Paese has stayed on my to try list for a while. I finally get to have dinner here while searching for restaurants with tables available on spot. There were only a few groups of customers when we arrive, so it was a quiet and relaxed place perfect for chatting. The waitress was friendly as well. The food was with okay but not wowing quality at very reasonable price ($30-$40 per person). For dinner, we ordered Caesar salad and crispy mushroom as appetizers. The salad has very light dressing. The crispy mushroom is flavourful and served with a creamy and spicy sauce. For mains, we tried both the Rigatoni salsiccia and chicken breast pasta. The sausage in Rigatoni salsiccia tastes a bit old and the sauce is spicy. The chicken breast pasta is not bad and is again with lighter flavour. Overall, this is a restaurant I'd consider when I'm looking for simple food and a place good for chatting or spacing out. read more

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Going to work used to involve going south on Bathurst or Dufferin. If I chose to take Bathurst, Paese would be a restaurant that I would pass by. Paese would stick out because going down Bathurst from Vaughan to Allen Rd, there's just no fancy restaurants along the way. For that reason, I've always been curious about Paese. Through coincidence, I had to drop off something to a relative in the area with my older one, which presented me the opportunity to give Paese a try during Summerlicious week. While the value is there purely because of Summerlicious, the quality of food and service is not in sync with the normal prices charged. I'm not saying the service was not polite, but it was definitely not professional enough for a higher end restaurant. I'll share some examples as I go along. The prix fixe courses started with a salmon tartar and my son's deep fried oyster mushroom. Deep fried mushroom is probably not something I would order out, unless it came as a piece from a tempura dish at a Japanese restaurant. I do have to say the mushroom was the best dish out of everything we tried during the evening. The batter was light and although the seasoning was simple, it did its job. Sadly, i couldn't say the same about the vegan lime aioli which tasted like tartar sauce. It just did not pair well with the mushroom. Salmon tartare was disappointing as the taste of capers dominated the whole thing. The whole thing was too sour for my personal taste. Before our starters were done, the server ushered in the main dishes. Why would they do such a thing without asking the patrons? And when the server saw my son's unfinished plate of mushroom, he asked if he can take it away (half of the mushrooms were still there). Wouldn't it make more sense to ask if we are still working on it or whether we preferred it packed away? A critical error that was made was when my son ordered his steak. The server didn't even bother to ask how he would like the steak done. Is it because he's a kid, he doesn't get a choice? Disappointingly the steak came out well done. The salsa verde which we enjoyed salvaged the steak, but I could also tell that they used a significantly inferior piece of meat. The salmon con miele was ok, but it is leaning closer to the overcooked side of the spectrum. There was nothing special about the dish at all. I wouldn't say it would be significantly better than what I can do at home (not that I'm an exceptional cook). Dessert was decent. Nothing jumped off the page. Sticky toffee pudding has never been my cup of tea. So all I can say is, it's too sweet for my liking. The coconut pie is ok. The coconut flavours were mainly engineered from the shredded coconut. All in all, an unmemorable dinner that I definitely wouldn't pay full prices for. read more

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Came during Summerlicious. Food was okay, we really liked the fried mushrooms. Service was also okay. Restaurant was pretty clean and spacious. They also have a patio seating. read more

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A friend brought me here last night for my birthday. I haven't been here for a long time but the food, the ambiance, and the service are still excellent. They have an outdoor patio but it was raining so heavily that we ate inside. I see that I actually ordered the same things I had last time, which is a little funny, but it was all good. read more

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We were four people for a Saturday reservation at 6:30 on November 15th. We were seated immediately and received bread and condiments. The waitress arrived to take our oders. I wanted the lever and was informed that this selection was not available. The manager then came over and apologized. He did not even offer us a complimentary desert. Not sure a wise decision on his part. We not be returning to the restaurant read more

Back at Paese ....this is one of my favourite places for Italian Cuisine. The Burrata is refreshing served with pickled beets. The Mushroom Calamari is a stand out for me ... lightly battered mushrooms served with a vegan aioli were so delicious. The handcrafted soft chewy Gnocchi stuffed with ricotta with roasted squash and sage in a brown butter creamy sauce. This is very tasty! Save room for dessert. The Raspberry Tart with a shortbread crust is so yummy. You can't miss out on the homemade creamy tiramisu. I highly recommend you add Paese on your list of restaurants to try! read more

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Sadly, the mighty have fallen. This used to be an excellent restaurant. The liver entrée, in particular, was wonderful. The deep fried mushroom starter is still pretty tasty. But having eaten here a few times over the past few years, a dine-in dinner, a takeout dinner and most recently for lunch today, I can say that the food has become consistently mediocre-to-bad. Like today, the mushroom pasta I ordered was barely edible. The sauce was so watery and the flavour was so bland. I'm sorry Paese, you need to step up your food game. And to make matters worse, the parking situation sucks. They have a handful of spots on-site but otherwise you're stuck with a side street (which was full) or the parking lot of a building, which was also full, which forced us to park illegally. I won't be back anytime soon. read more

And if you also like hearty Italian cooking, Paese has also got you covered - just fresh ingredients presented simply and without fuss. Their creamy buratta ($23) arrives on top of a bed of vibrant ripe tomatoes that make a great salad. The pool of olive oil is jazzed up a bit of pesto and is really all the flavouring the appetizer needs. When having meatballs as a starter, I want them nice and large. The size of tennis balls, the menu describes polpette di manzo ($16) as being made from ground beef, but it's surprisingly delicate for beef. Sitting in a lovely tomato sauce, it pairs so nicely with the complimentary salty oily focaccia. I had doubts when I first laid eyes on the thick crust on the parmigiana ($22) pizza - did I make the wrong choice? The crust is deceiving as once I bit into it, it is surprisingly light and airy, and nicely toasted on the bottom. This main combines my love for eggplant parmigiana and pizza and Paese doesn't skimp on eggplant or cheese. While they augment flavours with basil, chili, and oregano; I would have liked more salt to seep into the neutral eggplant and dough as the tomato sauce isn't applied as liberally, rightfully so, on the pizza versus the traditional dish. Overall, Paese makes some good sauce - not too acidic and fresh tasting. Interestingly, their bolognese di tacchino ($25) incorporates turkey instead of the traditional beef, pork, and/or pancetta mixture, which makes it taste lighter. So even though it arrives as a huge plate, the men at our table were able to get through the entire dish. This would have been even better if there was some chili sauce thrown into the mix. read more

Paese - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Visiting Toronto recently from the United States, I didn't know what to expect at restaurants in Canada. After conversations with my aunt and uncle, we settled on a restaurant with an outdoor patio and a heater though we didn't immediately know of any. I asked a few of my cousins (who are very familiar with restaurants in the area), and they recommended that we try Paese. Paese is an Italian restaurant that was a short drive away from where I was staying. I was lucky to be able to make a last minute reservation on Open Table for three of us. I was extremely impressed with the innovative way they transformed their parking lot into the Paese Patio where there is a tent covering the patio (which was helpful as it was raining that day). The seating areas were separated with plastic dividers, and there were even heaters near each seating area. With COVID-19 on many people's minds, Paese did a wonderful job ensuring that diners were protected. Also, Ontario started requiring a photo ID and a vaccination certificate or card (showing that you were double vaccinated) to eat indoors; however, anyone can eat outdoors. The one challenge was finding parking though there is plenty of street parking nearby. I enjoyed the Bolognese di Tacchino (casareccia pasta, slow cooked turkey bolognese, and casareccia pasta). My aunt ordered the Scaloppini di Vitello Limone (veal scaloppini, lemon sauce, roasted potato, and vegetables), and my uncle ordered the Fegato di Vitello (seared calves liver, sautéed onions, veal reduction, mashed potato, and vegetables) and a starter of the Gamberetti (grilled shrimp, white bean, cucumber, peppers, citrus, and olive oil). We also had some of their house bread with hummus to top it. We wrapped up our meal with the White Chocolate Tart (fresh raspberry and white chocolate curls). All of the food I tried was delicious with many different flavors! I also felt that the dishes I had were healthier than they otherwise could have been. For instance, I had turkey in my pasta instead of beef, which could have also been greasier and heavier. The service was great as our waiter Ken was very familiar with all of the dishes on the menu (along with some past dishes I pointed out from Yelp). Our food also came out in a timely manner as we didn't feel as if we had to wait too long for anything. Though you can reserve a table through Open Table (and clarify if you want indoor or outdoor seating), you can also see menus and make a reservation on their website: https://paeseristorante.com. They also have a social media presence (on Yelp and Facebook). I would recommend Paese for anyone from Toronto or visiting the area alike. read more

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Reading list: Food 7.5/10 Service 10/10 ambiance 8/10 My option: you can go there the food is very good for my opinion and the decor is OK for my opinion and the service is amazing for me read more

Location: 3/5 A bit far and middle of nowhere for me to go for basic/regular Italian food. Not the easiest find parking, you have to find side streets, but it's minutes away the Bayview exit on Hwy 401. It is slightly tugged away in Willowdale off of Sheppard Ave right between Yonge and Bayviee. Decor/Ambience: 3.5/5 Wow! I was surprised how tight the space was. It was fully packed for Winterlicious!! The restaurant was bustling and full of engaged dinner conversations. Barely any room to walk around. Will come back on a normal weekend for sure though. Service: 4/5 Even though we booked ahead of time, we still had to wait 10 minutes to get seated, another 10 minutes for orders to be taken. Fortunately, drinks came promptly, 4 slices of bread served with a hummus spread. 10 more minutes for a second serving of bread with olive oil when asked. Food quality: 4.5/5 The food there was absolutely delicious!! I had the Mushroom vegan calamari for my starter and was I ever impressed! Not too oily or fried. It was pretty spicy, but the best part was that it tasted like mushroom but had the texture of calamari!! The vegan aioli that it came with only added to how finger licking it was. My main was their branzino filet, which was light and hit all the right spots!! I loved how there was not too much spice on it and the skin was crispy but thin and non-fattening. Nothing exotic or particularly stand out though menu options wise. Value: 4/5 Sizeable portions, perfect for young couple and families. Pretty standard. What you pay is what you get, but the meals here are filling and warming. Overall. 3/5, a B If it weren't for their patios, one on each side, this place would give me serious claustrophobia... fear of small, tight space... Food and pricing was alright, but I would much rather go to other more finer dining, if Italian at all... read more

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A nice patio, good service, good wine, but very average food. We ordered the burrata, kale salad, mushroom pizza, and a forgettable pasta dish that I think had seafood in it. The service and wine were both good. The patio was lovely. The food was average. The burrata needed saltier pairings. It was very plain tasting and this is coming from someone who loves cheese, loves burrata, and has had it many times. The dish fell flat. You need some balsamic and arugula in that dish. The kale salad was surprisingly uninteresting. I've had kale salad at Gusto, Nervosa, and make a good one at home. This one showed up without any grated cheese, and tasted like a plain old salad. We didn't finish it. The mushroom pasta was ok, probably the best dish of all. The seafood pasta was a little plain as well. I think a spicy tomato sauce would work well there. I would recommend this restaurant if you're looking for a nice glass of wine on a patio but not too picky about food. read more

Excellent Italian restaurant that has been around gor over 20 years. Everything is so good. Parking can be an issue. But they never disappoint. read more

Great COVID Patio dining experience! They setup the patio absolutely beautifully. You truly are socially distanced than the other tables and the space looks beautiful! The food was really good. Portions a good size and very tasty. They had bread as an app and it was delicious, soft, flavorful and plentiful! The prices were surprisingly affordable for a restaurant of that caliber. We had the Burrata Salad which was fabulous and fresh tasting. A variety of pastas and desserts and all was great. The service was super friendly, she was very sweet, however she wasn't very well trained and she did forewarn us that it was her first day. But we would've preferred that if it was her first day maybe she work shadowing someone? As there were some small mistakes and then one of our pastas came completely wrong but we didn't want to wait for them to re-make it so we ate it. As well, they were sold out of quite a few of the cheapest wine bottles and she kept having to run back to find out what was in stock and then have us re-order. The problem was is that the bottles go from $55 to $80... So we went with an $80 after we ordered the $55 and turned out to be sold out, the $80 was too... The next thing in stock in the reds for us was over $100... Small things but for a $400 dinner we would've preferred that she served us with a more senior server so that we didn't have to go through the mistakes that added up, took a lot of time and such. Would 100% go back! Amazing food and atmosphere and really enjoyed ourselves. And really well done COVID patio! read more

Excellent food and atmosphere and Karman was a kind efficient waiter, he made my birthday celebration special.

Love love loved it here! The mushroom "calamari" was sooo good as were the hand made meat balls. But the star was the main dishes. We had the fungi pizza, the sweet potato ravioli and the Turkey bolognese which all were amazing! I highly recommend and their outdoor patio was so cute and perfect we loved it! We will be back! read more

2.5 Star for the Total Experience 4 Star for Excellent Food Winterlicious 2012 Lunch menu $20 is surprisingly good. Really Good Soup - Caramelized onion soup is sweet and flavoured with a tough of cheese - Hearty and Light as the same time Potato cavatelli and slow cooked turkey bolognese - Pasta has this look of little worms - cooked perfectly al dente, chewy and soft at the same time - tomato sauce was light and has a touch of parsley Affogato - I love dishes with contrast always a fan of Affogato - White Chocolate Ice Cream and a shot of Espresso - Hot vs Cold, Sweet vs Bitter - The cookie on the side was soft and moisture Coffee ($3.50) - Smell so good and I just love French Press 1.5 Star for Indifference and Mediocre Service I was one of the 3 tables here for a late lunch. With 2 waiter on the floor I should not feel that I am ignored at times or my reasonable request for my bill and cash me out a burden to the staffs. An experience comparable to my Hong Kong Style Cafe which I paid $3.50 for a lunch special. I ordered my dessert with the app and main and by the the time for dessert they just drop the cup of cookies in front of me without saying a word until I told him I ordered the Affogato. I really enjoyed the food and the deco of the restaurant but I don't think I will be back because of the service. read more

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Great neighborhood restaurant with an excellent wine list well exceeding what is expected from a restaurant this size. Food is solid here as is the service. They accomodate different dietary needs quite well, so don't be afraid to ask them to make adjustments to their dishes - they are eager to please! Even though I am a big meat eater, I was particularly impressed with their chickpea bolognese with zucchini noodles. It's one of their biggest sellers and I can see why, totally delicious! Recommended if you find yourself in the North York area. read more

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Good and simple Italian food in the area! I was curious to try the mushroom "calamari", not knowing what it would be like, but it was great! I love the light coating around the mushroom. It was perfectly fried and packed with flavour. Margherita pizza was classic and well done, the meatballs tender and juicy. read more

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Paese is a straight 5/5, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, the atmosphere is elegant and fun, the food is delicious and innovative. Whenever we visit we can't help but leave with satisfied appetites and a gratitude for our experience. It's a must visit! read more

I had been to PAESE Ristorante many years ago when they were located on King Street West in downtown Toronto. I remember having really fond memories of the meal that B and I had had there. I remember we went there for Summerlicious and had such an amazing meal -- the service was great, the food was unique and delicious, and the portions were large too. That still remains one of my favourite meals. Thus, I was sad when I heard that they had shuttered their downtown location as I thought it was closed for good. Fortunately, I found out later that they had simply relocated to the midtown area of Bathurst and Wilson. Since then, I had been curious to return to it to try the food again. We ordered two cocktails to start. I had the Paese Collins, a cocktail with beefeater gin, lemon, and a thyme-infused syrou. It was refreshing! I was also impressed with this cocktail because there was sufficient alcohol content in it. After a few sips, I definitely felt the alcohol! I liked this because it meant that the restaurant did not cheap out on the ingredients. P had the Paloma Italiana, a cocktail with tequila reposado, Aperol, and grapefruit. At the time, I think I liked it but it wasn't very memorable now when I'm writing about it.. lol. (I do remember that it was just as strong as my cocktail meaning that again, they included sufficient alcohol into it -- you'll be surprised at how many restaurants cheap out on the alcohol in cocktails.) We were served some bread with an olive spread which was so delicious and tasted like fresh olives! Yummy. For an antipasto to share, we had the Polenta Fries. These were polenta fries served with roasted garlic aioli and a sundried tomato ketchup. I'm a fan of polenta fries but I was really disappointed in this dish because of its portion size. The presentation of it was unique -- the fries were served in a mini cart with paper. However, since there were only seven or so polenta fries, it didn't look like there was very much of it at all. The two dipping sauces were served in small squeezable plastic bottles. I think to improve this dish, they should display it differently to emphasize the fries and not a couple of small fries in a large cart and plate. I have tasted better polenta fries before. The polenta fries that I've had before were thick cut so that you could really taste the polenta in each one. The polenta fries here were a little dry and over-salted. We ordered the Mushroom and Spinach Garganelli pasta dish which contained roasted wild mushrooms and spinach with testun al barolo, parmegiano, and truffle oil. This was a lovely pasta dish. I especially liked the mushrooms and spinach! The Margherita Pizza is a classic pizza to order. It had mozzarella, fior di latte, basil, and tomato sauce. Unfortunately, I thought that it's presentation wasn't impressive at all. I expected the fior di latte to have melted in a more pronounced display on the pizza. Instead, it looked just like a flat cheese pizza. Taste-wise, the Margherita Pizza was all right. I liked the cheese in it. I also expected there to have been more fresh basil leaves on it to look better (look at the photo of the Margherita Pizza on their website and you will see a big difference between the stock photo and this real life one). Instead, the few pieces of basil on it were wilted due to the heat of the pizza. Each bite of the pizza did have basil flavour though. We ordered two desserts. The Verona Chocolate Mousse had Grand Marnier and raspberry coulis. The chocolate mousse was very soft and creamy. The chocolate flavour was definitely evident. It was a pretty dessert too. One of the desserts that I remembered having from my first visit to Paese that stood out in my mind was the Affogato. At the time, I remembered there was ice cream where you poured espresso on it and there was a huge delicious cookie (that B and I couldn't even finish because we had been so full that time). I described it to P and she was curious about it and thus we ordered the Affogato on this visit. It had white chocolate gelato, espresso, and a warm cherry and chocolate chip cookie. It wasn't served in the same way as my first impression of it years ago where the chocolate chip cookie was placed on top of the mason jar that the ice cream came in but it looked close enough otherwise. I didn't have any of the espresso (caffeine robs me of sleep) but I did try the white chocolate gelato and cookie. Mmm, the white chocolate gelato was really good!! The warm cherry and chocolate chip cookie was great too. I'm glad that I got to try the new PAESE again but I was disappointed that they simply serve Italian classics now and the creative dishes that I tried at their King Street PAESE years ago weren't available any longer. Thus, to me PAESE is just like any other Italian restaurant -- their food was good but did come at a price. The service was very professional. read more

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Food is hot and very good. Service is very good. Only one problem, don't sit near the door, we came in winter and everytime it opens you feel a breeze. Parking is really bad as well read more

Delicious, authentic Italian food! They also have a nice patio in front. We ordered the mushroom pizza, Caesar salad and cannolis/cookies. It was all delicious and we will certainly order again. Delivery was very fast. Good quality, delicious food! read more

I went to Paese on Sunday evening and I can confidently say that there is still no good Italian up in North York. I was intrigued by the menu with its heavy emphasis on seafood and atypical dishes, but my lobster ravioli (a whopping $28) had only 6 rubbery pieces of ravioli with even chewier lobster inside. If I didn't know it was lobster, I would have thought they had filled the ravioli with imitation crab -- which might have tasted better and cost much less. We also tried the mushroom calamari as an app which was good, but it's very hard to mess up deep-fried dishes. The worse thing about this place, however, is the incredibly rude server - a portly, tall, bald, and aggressive older man whose demeanor is like a prison guard or perhaps a down-on-his-luck car mechanic. I thought he was just rude to me because I'm young and Asian and this restaurant attracts only the whitest and most geriatric of crowds. But no -- I was relieved to find out this guy is rude to even 80-year-old grandmothers who have trouble remembering the specials; he was literally yelling at them in a loud staccato as he bellowed out the specials once more. When in North York, stick to Asian. If you want mediocre Italian by the 401, you can always go some place other than Paese for good service and more money left over for your down payment, at the very least. read more

I went to Paese tonight with my daughter for dinner. When we first sat down on the patio there was a huge Great Dane dog next to us. We got our food, I had pizza and my daughter had branzino. The server came over to ask about the food and I told her that the pizza was not very good. I said that we were at La Vecchia a few weeks ago where the pizza was much better. The owner (Tony Loschiavo) then came over to the table to address our dissatisfaction with the food. He said that if La Vecchia was much better then we should go there. He told us to never come back to Paese. He snatched the food off of our table and told us to leave. He then sent me these emails. read more

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Finally made it to Paese after driving by this place for years. I had the liver and it was very good. There were 6 of us and all really enjoyed their meals except for one - sweet potato ravioli. I wasn't impressed either. Focaccia was spectacular. I could have eaten that all night. Mushroom calamari... very, very good and big enough for at least 2npeople. I am not an Italian wine, but I had the $19 Amarone... WOW! Loved it. Ambience is pleasant. Sabine, our server was amazing. Will return here for sure. read more

*3.5/5 ROASTED SCALLOPS ($16) - Fennel and tarragon slaw, citrus and blood orange vinaigrette The scallops were thick, juicy and fresh. However, I wish they roasted it a little more as I prefer the roast to be 1/3 into the scallop. FUNGHI PIZZA ($16) - Roasted mushrooms, thyme, fontina and truffle oil The truffle oil taste was quite strong. I kind of wish the dough was different - I felt it tasted like bread more than pizza dough. BEED TENDERLOIN MEDALLION (Special) - Oven-roasted with Torchon de Foie Gras + Red Wine Jus The steak came out medium as opposed to medium rare which I ordered. However, it was still very good - tender and juicy all throughout so I was still happy with it. SEA BREAM ($33) - Grilled Whole Fish with Stuffed Thyme and Lemon Though the skin looks a tad overgrilled, it was actually perfectly grilled - with crispy and flavourful skin. CIOCCOLATO ($11) - Dark chocolate terrina with white chocolate mousse and nutella, hazelnut brittle COLONIAL ($8) - Brandy at Khalua One thing I was surprised is there was no tiramisu in the dessert menu. I was glad the cake was moist and not too sweet. One thing I really loved about this dessert was the hazelnut brittle. PARMIGIANO REGGIANO ($10) - Honey, rosemary roasted almonds, focaccia crips The flavour profile when mixing all 3 is very delicious. SERVICE When the mains arrived, my glass of water, the bottle of still water, and our cocktails glasses were all empty. However, none of the servers who checked back asked if we wanted more water, get refills on drinks or get another drink. read more

Tried the winterlicious menu, overall a good meal however portions were a bit small. The meatballs were fluffy and airy, different from what I've had at other places. I especially liked the veal scaloppini. read more

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Outdoor space is really lovely. Service fantastic. My food, however, wasn't great. Had the fettuccine Fresca and it was lacking in flavour. One or two sad cherry tomatoes, no pesto to speak of even though it was listed on the menu, no garlic. Pasta was el dente but clumped together. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing but I won't be back. read more

It was my first time here and don't think it will be last. Great Italian restaurant with good food and even better service. We had a group of 17 for Sunday dinner. No issues with reservation, they were very accomodating allowing us to order from Summerlicious menu or regular menu. Our server was extremely friendly, knowledgeable and professional. She kept us laughing all night. Food came out quickly. The regular menu is small but food was good. We tried the mushroom pasta ans Canadese pizza. Both were great. The only issue with the restaurant is limited and tight parking spots. read more

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I had such high hopes... An Italian restaurant win such a prime spot on Bathurst.. you would think would have good food, I was wrong. The best part of the meal was the bread that they bring to the table- yum!! Three dishes were ordered : Mushroom Pasta, Veal and Plane Spaghetti with tomato sauce-- NONE had any flavour. We had to send the spaghetti back not once, twice but THREE times.. it was not cooked- tasted like rubber and was super hard to chew. The Mushroom pasta was pure oil, and the Veal... just no. I wish I had a better experience because there is not really good Italian in this area.. I guess there still isn't. read more

What a horrible experience all around Maybe it was an off night for the place, as it was packed. Maybe they didn't have enough staff in the front and the back. Let's put it this way. I will not go through every little thing that happened but I can tell you this, if you were on a date, you were not getting any later on. Will not go back. read more

Paese serves comfortable and familiar Italian meals, in a spacious location just outside of the city. Came here for dinner with my girlfriend and ordered a good amount of food. We started with a Paese Collins and an Old Italian Fashioned for drinks, which were well made and tasty, and went very well with the complimentary focaccia bread and accompanying dip. For appetizers, we started with the grilled octopus and beef tartare. The grilled octopus was perfectly cooked, and the sauce on the dish paired very well with the smoky octopus flavour. The beef tartare, which felt a lot more French than it did Italian, was also tasty. Our mains were the funghi pizza and the grilled whole fish of the day, which was sea bream. The pizza was probably my least favourite dish of the evening, where the crust just did not have very much cheese on it (and it lacked flavour), and it was more of a spongy mass than anything else. The mushroom flavours are always hard to beat though, so I gave it a pass. When our server brought over the grilled whole sea bream, he asked if we were okay to cut it up or if we'd like him to take care of it for us. We weren't so confident in our own skills, so we asked him to do it. What followed was a table-side preparation of the fish, where our server carefully removed the bones of the fish, and providing us with prepared cuts of sea bream for our enjoyment. The fish itself was tasty, and the squeeze of lemon we put on top really gave it some zest. For dessert, we ended with an affogato and a sorbetto. The sorbetto was mostly forgettable, but was a light and refreshing way to end the meal. The affogato on the other hand, came with a giant cookie and a large jar with gelato inside, which I poured the espresso into. The mixture of hot and cold from espresso meeting gelato is a great sensation for the mouth, along with the sweet and bitter flavours, were an even better way to end the meal. Topped off with that perfectly made cookie, and you got yourself one hell of a dessert. Overall, our meal at Paese was solid. Comfortable and familiar Italian food, with a few misses and mostly hits, Paese is a great place to take a date or hang out with friends over good food. read more

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This place is a hidden gem! My girlfriend, mom and I came here for my birthday and Nick was very attentive! My girlfriend asked for non-alcoholic beer and at first Nick advised us they didn't have any but he went the extr mike and found a beer that was. My girlfriend was happy! They tried the winterlicous meal and I had the fish of the day as well as the polenta fries. We tried everything from one another's plates and it was delicious. My fish was so moist and succulent. The fries had a perfect crunch to them and the meat and seafood dishes I tried from the other plates were delicious and perfectly cooked. Dessert was alright. I preferred the apple tart my mom had. My gf ordered tiramisu which was good. I ordered the cannoli. I wasn't too impressed because I was hoping my cannoli would just have ricotta filling but it was a pistachio and chocolate filling. Didn't really feel like an authentic cannoli. Regardless I would definitely visit this place again! Thanks for a great experience read more

We came here on a Monday night to celebrate a birthday with the family. We were a party of 8 adults and 2 kids. It was a terrible experience! 1. It was super tight in there 2. The food took over an hour to come out and it wasn't even busy! 3. The waiter was rude, forgot his name but he was white with no hair. He had that fake nice attitude. We asked for more bread because we were starving waiting for the food to come out and it went way past our kids dinner time. He tells us, there's no more bread, you guys had the last of it. Meanwhile another couple of tables come in and guess what! There was bread! 4. My father in law ordered the beef osso bucco and he told the waiter that it was extremely salty. And this is how the waiter replies, "Well. It's an osso bucco." WHAT?! Since when does osso bucco mean extremely salty stew? 5. Again, asked for bread to eat it with and waiter said no. Don't waste your money or TIME with this place. read more

I have tried and tried to give this place a chance because their food is pretty good but holy Effen eff! Am I ever disturbed! The service here is beyond poor. I've been here four times and all four times has been nothing but a reminder that I should never come here. (Mind you, I live across the street is why I keep coming back here) anyways, haven't written a review in awhile but felt the need to put my POV for this read more

Excellent restaurant, a neighborhood gem!. We love the food, the atmosphere and the service. Had an amazing wintetlicious lunch here last week, menu was yummy! Can't wait to return. read more

Paese - Branzino - yummy - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Our booking for Sat at 8:15 for 6 people was on time however it took 1 hour for the server to take our order. After dinner we asked the server to split the bill 3 ways. he took a chance at 2 for $85 and the 3rd for $97.81. when I confirmed the error and paid the amount of $97.81 he threw the receipt on the table and was blatantly rude. Needless to say we won't be back read more

I went here with my family and had a blast. The server we had (although I forgot his name) was superb and knew the menu inside out. The food took a while to come out but they held us off by giving us delicious bread and olive oil. I ordered the lamb risotto and it was out of this world! My father had the fish and it was also very tasty. Overall, I would recommend going here if you want some great food. Make a reservation if you go on the weekend as this place can get busy! read more

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Where has Paese been all these years and how have I never stumbled upon it? Came here for lunch with my manager one day. Loved it so much, brought my boyfriend in for dinner. Everything we had here was delicious. However, I'd highly recommend the Gallo pizza or the Mushroom and Spinach Garganelli. Both were made to perfection. Hats off to the chef (and the service)! Side note: parking is a little bit of a hassle here. There's few in the front and really tight, claustrobia-induced spots in the back. read more

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