321 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON M6R 2M6
Price range: appetizers $ 5-7; pizza and pasta $ 12-18; desserts $ 5-8
Rating: 3.5/5
Introducing Pizzeria Defina, one of Toronto’s latest eateries, located in High Park just outside the downtown core. Despite the peaceful neighbourhood, the journey itself was brutal in terms of travel time, as well as the lack of nearby parking and subway stations.
The venue was considerably small, but regardless, held a warm, cozy vibe, likely achieved through its earth tone walls and subtle red accents. The artwork adorning the space consisted of splatter-painted skateboards. One interesting thing to highlight was the old-fashioned pizza oven stationed in the heart of the restaurant where the pizza-making magic happened.
On account of the small space, it was easy to notice the noise level. While this wouldn’t be a problem when grabbing a bite with friends, it may not be the ideal place to go on a first date.
Tables were limited and crowded – waiting for seats appeared to be the norm. Nevertheless, this did not stop hopeful customers from waiting patiently at the door for the next available opening, certifying Pizzeria Defina as a place worth the wait.
In terms of the menu, there were eleven unique varieties of pizza, including margherita, wild funghi, Neapolitan, lasagne and Defina. The pizzeria also impressively uses two different types of dough; Neapolitan, which is soft, puffy and slightly under-cooked, and Roma, which is thin, crispy and exclusively imported from Italy. The pasta selection, on the other hand, consisted of only three common varieties. For those with a sweet tooth, the dessert menu was definitely a crowd-pleaser, with items such as Nutella pizza, apple funnel pie, and affagato (vAanilla gelato with espresso).
When asked what makes Pizzeria Defina so unique, co-owner Adrian Ruzycky replied, “We’ve got two different types of dough that we use and we’ve got a fantastic selection of pizzas [...] We offer a unique environment here with a fantastic menu and that’s what people are looking for.”
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