Weekly Lunch Pick: one of the best pizzas in the Annex
A favourite with professors on long (and liquid) lunches, this slick Annex haunt dishes up rustic Italian fare with unpretentious service. Individual thin-crust pizzas, made to order in a scorching hot oven, are the standout. The Buffola features imported buffalo mozzarella, which forms a thick blanket over meaty, stewed plum tomatoes and a crust with a near–rice cracker crunch. Instead of the advertised artichoke hearts, our 12-inch pie comes strewn with dollops of rough-chopped fresh basil pesto. Simple but satisfying, this vegetarian lunch pairs equally well with a selection from the ample wine list or a simple bottle of San Pellegrino ($2.50).
The cost: $23.50, with tax and tip.
The time: 54 minutes; the order takes nearly 30 minutes to arrive but is polished off in half that time.
Bar Mercurio, 270 Bloor St. W. (at St. George), 416-960-3877, barmercurio.com.
