Finding the best slice in a city is as obvious as a pepperoni pizza. But Niagarans might be spoiled for choice: between our abundance of dine-in Italian restaurants (owing to our above-average ratio of Italian Canadians), family-friendly tourist spots and cheap by-the-slice neigbourhood joints, pizza is one category of food we can enjoy in abundance.

That makes finding the best pizza in Niagara Falls an especially daunting challenge. Yet it is nonetheless one we at Found in the Falls take extremely seriously; we have personally taste-tested more than a dozen pies across the city from some of the top spots and have cross-referenced our findings with online popular opinions to deliver what we believe to be a definitive list of the best pizzas in Niagara Falls.

Frank’s Pizzeria

Photo by Found in the Falls

What makes Frank’s one of the best? Take your pick: the crust is always the right blend of crispy and chewy, the quality and variety of toppings is exceptional, the price is right, and the size—a massive tray that will feed a family for days (or a single person for a week) costs between $20 and $30—is generous, to put it mildly. A couple caveats: while you can dine in, most people don’t; the ambiance doesn’t offer much and the location (in an inconspicuous part of town, near Victoria Ave. on Bridge St., currently under renovation) isn’t exactly on the beaten path for tourists. And because it’s popular and everyone orders takeout, the wait time can be up to an hour. Such are the hallmarks of a classic neighbourhood spot that’s been around for decades.

Antica Pizzeria

Photo courtesy of Antica Pizzeria

We tend to avoid the tourist traps of Clifton Hill and Fallsview on this website—not just because they usually offer usually mediocre food for too much money, but because our stated mission is to raise awareness of all the other great places in Niagara Falls. Antica is an exception. The personal thin-crust pizzas are baked to perfection in a wood-fired oven, and the menu variety (and dietary options for vegans, gluten-free eaters, et al) is a welcome result of its location in the heart of Niagara Fall’s tourist district. That location, of course, is something you pay extra for: Antica is definitely a little over-priced for the size of the ‘za. But their revamped post-COVID patio and service are excellent, and we give Antica extra credit for being a family-owned local independent business for more than 40 years. If you’re sticking around Clifton Hill, this is one of your best bets.

Zappi’s Pizza

 

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Zappi’s is an institution in Niagara Falls. Family-owned since 1971, the owners have been vocal about supporting the community and tend to cater more to locals than tourists. It’s a nice, family-friendly vibe, especially at the restaurant itself, which features an extremely large smiling tomato outside. The pizzas themselves are good, if standard fare; the bread is nicely soft and the topings are high quality. Not many vegetarian options, but the meat is solid, and unique offerings like sausage and rapini give pizza-lovers something distinct enough that it’s worth the trip. The price is right, too: the Founders here always get a large pizza for lessthan $30 and have plenty of leftovers the next day.

Grand Central

(Photo courtesy Grand Central/Facebook)

Queen Street’s lone entrant to this list is a storied sports bar whose patio wraps around the corner of Chrysler Ave. Having recently reopened after a pandemic renovation, their half-tray pizzas seem to have shrunk a little, but the ample cheese and quality toppings are as alluring as ever. They offer wing combos and pub fare, plus some basic draught beers, but if you’re here for food, pizza really is the star of the show. A pleasant surprise that Niagara Falls’ best sports bar also has some genuine quality food.