A name like F’Amelia has that romantic, roll-off-your-tongue swagger that makes it sound like it means something in Italian, but it doesn’t. It’s a perfect name nonetheless for a Cabbagetown restaurant serving familiar food, for families, on Amelia Street. F’Amelia’s ambience is decidedly comfortable. The servers do their best to convince you that they know as much about each dish as the chef does, but most importantly, the food is simple, honest and unpretentious. The gnocchi, a menu favourite, is inundated with chubby porcini mushrooms — as juicy as berries — that have been sautéed in butter and brandy, giving the dish a delightful earthy flavour. The house-made gnocchi dumplings are ethereal. They hold together on your fork, then turn to cream in your mouth. F’Amelia is also ambitious. In addition to its not-so-small menu of meats, seafood and northern Italian–inspired pastas — literally everything is made the hard way, in-house — F’Amelia is also doing authentic Neapolitan pizzas. Overall, F’Amelia is everything a family restaurant should be: it’s safe, reliable and casual. Our imaginary nonna gives it her seal of approval.
