-
$$$ | Entertainment District |
With its refreshing roster of Italian classics, stylish Buca was a pioneer on this stretch of King Street, and its influence continues today. Tucked into an alley just off the main drag, the repurposed boiler room has exposed brick walls, metal columns, and wooden tables that reflect the philosophy behind the menu. Start with a selection of cheeses and cured meats and perhaps an order of nodini, warm bread knots seasoned with rosemary and sea salt.
604 King St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1K7, Canada
Known For
- Consistently voted one of the best Italian restaurants in Toronto
- Wines meticulously chosen from Italian vintners
- Trendy decor
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
-
$$$ | The Annex |
On a quiet stretch of Harbord lies this low-lit modern trattoria, popular with couples and families alike. The menu spans from antipasti and fresh pastas (the mushroom cavatelli and giant ravioli are crowd-pleasers) to excellent blistered-crust pizzas and picturesque desserts—but whatever you order is bound to be great.
88 Harbord St., Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1G5, Canada
Known For
- Delicious updated Italian classics
- Striking rose-patterned wallpaper and front mural
- Sister snack bar (Piccolo Piano) located across the street
-
$$$$ | Yorkville |
This southern Italian hideaway has been a magnet for visiting celebrities and well-heeled Yorkville locals since the early 1990s, and it's still one of the city's most popular posh restaurants. The dozen or so pastas, including freshly made gnocchi, are reliably excellent, but the grilled seafood options, spanning yellowfin tuna to tiger shrimp to calamari, are stellar.
120 Avenue Rd., Toronto, Ontario, M5R 2H4, Canada
Known For
- Low-lit, intimate setting
- Refined Italian dishes
- Wall of celebrity photos
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun.
-
$$$ | Kensington Market |
The thin-crust pies at this airy family-run pizzeria are authentically Neapolitan and consistently earn top marks on local (and even global) critics' lists thanks to their fresh ingredients and use of traditional methods. Pasta mains (with gluten-free options) like a fiery Naples-style rigatoni and seafood linguini may take second place but are certainly worth a look.
188 Augusta Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2L6, Canada
Known For
- Extensive antipasti (traditional Italian appetizer) list
- Sidewalk patio
- The ciambella ripiena, a ricotta and hot soppressata--stuffed crust pie
-
$$ | Little Italy |
Holding court over a central Little Italy corner since 1968, Diplomatico is popular for its big sidewalk patio with umbrella-shaded tables, one of the best places in the city for people-watching. "The Dip," as it's locally known, serves reliable red-sauce Italian fare until late into the night.
594 College St., Toronto, Ontario, M6G 1B3, Canada
Known For
- Classic Italian dishes
- Large portions at reasonable prices
- Great people-watching
-
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
-
$$$ | Leslieville |
Toronto has its fair share of delicate, thin-crust Neapolitan pizzas, but this is where the locals go to indulge their carb cravings with thick Detroit-style pies cooked in rectangular pans. Go simple with the classic pepperoni, or try an international twist with the Jaffna (a twist on Sri Lankan kothu roti) or a jerk chicken version with pineapple. The pizzas might seem small for the price, but don't let your eyes fool you: they're ridiculously dense.
1168 Queen St. E, Toronto, Ontario, M4M 1L4, Canada
Known For
- Hip industrial setting
- Unusual local beers
- Long waits at peak times
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
-
$$$ | Yorkville |
Eataly's wonderland of fresh Italian groceries can also be enjoyed on-site in seven different restaurants, bars, counters, and cafés. There's the Trattoria Milano for northern Italian dishes and aperitivo, La Piazza for shareable plates like salumi and cheese, La Pizza & La Pasta (pretty self-explanatory), Birroteca for fresh beer in partnership with Indie Alehouse, multiple big patios to sip drinks like Aperol spritzes and wines, plus multiple cafés for pastries, sandwiches, pizzas, chocolates, and gelatos.
55 Bloor St., Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1A6, Canada
Known For
- Fresh pasta and pizza made on-site
- Extensive Italian wine and cocktail list
- Multiple options, from small cafés to sit-down eateries
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Hours vary, check website
-
$$$$ | Little Italy |
Traditional Italian food gets a modern twist at this intimate eatery offering a wide, delicious variety of updated Italian dishes. Pastas and pizzas are both excellent, but there's standout seafoods and meats—like a showstopping strip loin for two—mixed in among the numerous veg-forward options.
972 College St., Toronto, Ontario, M6H 1A5, Canada
Known For
- Ultramodern interior design
- Signature grilled octopus
- Sizeable list of Italian wines and aperitivi
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
-
$$ | Little India |
Whether you're looking for imported pesto potato chips, a bottle of wine, a fresh cappuccino, or a hearty salad, this Italian bodega has you covered.
1501 Gerrard St. E, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Known For
- Italian groceries
- Flavorful panini on house-baked bread
- Great thin-crust pizzas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
-
$$$ | Queen's Park |
Crowd-pleasing, reliable Italian fare—pizzas, pastas, and a few meaty mains—is the name of the game at this spacious Italian trattoria, part of a small local family of restaurants.
101 College St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Known For
- Good thin-crust pizzas
- Warm, modern decor
- Tasty Italian sweets
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends
-
-
$$ | Yonge and Eglinton |
No matter what day or time, Pizza Banfi is usually busy for two reasons: it doesn't take reservations, and the classic Italian food is really good. While the decor is slightly cliché, with Renaissance-style wall paintings over light-color bricks, the pizzas are the real attraction. Thin-crust pies are tossed in full view of the appreciative crowd, then baked to perfection.
333B Lonsdale Rd., Toronto, Ontario, M5P 1R3, Canada
Known For
- One of the neighborhood's favorites
- Generous servings of pasta
- Good-priced daily specials
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations not accepted
-
$$ | Entertainment District |
If you love Italian cuisine, this Toronto institution serves authentic sourdough Neapolitan pizzas and a selection of traditional antipasti to discerning locals. It caters to all dietary restrictions, including gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegetarian, and vegan. The King Street location is a great date spot, too.
545 King St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1M1, Canada
Known For
- Lunchtime specials
- Family-style menu options
- Outstanding negroni selection
-
$$$ | Financial District |
Open shelving lined with Italian provisions decorates this cool pizza joint, but it's the thin-crust pies, bubbled and blistered to perfection, that keep diners coming back. The menu suits all pizza lovers—from the simple Margherita to extravagant options like the Bruma, a white pizza with pancetta, egg, and black truffles. Daily pasta specials can be hit or miss, but desserts—like a warm, oozing round of flourless chocolate cake—are universally delicious.
57 Adelaide St. E, Toronto, Ontario, M5C1K6, Canada
Known For
- In addition to the pizza, the pastas are quite popular
- The secluded back patio is lovely in good weather
- Stunning location inside a former courthouse
-
$$$ | Rosedale |
Local Italian mini-chain Terroni has several locations around the city but this one, with the ground-floor Bar Centrale wine bar inspired by Italian train stations, is especially popular. Head upstairs to the bi-level Terroni for locally beloved thin-crust pizzas, seafood spaghetti, and Italian cheeses and mushrooms, along with stunning views.
Service is particular: no substitutions, no cheese on seafood dishes, and they won't cut your pie for you. Some find it a deal breaker; others say it adds to the Italian authenticity.
1095 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario, M4W 2L8, Canada
Known For
- Excellent thin-crust pizzas
- Gluten-free and vegan options
- Bustling bar scene
-
$$$$ | Entertainment District |
The swanky Ritz-Carlton dining experience comes to Toronto in the form of TOCA, where the menu of elevated Italian food takes advantage of local ingredients. To really up the ante you can reserve seats at the chef's table, at a private dining nook in the kitchen. Splurge on the Sunday Market Brunch, which includes a cold seafood station of oysters, shrimp, and lobster, as well as made-to-order omelets and all-you-can-drink mimosas and bellinis.
181 Wellington St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2H5, Canada
Known For
- 30-minute "express" lunch option on weekdays for business diners
- The Sunday Market Brunch
- The cheese cave
-
