Toronto’s eating culture is well-known, and Italian cuisine is no exception. Toronto, as one of Canada’s largest cities, has a sizable and vibrant Italian community. As a result, there are several excellent Italian restaurants to choose from, and you don’t have to travel to Little Italy to find them!
The best Italian restaurants in Toronto reflect the city’s love of cuisine. We’ve produced a list of our favourite Italian restaurants in Toronto, organised by cuisine, ambience, and price point.
From traditional trattorias to more refined establishments, there is an Italian restaurant for every taste and budget.
Here are some of the top Italian restaurants in Toronto!
Ardo
Ardo stands out as one of the best Italian restaurants in the GTA for its simple refinement among the city’s best-known Italian restaurants. Authentic Sicilian delicacies like the Anatra pasta, with long strands of fettuccine, creamy duck ragoût, and Sicilian herbs; and fiery pizzas like the Etna, with house-made Sicilian sausage.
One of the standout dishes at Ardo is the mushroom gnocchi, featuring dime-sized dough pockets in an enticing cheese sauce, dressed with black truffle oil, corn, and small sliced carrots. Mop up any residual sauce of this dish with the fresh house-made bread offered.
Sotto Sotto
Sotto Sotto has been a Yorkville institution since 1993, and holds a place as one of the top Italian restaurants in Toronto. This Italian eating location is popular with many celebrities, as indicated by the walls plastered with images of Hollywood movie stars. Drake has even referenced this institution in his music.
Massimo Renzi and Luigi Sellaro, known for their traditional Italian meals, are preparing Roman-style fare. Marisa Rocca, the restaurant’s owner, is originally from Rome, and in addition to entire grilled fish and veal scaloppine, her mother’s “Bolognese Mamma Laura” lasagna is a popular dish.
Sotto is one of the best Italian restaurants in Toronto, allowing you to experience intense flavours of Italian cuisine, whether you choose the beautifully frilled campanili or the robust tubes of rigatoni!
GIA
While many of the top Italian restaurants in Toronto focus on popular meat dishes, Gia stands out for the opposite reasons.
Meat dishes aren’t on the menu at this plant-forward Italian restaurant, but we promise you won’t miss them when you dig into their flavourful pastas. Customers may choose from a variety of plant-based appetisers, pasta, salads, and desserts. The pasta is prepared in-house and features seasonal and local, fresh ingredients on a regular basis. The Porcini Tortelli is a must-order. This dish includes wild mushrooms, kale, and truffle butter. For appetizers, try the vegan crab cakes made from okra or the Baby Gem Salad.
The drink selection is very wide, including options for wine, beer, and cocktails, perfect for one to enjoy a romantic date out. The restaurant, which is located in the former Ufficio facility on Dundas West, has a large indoor and outdoor patio eating area.
Caffino
Caffino, a long-time Liberty Village lunch and dinner favourite, is one of the great hidden restaurants in Toronto, concealed behind another building. Inside, there are two dining spaces, a terrace, and typical Italian dinners.
Caffino’s wonderful environment is so spacious that many people rent it for their wedding location. With exposed brick, big windows, subtle design, and polished wood finishes, Caffino exudes elegance. The facility can accommodate 150 people for a sit-down meal or up to 250 people for a cocktail-style event.
In terms of food, Caffino stays loyal to the owner’s Italian roots by keeping things simple and usingonly the freshest ingredients. Homemade pasta, organic meats and poultry, and locally produced herbs and vegetables are among the vital components, but the finest ingredient of all is the passion and love that goes into each meal.
Sotto Voce
Not to be confused with the other Sotto on our list, Sotto Voce Wine & Pasta Bar has been a popular hub in College Street’s Little Italy For the past 20 years.
“The Voce,” is known for its warmth in the winter, excellence for first dates, and a ‘see and be seen’ terrace in the summer. This restaurant serves classic Italian comfort cuisine, and several wines by the glass, in a style and ambiance that ranges from cool and comfortable to hip and stylish.
Sotto Voce combines the enthralling experience of dining in a small setting with the flavour of the freshest foods available. Owners Anita Mancuso and Alan Thomson invite you and your loved ones to enjoy the classics of rustic food at one of the best Italian restaurants in the GTA.
Enoteca Sociale
Enoteca Sociale creates some of the greatest pasta and salumi in town from scratch, and it also has one of Toronto’s most sought-after private dining rooms. The Italian restaurant is operated by the same folks who own the well-known Pizzeria Libretto (another of the best Italian restaurants in the GTA!), and has a four-seat, reservation-only chef’s bar.
Enoteca Sociale has grown over time to provide a broader menu that includes typical Roman specialties such as cacio e pepe, l’Amatriciana, and carbonara. Chef Kyle Rindinella’s food is directly influenced from Rome, maintaining as faithful to traditional culinary methods as possible. The Italian-focused wine selection features varieties that are uncommon in Ontario and reflect the whole country of Italy.
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