Beast Pizza

"Open for: DinnerPrice range: $$$Though their restaurant has undergone several reinventions over the years, Beast co-owners and chefs Scott Vivian and Nathan Middleton have maintained an ethos of dark humor and fearless consumption as a through line. The current iteration is primarily a pizza joint spotlighting New York-style pies laced with unconventional toppings like sliced beef tongue pastrami and smoked bacon. The restaurant also offers group bookings for whole-beast dinners; diners select an animal and an “adventure level” ranging from low to high, and the chefs get to work showcasing the seasonal bounty of Canada and the versatility of underused “ugly” bits in a zany culinary display. Previous dinners have included torched elk tongue ssambap with Kewpie mayo and gochujang; a menacing smoked chicken leg served with breast mousse; and a vigorously gamy duck-hen-partridge tourtière, complete with a head and legs peeking out. If you drive: Parking in this neighbourhood is a nightmare (too many one-way streets and most of the side streets are occupied by local residents). The best bet here is to walk, take the Toronto Transit Commission, or take a rideshare." - Tiffany Leigh

"When one of the first dishes to hit the table at Beast Pizza in Toronto was a lamb chop, I (briefly) considered becoming a vegetarian on the spot." - ByThe Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors

"A philosophy of fearless consumption — with a requisite touch of dark humor — runs as a through line in the work of Beast co-owners and chefs Scott Vivian and Nathan Middleton. Over the years, their restaurant has undergone several reinventions. The current version of Beast acts primarily as a pizza joint, but it also offers group bookings for whole-animal dinners (booked in advance). Diners select a protein and an “adventure level” from low to high, and the chefs get to work showcasing the seasonal bounty of Canada and the versatility of underused “ugly” bits in a zany culinary display. Previous dinners have included sweetbread-stuffed ravioli with parsley cream sauce; heart tartare, vibrant with fermented shrimp and whipped bone marrow; a menacing smoked chicken leg (with claws intact) served with breast mousse; and a vigorously gamy duck-hen-partridge tourtière, complete with a head and legs peeking out of the pie." - Tiffany Leigh