Not worth the price Order the pasta di giorno and really no taste at all, very plain, suppose to have anchovies and truffles. Portion is small and price was steep. $38 for lunch. Not worth to come back. read more

First of all I want to say the service was fantastic. The waiter was very nice. I've had gnocchi in many different restaurants and this was the worst. I've never seen anybody fry gnocchi and the portion size was way too small. I would not recommend this restaurant to anybody who wants a good Italian meal. read more

This is, by far, one of my favourite Italian restaurants in the city. Serving up Italian food from the region of Sicily, they make every dish fresh, and their gnocchi is pretty much perfection on a plate! It's light, fresh and is a treat to tastebuds, complete with a light truffle cream sauce, mushrooms and corn (an ingredient that I didn't think would work as beautifully as it does). Every app is amazing, my favourites include the Melanzana (eggplant parmesan), the arancini (rice balls), and Burrata. Friends at the table raved about the Octopus as well, but I didn't try that dish. The show was stolen by the Canolli's though as they are hands-down the best that I've had in Canada. I can't wait to return here! read more

One of my favourite restaurants in the city. Sit at the kitchen bar and watch the magic happen. Spectacular fresh food all from scratch

We went to Ardo last night to celebrate my sister's birthday - she and her husband were visiting from Boston. The food was great, but what elevated it to a 5 stars was by far the service. We started the evening by discussing which bottle of wine to order - my brother in law asked the waiter which would be best based on our particular tastes, who promptly spoke to the sommelier and recommended an Montepulciano (which we were already leaning towards). Also of note, this was second least expensive red, so they aren't trying to oversell you. Then the food! The waiter told us the specials, particularly an heirloom tomato salad, where the tomatoes had just arrived fresh today. We also asked about the vegetarian options (as 3 out of the 6 of us are veggie) for recommendations, and the waiter brought out the chef to make suggestions! Very nice touch. We went on to order the melanzana, the polpo, the artichoke pizza, peche & zola pizza, Sicilian seafood cous cous, anatra and the ragu. All of the food was excellent (as was the bread which they make in house along with the olive oil they import from Sicily), but in my biased opinion I think my pizza was the best - wine soaked peaches with fior di latte, gorgonzola, toasted almonds and arugula. An uncommon combination which worked perfectly. We also mentioned to the waiter that it was my sister's birthday when she was away from the table, so they brought out an extra dessert on the house with a candle. This was in addition to the two orders of cannoli we had ordered. All in all an excellent meal, and very fairly priced (pre-tip was about $210 for six people including the wine). I wasn't able to catch our waiter's name, but he was just fabulous. Really seemed to enjoy doing his job well, and seemed very pleased that we enjoyed our food so thoroughly (all empty plates over here!). Would definitely go back, and highly recommend. read more

See all

I went to ARDO because it was close to George Brown College and we were celebrating my daughters graduation from its culinary school. I would go back again without hesitation. The food was fantastic- arguably the best we have all had in a long time. The service was attentive and professional and the chefs enthusiastically agreed to give my daughter a tour of the kitchen and food prep. She was impressed with the fresh, locally and Sicily sourced ingredients. Small, thoughtful menu and good wines by the glass. Going back here!! read more

Sicily is a rich, fertile, volcanic and beautiful land. It is the legitimate heir of ancient Greece, but also boasts the influence of peoples like the Arabs and the Vikings; south and north. I'm here to talk about cooking and Ardo restaurant, but you cannot appreciate the cuisine of this excellent little restaurant without presenting it, even if superficially, in the context of the intense cultural melting pot that Sicily reflects. At Ardo you will find true Italian food in its Sicilian inclination. The Ardo dishes, from appetizers to desserts, bring out the raw ingredients of the Sicilian territory (Ardo also imports flour, pasta, and special oils from Sicily, which you can buy) without forgetting tradition. It's a wonderful menu, capable of delivering surprises, respectful of the past great for the palate and your health. And remember that each dish of Sicilian cuisine is a piece of history. Over the centuries, the island has been conquered by the Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, Austro-Bourbon, Piedmont. It does not end here. Because the domination policies were complemented by other influences are less aggressive and more purely cultural. Then there was - and still is - the Tunisian influence due to the close relationship between live across the Strait of Sicily and which finds its highest expression in the couscous. Indeed, Ardo has one of the more interesting couscous dishes in the city. Sicily was the granary of Italy and the first great laboratory for the development of pasta, which was tested in new recipes and shapes. Yes, before Marco Polo went to China. At Ardo, you will find the best interpretation of Sicilian cuisine in Toronto, or perhaps in Canada. Sicily, however, is one of Italy's most beautiful and cultured regions. Archimedes, the third century scientist, was Sicilian. One of Italy's Nobel winning physicists, Antonino Zichichi is Sicilian, Some of the best writers of the twentieth century were Sicilian: Leonardo Sciascia and Luigi Pirandello to name a couple. Some of the best actors, directors, statesmen of moral rectitude and human touch (the judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, for example) are Sicilian. The food of this island is part of that rich heritage, befitting its natural beauty and the three thousand-year history. Of course, Sicily is not around the corner from Bloor Street. Yet, if you go to King Street at the point where it intersects Sherbourne, not too far from downtown, where you can easily find parking, you will reach Ardo. The staff is genuinely friendly, rather than unctuous. Roberto, the owner is a classic Sicilian gentleman. His cuisine reflects his taste and his heritage. Ask for some bread and the excellent Sicilian olive oil and you'll understand immediately the goodness' of what you are about to experience. And if you like wine, you can finally try the excellent Sicilian wines: red, suggest the Nero d'Avola; White? Vermentino. Try a real Marsala and finish with a lovely digestive like Montenegro; there's enough variety for all tastes: I stress you should try the Sicilian wines. To better appreciate the delicious dishes, you must understand Sicilian cuisine and its roots. It comes from the fact that Sicily is in the center of the Mediterranean, where an extraordinary climate allows farmers to grow the tastiest vegetables, grapes, olives, oranges in the world. They produce the most aromatic olive oils and precious wines thanks to grapes and herbs have the most intense fragrances. And it is also a place where people are still in touch with the genuine flavors from the sea and the land. Roberto has not betrayed Sicilian food, by combining and adapting it in the way that is typical in Italian cooking outside - and even in - Italy. In Sicily, the memory of the old recipes is still alive. New generations have not lost that knowledge. In Sicily there might be roughly 10-12 McDonald's restaurants to give you a quick mental picture of the strength of local traditions. In Milan, there are 23 alone. Sicily is the Mediterranean, thus it's a cradle of food that combines health, tradition and taste. At Ardo, you will find just that. I tried a bit of everything: calamari, arancini, traditional pasta, octopus, marinated anchovies, cod croquettes and my beloved eggplants. If there is a typical Sicilian vegetable you must try, by the way, it's the eggplant. The only 'problem' - in the selection; not the quality '- are the desserts. I have a sweet tooth and Sicily boasts among the best desserts in the world. Ardo does have excellent cannoli and gelato (an invention of Sicily), but there are so many more Sicilian delights. Perhaps, I might make an offer Roberto can't refuse, persuading him to bring out an Iris or a Cassata on the menu soon. read more

Checked this spot out a few weeks ago for small birthday dinner. Had apps, pizza and pasta. Nothing to write home about. Service was average/good, but we likely won't go back anytime soon. read more

The word ARDO comes from the verve Arder. It translates from Spanish as a burning passion. Though the restaurant does not derive from the conjugation of the verve, ARDO restaurant is its definition come to life; a burning passion of food, tastes and flavours... One of the best restarts I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. Chef Roberto and his staff have passion, love, and a burning desire for their craft. From the minute you enter you are treated like family. If YELP had more than five stars, they would deserve them all. The passion of of the kitchen crew for their craft is evident in the food. It speaks volumes of the love for their creations. Our server was professional and made sure we enjoyed ourselves. Roberto, chef and owner, is a culinary maestro on a grand scale. He conducts his culinary symphony with ARDOR and his restaurant is his symphony orchestra. BRAVO ARDOR! Highly recommend! In fact it needs to be a stop for everyone! read more

Love this place, been a few times as we live close by and they have different touches every time. If you are looking for fine Italian this is the place to go. Pretty reasonably priced for the quality of food and service. read more

Hello Toronto! I had the opportunity tonight to try out Ardo for the first time. It's menu described delicious Sicilian cuisine which me and my friends were excited to try. We ordered the specials tonight, pesce black cod dish, lobster ravioli, and veal. First I should say they called us to come to the resto for 8:45 (our reso was st 8:30), that was all good but we sat at 9:00, we never received our appetizer of sardines on bread (this looked so darn good!), we waited over an hour to order food as no one checked on us. Our food arrived luke warm, we never received our bread or sausage pasta order. We told them and they still charged us, we had to inform a different waiter as we kept getting different servers. It was all very confusing and I'm still hungry! I unfortunately did not enjoy my experience here. Please take this review as an opportunity to build upon your strengths and work on your weaknesses Ardo. As Sicilian food should be served warm, delicious, and your guests should always feel welcome, which we did not. :( read more

Absolutely wonderful from start to finish. We did not have a reservation however we were immediately felt welcome and promptly set up at the bar which we were so glad we did. It allowed us to have a great intimate dinner, great conversation with the staff and chef. Just overall wonderful experience. We started with a light eggplant dish delicate and crispy. My husband and I both had the specials for the entree. A beautifully light tagliatelle with a cheese (I believe ricotta) and truffle sauce with generous portion of truffle, and a roasted lamb with a delish mashed potato and vegetables. The homemade sourdough was perfect, crusty and chewy, paired with a nice peppery olive oil. We finished off the night with a heavenly amarena. Melt in your mouth goodness. All of the flavors melded together where you could taste all of the elements. Our bar concierge/host made a unique one of a kind espresso nightcap, and we had a nice toast with Chef Roberto with a really nice blood orange liqueur found only to be imported into Toronto by the chef. Can't say enough. Definitely will be back. read more

See all

My partner and I enjoyed another fabulous dining experience at Ardo restaurant on King St E at Sherbourne, tonight - Sep 15, 2017. The service at the bar was actually enjoyable, thanks to the personal attention of Ben the bartender. Salad (arugula + chickpea fritters) was terrific. The pizza (speck +) was exceptional. And the pasta special lived up to its billing -- Sicilian cous-cous with a hand-picked variety of fish and shell fish was indeed special. A visit from the chef made it seem that he cared that people were enjoying themselves at his restaurant. Only one small drawback, the phone connection to make a reservation was difficult to make yourself heard. Would we return -- yes we will. Len and Nadia read more

We showed up at 5:45 and the place was empty. Hostess told no seats available. We opted to sit at the uncomfortable bar seats. As more people came in without reservations they were given the option to sit at tables provided they left by 8 in time for peoples reservations. It was very rude and we were treated poorly. The food was small portioned too. They need to figure out their reservation system and allow all entrants the same access to seats. read more

Months later and I still love Ardo. So happy it's in my 'hood. Lovely ambience, friendly service, and the most delicious food. I've visited here about 15 times and it's always a delicious delight. Congratulations Chef Roberto and all your staff! read more

I have no idea how this made Toronto Life's list of best new restaurants in 2017. I went on a Saturday night with 4 people - all of us unanimously agreed that this place was awful! We ordered the polpo, carpaccio and burrata to start (they should really take a trip to campagnolo to see how it's done); the mushroom gnocchi and their special lobster ravioli for mains, both of which were absolutely horrible. The lobster came to the table frozen, so the waitress apologized and took it back, but left the ravioli (so al dente you'd call it undercooked). We were then left to eat the lobster on its own. I'd get into the pizza we ordered, but you get the gist of it. To be clear, I definitely do not recommend this place! Save yourself the disappointing trip and go elsewhere! read more

very nice classy spot. i like the intimate setting. the bartender is exceptionally nice as well the subtle ambience is not overachieving. i love the atmosphere, lowkey, and a nice place to chat with a close friend or date without having to svream in order to hear eachother. its quaint but still a good size. overall great experience would.come back for the wine selection and service. read more

Dropped in for lunch with a friend. Had the Ragu. It was my first visit so I just started at the top of the menu. It was good. I would go again to work my way through the other items on the menu. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the flavours were uncomplicated and satisfying. Service was good and fast enough for a business lunch. The place is smallish so a reservation is not a bad idea. read more

My favourite new place in Corktown. A breath of basil infused air. Homemade pastas and inventive starters. The olive oil is to die for especially when paired with their homemade bread. That should be good on its own but the service and food just cannot be beat. I have had the orecchiette with sausage and it is my all time favourite without tomato sauce. (Ok I lied as pesto is right up there too!) To end the night we shared the cannoli. Holy cannoli is what it should be named. Delicate and creamy reminding me of simple Italian faves I had the privilege of experiencing growing up with Italian besties and their family. I will be back here and might even sleepwalk here! read more

Went here for my birthday and was quite disappointed. I saw some really high reviews on some other sites but honestly thought the food was mediocre. This combined with an average price of 22$ per main dish is not worth. Also the dessert was even more mediocre. Def won't be coming back. read more

Wonderful decor. A Mediterranean seaside theme fitting to the southern Italian flavor. Eggplant appetizer was delicious, and their arugula and artichoke salad was good. However, the mains were ho hum. She tried the sarde pasta, a miss. I had the spicy cured meat pizza, and it was over salted on the crust with runny and bland tomato sauce. Maybe it was just our night... pricey for the outcome. Another knock is the anxiety of the place. All staff are running around and the hectic nature doesn't bode well for a romantic evening. read more

My girlfriends and I got a last minute reservation tonight at Ardo. We chose this restaurant based on our love for Italian food and the excellent reviews we read online. We were very excited for some great eats and wine. We asked for a 6pm reservation and were told to come anytime between 5:30 and 6, we just had to be out by 8 as there was a reservation - no problem, we thought, we had somewhere to be too! We arrived and immediately loved the atmosphere, the restaurant is cozy and clean with an open kitchen. That's where the positive part of this review stops. It's a Monday night and it was before 6pm, we were the only people there when we arrived - you would think there would be amazing service. But where do I begin... First of all, we asked for bread while you were waiting, and you have to pay for it. I love fine dining and am happy to shell out on a high quality meal and fantastic wine, but having to pay for bread?! That's terrible customer service. Two of us got pasta - I got the ragu and my friend got the lobster ravioli on special - they were both ok, but nothing great. Our friends got arancini and pizza and seemed to like them a lot more, so if I ever do go back, pizza it will be. My ragu wasn't overly flavourful (truthfully I like Cibo's ragu much better), and desperately needed pepper, but after our food was delivered, we didn't see a server again until our plates were cleared. The portions of the pasta were quite small, and my friend who got the pasta and I were both still so hungry when we were finished that we wanted to order a pizza to split, but no server came by to see if we wanted anything else. Also, the wine list is terrible. They only have 2 red wines by the glass, and I can safely say the one I tried wasn't great. I would have loved to have tried the other one, or really have a second glass of anything considering I had finished my small 5 oz glass by halfway through my meal, but... you guessed it.. we didn't see a server until the plates were cleared. After our plates were clear, we waited over 20 minutes before a server came by again. To be clear, this restaurant is quite small (15 tables top), and we were seated right by the kitchen, so they couldn't exactly miss us. Finally we ordered dessert from a different server, and then waited 20 more minutes without any kind of attention. We flagged her down, asked about status of dessert, and she responded with a very rude "it's coming". It ended up being over 45 minutes from the time our dinner plates were cleared until we got dessert. It also took her forever to bring our bills and cash us out, so not only did we hold the table unnecessarily long, but we were very late leaving for our other commitments too. I'm usually quite generous with tipping, and I would never hold back part of a server's gratuity based on the taste of food, but this is quite honestly the worst service I have ever seen. There was no reason for a table to go unattended so long, and I would have loved to have tried more things to improve my opinion, but not only were we not attended to, but one of the servers was quite rude. Aren't you supposed to be selling patrons on more drinks? My bill ended up being quite low for a normally pricey restaurant because I only had one drink and needless to say there wasn't much of a tip, but I would've loved to have spent 3 times this amount for a better quality meal with service. The atmosphere of this place is great, but I can recommend about a dozen other Italian restaurants in Toronto that have way better wine selection and better service. Two stars was generous for my experience tonight. read more

Ate here on a Tuesday night. Arrived at 630. We were seated quickly. The place filled up shortly after we sat down. Had the blood orange cocktail...delish. Shared 2 apps. Had the pizza with cantaloupe and speck. So good. Needed a little pepper for my taste. Also had the Arancinos. Yum. I love that they came as cones and not as round balls. For my main I had the special - stuffed grilled calamari. So yummy. I like the side it came with. Shaved Celery-like salad with some heat. My husband had the short ribs. He devoured it. Service was good. It appears that some of the staff are still getting comfortable - but that's to be expected with a place that just opened 3 weeks ago. Would definitely return to Ardo. There were so many other things on the menu I wanted to try! read more

Enjoyed a delicious birthday dinner for my husband with our family. We ordered the polpo, grilled to perfection and so tender - to die for actually. The buratta was beautifully accompanied by some wine marinated peaches - wonderful surprise. My husband and I ordered pizza and they came flat bread style which meant no soggy middle - the crust was outstanding! I'm in love with the pizza. My teen/adolescent children ordered the ragu pasta and the flavour of the meat was superb. Definitely enjoyed our meal and will be coming back for more!!! Chef Roberto and his staff were very attentive to us and all the other patrons and that was really nice. read more

Wow, a lovely space, good service and the food is excellent. I little pricey, but worth indulging in if you're in the area. read more

We showed up promptly for a reservation made on Open Table. We were seated in this squashed table practically sitting on the laps of a couple of four-tops nearby. Excruciatingly obnoxious and loud patrons forced us to leave without ordering. The restaurant then had the nerve to report to Open Table that we were no-shows. Really poor form - do not go to this restaurant unless you are pushy, loud and vulgar - then you should fit right in. read more

Lovely place and delicious food. Real Italian food with wonderful and friendly Italian owners. I felt I was in Europe :-). I had my European fix ;-). read more

Had a wonderful experience last night !! I needed to escape the heat and was happy to walk into the cool refreshing atmosphere. I see another yelper has said no air conditioning. This is NOT the case. They definitely have it ! Yesterday was one of the hottest days and the place was a lovely cool temperature. The food was delicious, the swordfish pasta was amazing. Very fresh !! The cocktails were also great. I would definitely go back !! read more

Lousy service as they were overly familiar trying to be my chum instead of being a server. My entree arrived while I was in bathroom therefore it was less than hot. Food was mediocre and I left very quickly read more

The food is lovely but a little over priced. Make sure you have a reservation. Great for lunch and the service is good !

Food was okay, I wasn't blown away. The space is nice, it's small and intimate but I thought they could dim the lights more to give more ambiance. Portions are on the smaller side, and price tags are on the steeper side. Overall, not super impressed with my experience compared to other Italian favourites in the city. read more

I thought the food was ok, but nothing special. Had the beef carpaccio and salcicce pasta. My main disappointment was that we were asked if we wanted bread when the waiter came to pour us water after we sat down. Said yes and then only realized as I was eating the bread that there was a charge (details are on the very last page of the menu). I don't think there's an issue with charging for bread, just wish they weren't so shady about hiding the fee for it. read more

Had a variety of dishes (egglant, arancini, sarde pasta, cannoli's) and all were fanatstic. Particularly, they serve authentic olive oil with bread, a pkeasant surprise for anyone who knows what real quality olive oil tastes like (90% of restaurants serve below grade olive oil). read more

Some of these negative reviews are very misleading. Look I'm visiting from LA...I know I have a good palate and eat at some of the best places. Ardo is a quaint small neighborhood spot...food is good ..not amazing but solid. Service was excellent, my waitress was great and the chef (guessing maybe owner) walked around and asked how everything was. Def worth a visit. read more

We hosted a private dinner here at ARDO to celebrate TIFF. What an evening! Chef Roberto Marotta, and his team, including his sommelier, Francesco and event designer Jacqueline Nicosia outdid themselves. Each course offered a special treat for the taste buds, from the passed hors d'oeuvres as people arrived; to the carefully curated dinner, which consisted of several amazing starters (including the best carpaccio ever), a pasta course (mushroom gnocchi) and then the main (Cornish hen, or his specially slow-cooked short rib). All served by a wait staff that were charming and so clearly pleased to be working there. I can't wait to go back here - thank you so much ARDO! read more

After shelling out $30 for two cocktails the waiter would not allow me to add homemade Italian Sausage on a margherita pizza ($16). I can appreciate restaurants not allowing complex edits to their menu with substitutions and such as they have crafted recipes for specific purposes, but the fact that this restaurant wouldn't acquiesce to a very simple request left me quite perturbed. Rest assured, I will not be returning. read more

The first thing we were told upon being seated was that we had to give up the table at 9:30. We had made a reservation, arrived on time and that's what we were greeted with. Next...the food. Eat before you go and have a snack prepared for after. Portions are tiny and the ingredient list on the menu for any given item is a joke. The barratta appetizer said it was served with roasted eggplant....there were two strips on the plate about 2" long and 1/2" wide. The gnocchi says it's served with heirloom roasted carrots. That's one of the reasons I selected that item. The gnocchi was OK, small (about the size of a toothpaste cap), which is fine, but there were exactly three dices of carrot, the same toothpaste cap size in the order. Why bother even mentioning it on the menu. And "heirloom"??? They could have taken those three dices from a canned carrot and there would be no way to taste the difference. The entire meal was extremely disappointing, expensive and ended with us being given a 10 minute warning to vacate the table. Classy. read more

cute spot, good food, no compaints!

We continue to love this restaurant -- the people, the food, the neighbourhood. Still a 5 star for us, and we note it's earned high marks this year in the press. read more

We eat out 3-5 dinners a week, and most lunches, so we are lucky enough to get around. We came here tonight for a friend's 60th birthday dinner, and during the day I had dropped off a few balloons, nothing major, to place at our table, which was not in anyone else's way. The staff took them and told me they would be placed at the table. When we arrived, I was told they had been put in the basement because the owner did not think that fit the image of his restaurant. Not a great start, and after dinner I called some of the places we really love...much better than this restaurant....and asked about balloons, and no one had the remotest of issues. So there was that. This place was really inconsistent in its delivery and service. We didn't feel they have really worked out who they want to be. Our server was nice, but, and not his fault, had clearly not been properly trained. From not taking drink orders for 10 minutes in a not-full restaurant, to making us feel we were being rushed through the process, to removing dishes from the table before we had all finished eating a course, to sending over line staff who had not been told who ordered which dish....it was not the service I would expect from a restaurant at this price point. After the first glass, I had to do all the wine pouring for the table. And if one more server asks me, "How are the first few bites?" I will throw up. SO overused. Besides, we did not get the impression he really cared, but was just asking, as our less-than-enthusiastic answers received a, "Great!" as he rushed off. The food....some was AMAZING. The pastas we had, the burrata...just lovely. The two pizzas, however, and the bruschetta, were barely passable. I normally hoover everything put in front of me, and I left half the pizza. Not like me at all. Affogatos were mixed at the end of our table and left there for us to serve out. Our bill was brought to the table without an ask to to what else we might want, less than halfway through our desserts. Our doggie bags were delivered to us before we ordered dessert. The whole experience felt all over the place. We could not have a few small balloons at our table, yet we were served by someone who was clearly not trained in the basics. Too many inconsistencies in a market full of choices. read more