food – Michael Eats

Tasty Slices at Di’s Pizza Pies

Published on January 25, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 115 St. Paul Street, St. Catherines
Website: https://www.dispizzapies.com/

Yeah, Di’s Pizza Pies is in St. Catharines and is a bit of a trek from the GTA, but if you’re in the area or passing by, it’s worth stopping in.

They had a few slices on offer; I went with the pepperoni (“Red Sauce, Mozzarella, Battistoni Cup and Char Pepperoni, Pecorino”).

The pizza is interesting. I sort of assumed this was going to be the usual thin crust, NYC-style pizza that you can find at so many pizza joints in the GTA. But the focaccia-like crust is actually quite different from that style of crispiness and chewiness, with a crunchy exterior and a fluffy, bready interior.

It definitely works, with the more substantial crust doing a great job of holding up to the flavourful sauce, salty peperoni, and generous amount of cheese. It’s a great slice.

A Great Slice at Maker Pizza

Published on January 19, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 59 Cameron Street, Toronto
Website: https://www.makerpizza.com/

I was surprised to see I haven’t written about Maker Pizza on this blog since trying their Reuben pizza several years ago (which I didn’t particularly care for, and which is no longer on the menu).

I’ve been back several times since then, and the pizza is always stellar.

On this visit, I got a slice of the pepperoni with spicy vodka sauce, and yeah, they continue to serve very good pizza. The slice had a decent amount of good quality pepperoni (the type that curls up and becomes a grease goblet — the best kind), a nice ratio of cheese and sauce, and a good amount of flavour and a mild spicy kick from the spicy vodka sauce.

Of course, a pizza lives and dies by its crust, and the crust here is stellar — great blistered edges, crispy enough to hold up to the toppings and the sauce (but not overly crunchy), and a good amount of chew. It’s a top-notch slice.

Tasty French/Diner Fare at Le Swan

Published on January 17, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 892 Queen Street West, Toronto
Website: https://leswan.ca/

Le Swan is interesting. It’s a cross between a French bistro and an old-school diner, with the menu literally being split in half between “French” and “Diner.”

I tried a few things, and everything was thoroughly tasty.

First up was the smoked trout rillette. No description in the menu, but Wikipedia describes rillettes as “a preservation method similar to confit where meat is seasoned then submerged in fat and cooked slowly over the course of several hours.” It’s generally classified as a spread, and this was substantially chunkier than that; it was more like a smoky tuna salad, with big chunks of fish and onion. Whatever it was, it was quite satisfying (I’m normally not a fan of raw onion, but the onion here was extremely mild, and added more texture than anything else).

Up next was the hot chicken sandwich, which features a whole bunch of very tender chicken and peas served on toast and smothered in gravy, with creamy mashed potatoes underneath. This was pretty much the definition of comfort food, with the flavour-packed gravy really making the dish sing.

The green beans were pretty simple; they were tossed in some kind of tasty vinaigrette and were served with toasted almonds for crunch. They were nicely cooked, with a satisfyingly tender (but still firm) texture.

Last but not least: the corn dogs, which are topped with some kind of mayonnaisey sauce and slices of pickled jalapenos, and are stuffed with cheese along with the expected hot dog. These were a little different than the norm, with the batter being more like a pancake than a traditional corn dog, and with no exterior crunch. I thought I’d miss that, but the pickled jalapenos do a good job of adding the texture that you’re looking for.

Tasty Mexican Food at Pa’l Antojo

Published on January 15, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 1885 Drew Road, Mississauga
Website: https://www.instagram.com/palantoj0/

Pa’l Antojo is in the middle of an industrial wasteland near the airport, so it definitely qualifies as a hidden gem. I was mostly in the area to pick up nuts from Master Delight, which I think sells the best nuts in the city. But it’s worth the trek to check out Pa’l Antojo either way; the food is stellar.

I tried a couple of things. I’d heard the quesabirrias (“stewed beef seasoned on a crunchy corn tortilla with cheese, cilantro, onion and beef broth”) are the thing to order here, so that was a must.

It’s very, very good, with a great contrast between the slightly crispy tortilla, the gooey cheese, and the tender beef. Once you dip it into the very flavourful broth, you’re off to the races. I could eat a million of these.

I also tried a pastor taco, and it was just as good, with the very generous amount of pork being crispy and abundantly tasty, and with the double layer of fresh corn tortillas complementing it perfectly.

Amazing Pizza at Tony’s Sourdough Pizzeria

Published on January 13, 2026January 13, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 45 Mill Street West, Elora
Website: https://tonyssourdoughpizzeria.com/

Tony’s Sourdough Pizzeria opened a few months ago with a decent amount of hype. That’s despite the fact that it’s way out in Elora, which is a bit of a trek from the GTA, putting it mildly (it’s about an 80 minute drive for me). So when I found myself in the area? Yeah, of course.

It’s a popular place. I showed up right when they opened at 11:30, and it was already pretty packed. Reportedly, they only make 100 pizzas a day before they sell out, so showing up early seems advisable, particularly if you’re making the trek from Toronto.

I kinda wanted to try every pizza on the menu, but I only have so much stomach space, so I went with the meatball and onion: “Fior di Latte Mozzarella | Italian Meatball | Caramelized Onion | Pecorino Romano | Fresh Basil.”

Wow, it was good. It’s that crust. A lot of places advertise that their pizzas are made with sourdough, and if you really concentrate, you can kinda identify a mild sourdough flavour. Here, on the other hand, the sourdough flavour is front and centre, with a noticeable tang that gives the pizza a whole bunch of personality.

And it’s perfectly cooked. The pizza is Neapolitan-adjacent, with a perfect leopard-spotted crust and a great balance between its light exterior crispiness and the chewiness within. It has a bit more heft than your typical Neapolitan pizza, which totally works with the generously-topped pie.

And yeah, the toppings are stellar, too — the meatballs, in particular, are absolutely packed with flavour and have a great tender texture. I could eat a million of these just on their own, but combined with everything else here, it was profoundly delicious.

It’s a ridiculously long drive for a pizza, so… is it worth it? Yes. Yes it is. It legitimately might be among the 10 best pizzas I’ve ever had.