Recently, Papa John’s opened their first branches up here in Toronto (possibly first in Canada). I’ve seen ads for them on television when watching American stations. The pizza itself always looked a bit…off. I can’t explain what it is. Maybe it’s the cheese, but something looked not quite right. Yet I found myself drawn towards it. I had to try it now that it was available here.
I decided to place a carry out order for a large pizza with pepperoni, bacon, and chicken, regular cheese and sauce. It was $20, which I feel is more expensive than most pizza places here. I found out later they have a one topping carryout special, which is still a bit more expensive than their competition, but is a much more reasonable price. Maybe I’ll get that next time, if the pizzas are any good for that matter.
It actually didn’t look too bad. It smelled pretty good, and the cheese didn’t look as gross as it did in the ads. It was time to see if Papa Johns actually used better ingredients like they claim.
I took a bite and it was pretty good. Ahead of a lot some of the pizza chains I’ve been too. Still not as good as a really good restaurant pizza, but I wasn’t expecting it to be. The pepperoni was crisp and delicious and the chicken was seasoned. Most places leave the chicken plain or toss in a bit of BBQ sauce, so the seasoning was a nice touch. The bacon was a bit too chewy for my tastes though. That was the only flaw.
I’d put it behind Pizza Hut in terms of fast food pizza, but Pizza Hut is also expensive as hell up here in Canada compared to the US. I’m not sure if I’d come back often, but if I want a chicken pizza, Papa John’s is going to be my pizza of choice for it.
7.5/10
Mike Eats T.O. 