Pharos Pizza & Spaghetti, an Edmonton institution, is closing soon. Opened in 1970, Pharos Pizza has fed generations of university students and Edmontonians. Their pizza is the kind that is loaded with cheese and fresh, simple ingredients. And they featured whole wheat crust long before it was popular for healthy eating reasons.

The decor is old, but in good shape – no ripped seats or broken tables to be found. It’s so old that it’s retro now. And they have a jukebox where you can play a range of newer and older hits.

Pharos Pizza & Spaghetti counter

Their Popeye pizza is a popular choice but for nostalgia’s sake I wanted to eat the kind that I had during my very first time eating at the restaurant. I ordered a Pharos special piza on a whole wheat crust, filled with lots and lots of cheese, olives, shrimp, green peppers and ham. Pharos serves the kind of pizza that has strings of cheese dripping off each piece when you lift it from the rest of the pie.

Pharos pizza special

My favourite part of eating pizza from this place, other than the whole wheat crust, is the tomato sauce. It’s slightly spicy and has lots of herbs in the flavour, and it perfectly compliments the crust and all the cheese. Did I mention the huge amount of cheese? There’s a lot. I have to say it more than once because there was so much of it.

You have until June 21st to enjoy their pizza, lasanga, cheese toast and Dixie cup ice cream. Hurry before it’s gone for good. (And if you’re a fan of classical music, jazz or world music, you may want to stop by their neighbour The Gramaphone as well. They’re moving over by Planet Organic and Greenwood’s Bookshoppe around the same time, and you can get 20% and 30% off of CDs and DVDs before they pack everything up.)

Pharos Pizza & Spaghetti
8708-109 Street
Edmonton, Alberta