Tagliatelle al ragù di vitello
Chef's choiceHand-cut egg tagliatelle, slow-braised veal ragù with Sangiovese, parmigiano reggiano aged 24 months. Takes three hours. Worth it.
Handmade pasta. Lake Como tradition.
Every shape cut by hand in our kitchen that morning. Cuisine from northern Italy, adapted for the harvests of Toronto.
What to eat tonight
The menu changes with the seasons. These three are rarely off it.
Risotto al nero di seppia
SeasonalCarnaroli from Vercelli, Sicilian cuttlefish ink, scallops seared in brown butter, lemon from the Amalfi coast. The rice gets 22 minutes. Not 20, not 25.
Osso buco alla milanese
Whole braised veal shank from a farm in Bruce County. Gremolata cut fresh to order. Saffron risotto on the side. The dish that kept us honest in year one.
Northern Italian cooking, made by hand
Gabriele Conti grew up near Como and spent years in kitchens in Milan and then Toronto before he and his wife took over this room in 2008. It started with 32 seats and longer hours than anyone wants to admit. The pasta is rolled and cut here every morning because it genuinely tastes better than the dried boxes, not because it makes a good story. Most days begin at the St. Lawrence Market, where the specials get decided by whatever actually looks good that morning. The head chef and most of the floor have been here for years, and that, more than anything, is why the food stays consistent.
2008Year we opened
32Seats at the start
6Pasta shapes cut daily
5amWhen the market run starts
What a dinner here looks like
primo
Before you arrive
We confirm your reservation and ask if there's anything to know. Allergies. Celebrations. A preference for a quieter corner.
secondo
The welcome
Your table is ready when you are. No waiting at the bar. A carafe of still or sparkling water arrives without being asked.
terzo
The meal
No rush. Three courses over two hours, or four if the kitchen sends something extra. The tasting menu is available from Thursday to Sunday.
quarto
The end of the evening
Limoncello from Sorrento is on us. The bill comes when you ask for it. Never before.
The most thoughtful pasta we found in Toronto. The tagliatelle is as good as anything in Bologna.
Toronto Life, Restaurant Issue 2024
What guests tell us
We came for a birthday dinner and stayed for three hours without noticing. The osso buco is the kind of food that makes you stop talking.
Booked the private room for a corporate dinner. Every detail was handled with zero friction. The tasting menu was perfect.
The pasta is the reason we live in the Distillery District now. Not joking.
