Crosta: The Sourdough Pizza Mile End Can’t Stop Ordering

Some restaurants ease into existence. This one didn’t. Since its soft opening in early June 2026, Pizzeria Crosta has been selling out of pizza before the end of service, night after night, on Saint-Viateur. We went to see what the fuss was about, and honestly, it’s easy to see why this place is blowing up. “We didn’t expect it to happen this fast — we figured it’d build up slowly,” admits Shawn Giannone, one of the three partners. Instead, the success was instant.

Who’s Behind Crosta

Crosta is a three-way partnership. There’s Shawn and Andrew Hanna, best friends for 15 years and lifelong foodies — the kind of people who’ll spend five hours at a single table while traveling. And their partner Josh Michael, the chef. A few years back, over a meal together, Shawn and Andrew started dreaming about opening their own spot. They always knew that if the project ever became real, Josh would be the one running the kitchen. The actual idea was born in New York, after a marathon tour of the city’s best pizzerias: “We looked at each other and said, we can do better than this.” When they pitched the concept to Josh, his answer settled it on the spot: “Guys, I’m all in.” Seven months of recipe testing later, the sourdough crust was ready to go.

The Crust That Started It All

That crust is really the heart of Crosta. It’s not quite New York style, and not classic Neapolitan either — they push the fermentation further than most, on purpose, for a crumb that’s airy and almost hollow inside. Josh describes it as a Montreal–New York hybrid: the size and crunch of a New York slice, built with Quebec ingredients on a Quebec seasonal calendar. There’s a Neapolitan touch too, courtesy of that light, airy crust.

Everything else follows the same homemade philosophy: nothing comes out of a can. “Every single topping on a pizza is its own recipe,” explains Shawn. The hot honey hides ten different spices. The ranch is built on house-made crème fraîche and roasted jalapeños, peeled by hand every single week. A single topping can take two full days of prep — which explains the price tag: slices run $5 to $6, whole pies $38 to $52.

What to Order at Crosta

The pepperoni and hot honey slice is the obvious classic, and it delivers. But the potato pizza — crème fraîche, bacon jam, house ranch — is the one that made us say wow. And that ranch deserves its own callout; it’s genuinely a must-try. The rest of the menu rotates around a handful of signature pies, from a peperoncino-spiked rosa to an ‘nduja pizza only available as a whole pie. Every flavor combination feels deliberate and refined — this is a team clearly working to deliver elevated pizza.

Inside Crosta

The space itself is tiny: 12 counter seats, five tables. A terrace may be in the cards down the road, and delivery is also being considered. Small footprint, big energy — the second doors open at 11:30 a.m., there’s already a line for slices.

The real show is the open kitchen, which Josh runs like a Michelin-level brigade, everyone locked into their station. Shawn is quick to credit the team: “I’m so grateful they’re willing to work this hard for us.”

Our advice: get there early, save room for the potato pizza, and don’t skip the ranch. Bon appétit!

Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Alison Slattery

Updated on June 24, 2026

Make a suggestion