Pizza chef Ryan Baddeley ranks 59th globally, third year running
Pizzeria Badiali's head chef secured a spot on the 2026 Best Pizza list — the only Toronto pizzaiolo to achieve three consecutive years of recognition.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ryan Baddeley has done something no other Toronto pizza chef has managed: made the world's best pizza list three years in a row.
At a ceremony in Milan on Wednesday, June 24, the results of the 2026 Best Pizza awards were unveiled. Baddeley, head chef and co-owner of Pizzeria Badiali, ranked 59th among the world's 100 best pizza chefs — a distinction he also earned in 2024 and 2025.
It's a rare feat. In a city that turns out seriously impressive pizza, with local pizzerias earning top marks at competitions around the world, one spot has consistently risen above the rest. You've probably seen the lines.
"It's not news that Toronto turns out some seriously impressive pizza," wrote the source covering the awards. But Badiali stands apart. Baddeley's reputation has officially crossed the Atlantic.
He wasn't the only Canadian recognized. Chef Cedric Toullec of Halifax's Lou Pecou Artisanal Pizzeria also made the 2026 list, landing at 92nd place.
For anyone who's passed Pizzeria Badiali and wondered if the eternal lineup was worth it, there's good timing: the restaurant recently opened a second, significantly larger location at Mirvish Village, spreading the love to more fans.
Baddeley's three-year streak on the global list is a quiet testament to consistency in a food world that chases trends. While competitors cycle through styles and celebrity, Badiali's approach — meticulous dough, traditional technique, relentless execution — has earned recognition from judges who taste thousands of pizzas annually.
Pizzeria Badiali operates at 181 Dovercourt Road and 581 Markham Street.