My review might not be the most accurate review, but this is what i have to say.. first of all, i didn't have to wait two hours b/c my friends were there waiting far before i got there... so i wasn't annoyed.. i had whatever wine they had ordered, was horrible.. so i can't really comment on that b/c i didn't even look at the wine list.. they ordered four different types of pizzas, and all were fantastic.. i wasn't doing backflips over them, but i liked the dough, perfect smokey smell, soft but thin texture.. was great... toppings were good but like i said, wasn't flipping over them but was satisfied.. I'm still thinking Ferraro's is better.. :) oh well.. :) read more

Everyone has been raving about Pizzeria Libretto so I took my open minded palate down to Ossington for a slice. First off, rumoured waits of 30- 45 minutes are accurate which is okay for a restaurant with so much hype. My issue is the whole timing of the dining experience. After the wait, our waiter came right up and poured drinks and took our order. No more then 10 minutes after we ordered our pizza and salad, did the waiter return with our food. Now fast food is great when you are with kids or at McDonalds actually expecting to be served in under 10 minutes, but at a restaurant like this, the pizza should be coming out piping hot and with enough time between my order and when it is served that I believe as a patron that you took the time in your kitchen to make it from scratch. The pizza was luke warm and the tofu artichoke salad was four small slices of smoked tofu with two tiny artichokes and lettuce doused in dressing for $9. I was floored. The interior decor is funky and tables are close together - a bit hard if you want to have a conversation with the person you are dining with. I would not rush back to Libretto. I am faithful to Lil Baci on Queen East for making some of the best Neapolitan Pizza in Toronto. read more

Pizza the way I love it: thin crust with fresh and creative toppings! I was one of a party of 3, dining on a rainy evening - I think we were lucky, because the wait was just a bit under 5 minutes. We started with the calamari, which was lightly battered and fried - and the red pepper almond sauce was a delightful twist! The three of us each ordered a pizza, and shared: Grilled Eggplant, Ontario Ricotta Di Bufala, and Prosciutto & Arugula. Let me tell you - the surprise of the bunch - even without cheese, the peppery arugula and the salty meat came together and made that pizza irresistible. And I love me some cheese. Speaking of, the Ricotta was the lightest, freshest ricotta ever. One of my friends mentioned that he thinks they make it fresh themselves - this sort of dedication to fresh ingredients gets a big check mark in my books. Service was attentive and friendly. There wasn't an overwhelming wait, but given the rumours I had heard about the line-ups, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they never rushed us, and continued to refill our waters when we just wanted to hang out and chat. Again, I think we were pretty lucky in that it wasn't too too busy. Finally, while I'm no wine expert, we had plenty of the Rosso Toscana "Il Bosco", and it was a great accompaniment to our meal. Great portions - had a great lunch the next day :) read more

I went straight to the bar and grabbed the only two seats remaining on a Friday night. I was just to the right of the taps, which sadly, only had three options: Creemore, Steamwhistle, and something else I can't remember. Okay, I went for the food and not the beer, but it would have been nice to get a cold Stella! Plus, way too much head on my Creemore. So, I ordered the Sardine Pizza, but was soon told they were out of Sardines. SO DISAPPOINTING. Got the Hot Pepper / Homemade Sausage instead, and was very surprised. The dough was slightly crisped but just rubbery enough, and the sauce was all about the tomato. Simple and effective without drowning in extra spices and flavours. The ring of crust around the edge was a little too puffy and crisp for my liking - but we had our own chili-oil bottle in front of us to keep it moist. Service wasn't the best, but it was a very busy night and the lineup was out the door. I will definitely go back for the pizza, I just hope the 2nd time around they have stocked SARDINES. read more

What makes a great pizza? The fresh or variety of toppings? The type of cheese? The sauce? Oh no my dear friends, I beg to differ. It's the dough, it's the crust. I look for the irresistible chew, crunch, blistered air pockets in the crust with each bite of my pizza. Oh boy, that's what you get here. Libretto is great! They do pizza right. So good, that I crave it until my next visit. Authentic or not (I wouldn't know) it tastes real good. In addition to the delicious crust, the toppings are fresh, the sauce and cheese round off every bite, and the combinations are perfect. Going at lunch time has it's big perks. For $20 you can partake in their prix fixe menu: Basic pizza, salad, gelato. For $5 extra, you can choose any pizza you wish off the menu, even the most expensive Berkshire Ham pizza ($19). All of the pizzas are sized like a regular pizza pan, bigger than a frisbee... if that helps. I sat at the bar, really clean and nice to see the workers hustle and bustle prepping numerous things, cleaning and serving. My server was awesome. He gave us detailed descriptions for each pizza, listed the toppings and why it would satisfy certain moods or cravings we had that afternoon. That was a great waiter, personable, knowledgeable and willing to help. I started with the Arugula Salad, a serious mound of arugula, pear and walnuts. Slightly bitter but with the cheese and pear, it's a great combination. My friend had the Beet Caprese Salad, multi-colored beets, shoots "seedlings", and fresh cheese. I preferred this salad. For the Berkshire Ham Pizza, there are slices of ham on top of cheese and truffle paste. In the middle, a cracked slightly cooked egg. Stab the yolk, spread it out like a natural rich sauce, and enjoy with each bite. It was good but I'm not too big of a ham person so I preferred the Duck Confit ($17) that my friend chose. In all honesty, the toppings didn't make matter a great deal to me. It was the crust that made me go from full after eating half to "must eat the rest, it's so gooood". The Gelato was the icing on the cake. It was the perfect end to a great, filling lunch. Smooth consistency, creamy and sweet. I admit, a whole pizza with salad is a heavy lunch. You finish it off, walk out of Libretto and THEN realize that you messed with equilibrium. Oh man, is it worth it though! read more

This joint like many in the hood is a positive and clear reminder of gentrification in action! No disrespect to the locals but we all know 15 years ago, saying that you were going to 'hang out' at Dufferin and Dundas 'for fun,' meant something quite different than what it means today... Also, Libretto is a clear reminder that most Torontonians have never had Italian pizza and trust me, Libretto ain't Italian. This is a place that really sells itself a bit more on its vibe and decour than for their pizza. Don't get me wrong, it does not make it a bad place to hang out with your friends, it just means they do not make great pizza. The truth is I have had better Margherita --the baseline all pizzerias should be rated on, since if you can not make this, then you have no business making more complicated dishes-- at a no-name corner joint in Rome than the pricier stuff I got at this locale. Also, as it has been mentioned before by other Yelpers, "burnt" should not be an option when ordering a pizza. I do not know why they do it however the two times I have been here, my friend's pizzas have come out of the oven, not just sizzling but also with charcoaled chunks in the crust. Sure, at first I thought it was their attempt at trying to portray a 'rustic' take on their goods. Sure I can try to buy that but really, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and burnt is just burnt. Would I come back here again? Well, this place has gotten enough of a reputation that you could do worse taking, say a date somewhere else. It is always busy and the exposed brick can give it a somewhat romantic vibe and their menu has a few options for one to choose from, just don't come expecting amazing pizza though. Specially if you have had it in Italy. You will be disappointed. read more

Craving some really good, authentic pizza, my date and I headed to Pizza Libretto. I had heard everyone raving about the pizza, we checked it out to see what the hype was about. The unfortunate part of Pizza Libretto is that they do not accept reservations, unlike their sister restaurant, Enoteca Sociale so I figured that on Tuesday night they would not be packed - I was wrong. When I arrived, there was about a 20 minute wait for a table but no wait for a seat at the bar. We took the bar seating - it actually worked out, we shared a communal area with other patrons. Drinks We ordered half a litre of Ripasso 2009 DOC, Monte Zovo, Veneto - it was a wonderful medium bodied red. After finishing the first half a litre, we ordered another half a litre. We should have ordered the bottle, we would have saved a few bucks! Hindsight is 20/20, oh well. Food Appetizer Buttermilk Calamari, Romesco (a red pepper almond sauce) - OMG - so good, the sauce was wonderful. If there weren't people around us, I would have licked the plate. We ordered two pizzas - one tomato and one cheese: Margherita D.O.P - simple, clean, DELICIOUS! I loved the thin crust, perfect ratio to cheese to sauce. My favourite and my date's as well. Verdura - in comparison to the Margherita, this was an ok pizza. The rapini was a bit bitter but was balanced with the black olives. I really liked the goat cheese. Service Fabulous - we had a great waitress who met our dining needs. She was attentive as were the other wait staff. Food was brought out quickly and plates were cleared once we were done. Atmosphere It felt like we were in a pizza shack, cozy but loud. Very different vibe to Enoteca Sociale which has a more romantic vibe. To date on my Toronto pizza experience, Pizza Libretto is a clear winner. I will be back in the future for sure! read more

The food here is fantastic. We had the margherita pizza as... well I absolutely love margheritas. (Makes sharing pizzas hard as it's all I'll eat at a traditional Italian pizza restaurant). We had a wait of around 45 minutes - they take your number and call you when the table is ready so you don't have to actually stand in line for hours. This is a great idea and hopefully they'll keep doing this. I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 due to the atmosphere and ambiance. Our table was squished between two others and all we could hear were the two ladies on either side talking about their lives. Makes it difficult to have a lovely and relaxing meal. That said - I think if you wait for a counter spot or booth your experience would be significantly improved. So if you're going here and are on a date or wanting a quiet dinner, maybe try hold out for one of these. Comparing this to Terroni's - which is my favourite pizza place in Toronto - I have to say the food here wins, however it loses on ambiance. Hence the 4 stars instead of 5 which I've given to Terroni's. I'd actually prefer to give it a 3.5. read more

Pizza Libretto has restored my faith in thin crust pizzas....so there is such thing as a thin, soft, and easily cuttable slice of goodness that can be made in a hot stone oven and be at your table side in under two minutes, PL you make some good pizza and have some great people serving it. I have tried thing crust at two places - one in Vancouver which i will keep anonymous, and Toronto's Terroni which I had such high hopes for. In both cases, the crust was hard and a knife was surely not tough enough to cut through the rubbery crust. My experience at Libretto is as follows...probably overl excited as I walked into the door and almost ran two ladies over, I gave my name down and the waitress kindly told me that they would give me a ring when a table opened up. We went next door to Salt for a drink, which I must say was very tasty but too short because I got the phone call quickly afterwards..I was very pleased none the less. although we were offered a table at the bar, I think it worked out to be the best situation because there was a tv with the exciting football game on- how lucky we're we! The waitress was top knotch from the moment I sat down- Shannon was her name and she was an absolute joy, from taking photos of us, to making sure that the wine we had selected would satisfy our palettes. While searching the the wine list, we noticed a sparkling red that we were very intrigued by..you don't see those often. It tasted like a good red wine, with notes of carbonation and bubbles.., it was wonderful! Having read so much about the calamari, it was something I had to get, accompanied by red pepper aioli. They came perfectly in a tower which S and I pretended to play Jenga with. I don't know if anyone has ever questioned this but I wonder if the calamari is prepackaged. The way the batter is tied, in my mind seemed artificial, unlike the overly greasy deep fried batters you may find elsewhere. Believe me, these tasted amazing, with the calamari at a good Size, and perfectly cooked, not rubbery and overlooked. The sauce had just a bit of kick that you could taste and leaving you wanting more with every bite. for the main star, we order the homemade sausage with carmelied onions and chili oil pizza... No tomatoes but I was fine with that. The first bite was by far the biggest relief ever, as the cheese melted and the crust was everything I imagined in a thin crust. we both ate happily and added more chili oil to heat up eat bite of our slice. Even the crust was doughy! we saved just enough room for dessert and as much as I wanted to try the affogato, we ordered the lemon panna cotta with cranberry sauce. This is the softest pc I have ever tasted, with a burst of lemon in each bite, and the sweet and slightly tart cranberry compote. It was a good size for sharing although I wish I had my own. There is not one bad thing I can say about this place. I was scared that my expectations would be too high going in and would be miserably disappointed but it was even better than I could have imagined. I can only hope that the next time I come that line ups won't be too long and pizza is just as good... Cant wait! read more

INTRODUCING ....(echo echo echo).... THE BEST PIZZZZZA...(echo echo echo)....IN TORONTO ...(echo echo echo). And the crowd goes wild. I am from the New York area, and I have never had good pizza in Toronto , ever - until now. This place is certified Neapolitan pizza. That means they have to use the exact right ingredients, cook the pizza in the exact right way in a very specific oven. On top of that some italian dudes have to come onsite and give the thumbs up. This is no joke when it comes to pizza, and there are not that many certified places outside Italy. If you have never had this style pizza cooked to these specifications, you are in for a real treat. The pizza was , of course , amazing. We also had starters of beet and mozz , some lovely warm olives in oil and risotto balls that were nicer than the Canadian mounted police. I have to also mention this champagne drink I had. It was a bitter mixed with grapefruit juice mixed with champagne. LOVERLY. ... and a bottle of some kind of Canadian wine I never heard of but drank the entire bottle none the less. read more

Ah trendy places, how I love and hate you. I came here with a group of 8 for my birthday dinner. Step 1 was to place my name in long before I actually wanted to eat, as they don't take reservations. I was given a time of 1.5-2 hours. Around 1 hour, I started getting calls that they had a table, but they worked with me to delay a bit. The FOOD: Pretty darn good pizzas first of all. A trick I learned is to order them "well-done". Even ordering them well-done, I still found them a bit underdone in the middle. Something isn't quite working for them with the pizza oven. Everyone loved the Nduja sausage and the cremini mushroom pizzas. The duck confit pizza only sort of worked....didn't taste as good as it sounded. All our pizzas were $17. The spiducci flank steak appetizer was awesome. The gnocchi friti were also pretty tasty. Dessert was pretty forgettable. The DRINKS: I'm kind of underwhelmed by their drink offerings. Why do they have such boring beer on tap when they're so close to Bellwoods? Wines are decent, but not great and priced a bit on the high side. SERVICE was generally pretty good on my two visits. The servers have been friendly and patient....also pretty attentive. Despite it being a crowded night, I didn't feel like anyone was rushing us. The front desk people are a mixed bag...especially when you're trying to work with them to accommodate a big group. They simply just need to take reservations for groups larger than 6. The AMBIANCE is crowded and loud. Not a lot of ambiance here unless you like shouting at your neighbours. OVERALL, it's a cool place to come for pretty good pizza. I don't think I'll ever try to get a big group in here again...that was just way too stressful trying to time it. read more

So I usually go here every Tuesday for there Lunch Pre Fix menu 15$. This excites me , you get the choice of a salad or daily Bruschetta, a choice between pizza or a the daily peadina. For dessert you choose between there gelato or a biscotti. I almost always get the Bruchetta (my favorite one had stretella cheese and prosciutto ) I get the pizza marinara with prosciutto added on, and the vanilla gelato ( I find the chocolate gelato very grainy) I am always very happy with my meal, however, I am not Completely thrilled with the Pizza. I seem to love everything else they do way more than the pizza, which is why I give them the 4 stars instead of the 5. I enjoy a thin crusted pizza, but I hate when the middle of the pizza is soft and sagging. I enjoy a pizza with a decent amount of cheese ,but find they put to little cheese on there pizza. I have also had there Sardines pressed in EVOO, they are amazing! I will continue to go back,however on my last visit the waitress sucked.... the two guys that normally serve me are always awesome! Thanks guys for being so great OHHHh and they don't take debit......... read more

Just enjoyed the Pizzeria Lunch Prix Fixe, and it was excellent! The arugula salad with pear and shaved parmesan was fantastic, great quantity, with a sweet, delicious dressing. Secondi was the margherita pizza (always a classic), and it was up on there on the 'my favourite pizza' list. The additional $2 for extra cheese was well worth it. I think everyone I ate with was jealous of the choice. The chocolate gelato in a tumbler was the perfect end to a great lunch. And all for $15! Service was fantastic, very friendly AND attentive. Great setting as well, quaint but lively! All in all, a lovely place to lunch! One downside, they don't have tea! read more

I went here the other night with a group of foodies. The pizza dough is really REALLY awesome. Soft and doughy but not thick and heavy... it was perfect! We tried 5 pizza among the 6 of us and also had 3 appies (if Olives count!). Margherita - good benchmark for neapolitan pizza -- 4 of 5 for simplicity..but 3 of 5 relative to the other pizzas Cremini - very aromatic and cheesy - 4 of 5 Nduja sausage - 4 of 5! its like a spicier, meat version of the margh. Duck confit - my fav!! 5 of 5 Berkshire ham - cool idea with a sunny side up egg - tasted like a breakfast pizza - 4 of 5 for uniqueness though I would not order this again if I was craving "pizza" pizza. Calamari is overrated - i don't like fried cala tho so maybe that's just me. Butternut squash rice balls - err... they are not so good. In general, all the toppings were all very fresh and generous! I also tried the fig gelato and the espresso-cinnamon gelato. Both were great! The fig was a bit richer and sweeter while the espresso was light and icy textured. I forgot what type of wine we had... but I really liked it. I think it was the Ripasso but it was Delicious!! Definitely go there early because it can be a wait. We got there at 6:45pm on a Tuesday and stayed till 9:45pm. I think only 20min between 7-8 was there some empty tables. read more

Walked in to a restaurant that was half full. The only tables that were left were tables of 4. We were a group of two. The host refused to seat us at a table, and would only sit us at the bar. I used to love Libretto and have been a ton of times, but this is just money grubbing bad service. Doubt I'll be coming back. read more

Saturday night just around 8:30pm, party of 3? We're willing to wait across the street at Crooked Star. Well, it turns out, we need to wait about a day before we can taste the deliciousness of Libretto, because the wait has creeped up beyond 3 hours and they just can't take any more names. ARGH! I need to carb-load and have been jonesing Pizza from Libretto all weekend. What to do? Take out. Living not so close to Ossington and Dundas, I cabbed it hope to enjoy the 'za. Once it's cooled off, you might notice different things about a pizza than if you get to enjoy it piping hot from the oven. The crush here is amazing! The gluten content, which gives it the chewy, stretchy nature to the crust, must be off the charts! Celiacs, be ware! Toppings of just basic sauce and cheese are great. A little more basil would add, but I'm not complaining. Still gotta subtract a star for the no-reservations policy. Arrive early, plan to wait at least 2 hours still and leave your celiac friends at home. read more

Hype is a bitch. Most of the time, its existence compels me to stay far away until the dust has settled, until I have a chance to judge the thing in question from as pure and unbiased a position as possible. I have allowed all talk of this hallowed pizzeria on the incomparable Ossington strip to fade quietly into the background for a couple of years now. One of my dearest friends recently tried it for the first time and she swore I had to try it, that I had never had anything like it. Her response being so genuine and enthusiastic, it became quite contagious. The night we tried, we (of course) could not get a table, and went across the street "for a drink" while my cellphone sat at the corner of our table in dizzy anticipation. Drinks turned into burgers and I finally got a call 2.5 hours later (they said it would be 40 minutes to an hour), while back at home, and in my pajamas: "we have a spot at the bar that just opened up if you're still interested." Hmm. That's gotta be some damn good pizza! Cut to a few months later and I end up there on a whim with a different group. Excitement does not even begin to cover it. I cannot believe how lucky we are to even be sitting here! the dipping oil for the bread is unlike any other! the bread is so soft and fresh, the coca cola...a little watery and almost flat. Fitting punishment I guess, for those of us too cheap to order wine in stylish stemless glasses. And then...as my sister said: "I could see the disappointment in your eyes when it got to the table." But that's not the extent of it, because I would never judge food based on looks alone. I was expecting the arugula to be sauteed or something, not just dumped on there BUT THAT WASN'T MY PROBLEM. Am I too critical? Is there something wrong with ME because I thought the menu could use a little variety (almost non-existent non-meat /non-pork options), and while quite tasty, the crust was slightly soggy and maybe a touch too burnt? That my prosciutto-laden pie was a little too salty? That my sister's duck confit and pear was sorely lacking in pear? That just because something is kinda different and more "authentic" than the other varieties it's competing with, that doesn't give it an automatic "genius" pass?? I liked it, I really did. But I want you to know that I really wanted to love it. Life-changingly and all that jazz. F- you, hype. Way to mess with a perfectly pleasant pizza-eating experience. read more

Ok, I haven't really been here enough to have a good handle on the overall quality of the food, but from what I have had here, it's worthy of three stars. Friends and I had just gorged ourselves on delicious pho from Pho Tien Thanh down the street, and were heading up to College to catch the street car back home but were still hungry so....we stopped off to try Libretto. We ordered a medium Marguerite and it was tasty, prepared in good time and fresh....but it was just kind of pedestrian. I know people love this place and it's the church of pizza to them, but it was just okay. It didn't change my life or make me see God. It was just okay. And listen, I get it. It was one pizza, take-out, and I had just eaten and wasn't hungry, and by no means am I saying it wasn't good, it just wasn't GREAT. Staff was very friendly though, great atmosphere and clean bathrooms (gotta' make sure you have clean hands to eat!), but I wasn't blown away. Still, worth trying out, and still worth the trip! read more

Must say, what made this place special, aside from the good pizza and the incredible tiramisu, was the service. We had a bit of a wait on a Saturday evening, about 20 minutes, which we killed by walking around the area waiting for a text from their hostess. Got the text, went back and grabbed two seats at the bar. Happened to be served by the nicest guy possible and sat next to one of the managers, mark, which had just gotten finished his shift and stayed to eat. Service was quick, welcoming and very friendly. Made us both feel at home and truly part of the fabric. Last - they sell their server tshirts. I know it may sound silly, but for $20 each they are actually amazingly soft and well fitted American apparel shirts. read more

The napoleon style pizza Libretto makes is delicious, but sadly they aren't the best in the city at it. I've had better pizzas at Pizzeria Defina on Roncy, and Pizzeria Via Mercanti in Kensington Market. AND I believe both pizzas were cheaper. When I was at Libretto I got the duck confit pizza. On that pizza is duck confit, pears, and mozzarella. It was a VERY dry pizza. I found myself pouring on the oil at the table to be able to scarf it down. There was a lack of pear slices on that pizza that really would have helped the dryness and made it way more appetizing. There was maybe 5-6 pear slices on it total. From my experience, and from the photos I have seen, I would describe the pizzas they make as sloppy. The place has the hype, and the following, but so does McDonald's. Most people don't really know what good food is... It's not bad pizza by any means, but I've definitely experienced better. read more

I've tried this place a few times and wanted to save my review until I found the pizza to end all pizzas. I might have found it. If you go on a busy-eating night of the week -- near weekend and weekend -- you have to wait at least an hour for the table. That's okay though because there are some great bars across the way to grab a quick aperitif or two before diving in to wonderful pizza. So, go and give your name and phone number to the hostess and she will call you when your table is ready. The place is crowded and buzzing and the service is fast! I recently ordered the duck confit pizza with pear and thought I might have died and gone to pizza heaven. I didn't even know a pizza heaven existed! This place is worth the hour wait and worth the few extra bucks you'll have to dish out for a pizza. read more

Tasty food, but a seemingly unhappy waitress avoids having an eye contact with customers throughout entire dinner except when she brings up the bill. Staff training should include genuinely nice service. With a nice waitress, we could've had a great time here. read more

The wait wasn't worth the experience. Positives: - The arugula, pear, walnut and piave insalate, which was perfectly dressed. - Water was consistely refilled. - I liked the tables. - Duck of the duck confit pizza was perfectly cooked. Negatives: - Felt rushed. - The crust of the pizza was mediocre. - Long wait (and I went on a Monday), no reservations. - Serving size of salumi was... sad. It was a good and decent meal, but I would only go back if I had a lot of time to spare, and if it wasn't such an event to get a table. read more

THE GREATEST PIZZA IN TORONTO. Seriously? Hells yes. They start with a perfect pie, then build a dining experience. When you arrive the anticipation builds; from the aroma of garlic, to the bustling, high-energy dining room that gets your senses peeked for an authentic Italian Pizzeria in our own backyard. Libretto uses mostly D.O.P. ingredients for their sauce and pizzas (Foodies you know what I mean, for the rest- it means authentic Italian tomatoes, etc, imported to preserve Italian ingredients' legacy and tradition). They use a wood-burning stove for their pizza to give it the slightly-charred home-baked taste you've been craving. The staff are impeccable and they pay close attention to detail. They're knowledgeable about the menu and wine list, plus they infuse your table with that bustling energy you feel when you walk in the restaurant. They even made my favourite Italian aperitif for me on request (FYI- The Tampico: 1oz Gin, 1oz Campari, top with tonic water, garnish with orange slice). They were featuring an unbeatable $25 Prix Fixe when we dined, which included four courses and your choice of any of their pizzas! What a bargain! I highly recommend Pizzeria Libretto for a first date, a party, or as the catalyst for a great night in the Dundas/Ossington area. It's "Pizza Amore" and you will not be disappointed. read more

I've heard many great things about this restaurant so maybe it was hyped up for me but it did not live up to its expectations. First of all the service was mediocre. The waiter got everything done but I didn't feel like he was happy to be there. My boyfriend got the Margherita pizza (Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella) and it was fine. I got the House-Made Sausage (Caramelized Onion, Mozzarella, Chili Oil) and it was way too oily. I know it was made with chili oil but it doesn't mean that the bottom of half my pizza had to be just oil. It was so bad, I started feeling sick from it so I couldn't finish it. The dessert was great though. I forced my boyfriend to get the Vanilla Affogato (gelato drowned in espresso) because one of my friends recommended it. He didn't like the expresso because he didn't want to stay up all night. I thought it was a neat concept and I really enjoyed it. I got myself the Libretto Tiramisu which came in a mason jar and I absolutely loved it (for coffee lovers, the coffee taste is very strong!). The Tiramisu is definitely a dessert to share so make sure whoever you go with is willing to eat it with you. I unfortunately had to finish it all on my own...which I didn't really mind since it was so tasty! Would I come back here? I'm a firm believer in giving restaurants a second chance so I would come back here. Just not any time soon. read more

The word libretto refers to a notebook. I wonder if Italians have the same strange ways of picking names that do not translate well into English like Chinese Restaurants? Usually the Chinese name and the English name don't even mean the same thing! If you're looking for a place to have a group function or reservation of any type, Pizzeria Libretto doesn't allow you to book a table...How ironic?! I walked to the restaurant from work as I was meeting Tony F. at 5PM. It seems he's always the one that takes me to places that every Yelp Elite ought to have been to to be deemed Elite. First Guu Izakaya now Pizzeria Libretto! Thanks for helping me earn my stars! I ended up arriving 15 minutes late, and I learned that the wait staff almost gave away our table! Are they really that busy?! I ordered a glass of their 2009 Dolomite Riesling and found it to be a bit on the dry side. It wasn't as sweet as other Rieslings I've had and preferred in the past. Tony ordered a Bellini (what a wimp! jks) which was made with Prosecco and freshly crushed peaches with a slice of orange. He seemed to enjoy it. Shortly after placing our order, a bread plate was brought. The bread was quite delicious in the chili-oil-balsamic-virgin-oil dip that they had. The bread wasn't the freshest, and I've definitely had better - but I've also had worse. To start we ordered the Salumi Tasting which is a charcuterie board with all their cured meats and some pickled condiments. It came with an Ontario Prosciutto, House Cured Duck, Cured Beef, and the Black Hoof's Andouilla (pork based). The condiments consisted of: freshly sliced peaches, cantaloupe, gherkins and pickled leeks. The prosciutto was the mildest of all the cured meats, and my favourite had to have been the Black Hoof's Andouilla. It had a bit of a spicy kick to it, but you could tell it was freshly cured as it was not "dry or hard" like most cured meats tend to be. The server suggested that the Andouilla was best accompanied by the pickled leeks. Great suggestion! The peaches were not the freshest as I saw signs of bruising in the actual flesh as I was consuming it. Be warned that you will be extremely thirsty after consuming this charcuterie platter as all cured meats are rather high in sodium. I know after my meal I was dying for some H20! I also wanted to order a salad to get some veggies in me. I asked the server for his recommendation and he suggested the Caprese Salad. The only veggie that was in this salad were the Ontario heirloom tomatoes, and it was served with a mozzarella cheese and drizzled in olive oil. The salad was quite fresh. Although the ingredients were simple, the dish was not what I would call bland - perhaps mild is the way I would describe it? The ingredient that really stood out in this "salad" was definitely the tomato. I was originally going to opt for their prix fixe menu which is a 4-course meal including your choice of pizza from their menu. I guess I won't know how big the pizza portion from the prix fixe would've been, but the regular portions were enough to stuff the 2 of us! We ordered the Duck Confit pizza to share which was topped with Bosc pears and mozzarella cheese. The dough is what stands out the most, at least in my mind, about the pizzas at Libretto. It was a thin, naan-like crust that was not at all oily or greasy like the one's you'd find at Pizza Hut. The pizza itself was not, as a whole, the tastiest pizza I've had. The mozzarella was rather bland, and the duck was a bit on the dry side and not heavy in flavour to compensate for the 2 "mild" ingredients that were the ingredients in the pizza. With that said, duck confit is a heavier choice of protein, and we definitely left feeling stuffed. So stuffed, that we didn't have room for dessert! Verdict: The bill, before taxes and tip rang up to about $77. The charcuterie board rang in at $24, and the pizza at $17 - just to give you an idea as to price points. It definitely wasn't the best $77 I spent, and the pizza here is definitely not the best I've had - but I will add that Libretto does make unique pizzas (e.g. you can't just walk into any pizza joint and get a duck confit pizza). The service, other than the no reservations policy, and the "if she doesn't arrive in another 5 minutes you're going to have to give up your table" spiel - was quite good. Our water glasses were always topped up for us when they reached low. I would probably come back to Libretto if I was in the area, but it would definitely not warrant me driving down just to visit. read more

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It's a good thing I don't live on Ossington, cus if I did, Libretto and I would be seeing each other weekly. Duck confit pizza is amazing - crispy but still soft inside, with just the right amount of toppings. even better is their signature chili oil that you drizzle all over your pizza (I could drink this stuff). We also ordered a tower of their buttermilk calamari which was devoured in minutes. Well breaded and fried crispy, without cheaping out on the meat inside. Paired with a few beers, this will be one of the best pizza parties you will ever have ! Would I return? - Yes, definitely! Parking? - Street parking on Ossington Value for $? - Good Space? - Medium sized/limited waiting area (they will take your number and text you when the table is ready so you can walk the strip while waiting or grab a beer at one of the many other bars nearby) Ventilation? - So so (aka you will smell a bit like food after) Service? - Great read more

It's unfortunate this place doesn't take reservations, because this could have been a 4-star review. Not that it really matters, however, considering I'm throwing this into a pool of 75+ reviews and counting. I really don't understand the no reservation policy, though. It's as frustrating for the wait staff to have to phone and follow up with patrons forced to wander the local Ossington strip aimlessly while they wait for a table, as it is for the actual patrons waiting for the call. It IS pizza after all. The only reason I can muster for continuing on like this is to simply reinforce the hype here, which is not reason enough for me. Yes, the pizzas are authentically Neapolitan, having sampled the Italian fare myself, but even they weren't worth waiting an hour for. I personally prefer crispier thin crusts over gooey centers, but I do appreciate the buffalo mozzarella and quality ingredients. The margherita pizza, the pizza by which all real pizzerias should be judged, was on par with some of the better versions I've had, but the homemade sausage and chili oil pizza one of my companions ordered was above average. All in all, good, but not 45 minutes-1 hour good. read more

The Libretto vs. Queen Margherita Debate Pizzeria Libretto - 4.5 stars Warning: I'm going to go on a sideways and slightly nostalgic bent here so if you want to cut straight to the restaurant review scroll down a few paragraphs until you hit the ***. Also, I promise that not all of my other reviews are this ridiculous. Still with me? Good. So pizza is something that is near and dear to my heart. In my final year at university I taught myself how to make various types of dough from scratch after spending way too much time on an online pizza forum that was frequented by both professionals and the type of amateur at-home cooks that spend their hard-earned money and time building wood-burning ovens in their backyards (I one day hope to be lucky enough to fall into the latter category). I literally would make pizzas every other weekend, taking notes and experimenting with slight tweaks in different variables with the ultimate goal of making the best pie (regardless of style) that I could churn out in a conventional home oven. Sadly, the general busy-ness of life has cut into my pizza hobby but I do still make a solid pizza now and again. Anyway, the point is, I really like pizza, and I think that I am at least moderately qualified to talk about it. For the longest while however I really felt that our fine city, while great in so many ways , was something of a wasteland for pizza, or at least good, authentically Italian, pizza. I tried a lot of random pizza places and nothing made me more upset then the countless restaurants that claimed, falsely, to make 100% Neapolitan pies (I'm looking at you, every single pizza place on College Street) only to serve undercooked, overcheesed pizza that wasn't even hand tossed. I even came across at least one Margherita pizza that had tomato sauce, cheese and wait for it, oregano, as the three primary ingredients, which is all types of wrong. This all started to change with the advent of Terroni, which was then eclipsed by the two new undisputed pizza champions of Toronto - Pizzeria Libretto and Queen Margherita Pizza. After getting out to Queen Margherita for the second time about two weeks ago I now feel ready to weigh in. *** Being a west-ender, I am much more familiar with Libretto, and I try to get one of their pizzas (whether dining in or getting take-out) at least once a month. The pizzas at Libretto are uniformly great and also deliver an authentically Neapolitan experience. I have tried just about everything on the menu, but my regular is a doppio Margherita, which is a Margherita with extra cheese (the regular Margherita is a little under-cheesed). Here's the downlow on the Libretto pie: Sauce - fresh and full of flavour. As good as it gets. Cheese - top notch Fiore di Latte Crust: nicely charred and perfectly chewy. Toppings: all very good, although in some cases (ie. prosciutto and arugula) they put too much of them on, while in others (the normal Margherita) they put too few (hence why I always order the doppio) Queen Margherita on the other hand is a less familiar experience for me. I have only been twice but both times have had great experiences there. I have tried the Margherita (which was textbook) and spicy sopressata (very tasty and very spicy). Here's the QM pizza breakdown: Sauce - equal to that of Libretto (ie. amazing) Cheese - ditto Crust: Queen Margherita - it was about as flavourful as it gets and just the right amount of charred. There was simply just a bit too much of it. Toppings: perfectly balanced In terms of other key decision factors I offer the following: Libretto has slightly better appetizers including solid charcuterie, phenomenal meat balls (only occasionally on the menu) and really good salads. I also have a slightly counterintuitive personal bias towards Libretto's crust, which although arguably ever so slightly inferior to Queen Margherita's from a taste perspective, is more manageable because it isn't so thick. The no reservations policy is obviously a bit of a drag but if you give your cell phone number they will call you 10 minutes before your table is ready so you can go and enjoy one of the many awesome bars on Ossington. Queen Margherita on the other hand has the added bonus of taking reservations and ridiculously tasty chili oil. On the downside however I felt that the appetizers fell a little flat (sausage and polenta was a bit salty and osso buco crostini were not as flavourful as expected). So my final verdict? I would give both restaurants a 4.5/5. Queen Margherita has better pizza (if only slightly), but I think that Pizzeria Libretto remains the superior restaurant if only because the rest of the menu is a bit better. At the end of the day however, both are great, and are about as good as you can get in any other good pizza city. Toronto should be proud. PS - to my New York friends, I like them both better than Motorino. read more

Another update. Why not. I've flipped flopped a few times as to whether it's the best pizza I know in the city, but I think my final conclusion is that Libretto pizza is better by a very large margin. There's good competition, and part of it is your taste in pizza, but I think that a) what it is is amazing and b) it's consistent--the kitchen delivers the same product consistently. What you might not know, however, is that somewhere back in the kitchen there is a frustrated covert tapas chef and pastry/dessert chef (possibly the same person) who creates original beautiful small dishes (appetizers) and gorgeous desserts and gelato. For a while there, back in the day ;) were new creations monthly but the menu seems to have stabilized in this regard. Must be torture for her/him. The appetizers are really worth trying (all of them) and anything that's special--just order it. Libretto is where I first encountered panna cotta that was soft subtle and like ice cream that forgot to melt. Nothing like the slightly stiff gelatinous stiff texture you can sometimes encounter at other restaurants. Not always on the menu, but worth ordering. Special gelato? Order it. Affogato? Ditto. That is all. read more

Having seen Libretto recently heralded as the best pizza joint in Toronto in a local paper, I had to give it a try. So tonight was the night. My friend and I ate early (about 6:30), seating for 2 wasn't an issue. I had the spicy sausage pizza on the regular thin crust. The service was pretty good, and so was the pizza. But I have to say the disparity between the 'top pizza joint' and others such as Terroni, isn't huge. That said, the last 5% does make a difference. Tomato sauce was bursting with flavour, the mozzarella tasted almost like fresh mozzarella di bufala, and the sausage was spicy but not over-powering. Chili oil was very flavourful. Overall, it was a good experience. As a side note though, in this city, best pizza usually assumes it's thin crust. I love thin crust pizza, but would it kill us to have a decent new york style pizza joint in this town? Sometimes thin crust just won't do. read more

I needed a quick pizza fix after an encounter with a substandard pizza recently. So I yelped around until I found this pizza joint. Awsome interior design, awsome service, and top notch pizza. I decided to try something new and ordered a pizza​ with a name I can't pronounce. it was a pleasant surprise. read more

Pizzeria Libretto - Pizza Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This was my second visit to Toronto, and boy was I craving some thin curst pizza. Much yelp.ca research later I decided we zeroed in on Pizzeria Libretto. We expected it to be good, but I didn't expect to be completely blown away. It was AMAZING!!! I've eaten my fair share of great pizza and consider myself to be a decent pizza connoisseur. I could wax on and on about the perfect crust, the deliscious sauce, the just-right amount of toppings. We ordered the bufala+margherita pizza and sausage pizza. The lemon panna cotta in the end was the perfect sweet ending on a hot summer day. I'll be back to my favorite new eatery in Toronto soon :) Quick Tip: They don't take reservations, but there's a bar next door you can get a drink at. They'll call you when your table is ready. Quick Tip 2: Get the bufala mozzarella with your margherita pizza. read more

Many people feel this is the best pizza in Toronto. I personally feel that the pizza was MUCH better when it first opened than it is now. At first they seemed to get the combination right for the crust to come out cripsy enough, but my last 4 or 5 visits delivered a charred but rubbery crust. Definitely not something that should come from this special 800 degree imported Italian oven! The best pizza they have (IMHO) is the one with proscuitto & arugula. Fabulous fresh & local toppings, and the spiced oil takes it over the top. If only the crust weren't like bubble gum... So, is it worth waiting for what is often over an hour for this pizza? Again IMHO, no. But if you're only 2 ppl, and can squeeze in within 30-40 mins (and don't mind grabbing a drink at one of the cool places across the street while you wait for them to text you), then its prob worth a try. read more

Yes, I think the 3.5 stars for the food is the right rating, rounded up to 4 *s for the great service. The pizza at Libretto is comparable to Terroni's, but I prefer Terroni's because the pizza crust at Libretto's arrives a bit too soggy. The problem with thin crust pizza is that unless the crust and the sauce is perfect, the center of the crust will get soggy really quickly. I really love thin crust pizza, so I'm willing to work with this, but if texture is really important to you, then this will throw you off. Except for the very center, the rest of the pizza was just fine. I ordered the hot peppers and sausage pizza. The hot peppers added just a bit of kick to the pizza (I still added chili oil because well, I looove spicy food). The restaurant is really cute and warm. It reminded me of the great little restaurants you would find in the East Village or Alphabet City in NY. The space is narrow and tight, but everything is still very refined. I think the best table in the house is the one by the bay windows. The table is up higher than your average table (with appropriately sized chairs), so it feels more like you're at the bar. The service here is really good; I can't complain about that. Definitely a notch above Terroni. I loved that they gave us water in the reusable glass carafes (a la Alice Waters's Chez Panisse), but I wish the water was cold instead of lukewarm. On one of the hottest nights of the summer, you want a long cool drink. Tepid won't do. It's a great restaurant and addition to this Ossington neighborhood. A really good and solid date place. read more

At long last, I made my journey to pizza mecca (as was reputed) and can happily say that I wasn't disappointed. We were able to jump over the wait line because we were with someone who was on the "in", so I think I evaded the annoying bit that way. The appetizers were definitely stand-outs of the meal - beef carpaccio, mozza and tomatoes, tasty slices of bread with fragrant olive oil - all excellent. Needless to say, the pizzas were not to be missed either. It is expected that some comparisons will be drawn between Libretto and Terroni, and I must say that where Terroni fails, Libretto succeeds. Not a burnt/overly crispy crust to be seen - anywhere! Delicious ingredients and topping combinations, and yummy soft, doughy thin-crust pizza. It is irritating that the place is as noisy and busy as it is, but I guess that comes with the territory when you are up there as one of the reigning champions of pizza in Toronto. read more

We just went for lunch on Saturday and the special was to die for! Soup, salad and a half sandwich. YUM! Soup was white bean and green kale made with proscuitto stock. It was perfect. SO rich and delicious! Arugula fall salad with beets and a proscuitto sandwich finished it off. Wow. $9 and I was sated. I will say it felt almost heretic to eat at Libretto without having the pizza but wow that was stupendous. The staff is so nice too. Lunchtime is a little less busy and more relaxed for them, and they really took care of us. Libretto is not just for dinner. Enjoy the lunch too! read more

My friend and I dined at Pizzeria Libretto on Ossington last Wednesday around 1 o'clock. We did not know how long of a wait to expect during lunchtime on a Wednesday. Luckily, we were seated right away. The two of us ordered the Buttermilk Fried Calamari, the Flank Steak Spiedini, the Grilled Octopus, and a House-Made Sausage Pizza. (We were hungry...to say the least.) While waiting for the appetizers, we enjoyed some house-made sourdough and focaccia bread (the best!) with a balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and chili oil dip. The chili oil was delicious... The Buttermilk Fried Calamari was decent. The batter was not too heavy and the red pepper almond sauce was interesting, but I felt this dish was plated and tasted better at the University location. The Flank Steak Spiedini was the winner of all the appetizers. The order came with three skewers. The steak was well-seasoned and tender, paired with toasted focaccia bread. Mmm... Unfortunately, I was not a fan of the Grilled Octopus. It was grilled perfectly (while my friend expected it to be a little crispier on the outside), but the entire dish was incredibly salty...especially the potatoes. It was a huge disappointment... The House-Made Sausage Pizza totally made up for the above. Keep in mind, Pizzeria Libretto serves Neapolitan pizzas, and these are thin-crust pizzas. This pizza is made up of only four ingredients; it is simple but it tasted great! Did I already mention the chili oil was delicious..? :) My friend and I spent quite some time, eating and chatting away. All the while, our friendly server checked on us every now and then, and filled our glasses. It was a very casual dining experience, and the food was pretty good (minus the Grilled Octopus). I know this location is "the place where the magic started" but I'm interested in trying their other locations to see if there are any differences...especially since I'm only ever in the area to try something new. read more

I love real Italian pizzerias after spending some time in small town pizzerias in Italy. For the most part this place takes the good of what I experienced as an authetic pizzeria - the simple decor, casual atmosphere, and good Italian pizza. They do fancy up the pizza a little more than your average pizzeria and it's more expensive but for the most part it's worth it. We had a great server, attentive and didn't push any drinks on us after we ordered water (although we did later get some wine). Food was great, wine was good and served in simple stemless glasses (my favourite!). Good vegetarian entrees but not vegan friendly for the most part (unsurprising since it's a pizzeria but it's worth mentioning). I really enjoyed myself but I have to say, the set up of the seats really turned me off. We had the option to be served at a bar sitting next to each other or at a long table with other groups on both sides. We chose the bar but it was quite uncomfortable after an hour on the stools but I made the sacrifice in order to be able to carry on a conversation. It's quite a loud place, by the way. Despite giving it four stars (which they deserve for the food and the service) I don't know if I'd go back again just for logistical reasons (the long wait and the poor way it's been set up for seating - I like to talk to my dining mates). Check it out but do take the above cautions into consideration. read more

Per my local friend's suggestion, 4 of us (plus a 2-week old baby) had a fabulous dinner at Pizzeria Libretto. This restaurant is ridiculously popular and extremely crowded even late at night (it was still extremely crowded even when we left around 10:30 or so on Friday). We shared a bottle of red wine (fabulous), a cheese plate with homemade crackers and assorted condiments (I especially adored the fig jam). My friend's wife also had a gorgeous-looking Caprese salad. My friend and his wife both ordered Ontario Prosciutto & Arugula each, which looked scrumptious. My boyfriend and I ordered grilled eggplant pizza (his favourite) and Verdura (Goat Cheese, Black Olives, Mozzarella: my favourite) pizza. I loved the chili oil, which was spicy enough. However, my friend got us a small bowlful of chopped up green chili (the one you might see at a Thai or Vietnamese restaurant), which was a lot hotter than the chili oil or chili flakes. I usually love hot and spicy food, but I really didn't think the green chili was necessary... We also ordered some espresso (very strong!), Espresso Cinnamon Gelato (very espresso-y and sweet cinnamon aftertaste), Biscotti, and Vanilla Affogato (YUM!!!). Although the restaurant doesn't accept reservations, they did call us when our table was ready. Also, they were accommodating and helpful with my friend's 2-week old baby (who thankfully slept through the dinner despite of all the noise and commotion around her). We all enjoyed the food, wine, and conversations (and I am glad I wasn't starving!). read more