Top 5 Meat-Lovers pizzas in St Catharines

When I moved to downtown St. Catharines, one of the things that most excited my young son is that a Pizza Pizza was literally a five-minute stroll down the sidewalk.

In Canada, it’s probably the most recognizable name in the ‘Za Game. While I think they make a pretty decent slice, I was definitely on the hunt for something different in my new hometown – smaller, non-corporate mom-and-pop places. Searching for a good Meat-Lovers pizza, I found them and here’s the best five I’ve enjoyed.

Number One: oddBar, 12 King St., 905-397-1007
I ended up at the oddBar for a completely different reason. A friend sent me a notice that Hamilton craft brewery, Fairweather Brewing, was doing a Tap Takeover that and knew it was close to where I live. (I’m a craft beer fan, as well.) Literally three minutes away on foot, I went for the beer. What happened, instead, is I went nuts for the pizza. Their meat-lovers, called Porky Pig, was a carnivore’s delight. One of the ingredients may surprise you. As always, a tomato sauce and mozzarella base, there was pepperoni, bacon, Italian sausage and what I thought were dice-sized cubes of ham. I asked my server about the chunks and was stunned to learn it was Spam, not ham. It was fantastic and so meat-loaded, that I took home half a 12-inch pizza with me for left-overs.

Number Two: Maestro’s Pizza, 144 Lake St., 905-685-4111
Maestro’s was literally one of those places I’d drive by on Lake St. and always thought, “I should give that one a try.” I’m not one to claim I make a lot of bright decisions but man, I called this one. Six meats on their 12-inch medium – ground beef, ham, salami, bacon, pepperoni and hot Italian sausage on top of homemade sauce and tons of mozzarella. I had to think long and hard between this and oddBar as to which would be number one. Asked another time, it could just as easily be this. Another one that couldn’t be finished in one sitting.

Number Three: Big Brothers’ Gourmet Pizza, 71 King St., 905-708-0588
While certainly not a chain, Big Brothers started with two restaurants in Scarborough before adding this third one on King Street. The initial lure was that my son saw a 120-slice pepperoni extra-large advertised in their window. Trust me, he was sold and for the record, we dined off that for nearly three days. But it was the meat-lovers I needed to try because they have a deep-dish version of it, something I haven’t seen elsewhere. Crust in a deep pan with mozzarella and sauce on top, they add Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Ham, Ground Beef and Canadian Bacon. It’s absolutely fantastic. They also make “Chicago Style” deep-dish but limit it to just pepperoni. The owner told me due to the way it’s made, they can’t add too many meat ingredients because “they wouldn’t cook all the way.” Same premise – deep crust, sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni but they then seal it with another layer of crust, like an actual pie with more tomato sauce and grated parmesan on top, then bake the whole thing. I’ve had that as well and it’s, quite frankly, one of the heftiest pizzas I’ve ever had.

Number Four: Pete’s Pizza, 286 Bunting Rd. (Briarfield Shopping Centre), 905-688-1234
This one was a recommendation from an upstairs neighbour who orders from Pete’s when she has visitors. This is a mini-chain with four outlets in St. Catharines and two in Niagara Falls. So Pete’s is very well-known in the Niagara area. Their Ultimate Meat Lovers is topped with Pepperoni, Bacon, Sausage, Ham, Bacon and Extra Cheese and is, frankly, a hearty beast! I noticed a light touch of salt from (I’m guessing) the bacon but the fact is you’re gonna wash down a big boy like this with your favourite beverage.

Number Five: Rollin’ Pizza, 314 Lake St., 905-938-9797
Their Meatzza is one of their signature staples although this is perhaps the most creative pizzerias in St. Catharines and branches out into the crazy and unusual. The Meatzaa itself has all the key ingredients – tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, ham, salami, sausage and real bacon and it’s delicious. But Rollin’ is best-known for their oversized single slices (see top photo) that are larger than a regular medium. However, specialty pizzas such as “Dill With It” pizza with its toppings including garlic butter, mozzarella, dill pickles, and ranch are getting a lot of attention. Let’s not forget their “Hey Macarena!” with its garlic butter, noodles, and cheese sauce. Of all the places on this list, Rollin’ is, by far, the most creative!

Those are the best five I’ve enjoyed here. But I’m always on the look-out for more. Let me know in the comments what your favourites are. After all, a father and son can never have enough great pizza, right?