General Assembly Pizza
General Assembly is possibly my favourite pizza place in Toronto. Orders come out within seven to nine minutes, tipping is firmly insisted against, drinks are self-serve and there’s a dedicated takeout area. Perhaps best of all, pies are personal size four-slicers.
It's the brainchild of owner Ali Khan Lalani, Chef Cale Elliot-Armstrong (who came up at the likes of Village Pizza and Terroni) and star international pizza consultant Anthony Falco.
Design by Commute is airy, spacious, and accents the long narrow space with hits of teal, metal and texture, a long communal wood table in the centre of the main dining area.
Windows lining the walls lend an open feel, and all food is prepared within view of the dining room.
This includes a glassed-in area where dough is made.
Two beautiful white ovens from Naples blaze away.
All pies begin with a sourdough starter Falco’s had for years and brings with him around the world.
The pizza here isn’t Neapolitan, it’s kind of its own thing: the dough uses Canadian and Italian flour and olive oil, which is a Neapolitan no-no but gives the crust crunch and a nice browning.
The King Shroom ($14) is vegetarian, topped with mozzarella, grana, and funky gorgonzola, with white balsamic, black pepper, and drool-worthy garlic chips.
Loving cup ($12) is essentially their pepperoni pizza with aged mozzarella, grana, tomato and wild oregano (cool).
It’s got those little pepperonis that get nice and crispy around the edges. Don’t sleep on Elliot-Armstrong’s hot chili oil either.
The Don Diego ($13) is where we reach a crossroads of sorts. Basically a taco pizza, this one shows a creative side to Assembly, starting with a whipped cream base that amps everything up. It’s topped with mozzarella, sweet and hot tender chorizo, and some green onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime that sing beautifully together.
Arugula apple salad ($8.5) proves the greenery on the menu is not to be passed up, a filling steal with acidic, crunchy thin shredded apple, sharp parmesan and sweet, woody pecans.
Not only beer but wine and cocktails are available on tap.
Wines from Norman Hardie (a crisp white blend, $10 for 5 oz), Tawse ($9 for the Gamay, great with the pizza) and Big Head ($9.50, a punchy Bordeaux blend) class up your pizza game.
A Moscow Mule ($8) is one of several tap cocktails, refreshing, dangerously downable and great with the Don Diego, the kick of ginger marrying nicely with the spice and lime.
Order online and pick up from the separate takeout area.
I’d also really recommend the Falco Sausage ($12.50) which Falco does a version of pretty much everywhere he goes, and the craveworthy General Bread ($7). Pizza lovers, assemble.
Hector Vasquez