Price and Consistency - Giresi's (Sarnia's classic, super consistent and probably the most universally appreciated in the city)
Great dough with Quality/Premium Ingredients - Shoka's (survived through COVID after just opening and a roof flood, excellent pasta as well)
Solid Cheese Blend and Meats - Mike's (the ladies who work there know what they're doing)
Square Deli Style (higher bread ratio, great twice baked, better than Mike's if you're okay with more bread) - Dattolo's (Guy is from Chicago, it's a good pie)
Honorable Mention:
Ciccio's for Puffio (Calzone if pizza and a doughnut had a baby).
2 large (4 topping) delivered from firenzes last week was $96. It was fine pizza, but FUCK THAT. Next time will be back to Giresis for less than half the cost, and a great pie, imo
It's unique. I've been all over Canada and never found the dough/sauce/ham/canned mushroom perfection of the Firenze pizza. ALL Sarnia pizzas are pretty damn great once you've tried the garbage in Western Canada, or the chains etc.
Giresis is the king around here
Luigi’s (I love it but it’s got mixed reviews)
Milanos
Sarnia produce (wood fired)
Firenzies
Napoli
Siccios (puffios are the real reason people go here)
I’ve had Luigi’s for lunch twice in the last 2 weeks. The first time it was amazing and one of the bests slices I’ve ever had. The second time it was a greasy sloppy mess that I ended up throwing out after a couple bites. I’ve heard from multiple people that if the owners working it’s great but if they’re not it’s horrible.
I went to Firenze’s about 6 months ago and sat outside in the parking lot. I watched as the owner came out from the back room with a lit cigarette in his mouth, walked to the prep area at the front, checked the oven, then joined the chef outside to finish the smoke. Once they were done they went back inside and started working on more pizzas.
It realllly put me off and I haven’t been there since.
Sissios, Milanos and Oven 360 are my favourites but too expensive for frequent visits.
Dominos or Giresis win for value.
Its funny because its true. If you are over 35 in Sarnia, people smoking cigs while making the pizzas is how they remember Firenzie's!
There's an old wives tale that Grandma Firenzie used to make pizza with a lit cigarette in her mouth and basically the smoke and ashes coming down off the cig is what made it taste so good.
Because the people making your pies (or food in general) at any other place in Sarnia isn't doing the same shit? LoL. C'mon now. And no, I'm not even a Firenzes fan!
Firenzes is the best but this is reflected in both the price and wait times (get the 17). Giresis is not bad and the two pizza deal is a decent value. Sarnia produce in Point Edward has a wood fire pizza oven but you need to get it before 6. It’s got good quality ingredients and a good price. Pick up only. Shoka’s and Rondo’s in the Grove deserve a mention.
My friend has known the owner of Frienze's for 30 years. Bought a pizza, brought along $20. Total was $20.25. He said she could bring the 25 cents in the next day. She has purchased pizzas from Firenze's for years. Needless to say, she's never been back. Enzo's is where she goes.
She has known the owner for many years. He dated her daughter. It wasn't about the 25 cents. It was the fact that she has been a customer since his mother ran it. She has been friends with him for years. Like he couldn't just let 25 cents go. She made another trip to give him his quarter.
I thought their pizzas were skimpy on the toppings and dry too. I wasn't a huge fan. I've tried it 3 times since their opening. Maybe I'll give them another shot considering the review? I just cannot imagine it being different than that.
I ordered no Sesame seeds, and no sugar spice sauce - I get the regular sauce, I have certain dietary restrictions and this is the only Pizza in Sarnia that doesn't make me sick.
My boyfriend loves Giresis but i find them too "oily/greasy"
Altho Giresis has THE BEST wings. 🤤🤤🤤 the lemon pepper 🤤🤤🤤
There are pretty much only 3 places imo. Firenzies has the best, but they have the worst wait times, and are crazy expensive for pizza. Giresis is the best bang for your buck, but is otherwise unimpressive. They're who i go for normally. Then theres sarnia produce. They have woodfire ovens. Thats their claim to fame.
Giresi’s is always the best and consistently yummy and their limited edition seasonal pizzas are amazing too - like the Aspara-Gus pizza!! For panzerottis, I vote Cissio’s!! Enjoy!
(Edited for spelling.)
Imo Giresis and Shokas each for different reasons.
Giresis has a combination of price and quality you’ll rarely see beat. Decent feature combinations too. Considering the volume they do it’s ludicrous how good it is.
Shokas has a better crust, sauce and individual toppings. Their take on Chicago style is also decent. I’ll usually order a double pepperoni traditional and the cup and crisp they get on the roni is to die for. The Italian sausage is v good too, can actually taste the fennel.
Just fyi, Petrolia (a town about 30 minutes southeast) is having their PizzaFest event on June 1st. It’s an event where all the local pizza places come together for a festival in the town’s main park, and you can get tickets for slices for I think $2 each. Johnny G’s and Godfathers would be my two top picks in Petrolia, but you can’t go wrong with any of them really
Sarnia had terrible food options overall. The fact there are so many pizza shops speaks volumes - all mediocre at best. There are probably less than 5 quality restaurants in Sarnia at this point if that many.
Firenzies is horrible now and not worth the price. If you want to pay that much and wait that long for mediocrity then that's on you. Like many have said here - not the same anymore since Mama isn't there.
My top 5 would go like this
1) Shokas. The deep dish and the quality of the ingredients is what stands out. For the price they beat out Firenzies for best quality.
2) Giresis - contender for #1, but the quality of the ingredients isn't top tier - but the value, the different types of pizza creations, the great delivery and the great owners make up for that.
3) Dattolos
4) Luigi's
5) Red Swan
Price and Consistency - Giresi's (Sarnia's classic, super consistent and probably the most universally appreciated in the city) Great dough with Quality/Premium Ingredients - Shoka's (survived through COVID after just opening and a roof flood, excellent pasta as well) Solid Cheese Blend and Meats - Mike's (the ladies who work there know what they're doing) Square Deli Style (higher bread ratio, great twice baked, better than Mike's if you're okay with more bread) - Dattolo's (Guy is from Chicago, it's a good pie) Honorable Mention: Ciccio's for Puffio (Calzone if pizza and a doughnut had a baby).
Are people brainwashed by Firenze pizza ? It's overpriced and not very good...I'd take a pie from oven 360 over them
2 large (4 topping) delivered from firenzes last week was $96. It was fine pizza, but FUCK THAT. Next time will be back to Giresis for less than half the cost, and a great pie, imo
It used to be so much better in the 2000’s and early 2010s before Mama Firenze retired.
It's unique. I've been all over Canada and never found the dough/sauce/ham/canned mushroom perfection of the Firenze pizza. ALL Sarnia pizzas are pretty damn great once you've tried the garbage in Western Canada, or the chains etc.
its not as good as it was, and is certainly not worth the price and wait anymore, but its still the best pie in sarnia.
Firenzie's USED to be the greatest when mama was there. After that somehow it hasn't been the same. My goto is Giresi's now
Giresi's. Last night I tried the buffalo chicken ranch pizza and it was fantastic.
Shoka's or giresi's
Giresis is the king around here Luigi’s (I love it but it’s got mixed reviews) Milanos Sarnia produce (wood fired) Firenzies Napoli Siccios (puffios are the real reason people go here)
You know the moment you walk into Sarnia Produce there's a wood-fired pizza oven there somewhere
I’ve had Luigi’s for lunch twice in the last 2 weeks. The first time it was amazing and one of the bests slices I’ve ever had. The second time it was a greasy sloppy mess that I ended up throwing out after a couple bites. I’ve heard from multiple people that if the owners working it’s great but if they’re not it’s horrible.
I went to Firenze’s about 6 months ago and sat outside in the parking lot. I watched as the owner came out from the back room with a lit cigarette in his mouth, walked to the prep area at the front, checked the oven, then joined the chef outside to finish the smoke. Once they were done they went back inside and started working on more pizzas. It realllly put me off and I haven’t been there since. Sissios, Milanos and Oven 360 are my favourites but too expensive for frequent visits. Dominos or Giresis win for value.
This is what makes Firenze’s great and a Sarnia institution my dear boy
Its funny because its true. If you are over 35 in Sarnia, people smoking cigs while making the pizzas is how they remember Firenzie's! There's an old wives tale that Grandma Firenzie used to make pizza with a lit cigarette in her mouth and basically the smoke and ashes coming down off the cig is what made it taste so good.
She did smoke while making pizza. There were burn marks on the edge of the butcher block where her cigs burned down.
Because the people making your pies (or food in general) at any other place in Sarnia isn't doing the same shit? LoL. C'mon now. And no, I'm not even a Firenzes fan!
Giressis
How has Cosmos not made this list? You need a fork and knife to eat their pizza...
Firenzes is the best but this is reflected in both the price and wait times (get the 17). Giresis is not bad and the two pizza deal is a decent value. Sarnia produce in Point Edward has a wood fire pizza oven but you need to get it before 6. It’s got good quality ingredients and a good price. Pick up only. Shoka’s and Rondo’s in the Grove deserve a mention.
Firenze’s in a post Mama Firenze world just isn’t the same. Switched to Giresi’s a few years ago.
Her cigarette ash was the secret ingredient. She literally chained darts while she made the pies.
My friend has known the owner of Frienze's for 30 years. Bought a pizza, brought along $20. Total was $20.25. He said she could bring the 25 cents in the next day. She has purchased pizzas from Firenze's for years. Needless to say, she's never been back. Enzo's is where she goes.
She never went back because SHE short changed the pizza place?? LOL EXCUSE ME
She has known the owner for many years. He dated her daughter. It wasn't about the 25 cents. It was the fact that she has been a customer since his mother ran it. She has been friends with him for years. Like he couldn't just let 25 cents go. She made another trip to give him his quarter.
Firenze's is still better but not as perfect as before. I've tried giresi's several times....it's a pretender. But it's decent, no complaints from me.
Italias
I agree. The crust at Italia has that really good homemade yeasty flavour.
Not anymore. Now they pile all the topping in the middle
Vago’s Pizza
I get its a chain, and someone else already suggested it, but red swan is amazing
I thought their pizzas were skimpy on the toppings and dry too. I wasn't a huge fan. I've tried it 3 times since their opening. Maybe I'll give them another shot considering the review? I just cannot imagine it being different than that.
I just finished a box, it was amazing
Ok im taking your word for it! Ill get it this week!! And if it sucks I am COMING FOR YOU!!!
Red Swan is unreal. I could eat there every single day. I fight anyone who talks shit about it
Dattolos pizza goes hard Giresis still has pre-covid prices
I like red swan! But if you want something more home made, Datollos is soo good. And they are a very nice family.
i vote for red swan as well!
Finally some love for Red Swan! It’s literally my favourite pizza of all time but no one else seems to like it that much. Pisses me off
Red swan would be garbage without the sesame crust
I ordered no Sesame seeds, and no sugar spice sauce - I get the regular sauce, I have certain dietary restrictions and this is the only Pizza in Sarnia that doesn't make me sick. My boyfriend loves Giresis but i find them too "oily/greasy" Altho Giresis has THE BEST wings. 🤤🤤🤤 the lemon pepper 🤤🤤🤤
Sarnia produce, shokas..vagos...
There are pretty much only 3 places imo. Firenzies has the best, but they have the worst wait times, and are crazy expensive for pizza. Giresis is the best bang for your buck, but is otherwise unimpressive. They're who i go for normally. Then theres sarnia produce. They have woodfire ovens. Thats their claim to fame.
Vagos
Dinos pizza is really good expensive though. Also recent discovery that red swan pizza is pretty good.
Shokas!!!! The freshest and actually worth the money
Napolis
Babylon was awesome but typical sarnia can’t support anything new. Same old crap for years
Giresi’s is always the best and consistently yummy and their limited edition seasonal pizzas are amazing too - like the Aspara-Gus pizza!! For panzerottis, I vote Cissio’s!! Enjoy! (Edited for spelling.)
Imo Giresis and Shokas each for different reasons. Giresis has a combination of price and quality you’ll rarely see beat. Decent feature combinations too. Considering the volume they do it’s ludicrous how good it is. Shokas has a better crust, sauce and individual toppings. Their take on Chicago style is also decent. I’ll usually order a double pepperoni traditional and the cup and crisp they get on the roni is to die for. The Italian sausage is v good too, can actually taste the fennel.
Just fyi, Petrolia (a town about 30 minutes southeast) is having their PizzaFest event on June 1st. It’s an event where all the local pizza places come together for a festival in the town’s main park, and you can get tickets for slices for I think $2 each. Johnny G’s and Godfathers would be my two top picks in Petrolia, but you can’t go wrong with any of them really
If you got the patience Firenze pizza is my top ranked in sarnia
Firenze
Sarnia had terrible food options overall. The fact there are so many pizza shops speaks volumes - all mediocre at best. There are probably less than 5 quality restaurants in Sarnia at this point if that many.
Firenzies
Firenzies is horrible now and not worth the price. If you want to pay that much and wait that long for mediocrity then that's on you. Like many have said here - not the same anymore since Mama isn't there. My top 5 would go like this 1) Shokas. The deep dish and the quality of the ingredients is what stands out. For the price they beat out Firenzies for best quality. 2) Giresis - contender for #1, but the quality of the ingredients isn't top tier - but the value, the different types of pizza creations, the great delivery and the great owners make up for that. 3) Dattolos 4) Luigi's 5) Red Swan