This table looks so dreamy, elegant, and full of little pleasures that I can already imagine myself thinking about it again long after the night is over. The tiramisu looks so soft and delicate, like the kind of dessert that quietly steals your heart, the savory dish looks warm and comforting in the sweetest way, and those beautiful drinks make everything feel even more charming and unforgettable. There is something so lovely about a meal like this, where every bite and every sip feels like a gentle little reward, turning an ordinary moment into something that feels romantic, cozy, and very hard to let go of. I can already tell this is the kind of place that would make me want to come back again with a happy heart, just to enjoy the same delicious comfort, the same sweet atmosphere, and the same beautiful little happiness that makes every part of the experience feel so special. read more

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Public Gardens has become our go to weekday dinner spot! We have been here many times and it never misses. It is an easy place to pop in for dinner without too much planning, especially during the week when you can usually get seated without a wait. Our consistent go-to's: braised meatballs, mozzarella sticks, public Caesar (my fave in the city better than Jacob's imo) ciao bella rigatoni, and the steak frites. Their burger and tiramisu is good too. The first time I ordered their ciao Bella rigatoni for some reason it wasn't good, but after that I keep ordering it cuz it HITS. We've tried their salami pizza and the chicken parm I thought was mid. Their drinks are amazing though, my fave is the tiramisu martini but I also love their other cocktails. The Milan melon is delish, so is the rosemary limon spritz and the bellini is refreshing. The cocktail list in general is elite for a king west restaurant. On weekends it is much busier and often fully booked, so reservations are a must, but if you come right when they open for lunch at 12 pm, you can walk in, but it fills up quickly. Service has always been super friendly and consistent, which is part of why we keep coming back. Overall, it is a dependable spot with good food, good drinks, and a lively atmosphere. read more

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May 13/2026: Lupper with Keith. We started with drinks...espresso martini that were on special for $10.00. Very small martini but a kinda decent price. The meal item was a salami pizza. This was an absolutely pathetic pizza. VERY sparse on the toppings and was composed of pizza dough & tomato sauce. All for just $23.00 as a happy hour special. The service was team service. We had several different servers. All were fast & pleasant. I rated this a 3 star but for me, with the stinginess of the food...it's not a do over. read more

Food: Tiramisu espresso martini: good. balanced. Not overpoweringly sweet and not too alcohol forward. They were able to make it decaf for me. Kale salad: wouldn't get again. the kale was bitter and there was too much vinegar dressing that almost all I could taste was sour vinegar and bitter kale. Calamari: good. Crispy. The batter tasted nice. Squid was tender and not rubbery. Mussel pasta: pasta was firm and sauce stuck to it well. Seafood was fresh, no fishy taste from Mussels. Sauce was pleasantly spicy. Service: good. restaurant was full and was turning away walk ins. Despite this, didn't feel like we waited for anything for too long. Food and water and drinks came promptly. And we didn't wait for the bill either. Ambiance: it's casual king west. Not too stuffy which is nice this part of town. But it isn't a pub either. read more

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Came here for happy hour (5-7), and was very impressed by the service and style of the place. The restaurant has such a cozy and timeless vibe, an our server Tia was lovely. I really enjoyed the pizza and drinks. You definitely need to come right when they open or have a reservation though. read more

Public Gardens - Chicken pollo - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

My previous attempts at checking out Public Gardens were foiled, as the restaurant was so full that the wait was well over an hour. (And this was just for a spot at the bar!) So when I found myself in the area on a recent Friday, I figured I'd give it yet another shot. And lo and behold this time I was able to snag a spot at the bar! I got to the restaurant at around 5:30, so I was stoked to take advantage of the happy hour menu. I decided to grab a very refreshing Pilsner and I also ordered the Meatballs. The food arrived a little while later and is actually a surprisingly hearty dish. It comes with a bunch of delicious (and tiny) meatballs, two very yummy pieces of bread, and a small pile of ricotta. Everything was individually superb, but I enjoyed taking a bite of everything all at once. It's a solid concoction. (The only hiccup with my visit was a discrepancy between the prices on the menu and the charges on my bill, as everything was a dollar more than the menu claimed. A very odd situation, to be sure.) The atmosphere and service was right on point, too. I'll almost certainly be returning (if the place isn't completely packed). read more

Public Gardens - Meatballs. - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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A bustling Italian fare restaurant located in the King & Portland neighbourhood. Reservations are still hard to snag even though they have been open since 2024. My friend and I each got an espresso martini along with a pasta. The martinis were amazing and definitely worth it during their happy hour! For the mains, we opted for the spaghetti pomodoro burrata and ciao bella spicy rigatoni, which were both cooked perfectly al dente. This is a solid spot for pasta and drinks. read more

Public Gardens - ciao bella - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I went to public gardens for lunch on a Sunday and there was 0 wait. It's a cozy spot and I think it would be a great place to have a casual date at. My party tried their mushroom fettuccine, Ceasar salad, pineapple pizza, and tiramisu. Everything arrived at our table quickly! The pasta was on the rich and salty side. Our favorite was definitely the tiramisu as there were small pieces of crushed nuts ( I think) in it that gave it a unique mouth feel! I would come back and try their happy hour menu! read more

Public Gardens - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Had an amazing time here yesterday with my friends. We came during happy hour (5pm-7pm) and the prices did no disappoint! We got the pepperoni pizza, zucchini fritte, Caesar salad, bruschetta, Caio Bella and each of us got our own espresso martini which is only $10 during happy hour. The bruschetta was really good, super light and airy. The pasta was very creamy & rich and the pizza was also very cheesy. The staff was also very kind and welcoming. The patio was really nice, prefect on a sunny day! Make sure you make a reservation if you can as they really busy especially on the weekends. The food was good but I don't know if I would pay the original price for them. For example the usual price for their pepperoni pizza is $24 but $16 during happy hour. So definitely come during their happy hours, super worth it. read more

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Went out with 9 girls for a fun brunch date. I can understand the hype for Public Gardens. We made reservations and they let us know that we can only be there for 2 hours (they seem pretty strict on that cause they kept telling us how much time we had left) It's a cute spot with chill vibes. The food was decent (my favourite were the mozzarella sticks and the mortadella pizza with pistachios) but nothing was mind blowing. I think the highlight is their espresso martini variations! Totally recommend the tiramisu and ferrero roche. The service was friendly but slow we waited 30 minutes for our bill, the waitress assumed we wanted 9 split bills but we only wanted 1 bill. She never asked which caused a miscommunication . there. Overall it was a fun time. read more

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It can be tough to snag a spot during their happy hour but it's so worth it - especially if you get a rooftop patio table! It feels like you're transported out of Toronto to somewhere more trendy and sophisticated. The deals are pretty good, especially considering they're one of the only restos in this area with a happy hour past 5. I especially enjoy their espresso martinis for $10 (the Tiramisu one tastes like a dessert, and the ferrero one has flakes of gold in it) and the public caesar salad is like the perfect caesar salad. The pep pizza is also great, cooked well with plenty of pepperoni. While it's not on the happy hour menu, the rigatoni alla vodka is very tasty. I'll go back time and time again for the vibes alone. Definitely the spot to go in the summer! read more

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Loved the vibes and looks of this place. Such a great patio and also the service was amazing (shoutout Jodi!!). Food wise everything was solid, no true misses. The favourite was the margherita pizza which had a wonderful crispyness to it. Caesar salad was super saucy so if you like sauce, you'll love it. Lots of different espresso martinis to choose from too. Heard this place was hard to get a reso at so we took our chances and walked in at 5pm (which it worked!) overall, glad I tried out this restaurant read more

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First time experience at public gardens, and it did not disappoint! I went for Sunday dinner (happy hour) with a group of 6 people - we had a reservation so we were seated immediately. We tried out a bunch of dishes including: - Bellini - Rosemary spritz - Margherita pizza - Pepperoni pizza - Braised meat balls - Zucchini fries - Caesar salad - Mushroom fettuccine - Ciao Bella pasta - Spaghetti pomodoro burrata - Tiramisu Everything we tried was delicious! My favourites have to be the spaghetti pomodoro burrata, zucchini fries, and Caesar salad. Can't go wrong with fries or salad, but the spaghetti was unique, not your typical tomato flavoured pasta. The burrata was the perfect touch, I would say it's a sweeter pasta. Service was great and love the lovely atmosphere of this spot! Super cute decor as well! 4.5/5 read more

Come for Happy Hour - well worth the price! There's been a huge hype on Public Gardens on all social platforms and certain items really lived up to the hype, while other items were definitely misses. Came for Happy Hour and was so excited for all their cheap eats and drinks. Happy hour runs from 5pm-7pm and have a variety of drinks to pick from ranging from $6 wine to $20 pitcher for sharing. Ambiance was cozy and casual. Service was attentive, especially since we sat at the bar area. Here's what we got: Raspberry espresso martini 5/5 - A great change from the original espresso martini. It has a hint of raspberry which gave it a fruit punch. For only $10 during happy hour this is a steal! Espresso martini 5/5 - A classic espresso martini that was delicious and well balanced. Another $10 drink during happy hour. Public caesar 5/5 - This was truly the highlight of the night. Well dressed, fresh lettuce, delicious bread crumb topping which made it very crunchy for each bite. This is a must get when you're here and perfect for sharing. Pepperoni pizza 4/5 - Great pizza option with pepperoni, topped with honey. It was well cooked, crispy and thin - just the way I like it. Meatballs 3.5/5 - Braised meatballs made with pork, beef and veal. Topped with whipped ricotta. The meatballs were soft and drenched in a tomato sauce. It was okay of a dish but not something I'm dying to have again. Gnocchi 3.5/5 - Not on the happy hour menu. A gnocchi dish with vodka sauce and Buffalo mozzarella. It's heavy on the sauce but wasn't as flavourful as I'd like. Had a chewy gnocchi texture. Good but can also skip on this as I thought the pizza was a lot better. Overall, a great spot to check out with delicious dishes and cocktails! read more

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Got an early walk-in seating because reservations were all full on Resy. Definitely visit during happy hour to get cheap drinks and the Public Caesar at a lower price. The garlic bread was just alright for me but the Margherita pizza was great. It was just enough food so we decided against ordering a pasta dish. Next time! read more

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A really great happy hour spot. Very hard to get a table though so go early or make a reso. We got the last spots at the bar right at 5pm. It is not the biggest restaurant and the tables seem pretty small but really great ambiance. We tried the ciao bella rigatoni and to be honest I have had better vodka rigatonis. It was still tasty and had a little kick to it but it was quite salty for my taste. We had the coppa bacon pizza with pear, hot honey, and pine nuts. The crust of the pizza was really great and had a good chew to it and the toppings weren't bad. We tried multiple of the happy hour $10 espresso martinis and they were all delicious. Our server/bartender was really friendly and gave a complimentary bday tiramisu and shots! Overall the vibe of the restaurant was great and I definitely want to check out the patio in the summer time as well. read more

Public Gardens - Coppa bacon pizza - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Worth the hype! Service and food were outstanding. They don't have a phone contact so you need to reserve online, it opens a week before in the morning so I highly recommend you plan ahead. We came for the happy hour at 5pm on a Thursday, my friend got here 30 mins late so they were super flexible and let us stay way past the 2 hour seating limit, I really appreciated that. We got: virgin ginger, tiramisu espresso martini, pepperoni pizza with honey, honey ricotta with focaccia, spicy rigatoni, and the Caesar salad. Honestly everything was so delicious, recommend everything we got. I did feel like the focaccia which came with the honey ricotta was stale though. Prices are great if you come during happy hour. It's very loud inside, but there is seating for groups, bar seating, and small tables. Will return if I can get a reservation! read more

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Not sure how I feel about this. Overall we had good food and drinks for a happy hour value (the tiramisu martini is definitely not worth $18). The place is definitely overhyped and not exactly special or a staple in the city. read more

Public Gardens - Margarita and pepperoni pizzas, tiramisu martini. - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Another pasta place? This one is good though! The vibe is nice inside and it's centrally located. The food comes quickly and tastes just as good as it looks. read more

Public Gardens - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came across this place while in Toronto, was quoted a 2.5 hour wait on a Friday night for the interior seating but somehow got lucky with a table on the outdoor patio they called standing room only. The patio had nice vibes the only problem was that it was unbearably hot and humid the night I was there. 1 of the 2 fans they had going up there was dead. We asked our waitress if they could fix it since we were overheating, and I understand it was busy but it did not get fixed by the time we left. The food was delicious, especially the chicken parm! I would pass on the pizza, it was kind of burnt without much flavor. Espresso martinis were so cute and yummy. I tried a bite of the gnocchi which was also delicious! I would come back and give it another go on a day that is not so hot or when I'm able to get a table inside. read more

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Honestly I don't understand the hype. I had to make reservations way in advance and it only allows you indoor seating. For patio seating you have to either show up 30 mins before it opens or wait 2 hours. The food was mid, nothing stood out. The pepperoni pizza was too salty, the espresso martini was too strong. The pasta was decent but nothing special, same goes for the Caesar salad and zucchini fries. The aesthetic is nice and the service is good. It's a good location as well, but it's just not worth the long wait. read more

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Public Gardens was a really pleasant experience overall. The space felt bright and welcoming, the food was fresh and nicely presented, and the service was friendly throughout. A few small details could have been even better, but nothing took away from the meal in a big way. read more

Went here for lunch on a Sunday with a group of 5 other people. We got the Caesar salad to share and individual pastas. The salad was great, with a lot of dressing. The ciao Bella pasta was also great. The portions are all huge and we all had leftovers. I'd go back and try other dishes too! read more

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I ordered the Ciao Bella Rigatoni and was unfortunately disappointed. My dish was served first and was already room temperature upon arrival. I waited for my friends to receive their meals, and by then, my pasta had gone completely cold. On top of that, the dish itself was quite bland and lacked flavor. On a more positive note, my friends ordered pizzas which were delicious, and the overall service was friendly and attentive. While I appreciate the atmosphere and service, the quality of my meal fell short. Rating: 3/5 read more

Public Gardens - Ciao Bella Rigatoni - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

We went to Public Garden for my boyfriend's birthday and had a great time! The ambiance was cute with good music, though it was a bit loud for conversation. We had pizza, garlic bread, and chicken parm with spaghetti -- all delicious. The tiramisu was a perfect finish. Overall, a nice spot for a casual night out! The service was good our waiter was very helpful and nice. read more

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Really nice and very busy new restaurant. We were lucky to get a reservation and our table was ready when we got there. They run a happy hour from 5-7 and we got a couple apps and drinks. I tried the Caesar salad which was really good and we shared the fried zucchini which was crispy and comes with 2 types of dipping sauce. They have a really robust cocktail menu and their pastas and pizzas looked really good too. read more

Public Gardens - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Amazing food loved the ceaser salad will be going back for that, pizza was great too. Always busy service was good for how busy it was definitely recommend for Italian food read more

Public Gardens - Vodka pizza + pepperoni - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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A very difficult place to get reservations for. After getting there early was told that that we could go to a neighboring pub of the same owners for a couple of drinks. The place was ear-blisteringly loud of music AND people having to yell over the music - which I think is simply how it is enjoyed. Getting back to Public Gardens - it was similar, although not quite as deafening. It's not a place to go for a relaxing meal - before or after the DJ arrives and performs at about 10pm. Service was great: Monica is a wonderful and helpful person there. Food was good and surprisingly not expensive. Spaghetti Pomodoro Burrata was quite good, as was the ravioli. Meatballs in pomodoro appetizer was probably the highlight, as well as zuchini fritters. read more

Public Gardens - Tirmasu - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Perhaps a 3.8/5 some highlights and misses Highlight: mortadella is a must order in the restaurant! I view it as a great innovation of pizza The appetizers are great as well: zucchini fries is very unique and tastes freshly cut and fried. The sauce pair with calamari is tasty Moving on to the downside: tiramisu is mid. Although I'm not Italian this does not taste authentic to me perhaps I'm wrong but I have had better tiramisu from other ten different places. Mid because tiramisu is never wrong. Tagliatelle is very salty did not enjoy that. Nothing else was wrong but the seasoning ruins the entire dish Service and ambiance are great read more

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Food - the food was AMAZING! Our top fav items were the PUBLIC CAESAR, TRIPPLE PEPPERONI & MUSHROOM FETTUCCINE. So much flavor packed into that pasta. super rich and creamy. Service - was unmatched, we were seated at a super small table asked for a booth and we were accommodated asap. Servers were very attentive with following up and clearing the table between course effortlessly. Our server was also very personable, mini conversations were sweet. Ambiance - very fast paced restaurant, cute cozy booth. we sat near the bar so it was full of energy during the Maple Leaf's game. Perfect for a cute casual date night. We will def be back! read more

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Waited in line before opening and there were probably 5 groups ahead of us, but we already couldnt get patio seating when we got to the front. The groups ahead had varying group sizes. We didn't mind to not sit at the patio but thats just to give an idea of how limited space there can be. Service was pretty quick as we were seated at the bar and the bartender put our orders in and made our drinks. I probably would only go during happy hour. Bartender recommended one of the espresso martinis for my friend (i think it was the ferrero?), he was aware the tiramisu one is viral but preferred the latter. We're glad we went with his recommendation because it wasn't as sweet. The pitcher of aperol spritz wasn't as strong as you could get elsewhere and smaller in size than I anticipated. House white wine was ok, nothing amazing but not bad either. The marg pizza was quite delicious. read more

There's been a lot of hype over this restaurant so I had to give it a try and it is 100p worth it!! It is located on King street west so definitely in a busy area, make sure to have a reso! We ordered the Ricotta wild honey (SO GOOD), spaghetti pomodoro burrata, vodka gnocchi, Lucia, copta bacon and maradona. Of the pastas, the Lucia was a standout. It's a pesto based pasta and it was perfectly saucy and creamy. The real star of the meal were the pizzas, specifically the maradona. It was sweet and savoury, the crust was perfectly crispy with the chewiest dough all throughout. Definitely a must get on the menu. The ambiance of the restaurant was good with low lit lighting, perfect for a date spot. The service was also great and a few accommodations to the dishes were made. A new spot saved on the list, can't wait to come back! read more

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What a gem on King street west. The food is amazing. Margarita pizza was one of the best I had in the city. The crust is so good, typical NYC style and the sauce, the cheese and the basil perfectly balance it off. They give chili oil on request and that kicks it up a notch. They brought it out promptly, so the pizza was perfect temperature wise too.The truffle mushroom ravioli was amazing. We will come for the gnocchi which looked great too. We ended with Panna Cotta which was delicious as well with the strawberry compote on top. You can see the vanilla bean in it!! As for the drinks, espresso martini was delightful. The bartender fixed it great and he attended to us promptly. The service was amazing! As for the ambiance, very cozy spot, highly recommend reservation on resy. We sat at the bar because all tables were reserved. Can be a little cramped at the bar but the food, service and ambiance makes up for it. The restrooms are upstairs and they have lots of picture frames - the bartender said they were going for NYC pub vibe. The restrooms can attended too more frequently as some of them had tissues thrown around. Overall, we can't wait to come back in spring/summer to experience the patio. Just have to remember to book in advance. read more

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I PUBLICLY DECLARE public gardens to be the new hit spot! Got a hot date and want to make it worth the buck/time? Go to public gardens! Food: 9/10 I was amazed, I like Italian just as much as the next person but (let's face it) Toronto is no Italy... but public gardens comes pretty dang close. GO FOR THE PIZZAS.... they are the real underdog here but they are coming out on top. The pastas were a hit too, the pesto fusilli was by far a fan favourite (even amongst the non-pesto people)! The gnocchi unfortunately fell short, the texture was fun but the flavour faltered (ADD SALT) Ambiance: 7/10 - I love an instagrammable napkin but the main level is giving a bit of "sports bar", the upstairs is a whole other story but I didn't get the chance to eat there. Service: 9/10 - quick and kind! Mamma Mia I loved it and will be coming back read more

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Got a late reservation due to it being booked 2 weeks out. Amazing chicken parm, pizza, and vodka gnocchi. read more

Public Gardens - Chicken parm - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

3.8/5 If you want a seat on the patio its best to make a reservation. the walk in line is very long especially in the summer heat. We made a reservation and were seated quickly. Service: Food arrived promptly and server was kind and professional as well as the other staff. We received drinks and appetizers within ~10 minutes of being seated. Drinks: Stella Draft (happy hour pricing): $9. Good but cup seems a bit smaller than a pint. Apps: Public Caesar: (happy hour pricing): $16. Good and large, would have liked more lemon. Garlic Bread (happy hour pricing): $9. Fair size, and tasty. needed a bit more salt for that gluttony sodium packed cheesy feeling we like in garlic bread Mozzarella sticks: Great cheese pull, and delicious but seems a bit overpriced for 5 for $18. Mains: Ciao Bella Spicy Vodka Rigatoni: Delicious and fair price for the amount and quality in comparison to others in the area. Probably one of the best you can get in the city. $27 Triple PPPerperoni Pizza: great slightly charred crust, full off good quality pepperoni, big enough for a main or to share for the table, still a bit pricy for a pizza. $25 Desert: Tiramisu: good tiramisu, could have been more chilled. Nothing extravagant but solid. One of the larger tiramisu's I've had at a restaurant, perfect size to share. $13.50 Ambience: Nice patio but I wouldn't wait in line just to be seated on it, nothing particularly unique about it compared to others in the area. Inside looks just as nice and honestly more comfy. The Happy hour deals definitely make this place worth it. Many drinks and Food options are offered at a discounted price from 5-7. Would return during happy hour. read more

Our waiter Katherine was wonderful! My aunt and I came for dinner on a Monday night, we only had to wait about 5-10 mins and got a table on the patio. Food and drinks were good! read more

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Good atmosphere, good service, good portions. The pasta didn't blow me away but it was good! If you're used to authentic Italian this place isn't it, but it's good for a casual dinner and if you're craving pasta. read more

Public Gardens - "Ciao Bella" rigatoni. Spicy Vodka Sauce, Pancetta, Stracciatella, Pepperoni, Nduja - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Visited Public Gardens over the holidays and they did not disappoint! Can be hard to get a reservation which is unsurprising with how busy it was on a Tuesday but we booked ahead and celebrated a birthday in one of their booths. We were able to get in some appetizers and drinks before the end of happy hour (ferrero rocher espresso martini was a favourite at the table) and got some mains to share. We split two pizzas and two pastas between five of us and we were stuffed. Service was great and our food came our quick. Highly recommend! read more

Public Gardens - Ciao bella rigatoni & the vodka gnocchi. Both had a good kick ! - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Just tried out Public Gardens on King Street, and it was a great experience! The rooftop is lovely and will stay open until the pipes freeze. We came for lunch (same menu as dinner), and our server recommended their signature espresso martini, which lived up to the hype; we ended up having two! The lemon pasta was something new for us and surprisingly refreshing, and the triple pepperoni pizza didn't disappoint either. A fun spot with a relaxed vibe--definitely worth a visit! read more

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