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    Venga Cucina

    3.9 (17 reviews)
    Closed • 11:30 am - 10:30 pm

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    Pinsa Mortadella
    Culinary S.

    This gem in the heart of The Junction is rapidly becoming our go-to spot for amazing food and fantastic customer service. They go above and beyond in sourcing the best ingredients from Italy (and locally when possible), and it shows in the quality of the various antipasti, the pinsa and the pasta. We first encountered pinsa when we were hiking in Italy in the spring-summer of 2022 and we can honestly say that Gino's versions are better than any we had in and around Rome (the home of pinsa). His certification shines through in the quality. The fresh pasta is sourced from Petti Fine Foods - an Italian grocer literally across the street - and combined with Gino's mastery of light, Italian sauces they are always a treat. Perhaps best of all, though, is the welcoming atmosphere of the place. Gino and Mary routinely come say hi to patrons, asking after the food and chatting. Highly recommended.

    Funghi!
    Christine M.

    Bye-bye, pizza... hello, pinsa! With scissors! We tried this place on a whim, having seen their sign advertising "PINSA" and thinking "What's that?" We looked it up online and learned it was a unique flatbread-type thing from Rome - a bit like a pizza, but not pizza - pinsa! Friends had planned to go to Rome, but the pandemic forced them to cancel, so we suggested we eat like they do in Rome instead - and headed to Venga Cucina. Big menu: there's a huge assortment of pinsas to choose from - both meat and vegetarian offerings (in the 15 to 22 dollar range). There are weekly specials, too, which all sounded tempting when described. But we were here to sample the pinsa. Each of our foursome chose a different type. Pinsas are more oval-rectangular shaped, made from a special mix of flours, and prepared by a special technique. When they arrived, we were especially charmed to see that they were served with SCISSORS! No struggling to try to slice through that crispy-chewey deliciousness with knives and forks here. You just snip, snip, snip! That first bite: WOW! Thin and crispy and chewy and oh-so LIGHT! This dough was truly something different. So airy and bubbly. And hot out of the oven! We tucked into our pinsas so fast and furious it wasn't until they were almost gone that we remembered we should exchange with each other. I chose the margherita, with fior di latte. The fresh tomato sauce was so fresh and light and lovely. The other pinsas were delicious, too. All of the topping combinations were unique and had so much flavor. Pro tip: check the pinsa menu online first so you don't spend way too long deciding what to order, like me. We paired with a bottle of waiter-recommended house Chianti - which was great ($50). The dining room along Dundas in The Junction strip is lovely - spacious, elegant, comfortable. This would be a great place for an event or party. (And there's a side outdoor patio.) Our server was super friendly - efficient, informative and relaxed. He set the perfect tone for this place which is confident about their offerings, helpful in all the right ways, but not overly swooning over you as a customer. After we were done, the pinsa master came to our table to tell us all about his craft, show us the special flour mix he uses, and describe what goes into making the pinsa dough - which needs to sit for 3 days! Because of that, their planning has to be spot-on... or they might run out of pinsa dough! Venga Cucina takes an enormous amount of pride in their food and their craft - and it shows :) I'm glad I discovered the pinsa - we'll definitely be back to try more.

    Gardiniera Pinsa (pizza)
    Anusha R.

    The same owners as Junction Local has reinvented the menu to offer amazing Pinsa (pizza)!!! We ordered a veggie pinsa for take out - Gardieniera, and it was loaded with really tasty well prepared vegetables and herbs.Every bite was a unique taste! Started with mushroom, then eggplant, red pepper, sweet onions, and zuchinni Can't wait to try everything else on their menu!

    Pinsa - spicy Gino

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

    They charge for tap water!! Over $3 plus tax and then want a gratuity on top of that! Pure greed.

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    Pizzeria Badiali - Vodka Pie

    Pizzeria Badiali

    4.5(267 reviews)
    4.5 km•Beaconsfield Village

    So far, I've had their Vodka, Margherita, Burrata Marinara and Cacio e Pepe. They have all been…read moreAMAZING. I thought it was overhyped, but my friend and I decided to check it out and we were quite satisfied with what we got. One thing to note for Cacio e Pepe is that it was a heavier slice. I loved the cheese but I think it's one of those pizza where I can't have a lot, or I have to really be in the mood for. Tip: During busy hours/seasons, order a whole pizza ahead of time to skip the line unless you want to try different slices at once.

    This is currently considered the best pizza in Toronto. We drove by on our way to dinner and saw…read morethere was no line-up spilling out the door so we stopped for a pre-dinner treat. Located in a densely populated neighbourhood in downtown Toronto the menu is pizza, a couple of salad options and drinks. This is take out only. There is a small area outside for patio seating but that's it. Pizza options are posted on a board inside. Preorders are limited to whole pies only. Slices are served old school (flimsy white paper plates in paper bag). Napkins are brown and coarse. You can add extra chili flakes to your pizza if you want. What was ordered: 1 slice of vodka 1 slice of mushroom bianco Verdict? This is GOOD pizza. The first thing you notice is the crust (thin) with the first bite...the crunch and combined with the topping makes the experience really good. We would definitely consider stopping by again if in the area and the lineup is not bad. There is now a second location near Bathurst and Bloor.

    Photos
    Pizzeria Badiali - Menu | March 2024

    Menu | March 2024

    Pizzeria Badiali - Pepperoni Pizza slice ($5.50)

    Pepperoni Pizza slice ($5.50)

    Pizzeria Badiali - Pepperoni Pizza slice ($5.50)

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    Pepperoni Pizza slice ($5.50)

    Uncle Tony's - Arancini was completely pink inside- very odd...

    Uncle Tony's

    3.6(94 reviews)
    8.1 km•St. Lawrence, Church-Yonge Corridor, Downtown Core
    •$$

    This place gets a solid 4.5/5 for its authentic southern Italian food and very friendly & attentive…read moreservice. It has a very homey, old-school Italian American restaurant ambience - the opposite of the stylish, hipster or touristy restaurant vibe. Apparently this restaurants gets a lot of regulars, and I could see why. As soon as you walk in, you feel like you're transported back to the 1960s with the red-and-white checkered tablecloths, red chairs, old-style wax candles, brick walls, and a large black-and-white photo of an Italian family on the wall (perhaps the founder or owner's?). I could see this place being a movie set for films that need an old, classic Italian American restaurant as a setting. In addition to the décor, I love the 1960s music being played in the background. Size-wise, the inside of the restaurant isn't that big so it feels very cozy. It can get very busy and crowded after 5 pm, as most people seem to come here for dinner. We came during lunch hour and we were the only patrons there. The southern Italian touches are very apparent in most of their dishes - with heavy reliance on olive oil, tomato-based sauces (especially in the fish and seafood dishes), fresh seafood, herbs, peppers, and vegetables such as eggplant. This is in contrast to northern Italian cuisine that is characterized by rich, creamy dishes using butter, lard, and cheeses, and puts more emphasis on rice, polenta, and meat-heavy dishes (where as seafood is more prevalent in the south). Dishes that we tried: 1) Baccala (Pan-Seared Black Cod) - This was the BEST and my favourite dish here. The black cod had a crispy exterior and flaky interior, and came with roasted mini potatoes and mixed vegetables (zucchini, red bell pepper, Brussels sprouts, eggplant) roasted with garlic -- such a well-rounded and wholesome dish. The roasted mini potatoes were so flavourful, and the vegetables had a nice char. I asked for the puttanesca sauce on the side, as the fish was already flavourful on its own without the sauce. But the sauce was better than I expected - it contained actual whole chunks of cherry tomatoes and olives. 2) Steamed Mixed Fish & Seafood in Tomato Sauce - This dish wasn't on the website menu, but it was on the printed menu in the restaurant. It reminded me of cioppino (Italian-American mixed seafood stew with tomato sauce, herbs, and spices). It came presented as wrapped inside aluminum tin foil, which the server then opened in front of us on the table with steam coming out. The fish was salmon, and seafood consisted of mussels and shrimps. This dish was just alright. For almost $50, there wasn't much seafood. 3) Pizza Funghi - I liked the very thin and crispy crust, and the sliced roasted mushrooms as toppings, but I wasn't a fan of the "truffled honey" they added on top of the pizza. I didn't taste any truffle, and the honey made it very sweet. Not a fan of sweet pizza. 4) SIDES: Rapini, Brussels Sprouts, Mushrooms - They got bonus points for being able to customize the sides. They didn't have asparagus that day, so they substituted it for steamed Brussels sprouts with garlic instead - which was heavenly. The Brussels sprouts weren't overcooked at all, and they were generous with the garlic (anything with extra garlic gets extra thumbs up from me). The rapini came out chopped with a side of lemon wedge. Mushrooms weren't on the menu as a side, but we asked and they were able to make a simple side of just mushrooms. Overall the vegetables got 9/10. The chef was very friendly as he came out and talked to us. The server was extremely attentive. Great service overall.

    Nice local Italian restaurant that is enjoyed by us locals as well as those who come down for shows…read moreat the St Lawrence ctr for the arts and the Meridian Hall as well as sports fan here for games. They have a great stock of wines and an impressive drink list that we don't get to enjoy as we can't handle drinks these days. We do enjoy the food and the friendly service immensely tho. Lots of options for shareable apps; excellent options on pizzas and pastas; and I am always impressed with their mains (as someone that has to limit carbs, options can be limited at some Italian restos). They are also understanding of reasonable diet requests. They have gluten-free options as well. It is more of a "quiet" restaurant in terms of the clientele chatter, at least for the times I was there, so I can hear the music they play ("oldies"!!!!)

    Photos
    Uncle Tony's - Interior - classic red-and-white checkered tablecloths and old-school vintage photo on the wall

    Interior - classic red-and-white checkered tablecloths and old-school vintage photo on the wall

    Uncle Tony's - Pizza Funghi

    Pizza Funghi

    Uncle Tony's

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    Pizzaiolo - The Pizza Maker's Pizza - Mediterranean pizza: black olives, green peppers and fresh marinated tomatoes.

    Pizzaiolo - The Pizza Maker's Pizza

    3.0(48 reviews)
    8.0 km•Church-Yonge Corridor, Downtown Core
    •$

    We stopped here one evening, shortly after arriving in Toronto. We wanted an uncomplicated meal and…read morequiet surroundings, so decided to eat in. (The majority of people take away.) I had the Mediterranean pizza with mozzarella, black olives, green peppers and fresh marinated tomatoes. My partner had a Sicilian which came with mozzarella, Italian sausage, red onion and Canadian bacon. Both came freshly cooked, with crispy bases, and were piping hot. We couldn't really fault them; they clearly not original Italian in style, but they were tasty and filling. They also had a good selection of drinks in the chiller cabinets. I'm not sure I would order a heated up slice of one of the ready-made pizzas. These looked a little dry and I doubt they would improve with reheating. Better to order a fresh whole pizza to share. Service was pleasant and reasonably efficient: it took about 15 minutes for the pizzas to arrive. Our pizzas, with drinks, optional 10% service and taxes came to just under CN$60. It is not a place you would want to linger; it's fairly Spartan, and really designed for people waiting for the orders to be completed. But it worked for us and seemed pretty popular.

    All the locations in this chain are the same thing. Average at best and really bad at worst. I…read morethink it's just a symptom of a poorly managed franchise. I have had pizza here a few times, it was not that great and the service was okay. It's a mid level pizza spot in a mid level chain.

    Photos
    Pizzaiolo - The Pizza Maker's Pizza - Cheese

    Cheese

    Pizzaiolo - The Pizza Maker's Pizza - Sicilian pizza (bacon, sausage and red onion)

    Sicilian pizza (bacon, sausage and red onion)

    Pizzaiolo - The Pizza Maker's Pizza - This is not a deep dish pizza. They charge extra but cheap out on dough.

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    This is not a deep dish pizza. They charge extra but cheap out on dough.

    Venga Cucina - pizza - Updated October 2026

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