Italian restaurants are always in style, and with new ones opening all the time, it can be hard to know which spots are actually worth your time (and money). So, we asked the people who know best — Toronto chefs — to share their go-to Italian restaurants in the city. Here are 10 spots they truly love.
Occhiolino
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“All the pasta is handmade with a ton of care, everything looks and tastes delicious, and is top quality,” said Patois’ Craig Wong of recently opened Italian restaurant Occhiolino. “It’s exciting to sit at the bar and watch them cook the food in their open kitchen. Attention to detail is top notch, nothing lets you down.
Gio Rana
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Before Leslieville was cool, there was Gio Rana’s Really Really Nice Restaurant. Opened in 1989 by Gio and Marilena Rana, the cozy Italian spot — nicknamed The Nose — has been serving up hearty pastas, giant meatballs and housemade focaccia ever since. “Light years ahead of its game when picking Leslieville as a location, and even more ahead of the game when it came to presenting Italian food in a chill, downplayed setting,” says chef Matt Basile.
Osteria Giulia
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On Avenue Road, Osteria Giulia is a luxurious little Italian restaurant where chef Rob Rossi showcases a refined take on northern Italian cuisine. The 66-seat room is warm and modern — limestone, wood panelling, soft curves — and the menu is built around seasonal ingredients, from delicate crudos to housemade pastas. “Everything I’ve had from there has been incredible, and I’m always looking for the next time I can get back there,” says Taline’s Seb Yacoubian.
Tutti Matti
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For more than two decades, Tutti Matti has stayed true to rustic Tuscan cooking — no shortcuts, no crowd-pleasers, just bold, soulful food. Chef Alida Solomon trained in Siena and brought her passion back to Toronto with dishes like wild boar pici and mortadella pizzette.”Alida has the know-how and authenticity to be called the real deal,” says celeb chef Massimo Capra. “When I’m craving Tuscan, this is where I go.”
Terroni
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“Terroni is a staple in my Toronto community, Trinity Bellwood’s. All of their locations are great but the Queen West one is my personal favourite,” says chef and restaurateur Susur Lee of this Toronto institution that first opened in 1992. “I highly recommend the San Nicola di Bari pizza – it’s an authentic taste of Italy! I also really enjoy the atmosphere and vibe of the restaurant.”
Sugo
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Since opening in Bloordale Village at Bloor and Lansdowne in 2017, Sugo has become a neighbourhood institution — the go-to for classic Italian-American comfort food. Corporate executive chef of Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality, Anthony Walsh, is among its fans. “The white pie with zucchini and ricotta. And anything with red sauce,” Walsh tells us. He’s also a fan of the setting: “The vibe is lovely, and the staff are unpretentious and welcoming.”
Bar Prima
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Bar Prima, from chefs Craig Harding and Julian D’Ippolito, is an intimate west end spot that blends timeless Italian style with sharp, modern cooking. Under chef de cuisine Nicholas Iaboni, the menu balances classics with fun, modern twists. “I typically don’t leave my neighborhood on days off. This is a cozy west end spot, intimate, perfect for a date night,” says chef Lonie Murdoch. “My fave is the lobster fra diavolo. It’s just spicy enough and the lobster is cooked perfectly.”
Gia
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“Gia is a newer favourite — their plant-based meatballs are so good, even nonna would approve,” says Mildred’s Donna Dooher. Since opening in 2021, Gia has earned a reputation not just as one of the city’s top plant-based restaurants, but as one of Toronto’s best restaurants, period. From the eggplant parmigiana to the Lion’s Mane bistecca, every dish is a standout.
Famiglia Baldassarre
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“It’s a real “if you know, you know” situation with Leo’s amazing spot on Geary. Hands down the best pasta in the city,” says O&B’ Andrew Piccinin about lunch spot, Famiglia Baldassarre. ” It’s also a treat to shop for groceries and wine while you’re there — lots of hard-to-find, exceptional items.”
Napoli Centrale
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“Napoli Centrale is my favourite place to eat in Toronto, largely because I love pizza,” says Toca chef Alessandro Pannettone. “For me, it’s one of the best Neapolitan pizzas in the city. If you really want to feel like you’re in Italy when you eat a pizza, this is the best place.”
