UPDATE: This place is closed.
I am very particular about my pizzas. I like em with a thin crust (but not Lavash cracker thin), I like fresh ingredients for toppings (no canned/jarred ingredients) and a well-seasoned sauce. I often make pizza at home using a homemade pizza dough and the toppings may vary, depending on what’s in my pantry and fridge and obviously, the mood I’m in.
Last weekend, I found myself downtown and hungry (what else is new). I was on Toronto’s Yonge Street (also the world’s longest street) and with time to kill, belly rumbling – decisions had to be made. I was in the section of Yonge that’s still evolving but still far from having a cluster of good eateries.
I went with instinct and entered The Hornero; the place has been around for awhile, many tables were filled for dinner and the signage makes it very clear that they have a woodburning brick oven. I entered the establishment and I was promptly greeted, given my seat of choice (front window facing Yonge) and the wine and dinner menu were placed in front of me.
The Hornero gets its name from the bird native to South America. These brown birds are known for building mud nests that resemble old wood-fired ovens. The Hornero is also a national emblem for Argentina which is also a country which a large Italian population.
The menu at Hornero has a few items that allude to South American but it’s Italian fare that dominates the dinner options. Salads, antipasto, pastas, entree offerings and the list of pizzas available are the usual that we have seen at other Italian restos. A little more adventure in the menu would be nice but in the meantime, I’m glad to have straight-up Italian fare served to me.
I went safe (or did I) with ordering a pizza. The pizzas are good for two if ordering an appetizer plus salad and certainly a meal if just for one. I went with my favourite pizza, pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers. I asked the server where the brick oven was and he pointed to the back. I asked if I could see the oven and take some photos and he kindly gave me assent…just as long as the owner was also okay with that.
I ordered my pizza, a glass of house red and the server (nice fella) asked me to follow him to the oven, tucked behind the bar and at the back of the establishment. Behind a window and now in full view was this beauty of an oven. Delighted to see that my pizza would be made in the most traditional way, I introduced myself to the owner who was himself handing pizza duties. I took some snaps and headed back to my table.
Shortly thereafter my pizza arrived along with a bottle of olive oil and the offer of fresh ground pepper. I asked for some chill flakes and a shaker appeared on my table in no time. The owner came up to my table, introduced himself as David and we quickly bonded after finding out that he spent a summer in Greece!
We discussed food, where he wanted his restaurant to go (he recently took over) and David also expressed the desire to carry a Greek wine or two! David could also see that my pizza would get cold so he left me to try the pizza and with the hunger of man just finished some shopping, I tucked into my pie.
The pizza was delish! It arrived on a large round white plate, the perfect crust (thin but not too thin), nice and varying colours of brown that only a wood burning oven could give. Nicely seasoned tomato sauce and toppings of Mozzarella, pepperono, thinly sliced green peppers and mushrooms made the pizza all a delight to eat.
If you find yourself downtown, stop by The Hornero for a bite. I only tried the pizza but from looking at what others were eating, I could see the pastas were also popular menu choices. A good excuse for me to visit The Hornero again!
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© 2007-2010 Peter Minakis
Isn’t is great to fine a pizzeria that makes fresh, thin pizza with just the toppings you want. I’m spoilt with a pizzeria on the way onto The Mediterranean Food Warehouse here in Wellington. Our mutual friend, Maria in Hania, Crete would love to visit here.
Hope you are enjoying Spring in Canada and already planning this coming summer’s visit to Greece. Here in Wellington, NZ, I live next door to the residence of the Greek Ambassador to NZ!
Great review, Peter. Now I’m craving pizza. ;)
Great shot of the ovens. One could almost feel the heat! I like my pizza thin and crispy too — but I would have have gone for anchovies, spinach + black olives.
You have excellent taste in pizza toppings! I’m also a bit fussy about pizza, so I have recently started making my own. I can now do a cracking crust, but the other elements need work!
What a fab experience Petah … enviable too! I’ve recently eaten pizza at a wood fire oven too here, and can say it was truly the best. The crust and toppings, everything tastes far better than normal fare! Beautiful post, great pictures!!
oh what i would give to have such an oven! i like my pizzas just like you, i now make my own sourdough base, but in the electric oven… not the same, tastewise! at my parents’ weekend abode (an old, derelict farmhouse dating back to 1769), there was an old, woodburning oven for bread… we never got to restore it to it’s originaly grandeur to be able to try it out… shame really, i bet they would have been out of this world!
I admit to being wishy washy since I like my pizza many different ways; deep dish, thin and crispy and loaded and chewy. I don’t think I would ever turn down a good pizza.
Same here! I also like them with a thin crust. Looks like a great place to eat!
Oh My!!! A perfect pizza. I even like your choice of toppings. I’d be jealous if we didn’t have a similar restaurant in Victoria – Pizzeria Prima Strada in Cook Street Village.
Ann
Isn’t that the best kind of pizza ever! We have a place here called Punch that woodburning imported stoves from Italy & makes the best pizza ever.
Its’ hard to find excellent pizza, and that looks good.. The places name is so fittng for you. Smooches!
You can make pizza almost as good at home by using the BBQ. I spread my home-made (Cuisinart) dough onto one of those “holy” metal pizza pans. Place it on the very hot BBQ and rotate every 15-30 seconds to prevent burning. Be sure to punch some holes in the dough’s surface with a fork to prevent large bubbles forming when it hits the sudden high heat. When the bottom has just the right color to your taste, flip it onto another holy pan and quickly dress it with pizza sauce and toppings before placing it back on the BBQ to cook the other side. If you want the cheese on top to have a really crusty look, place in the oven broiler for 30-60 seconds before serving.