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    Cucina Buca

    4.1 (8 reviews)
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    CUCINA BUCA ATMOSPHERE

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    Open kitchen concept
    Ada L.

    Cucina Buca, located right at the intersection of St. Clair and Yonge, is part of the Buca group of restaurants. Prior to the pandemic, I've dined at Buca King multiple times since they opened in 2009 (where getting reservations were extremely difficult!). Buca Yorkville, as well as Bar Buca (which is sadly long gone). During the pandemic, I believe that this group of restaurants reopened under new management as well. This is my first time dining at Buca post pandemic and was interested to see how their food and service would compare to previously. I dined at Cucina Buca with my family on Mother's Day this year (they typically do not open on Sundays but they made an exception for the special day). I made reservations in advance online where a credit card was needed to make the reservation via Opentable. The entrance of Cucina Buca is to the side on St. Clair (not Yonge). Upon entering, the floor to ceiling windows of the space give off a light, clean, and airy feel to the interior. The restaurant consists of 2 levels where tables are spread throughout as well as at the bar (near the entrance). There is an open concept kitchen where you can watch the chefs cook your food. They also are accessible as well. Upon arriving in the space we were promptly greeted and shown to our table. Our table was next to the window which had a lot of natural light. Our server greeted us and asked us if we had any questions regarding the menu. These are the following items we ordered (mainly shared): - Insalata di radicchio (late harvest chicory, blood orange, hazelnut, and balsamela) - Insalata di barbabietole (roasted Ontario beets, stracciatella, honey, and pistachio) - Spaghetti pomodoro (bronze die-extruded pasta, basil, preserved bianco di napoli tomato) - Tagliatelle al ragu bianco (bronze die-extruded pasta, white ragu bolognese, aceto balsamico, and parmigiano reggiano) - Pollo arrosto (grilled and smoked gianone half chicken, lemon) - Burrata pizze (preserved tomato, stracciatella cheese, basil) - Tiramisu di Buca (espresso soaked tapioca biscuits, zabaglione di mascarpone, chocolate mousse, cocoa nibs) - Panna cotta (goat's yogurt custard, almond crumble, poached rhubarb, aceto balsamico, reggio emilia) Food wise, the salads we ordered were tasty and all the components of each dished worked in harmony with the other components. The quality of the ingredients definitely shone through. The burrata pizza is definitely a classic dish we order every time. We've had it at Buca King as well as Buca Yorkville. The quality of the ingredients were excellent and the components all worked together. This is a simple pizza but when it is done well, it was amazing - this pizza was as good as I remember. The slightly crispy crust and the creamy stracciatella cheese is a wonderful combination. In regards to the pastas, they were cooked perfectly el dente. The desserts were great as well where we especially enjoyed the panna cotta. The texture of the panna cotta was silky and smooth where the tartness of the poached rhubarb gave the dessert some freshness to it. The almond crumble gave the entire panna cotta much needed texture. Lastly, the tiramisu is a classic, but the Buca tiramisu is creamy and delicious. Overall, great service, food, and vibe! A great experience at Cucina Buca.

    a pan full of bread rolls
    Geraldine G.

    Solid 3.5 for me. It took some time for our server to come by and take our order. However, even then they brought the wrong drink. I still drank it but I would have preferred what I originally ordered. We ordered the amatriciana and puttanesca. Both I can recommend and would order again. The warm nodi appetizer bread however... just a little too heavy handed with the seasoning. And to be honest, although they were fresh knots of breads it was not what o had anticipated. A bit tougher than. I expected. Had tiramisu with a cappuccino . Now you can't go wrong with a classic tiramisu but I was surprised at how bitter the coffee was. The pill was definitely off. Perhaps the extraction? It was clear from both of the coffees we had. She ordered 40 minutes before mine and felt the same about hers too. Overall, I can say, it's a beautiful space. Open and crisp. Not a warm and huggy space rather clean and "just so" everywhere. The bathrooms are equally as neat and organized.

    Calamari Fritti
    Shirley C.

    New location on St Clair W that finally is open ! Large expansive two storey restaurant with bar and tables on main floor and large area upstairs for more private dining. Warm comfortable Scandinavian interior and friendly service. Menu had good selection of nouveau favorites. We tried the calamari, arugula porcini salad, tagatielle ragu pasta, frutti mare pasta and while roasted branzino and rapini. Everything tasted fresh and wholesome. Loved the arugula mushroom porcini salad, calamari apples. Tagatielle was rich and hearty. Frutti mare pasta done differently with Uni butter a nice twist. The branzino was grilled perfectly with really unique roasted red pepper sauce. Rapini nicely seasoned not overly done. Too dull for dessert this time but will come back soon! Overall long awaited new location and another star for the Buca chain.

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    Donatello Restaurant

    Donatello Restaurant

    3.8(223 reviews)
    3.6 kmDowntown Core
    $$$

    Of all the Italian spots in downtown Toronto, Donatello felt like one of the most homey and…read moreold-school. I came here with my best friend for a birthday dinner, and I could immediately see why this place has lasted for decades. It's tucked inside an old house on Elm Street, and the whole restaurant has that warm, family-run charm that makes you feel like people have been coming here for years and bringing more people back with them. The tables are definitely close together, so it's a little tight when the restaurant gets busy, but honestly that also adds to the lively energy because there was a steady flow of people coming in all night. Food-wise, there were a few dishes that really stood out. The carpaccio is such a good order, very thinly sliced raw beef, simple and classic, and honestly one of the most reasonably priced versions I've seen. My personal favorite was the prosciutto & melon. It's such a simple dish, but when it's done well, it really hits, and this one did. The real star for me though was the Cozze Marinara. The mussels were plump, tender, and clean, with no sandy bits, and the garlicky tomato sauce was so good that I ended up scooping it up with bread until the plate was basically spotless. We also tried the Vitello Marsala with mushrooms and Penne Arrabbiata, which felt very classic and comforting. If you like traditional Italian flavors, this is the kind of dish that will make you happy. That said, I personally wouldn't recommend mixing the meat and pasta together too much, I think they shine better on their own. Later we also ordered the garlic grilled seafood fettuccine because we were enjoying ourselves so much, and that one was much lighter in flavor. Nice enough, but probably not the best choice if you like richer or bolder pasta dishes. By the end we were completely full and had to leave a few strands of fettuccine behind, which almost never happens for me. Overall, Donatello feels like the kind of neighborhood Italian restaurant people return to for comfort, generous portions, and that warm family run atmosphere. It may not be the most spacious or modern place, but it has heart, and some dishes were genuinely memorable.

    Donatello is considered a fine dining Italian restaurant. And it didn't disappoint. The foid and…read moreservice were excellent. The vibe was a slightly darkened room (for the evening). There is an upstairs balcony seating but I've never sat there. During warm weather, there is plenty of roadside outdoor seating too. This is my fourth time here but I never wrote a review fir the restaurant before. We ordered the following: 1. Shrimp Perno (daily special $6/shrimp). Jumbo Shrimp sautéed in garlic, white wine, tomatoes, scallions, and finished off with a shot of perno liquor. 2. Rack of Lamb (daily special $59.95). Four pieces of lamb in a rack, with a rich portion wine reduced sauce, that has a touch of mint to it, and Penne Pasta in a tomato rose sauce. The table bread was really good. The crust was crispy but the inside was fluffy. The soft butter that came it was so tasty. The bread was perfect for dipping in the sauce that came with the shrimp. We asked for a second basket of bread and they put two loafs in the second basket. It was too much so they were willing to let us take it home. The shrimps were definitely jumbo. It was so filling. Two pieces (per person) were good enough as an appetizer. The shrimps were perfectly cooked. We requested the lamb be cooked medium rare. It was definitely medium rare. It was juicy and did not have a gamey taste. It tastes great. The pasta was perfectly al dente. The tomato rose sauce was really good. They offered to grind parmesan cheese and pepper so we got both. There is free WiFi. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible. There is paid neighbourhood street parking and paid parking lots. Review 2025-187

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    Donatello Restaurant
    Donatello Restaurant - Lobster pasta

    Lobster pasta

    Donatello Restaurant - Italian wine

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    Italian wine

    Terroni - spinach ravioli-the BEST

    Terroni

    3.3(864 reviews)
    4.4 kmDowntown Core
    $$

    Terroni on Adelaide is a beautiful Italian restaurant with a lot of character and history, set…read moreinside a former courthouse building from 1852 that still shows off its dramatic ceilings, fireplaces, and sunlit atrium. It's a dining experience you don't see every day in Toronto. Even the washrooms are memorable, tucked away in the basement in what used to be old jail cells, which adds to the charm and gives the whole place a bit of personality. We went for an early Sunday dinner before a concert at Massey Hall. The restaurant got pretty busy as the evening went on, but it never felt chaotic. The atmosphere is lovely and lively, a great choice for a special night out or a pre-show meal. We started with Calamari alla Griglia with mixed greens, capers, onions, and fresh tomatoes. It was a fresh, bright appetizer with good balance. For mains, my date had the Spaghetti in Canna a Mare with clams, mussels, calamari, scallop, and tiger shrimp in a tomato sauce. The menu described it as mildly spicy, but it definitely had a noticeable kick. Still, the flavours were really good. I ordered the Ravioli al Brasato with braised beef, butter, sage, and parmigiano. It was tasty and comforting, though portion-wise I could have used a few more ravioli. I was still a bit hungry after and honestly double the size would have been perfect for me. For dessert we shared the Tiramisu with espresso-soaked savoiardi, mascarpone, and cocoa. I had an amaro while my date finished with zambuca. A sweet and satisfying way to wrap up the meal. The service was friendly, though drinks came out a bit slower than expected. Terroni's food is tasty, the setting is gorgeous, and it's easy to see why locals keep coming back. It's not cheap, but the quality and ambience make it worth trying, especially for dinner before a show or a relaxed date night in one of Toronto's most unique spaces.

    I wish I could say I enjoyed Terroni more. The venue itself was not held in the main restaurant…read more The company I work at booked out some of the upper floors for an event. There were four flights of stairs to get up to the first floor with the bar and main dining area. There was another two flights of stairs to get to the upper bar (which I was too tired to walk up to). The drinks at the bar were good and the staff were all great. We started with passed apps. Some of the flavour combinations were just off (the skewer with fruit, cheese and something else) - like they paired the wrong cheese with the fruit. The meal itself was a seat down meal (family style) which did take over two hours to complete for the amount of guests that were present (over 200 ppl). My favorite dish was the tomato and mozza salad. My most disappointed dish was the ragu pasta. Though containing a good amount of meat it was not saucy at all. The pizza was the brocolini was good as well. The reason I gave this restaurant three stars is strictly for the lack of elevator and the food quality vs the price. For what you are paying, there is so much higher quality food in the city and I honestly think you can get better bang for buck elsewhere.

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    Terroni - Special event dining area

    Special event dining area

    Terroni - Olive oil and bread

    Olive oil and bread

    Terroni - Special event space (upstairs)

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    Special event space (upstairs)

    Piccolo Caffe E Vino - Frittata

    Piccolo Caffe E Vino

    4.3(19 reviews)
    4.5 kmEntertainment District, Downtown Core
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    Went here for dinner on a Saturday night / great location and cute spot! I love the branding and…read morethe inside + feels very trendy. This is a wine bar - the house lager was bad (maybe my own bad decision) and the red I got was fine ... nothing to write home about. However place fell apart with the food - the shrimp came with 5 medium sized shrimp with the tails, legs and shells on and were under seasoned. The artichokes were mediocre (loved the sauce they came with). Worst of all was the "Ontario peaches" with the burrata were totally canned peaches - could've even been dole brand! This place has amazing potential with the location and vibe - but the food just was not it. Small portions and the price didn't match what was served. The service was friendly but nothing too crazy. Go here for the drinks, but maybe not for the dinner!

    Went with a friend on a Saturday night and it was pretty easy to get a seat, but they do take…read morereservations. Our server was great at helping us pick our wine, he mentioned that their wines are all on the dry side which is perfect for me, I'm not one for sweet wines. We also had two of their small plates the mussels and the burrata. The mussels tasted great with the sauce, a little garlicky which I prefer. The combination of the peach and mint went really well with the burrata. Light and easy to eat. The patio at night is one of the highlights. The only small complaint was it did take a while to get our wine after we ordered it and a little while to get our check. Otherwise cute spot.

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    Piccolo Caffe E Vino
    Piccolo Caffe E Vino - Smoked salmon bagel

    Smoked salmon bagel

    Piccolo Caffe E Vino - Fried Artichoke, shrimp and peach burrata

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    Fried Artichoke, shrimp and peach burrata

    Cucina Buca - italian - Updated May 2026

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