The much-anticipated Juice and Rocco’s Pizzeria opened in downtown Brampton during Hometown Hockey weekend, and we tried every pizza on the menu. Because … why not?
Food Network chef Jason Rosso and partner Adam Valenti of Wendell Clark’s opened Juice and Rocco’s to bring fast-baked, thin-crust, Brooklyn-style pizza to the Brampton downtown core. And we praise Rosso and Valenti for choosing to keep the pizzeria open seven days a week and deep into the evening, which is a rare treat downtown. In true Rosso form, the pizzeria displays bold creativity in both decor and in food.
First of all, the inside setting is a take-out counter for quick service, no chairs. The owners restored the red brick walls and the original high ceilings, adding to the neighbourhood pizzeria feel. The counter tops are wood, and off to the left is a beverage fridge serving pop and local neutralized water. No, really. The bottle we saw was “GP8 alkaline water” out of Toronto, which was awarded First Prize at the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Awards 2017.
Eleven pizzas are written on the chalkboard wall menu, ranging from the standards to the international to the inquisitive, all between a $10 to $14. Each pizza is 14”, baked within mere minutes and manageable for a personal size. The most important thing to note is that these pizzas are fun to eat when hot, but when cold, the cheese may in some cases harden, meld with the toppings and overpower the thin crust. Thankfully, the pizzas reheat well.
Across the board, everyone had different opinions about their preferences. Some leaned towards the meat, others appreciated the traditional, and a chef or two enjoyed the unique. This is our official categorization (1 = favourite).
Unique Pizzas (the best list):
1. The Ruben (perfect for a mustard lover)
2. Donair
3. Le Frenchie
4. Taco Libre
5. Canadiana
Meat Lover’s Pizzas:
1. Rosso’s
2. Che Palle
3. Canadiana
The Spicy Pizzas:
1. Rosso’s
2. Taco Libre
Vegetarian Pizzas:
1. Le Frenchie
2. Tree Hugger
3. Mediterranean
The (somewhat) Traditional Pizzas:
1. Simple
2. Eh’ Loha
3. Che Palle
Savoury with a hint of Sweet Pizzas:
1. Donair
2. Le Frenchie
3. Eh’ Loha
The Creamy and the Pesto Pizzas:
1. Le Frenchie
2. Tree Hugger
3. Donair
The Cheesy Pizzas:
1. Basic
2. Le Frenchie
3. Che Palle
4. Mediterranean
Juice and Rocco’s Pizzeria is located at 52 Main St. North at Main St. and Queen St. in downtown Brampton.
