bland and lacked character, with noticeable flop compared to other pies we tried. It could have used a few extra minutes in the oven, as the bottom was undercooked and didn’t provide the crisp foundation we were hoping for. The sauce was a pleasant surprise and easily one of the highlights. Tangy and well seasoned, it was generously applied and evenly distributed, which gave the pizza a nice balance.

The cheese was high-quality mozzarella but was slightly undercooked. It lacked browning and color, as did the underdone crust, which left the overall texture a bit flat. The toppings were the standout feature. Fresh vegetables and slightly more flavorful pepperoni added brightness and depth, and we appreciated the twist of having the veggies layered on top rather than under the cheese, breaking from the traditional Ottawa-style approach.

Louis’ Pizza – $$$

Crust Ranking:                 1^st out of 5
Toppings Ranking:          4^th out of 5
Cheese Ranking:             2^nd out of 5
Sauce Ranking:                4^th out of 5
Overall Ranking:             2^nd out of 5

Louis’ Pizza has been a Vanier institution since 1960 and remains one of Ottawa’s longest running pie shops. Tucked just off the Vanier Parkway, this old school spot has a loyal following and a comforting, time capsule feel. It is known for classic pizzas and sky-high coconut pies, and it is clear why people keep coming back.

The crust was the standout feature. It was thick yet light with a great bready flavour and it held up impressively well to the generous layer of cheese and toppings with almost no flop even after sitting for a few minutes. The sauce was good but didn’t quite have the depth or vibrancy of some of the others we tried for this article. There was also a hint of cinnamon that felt a bit out of place and slightly distracted from the overall balance. The cheese, however, was excellent. It was generously applied, cooked perfectly and had great browning along with a picture-worthy cheese pull that made every slice feel indulgent. The toppings were less impressive. They tended to steam under the cheese which made the slice feel heavier than it needed to be and the deli-style pepperoni had more of a lunch meat quality than the punchy, crisp edges of a traditional cup and char pizza.

Overall, here’s the rankings we came up with:

Best crust: Louis’ Pizza

Best sauce: Cumberland Pizza

Best toppings: Kouzina Pizza

Best cheese: Colonnade Pizza

Best overall pizza: Isabella Pizza

Look for Part 2 of our local pizza taste-off in the February 2026 issue of The Mainstreeter when we sample and rank five Ottawa pizzerias that specialize in the thin-crust Neapolitan-style pizza.