Pizzeria Badiali Opens Second Location on Markham

Pizzeria Badiali, the Dovercourt institution that's built a reputation on hand-tossed dough and lines stretching down the block, just opened its second location on Markham Street in the Annex. After years of speculation, the expansion is here, and early signals suggest the hype has followed the brand across the neighborhood.

The original shop at 181 Dovercourt Road became famous precisely because people wait. Thirty minutes to two hours at peak times—that's the Badiali tax, and regulars pay it gladly. Opening day at the Markham location saw about a 20-minute wait around lunch, which feels almost suspiciously short and likely won't last once word fully spreads through the Annex.

The new space is bigger: 1,400 square feet with indoor seating for 30 customers, compared to the tight quarters at Dovercourt. Chef and co-owner Ryan Baddeley told reporters before opening that they're excited to "bring great pizza and hang out space" to the neighborhood. The menu mirrors the original—same pizzas, salads, and dips—but adds one exclusive: a thin-crust "Granny style" pizza available only on Markham Street.

The Annex has become a neighborhood in flux, with recent closures (Comrags, after 42 years) balanced against new openings like this. Badiali's arrival signals confidence in the strip and adds another reason for locals and neighbors to gather. Whether the lines will stretch as dramatically as Dovercourt's is the open question. History suggests they will.