It’s known for being a late night bite, its delicious garlic oil and for its humongous portions, this is Toronto’s iconic pizza joint, King Slice.
For over 30 years, this local, family-owned business has been serving the community with its quality food and home-cooked taste at two locations: 1598 Bloor St. W. and 1130 Queen St. W.
In an interview with Now Toronto, King Slice Owner Cathie Vo tells us the story behind the long-standing restaurant.
“King Slice, our Bloor location, actually started in the early 90’s, so it’s about the same age as me, 33. My father, he actually came here in the 70’s from Vietnam, escaping the war. So, when he got here, he worked for a restaurant called Massimo’s. That’s one of the places that he started off at,” she said.
Vo says while working at the Italian restaurant, her father learned the trades of pizza. Her father cultivated an entrepreneurial spirit and thus, decided to open up his own restaurant, which led to the first King Slice location on Bloor.
Since 1989, the beloved pizza spot has been pumping out heaps of slices using its classic, family secret recipe which, according to Vo, has never been changed.
“Our recipes have always been the same, our dough and our sauce. My dad was really adamant on us keeping it very basic and simple, fresh ingredients. We haven’t really modified much thinking back at it,” she revealed.
Speaking with Now at the Queen Street location, she says the joint gets particularly busy during its late night hours since it’s open until 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, a time where the area gets filled with party-goers. Vo describes how the staff prepares for these hectic nights.
“In the morning, right when we begin, we have a sole staff in the back that just keeps making dough. So, they first make the fresh dough, they cook it halfway, and then from there, they just continue to make those throughout the day, so we can serve our customers during the day and then at night as well. So, by the time it hits around midnight, we’ll have about 60 doughs ready for all the customers to come in during their late hours,” she explained.
Vo admits that her family strategically altered its hours after noticing how busy the Queen Street location got during the late evenings and early morning hours. She emphasizes that the business ensures to listen to its community, so if that means staying open until every customer is fed then it shall be done.
One thing King Slice can guarantee is its customers will always come back, especially for its garlic oil. Vo says this is what makes the pizza spot different and unique from its other competitors in the city.
“I think every customer that comes in here, they’re like, ‘We want the garlic oil,’ if there’s no garlic oil, they get really upset. We’ve seen customers come in here and literally take the bowl and drench it,” she said.
In addition to its one-of-a-kind garlic oil, the restaurant’s king-sized portions and time-honoured recipe is also another treasured quality customers value.
“…When my father first opened this restaurant, he wanted something that would differentiate from others and his idea was just BIG. So, our slices are huge. Our whole pies are 26 inches. So, I think that’s also the differentiating factor and also just our recipe, right? We keep it very simple. Our ingredients are fresh and just cater to the customers,” she said.
Thanks to the restaurant’s unwavering consistency and overwhelming support from the community, it quickly became a popular go-to spot for any meal of the day whether that’s lunch, dinner or for a late night craving. In fact, some residents have created some special memories and routines at the restaurant.
“We’ve had customers come in and they’ll tell us, ‘Oh, our first date was here, we met here,’ and they’ve come here and taken wedding photos. We actually have a customer that has been here for 33 years, comes every single day, and has the same exact pizza and they pay the exact same price as they did when they first came,” Vo said about her loyal customers.
She acknowledges that her customers are what drives her family’s business and why it has continued to thrive for 33 years so far today.
“…We thank our customers all the time. They’re the reason why we’re here and so, we try to give back all the time and make sure that, you know, we work together and create a positive community,” she said.
So, what’s next for King Slice? Right now, Vo says talks of expanding the business are in action, however they plan to continue focusing on their two current locations and continue to provide the best service and quality for their customers.
“We wouldn’t be able to serve our community and do what we love and continue to do what we love if it wasn’t for our customers and we just say thank you,” she shared as a message of gratitude to her customers.
In recognition of Small Business Month, Now Toronto will be publishing stories throughout October to highlight small business owners across the GTA.
