Bayview and Sheppard, a neighbourhood conveniently close to the 401 and Bayview Station, for so long was in dire need of more dining destinations. Enter Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality with the aptly-named Parcheggio (Italian for parking lot), where the homemade pasta is fresh, the negronis are flowing, and the magic unfolds in Bayview Village Shopping Centre’s south parking lot.

Design firm Solid Design Creative has brought the parking lot theme indoors, with playful parking line-inspired painted details and antique-style street lamps. But the decor is also fashionable, with luxe leather booths, a modern colour palette, and succulent-adorned tables. The restaurant seats 208, with a combination of booths, tables and private and semi-private dining rooms and a patio. Parcheggio shares a space with casual concept Beauty BBQ and the event space Village Loft, which is slated to open in September.

Parcheggio's menu, from chef Anthony Walsh and Executive Chef Andrew Piccinin, is full of Italian favourites. Piccinin drew on his family heritage while putting the culinary program together. “My grandparents were immigrants and we’d have weekend dinners at their home; it was a regular feature of my growing up,” he explains. “A lot of the menu items are straight from my grandmother’s recipe book.”

Chef Piccinin loves crafting simple pastas like spaghetti pomodoro and tagliatelle bolognese: “They are incredibly simple, but simple isn’t easy. Simplicity means that there's nothing to hide behind,” he explains. “It’s the sauce and the pasta and some cheese, and that’s about it. I know that I’m doing them right here.”

Parcheggio's menu is divided up into antipasti, salads, housemade pastas, mains and desserts, each section packed with delicious Italian offerings.

As for drinks to pair with the meal, there’s a selection of Italian and local wines, five of which are on tap, including a sparkling option. The cocktail menu ranges from refreshing sangria blanco ($14) and basil daiquiri ($13) to bourbon lemonade ($11) and five different takes on the classic Negroni ($12-17).

Parcheggio's lunch menu features many of the same items (minus some of the mains), with the addition of some Italian classic sandwiches, like the chicken parm ($19), the muffaletta ($16) and the grilled sausage melt ($16).

By Karen Stevens

Published: July 31, 2018