The Best Italian Restaurants in Toronto

At Mistura, you will find upscale Northern Italian cuisine in an elegant, but warm environment. The Paolini family owns the restaurant, which has been open for over 20 years now. Signature dishes such as the red beet risotto, handmade pasta, and lamb that falls off the bone are some of the choices to look out for on Mistura’s seasonal menus.

Warm hospitality and rustic Italian fare often bring people back to this restaurant. Buca’s house-made pasta and charcuterie are the real stars of the menu. Aged brick interiors, cured meats, a mouthwatering selection of cheeses, and an in-house wine sommelier make this high-end spot perfect for a special occasion.

Renowned for its certified wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas, simple ingredients and cozy, but cheerful underground space, Pizzeria Libretto is as authentic as it gets. The pizza is delicious, but also try their melt-in-your-mouth bread, beet Caprese salad, biscotti, and gelato. The restaurant also has an incredible gluten-free pizza crust!

Gusto means tasty in Italian, and the restaurant certainly lives up to its name. Gusto 101 puts a modern spin on traditional Southern Italian fare. Situated in a repurposed garage, you can sip wine on tap while tucking into crowd-pleasers like their kale Caesar salad, mafalde ai funghi (mushroom pasta), and grilled octopus.

At Grazie Ristorante, you can enjoy the genuine spirit of Italian culture and cuisine in a lively atmosphere. Guests just seem to love the restaurant, citing fantastic customer service and good food as the reason. On the menu, you’ll find plenty of classic pizza and pasta choices, but word on the street is that the baked goat cheese salad is to die for!

This Cabbagetown kitchen continues to gain popularity by serving delectable and humble Italian fare. This cute, lovable, little restaurant is one of the best places in the city to get your fill of fresh antipasti, risotto, gnocchi, oven-baked lasagna with San Marino tomatoes, and made-in-house dolce (desserts).

The comforting origins of Italian food and rustic décor fuse with contemporary touches in an intimate atmosphere at Nodo Junction. This charming and hip restaurant offers Italian favorites such as homemade gnocchi, but you can eat it old school (slow-lamb ragù and lemon-mint ricotta) or new school (wild mushroom, corn, truffle-garlic “crema” padano, and diced tri-color peppers). There’s also a huge list of mouthwatering pizzas to choose from, which include some imaginative chef creations.

Enoteca Sociale aspires to bring a little piece of Roman culture to Toronto. Their menu, which features favorites such as cacio e pepe (sheep’s milk and black pepper) and amatriciana (guanciale, tomato, and chili), brings some of the fiery and passionate cuisine found in Rome to the city.