It’s safe to say that, when one heads to Yorkdale for a shopping spree, Turkish pizza tends not to be top of mind. But unbeknownst to many, a restaurant that feels like it’s set in Cappadocia — or a Disney theme park — is a skip and a jump away from the shopping mecca.

The Lowdown
Pide — pronounced “pea-deh” — is Turkey’s answer to pizza. Although the history of pide is hard to pinpoint, Samsun, a town on Turkey’s north coast, is heralded by most as the birthplace of the dish. Regional varieties abound, and pide can be everything from a basic sesame seed-strewn flatbread to one loaded up with lamb and other toppings galore. Although the lahmacun are crustless, others look like a baguette that’s been smashed, with the dough folded over into crusts.

Setting the scene
The route to Mustafa’s is a rather dreary one, with a series of strip malls weighing heavy on the heart and promising little in terms of culinary delights. But the corner space is a cherry spot on the ho-hum horizon. Inside it’s magical, with faux rock enveloping the space, mimicking Cappadocia’s famed caverns and fairy chimneys. Rustic wooden chandeliers and plenty of earth-toned kilim pillow shams elevate the cave-dwelling feel.

The man, the legend
Mustafa Ardic, formerly of Pizza Pide on Gerrard St. E., brings the flavours of his homeland to his eatery. He has a devout following; patrons spill into his shop to order from a menu devoted to pide and its variants.

Of the 20 options, the lahmacun flatbread is your entry point to pide. Lightly spiced ground beef with onion and tomato are set atop a thin crust and served with slivers of white onion and parsley ($12). Squirt with lemon, roll up into a cigar and eat. Proper pide, like the kavurma kaşarlı, features a more robust crust and arrives with roast lamb and mozza ($15). Or try the karışık to sample their best ($16).

Come the weekend, diners can order İskender from the concise specials menu. The trad way sees thinly sliced beef (done on a skewer, like kebab meat) piled atop fresh pita and finished with tomato sauce and plenty of plain yogurt ($20). And don’t forgo the kadayif with pistachios for dessert. Based on the queue snaking its way out of Mustafa’s on a Sunday afternoon, this place is where it’s at.

Mustafa Turkish Pizza, 866 Wilson Ave., 416-631-0300