The Vancouver 11th Annual Pizza Challenge was a great success featuring unique creations at restaurants around Metro Vancouver including Squamish. Each restaurant featured their creation on their menu from April 3-27, 2025 and their customers voted for their favourites daily throughout the challenge for their People’s Choice favourites.
The Winners are:
1st Place:
{102 points}
Pizzone Pizza
Vietnamese Chilli Chicken
Price: $21
Created by Taz
Description: House Cooked Chicken topped with Green Onion, Mozzarella, on a Tomato, Hoisin, Sweet Chili and Garlic Base, Garnished with Slaw, Fresh Cilantro, Chili & Garlic Aioli.
Available: all the time
Offered: Dine-in, Takeout and delivery through third party delivery app.
Pizzone Pizza
848 Powell St, Vancouver
Web: https://www.pizzonepizza.com/
Instagram @pizzone.pizza
2nd Place:
{100.5 points}
Backcountry Brewing
‘ Nduja express
Price: $27
Created by: Backcountry Brewing Kitchen Team
Description: This pizza celebrates bold, balanced flavors, starting with a creamy butternut squash sauce that perfectly complements the smoky, spicy ‘nduja sausage. Topped with fior di latte mozzarella and earthy garlic Tuscan kale, it brings together a harmonious blend of rich, spicy, and umami flavors. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and generous shavings of pecorino romano elevate the dish, making each bite complete and satisfying.
We are firm believers that food should be both comforting and a little unexpected. Add the right touch of flair, a healthy dose of Canadian practicality and no need for a grand backstory. Just a well-crafted, elevated dish made with intention and passion. Because who says you can’t have both simplicity and sophistication in one bite?
Ingredients: Butternut squash sauce, Garlic Tuscan Kale, Fior di latte, Nduja, Extra virgin olive oil, Pecorino Romano
Available: All the time
Takeout; yes, anytime during taproom hours
Delivery: not available.
Backcountry Brewing
405-1201 Commercial Way, Squamish
Tel:(604) 567-2739
Web: https://www.backcountrybrewing.com/
Instagram @backcountrybrewing
3rd Place:
{98 points}
Mangia E Scappa
Mortazza
Price $26
Created by: the team
Description: Woodoven baked Neapolitan pizza, topped with Mortadella, pistachio, pesto, whipped ricotta , arugula, fior di latte, tomato puree on a fermented 00 flour crust, finished with garlic oil and malden salt
Ingredients: mortadella, pistachio, pesto , whipped ricotta, arugula ,fior di latte, tomato puree, fermented crust made with 00 farina, garlic oil
This pizza is an authentic pizza available in many regions of Italy
Take out and dine in available
Offered: all the time Wednesday – Sunday
Mangia E Scappa
23238 Mavis Ave, Fort Langley
Phone: 604.888.4104
Instagram @mangiaescappaif
In the People’s Choice Awards category, the public who tried the Pizza Creations were the ones who had the opportunity to cast their vote throughout the challenge.
The Winners are:
1st Place People’s Choice:
Pizzone Pizza
Vietnamese Chilli Chicken
Price: $21
Created by Taz
Description: House Cooked Chicken topped with Green Onion, Mozzarella, on a Tomato, Hoisin, Sweet Chili and Garlic Base, Garnished with Slaw, Fresh Cilantro, Chili & Garlic Aioli.
Available: all the time
Offered: Dine-in, Takeout and delivery through third party delivery app.
Pizzone Pizza
848 Powell St, Vancouver
Web: https://www.pizzonepizza.com/
Instagram @pizzone.pizza
2nd Place People’s Choice:
Backcountry Brewing
‘ Nduja express
Price: $27
Created by: Backcountry Brewing Kitchen Team
Description: This pizza celebrates bold, balanced flavors, starting with a creamy butternut squash sauce that perfectly complements the smoky, spicy ‘nduja sausage. Topped with fior di latte mozzarella and earthy garlic Tuscan kale, it brings together a harmonious blend of rich, spicy, and umami flavors. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and generous shavings of pecorino romano elevate the dish, making each bite complete and satisfying.
We are firm believers that food should be both comforting and a little unexpected. Add the right touch of flair, a healthy dose of Canadian practicality and no need for a grand backstory. Just a well-crafted, elevated dish made with intention and passion. Because who says you can’t have both simplicity and sophistication in one bite?
Ingredients: Butternut squash sauce, Garlic Tuscan Kale, Fior di latte, Nduja, Extra virgin olive oil, Pecorino Romano
Available: All the time
Takeout; yes, anytime during taproom hours
Delivery: not available.
Backcountry Brewing
405-1201 Commercial Way, Squamish
Tel:(604) 567-2739
Web: https://www.backcountrybrewing.com/
Instagram @backcountrybrewing
3rd Place People’s Choice:
Mangia E Scappa
Mortazza
Price $26
Created by: the team
Description: Woodoven baked Neapolitan pizza, topped with Mortadella, pistachio, pesto, whipped ricotta , arugula, fior di latte, tomato puree on a fermented 00 flour crust, finished with garlic oil and malden salt
Ingredients: mortadella, pistachio, pesto , whipped ricotta, arugula ,fior di latte, tomato puree, fermented crust made with 00 farina, garlic oil
This pizza is an authentic pizza available in many regions of Italy
Take out and dine in available
Offered: all the time Wednesday – Sunday
Mangia E Scappa
23238 Mavis Ave, Fort Langley
Phone: 604.888.4104
Instagram @mangiaescappaif
Our media judging panel determined the ultimate winners of the challenge, and this was quite the task as each judge who tasted each creation with a rigorous process based on taste, originality/uniqueness and presentation/appearance.
Each media judge scored each creation with a maximum of 40 points as follows: Overall Taste 20 points, Originality and Uniqueness 10 points, Presentation and Appearance 10 points. The highest number of points a challenge creation could have been awarded is 120 points.
Our Media judges for this challenge were: Crissa Koh, Tara Lee and Yuki No.
Thank you to all the chefs and restaurants that accepted my invitation and featured the Pizza Challenge creations on the menu for the past few weeks during this challenge.
I encourage you to visit the winning restaurants to try their Pizza creations if they are still available! See all the Pizza Challenge Entries Here.
By: Richard Wolak