Loved their lamb pappardelle, mushroom ravioli, Shepard peppers, focaccia, and ALL OF THE DESSERTS we had including the creme caramel, Bomba alla nocciola and lemon layer cake. So many hits NL Ginzburg, I can't wait to go back. The 2 dishes we did not love is the pork belly, too soft and fatty, the fat not crispy at all and the seafood pasta, it was kind of fishy. read more

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Part of a longer review... "At N.L. Ginzburg, the room glows with the kind of downtown Toronto confidence that can make you forgive almost anything, at least for the first hour. The lighting is amber and flattering. Marble tables shimmer like wet stone after rain. A soundtrack of low-slung disco and European jazz hums beneath the clatter of stemware and the soft friction of linen against wood. You arrive expecting romance, appetite and maybe even revelation. For a while, you get all three. Opened by a hospitality team with deep roots in Toronto's modern dining scene, N.L. Ginzburg has quickly become one of the city's hardest reservations to secure. The restaurant draws from the language of Italian cooking, but it speaks with a distinctly contemporary accent...one shaped by natural wine bars, Montreal-style bistros and the kind of ingredient-first philosophy that dominates ambitious urban kitchens today. The menu shifts with the season, though the sensibility remains consistent: rustic Italian dishes refined just enough to feel urbane without losing their soul. That balance becomes apparent almost immediately." read more

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NL Ginzburg located along College St. near Euclid Ave serves up Italo-Jewish cuisine in Little Italy. From the same owners as Dreyfus, Bernhardt's and Vilda's, this place, from the outside, is unassuming at first, with no signage, only a fiery red facade and a pebbled glass door. The space is moody and intimate, with wooden touches and warm lighting giving it a vintage vibe. Seating is available at the bar or in the dining room. The space looks like it can accommodate quite a number of guests as well. The restaurant and the washrooms are fully accessible. We dined at NL Ginzburg on a Wed night. Reservations are strongly recommended because for a Wed night, the place was packed by the time we left where people were waiting for tables. For parties of 2-3, there is a seating time limit of 2 hours (parties of 4-6 have a time limit of 2hrs and 15-30min). Last min cancellations made within 3 hours of the reservation time are subject to a $25 per guest cancellation fee. As we got settled into our seats, the waiter mentioned that the menu is designed to be shared where it is divided up into antipasti, primi, secondi and contorni (as well as desserts). He went through the menu with us quite thoroughly, giving recommendations along the way. Usually, he suggested that for 2 people, it is best to order 2 antipasti dishes, a primi dish (pastas/carbs), one secondi dish (protein dish, note that the porterhouse is a 13 oz steak so best for 4 people), and 1-2 contorni (sides). In terms of the wine list, there are some cocktails and a long list of wines by the bottle listed. If you wanted some wines by the glass (these are not listed) suggestions can be made by your waiter based on your wine preferences. These are the drink and food items we ordered: - Sweet peppers and smoked trout involtini ($16) - Alici spagnole, Aldergrove tomatoes ($25) - Ravioli di ricotta al burro e finferli (ravioli stuffed with a ricotta filling in a brown butter and mushroom sauce) ($31) - Bonavista cod, zucchini, salsa di capperi ($49) - Grilled turnips, pesto delle loro cime ($13) - Torta frangipane e peche di stagione ($16) - Pesca spritzolino ($19) - Glass of white wine - Stefano Zoli Verdicchio di Matelica ($18) Drinks wise, my friend and I both enjoyed our beverages! My friend said her spritz was nice and refreshing. My wine was tasty, medium dryness with some minerality. In terms of the antipasti dishes, we enjoyed both dishes. The sweet peppers and smoked trout involtini was light and fresh, great acidity where the dill cream sauce at the bottom gave the dish some needed creaminess. This was a great choice and delicious. The tomatoes and anchovies dish was also a hit - the fresh tomatoes were topped with breadcrumbs which was a gamechanger! The anchovies added some saltiness to the dish paired with the EVOO. For the mains, they were a bit on the saltier side. Upon first bite, the ravioli was salty but it mellowed out afterwards. The hints of lemon cut through the richness of the dish and the pastas were perfectly cooked with tons of ricotta stuffing inside. The ravioli with brown butter and mushrooms was a simple dish but a dish made well (maybe if there was a tad less salt it would have been perfect)! The cod was fresh and flakey as well. The salsa di capperi was a bit salty which overpowered the dish, however, the fish was flakey and cooked well. Lastly the grilled turnips was also a bit too salty but they were cooked nicely. In terms of the dessert, the peach torta frangipane was a letdown. It would have been better if there was more peach, less tart. Service wise, our waiter was great at explaining the menu and giving us suggestions. Staff throughout each course changed our plates, gave us new cutlery, and wiped down our table. Our empty plates were cleared in no time and staff sometimes came up to us from time to time to check up on how we were doing. It was near the end of our dinner experience where we felt rushed due to the 2 hr time limit. Our waiter did make a comment about this and the timing of ordering our dessert, eating our dessert and paying for our bill felt rushed as we saw that other customers were waiting for our table. One other thing to note is that the restaurant gets incredibly loud! This is not the place to have a quiet meal. My friend and I ended up shouting at each other during the meal since it was just so loud in the restaurant! Overall, there are some pretty creative and well executed dishes on the menu, however, the mains we ordered tended to be on the saltier side (if they were a tad less salty then the food would have been perfect). The service was good, however, we did feel rushed at the end which wasn't great for our dining experience. The noise at the restaurant is a huge problem so get ready to talk loudly and yell at each other throughout the night if you have a meal here. read more

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Meh. It all seems better than is until you leave and put together what went down. Three visits, the first, quite some time ago was excellent; the second, six months ago, was okay, and last night, poor. Over-energized pushy server who never lowered his rapid fire voice below a yell--reminded us early on our time limit at the table--at one point he knocked a steak knife off the table right onto my chest. Canned blufin tuna "pate" that tasted like catafood, oversalted pasta and fatty lambchops. Their "frito misto" consits of three pieces of shrimp (the highlight of the meal!) and some broccoli. Somehow the drinks and great wines lull you into enjoying your time there, despite it all. And then comes the bill which then brings you down to the reality of it all. read more

Amazing food, very warm inviting service (similar to Bernhardt's and Dreyfus) and a great chilled but vibrant atmosphere. read more

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Already made reservations to return to NL Ginzburg this weekend, it's that good. Dinner for 2. We started with the Crostini di fegatini ebraici - chicken liver. Delicious. Their primi are intended to share so we split a Bonavista cod tortellini in brodo di pesce. Tortolini stuffed with cod is an inspired idea. Lastly we both ordered Sablefish, leeks, salsa di capperi. The fish melted in your mouth and leeks/salsa a perfect match. Their desserts are also not to be missed (see pix). The restaurant decor is basic, more of a trattoria feel. It downplays the quality of the kitchen. Wine list while diverse is a touch on the higher priced side, same could probably be said for the full meal. Service was exceptional and friendly. read more

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10/10 service Great ambiance Food was awesome as well! Typical to what you'd expect for pricing. read more

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It's very good, don't get me wrong. But compared to a place like Grey Gardens, where the menu is somewhat similar, it left me disappointed. While GG nails the food, service and vibe every damn time, with flavours that sing like Pavarotti, and staff who feel like old friends, I would say this new spot from the makers of Dreyfus holds a candle, but just barely. We didn't love our first experience here, which is partially my fault. I tried to apologetically cancel the res 4 hours before (we were running late from cottage country) but was told no, that'd we'd still be charged a cancellation fee of $50 ($25 per person). Ouch. So they kindly moved the res 45 min ahead but said we had 90 min to vacate the table. Fine. We rushed like the dickens to make it. But when we arrived, we were then rushed through dinner to the extent that was laughable. The server was lovely! BUT he raced us through the menu at warp speed, warned us not to order any protein entrees (would take too long) and then efficiently took our cocktail, wine and food orders. Cocktails seemed to arrive within seconds (not a bad thing) but then the first course was served moments later (I hate that). At one point, we had two people speaking to us at once -- the server discussing wine with my hubby while another guy explained the food to me. Honestly, I had the anxious feeling of racing against the clock the entire time we were there! When we declined to see a dessert menu, their relief was obvious. Not the experience I hoped for, even within a 90 min window. The food? It was good. We made it snappy by ordering two salads (radicchio salad; fennel salad) and two pastas (beef cheek pasta; mushroom and butter pasta). They were really good! Did they sing? Not sure. I was too busy checking my watch. read more

Everything was perfect. Food, service, ambience all on point. Thank you to the wonderful staff!