There is an art to the Italian food scene in Toronto. From the best grocers, bakeries, and restaurants housed in art museums and heritage buildings, to the poetic presentations and wine pairings for each meal.
Italian restaurateurs are passionate about creating a beautiful experience that matches the taste of the food. So if you’re in Toronto and looking for the perfect panino con prosciutto, or craving cacio e pepe and a glass of vino rosso (or all of the above), we’ve got you covered. Just like all of the best restaurants in Italy — you go for the food and stay for the experience.
1. Famiglia Baldassare
Familia Baldassare has to be the closest to Italy that you’ll get in Toronto. A “speakeasy pasta joint” that’s only open for lunch from 12:00-2:00, Familia Baldassare has mastered the art of pasta making. From the most gorgeous filled mezzalunas and ravioli, to the bronze die cuts of rigatoni and canestri, Baldassare prides itself on the quality and attention to detail of each pasta shape. They provide their pasta to the best restaurants in the city, and boasts a lunch menu that changes daily. In short, it’s best to line up early. Cross your fingers for the spinach and ricotta filled ravioli, and pick up a loaf of bread and fresh tomato sauce for the best scarpetta.
If you’re in the mood for a plate of cacio e pepe and a cozy glass of Chianti (and let’s be honest — who isn’t?), then you must pay a visit to Enoteca Sociale. Enoteca specializes in classic Roman cuisine and is even equipped with its own cheese cellar. A salumi board with olives marinated in vino, fresh rosemary focaccia, and glass of sparkling is a must, before diving into the cacio e pepe. Equal parts creamy and spicy. And because we can’t forget about dolce, try their homemade cannoli with whipped lemon ricotta.
3. Mattachioni
There is nothing better than the smell of rustic Italian sourdough bread on a Saturday morning. With 2 locations in the city, Mattachioni is an amalgamation of an Italian bodega, bakery, and a restaurant. Pick up your pantry essentials (espresso beans, dried pasta, fresh produce), and make sure to order the Scapece panini. Made with pickled eggplant and ricotta on fresh sourdough, its a delicious treat. Or, if you want to taste the city’s best wood oven pizza, try the S. Stefanelli with prosciutto crudo and fresh stracciatella.
4. Stock T.C.
Another hybrid grocery store, restaurant, bakery, and salumeria, Stock T.C. is set inside a 20,000 square foot Art Deco space that was once home to a postal service. The tall, white marble walls are lined with loaves of fresh olive bread and seasonal produce. Fresh pasta is handmade on site, and ready to go with a variety of accompanying homemade sauces. On a Sunday afternoon, order the Barese style focaccia with fresh mortadella and pick up a bouquet of fresh flowers. Then ask the sommelier to help you find the perfect bottle of primitivo.
5. Forno Cultura
It’s only right that one of their locations is situated in the Museum of Contemporary Art. This is because Forno Cultura specialises in the most beautiful panini and Italian desserts in the city. Behind the display case, you’ll see arrangements of prosciutto, porchetta, and soppressata sandwiches made on their filoncini croccanti di semola e sesame. For dessert, choose from the endless rows of pear, plum, and almond crostata and classic cannoli. Or go for my personal favorite, the appolini sfoglia con crema.
6. Seven Numbers
When you walk into Seven Numbers, you immediately feel like you’re walking into an old family-run trattoria in southern Italy. Mama Rosa, a neighbourhood celebrity, cooks in the window, waving and chatting with the locals. The exposed brick walls are lined with candlesticks in old wine bottles, and the smell of her award winning lasagna lingers in the air. The perfect spot for a long Italian-style family dinner—go for the osso bucco, linguine with rapini and cherry tomatoes. And of course, the lasagna which tastes like a Sunday afternoon at Nonna’s.
7. Osteria Rialto
If you’re looking for that perfect date spot, Osteria Rialto has to be at the top of your list. This ecletic spot is set in a section of a 1937 Art Deco heritage theatre. Rialto’s white twinkling lights and the geometric black-and-white tiled floors will give you a feeling of romance and nostalgia. Their menu is modern, with pasta supplied from Baldassare and dishes from Liguria, Emilia-Romania, Tuscany, and Rome. Try their classic cacio e pepe arancini, and if you go in the early summer, order their corzetti al pesto. To finish, order some of the city’s best mulberry gelato.
