Well, the rumours were true. One of Toronto’s most recognizable pizza names is getting ready to expand, and this time it’s heading to the Annex. Pizzeria Badiali will officially open its second neighbourhood slice shop on May 11 at the former Victory Cafe space near Bloor and Bathurst, bringing its much-loved pies to Mirvish Village.
The new outpost takes over the restored red brick corner building in the heart of the neighbourhood, giving the historic Markham St address a new chapter while keeping the old-school neighbourhood feel that helped make Badiali’s original Dovercourt location such a hit in the first place.
While the new shop will carry the same pizzas, salads and dips as the Dovercourt location, including signature faves like the pepperoni, vodka and Margherita slices, the Markham St location will be the only Badiali’s offering a grandma-style pizza, a style in which the dough is stretched into a tray and baked almost immediately, resulting in a square shape, thin crust and cheese that’s put on before the sauce (we never knew grandmacore pizza was a thing, but we’re here for it).
“We are excited to join the Annex neighbourhood, and even more excited about reopening this historic building for people to come have great pizza and hang out with their friends and family,” Ryan Baddeley, chef and co-owner of Pizzeria Badiali, said, adding that he’s been wanting to offer grandma-style pizza for a while now. “[We] can’t wait for people to come try our version, inspired by both New York Italian and traditional Italian cooking.”
The 1,400-square-foot restaurant is equally stunning, seating 30 guests inside, with front and side patios set to add more room later in the warmer months. The space was designed by Toronto firm Futurestudio, and pulls inspiration from New York Little Italy pizza joints, old-school coffee shops, Pizza Hut nostalgia and Badiali’s own Dovercourt aesthetic. The design celebrates the heritage of the Victorian-era building through a warmer, more contemporary lens, with custom Tiffany-style stained-glass pendants and a deep green-plum-vintage white colour palette that makes the shop feel like an age-old neighbourhood fixture.
As diners munch on their pizza, they can look through beautifully restored bay windows featuring hand-lettered signage from local artist Andrew Kidder, who also painted the original Badiali Dovercourt windows, adding another familiar Badiali touch!
Pizzeria Badiali Markham St opens on May 11, 2026, at 581 Markham St. It’ll be open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Pizzas, salads, dips and drinks can be enjoyed onsite, with pizza delivery to the neighbourhood available later in May. Once open, customers can order through pizzeriabadiali.com. Follow @pizzeriabadiali for more info!
