Italian food in Toronto has always been a safe bet — but safe is no longer the goal for the city’s newest generation of Italian restaurants. A fresh wave of openings is pushing the cuisine in directions that feel genuinely exciting, from pasta-by-the-bowl fast casual concepts on Queen West to sophisticated Little Italy dining rooms where the heritage of the neighbourhood is honoured through a modern lens.
West Queen West’s newest casual Italian spot Pastalia, has stripped away the white-tablecloth tradition and replaced it with something more democratic: a Subway-style pasta bar where diners choose their shape, sauce and toppings. The approach is playful and smart, and the result is exactly the kind of Italian food that works for a weeknight dinner or a post-gallery lunch.
In Little Italy, Osteria Alba a stylish new restaurant has taken over the space left by the iconic Vivoli, and the kitchen — helmed by Adam Perreira — is delivering a contemporary interpretation of the neighbourhood’s Italian character: house-cured salmon stagionato, pillowy gnocchi alla Romana and a mortadella-pistachio pizza that has already developed a following.
The third standout is Blue Horse Cucina in Etobicoke — one of three new restaurants from the team behind the beloved former Kramer’s Bar & Grill — an earnest and skilled Italian restaurant that has punched well above its weight since opening in December.
Italian food in Toronto is evolving. These five restaurants are the best argument for why you should be paying attention to what the city’s Italian dining scene is doing right now.
Pick one, make a reservation, and let Toronto’s newest Italian kitchens show you what the cuisine looks like when it’s evolving in real time.