I had seen La Veranda Osteria outside Royal York subway station for a few years now, admired their…read moreflower-festooned summer patio, and enjoyed the aromas wafting across the street. Finally, I visited for the first time. I had perused the menu extensively, as part of a quest to find an Etobicoke restaurant suitable for my Mother's upcoming Birthday Celebration. They had so many, appealing Italian and Italian-Canadian options, with pasta, veal, steak and seafood selections. My Mother wanted to check it out before committing to a family gathering, hence our recent visit. The restaurant is airy and spacious, with pleasant and elegantly simple decor. Its vibe is upscale casual. We were greeted and seated right away, and our delightful server offered us beverages and answered our questions about the menu. She was, throughout the meal, really excellent: charming, with a good knowledge of the menu and thoughtful recommendations. We started with some cheesy garlic bread, which was very enjoyable: a good artisan bread with plenty of garlic and melted cheese. They clearly had heeded our request for extra garlic. The stuffed pastas had been enthusiastically recommended by both the menu and the staff, so my Mother and I went for that. She had the Veal-Stuffed Ravioli, with pesto rather than rose sauce. I had the Manicotti Gratinato stuffed with ricotta, with a rose sauce. My daughter ordered the Gnocci with Pesto Sauce. All three choices were excellent, and I can highly recommend the pastas at La Veranda. Although we were feeling quite satisfied, we couldn't resist the European desserts. We shared house-made Tiramisu and the Italian, imported Hazelnut torte. They were both excellent. The Tiramisu was light and flavorful, and the Hazelnut torte was bursting with hazelnut flavor. The desserts were not too sweet, which is how we happen to prefer them. In short, everything was to our satisfaction, and more!! The prices were not to bad either. My Mother felt that this would be a great location for her birthday gathering, so we made the booking then and there. Evidently, we were not the only ones thinking along these lines, as it took a while to find a Saturday night which was not already booked up by large parties. If you want to book at La Veranda for a larger gathering, best to do it well in advance. We finally settled on an evening about a month away from the date of our visit. La Veranda is a wonderful place to gather and dine, from couples to larger parties. The washrooms are beautiful, the service is gracious and knowledgeable, and there is plenty of parking across the street at Royal York station. It is accessible to disabled diners as well. With excellent food, great service and amenities, La Veranda is worth consideration if you are in Toronto's West End.

Exceptional dining experience by very attentive caring staff and delicious authentic Italian fare…read moreof the highest caliber in warm surroundings that created the perfect atmosphere for our family gathering. Highly recommend this hidden Etobicoke gem...can't wait to go back. Thank you Tami and your staff for making us feel like family!

Had a delicious meal here with my friend and her family!…read more As soon as we walked in I smelled garlic and Italian flavors. Great start to the evening! We had reservations and we were seated promptly. We shared the bruschetta. The tomatoes were very fresh and the focaccia bread was wonderful! For my entree I had capellini sardi, but I substituted penne for the capellini. The flavors in this pasta dish were wonderful! Everyone else enjoyed their dishes as well. Service was great. Drinks refilled as needed and we were checked on.

My wife and I came here on a Friday evening, we did not have a reservation but we were seated right…read moreaway, it was busy, for larger groups I assume you would have to wait. The manager came as well to ensure we were doing fine. The ambiance is very hip, there is a projector playing old movies, the walls are covered in pictures and tasteful graffiti. The food itself was a bit of a disappointment. The arancini we got as a started was tasty but pretty small. (4 stars) The margarita pizza (3 Stars) was just ok. We would not get it again. The desert was the best thing we tried, the Bannan toffee with icecream was a great (5 stars) combination. The drinks are 15$ for wine. For beer they have some in tap but serve 400ml. If we go back we would go just for desert. For two of us, with 1 glass of wine the bill was 85$.

Another amazing time here, we made reservations and got seated right away, the owner was serving us…read moreand was nice. The parking is pretty bad but we were able to find a spot after a few mins. The food was phenomenal again but the pizza this time had puddles of oil which was taking away from the taste a bit. The vegan meatball sliders were exceptional and my bf absolutely loved them. The fries were fine, I just didn't like the cook on them but the balsamic glaze and vegan parm on it was great. I recommend this place 10000% for anyone with sophisticated tastebuds.

Had dinner here Saturday night at 7:30. Main floor was nice, bistro-like, bustling in a good way…read more Lively but not hectic. There's a downstairs too which looked good. Nice ambiance over all. We're not strict veg, we just like to lean that way most nights so we thought we'd check Bellona out. A lot of their menu has a choice between tapas size and full size so we tried a few things. Loved everything. The sliders were addictive. Attached is our bill. $99 including a bottle of wine and we were stuffed (and I'm 6'4" and have an appetite). Desserts looked good too but we were too full. The very nice owner chatted with us at the end and told us about the origin of the place (and that our great server was her daughter). Definitely very happy with this restaurant.

My second time visiting Via Allegro Ristorante and their fine-dining atmosphere is top notch. The…read moreservice was pleasant and the food we had was deliciously served with high quality. We had the Truffled Mushroom Risotto (5/5) and the Prime Striploin (5/5), as well as tiramisu and creme brulee for dessert. Truffled Musshroom Risotto had shavings of the wild mushrooms. The dish had the rich aroma of the truffles which we delightfully indulged ourselves with. I highly recommend ordering this dish because no other place makes it quite like Via Allegro. Prime Striploin was cooked to perfection. It was so tender and juicy. We liked how they didn't have it with any gravy, letting their culinary technique with the steak speaks for itself. The potatoes were nice and crispy on the outside, yet smooth on the inside. The vegetables were cooked nicely. The desserts were satisfying, a great way to finish off our meals. I would come back again. Highly recommend this place for celebrating special occasions and/or to satisfy your cravings for Italian dishes. PS If you're into wine, they have the most extensive collection of wine which they won numerous awards for.

**Restaurant Review: Vivo Allegra, Etobicoke**…read more Today, I had the pleasure of dining at the exquisite Vivo Allegra in Etobicoke, and I must say, it was a culinary delight! To start, I indulged in the **lobster spoons** and a **Caesar salad**. The salad was remarkably crisp and fresh, enhanced by their amazing homemade dressing. A delightful touch was the homemade chili oil, which added a unique kick! For the main course, I savored the **braised ribs for two**, cooked to absolute perfection. Accompanied by creamy **mashed potatoes** and perfectly roasted **Brussels sprouts**, it was a feast for the senses! To top off this wonderful meal, I enjoyed a slice of **tiramisu** and a refreshing **passionfruit cocktail** that was simply delicious. Overall, Vivo Allegra offers an exceptional dining experience that I highly recommend! A special shoutout to our server, Boris, whose attentive service truly enhanced our visit. It was a pleasure to have him! The ambiance of the restaurant is truly exceptional, perfectly adorned for the Christmas season. The space features stunning light fixtures, captivating paintings from the French Renaissance, elegant mirrors, rich wood paneling, and exquisite tile work. The unique blend of decorative vases adds an artistic touch, creating a one-of-a-kind atmosphere that enchants every guest.

Review for ROMI's Restaurant Posted by Julia (Former Staff…read moreMember) I'm writing this review not as a disgruntled employee, but as someone who was deeply dedicated to my job and to the customers who came to know me as "Julia the server." I worked at ROMI's with full heart--often running the entire front of house alone: hosting, bartending, bussing, and serving. Many customers recognized me by name, and I loved making people feel welcome. Unfortunately, my experience behind the scenes was very different. * During the hiring process, I was told staff meals would be free. In reality, I was charged or made to feel guilty for requesting food. * My tips were collected before I could count them. I was often pressured into giving 50% of my earnings to other staff members--despite being told they were compensated through takeout tips. * I was promised a portion of tips from takeout orders I processed--yet never received them. * I was regularly spoken to in demeaning ways, including being called "crazy" in front of others. These practices created a toxic and manipulative work environment. It deeply affected my mental and physical wellbeing. I've since moved on, but I feel it's important to share this in hopes that ROMI's leadership re-evaluates how they treat staff who give their all. I'm proud of the service I gave, and I'm grateful to the customers who saw that. If you remember me--thank you for your kindness. --Julia

We grabbed a quick dinner here on Saturday night. It wasn't too busy, but it could be because it's…read morethe summer (it was also extremely humid outside so people may have just been staying home). There's something for every palette here, including pizza, salads, and pastas. I had a vegetable soup (tomato broth) that had generous portions of vegetables like potato, zucchini, beans, and carrots. The soup was sprinkled with chilli pepper flakes. As my main, I had the Caprese Salad. My boyfriend ordered the Veal Parmigiana with spaghetti and tomato sauce. We found our food to be 3.5 Yelp stars; however, this review is a 4 star because the service was easily a 5 star. Our server was attentive by coming around often to see how we were doing. If I return, I would like to try their pizzas as their menu mentions that the dough is made in house. Good for: Italian

So glad I decided to stop by this place! Definitely a must try when arriving in Toronto ! The…read morebartender Emmanuel gave such a warm greeting and took the time to give me a grand tour of the menu, specialties, and featured Puglian themed dishes. He made excellent recommendations on food and drinks & I followed all of them gladly. After mentioning I like spicy food he offered the Sausage and Fennel Rigatoni, which could possibly be one of the best pastas I've ever had! Emmanuel & his partner Melo were so attentive and welcoming after such a long day- they made the experience even better. I love that the restaurant makes their pasta & mozzarella fresh it house- you can definitely taste the quality. 10/10 will definitely recommend this place & stop by every time I am in town! Thank you so much

Stopped by Scaddabush (Airport location on Carlson) to meet a colleague and was honestly surprised…read moreby how busy it was for a Wednesday evening! The food was excellent, and the service was just as good; attentive without being over the top. I hadn't been in a few years, and this visit definitely reminded me why I liked it in the first place. Looking forward to going back soon.

September 21/2024: Dinner with Slipp…read more This was good to very good. The food taste was superb. Mine was the Fettuccine Mushroom Truffle in a cream sauce with added Chicken ($38.00). The restaurant was small but was busy as well. The service was good & the seemed efficient. Here's the issue...the portion size was so very small! I felt like it was more like an appetizer versus a main. For $38.00 it should have been a much healthier size. Not sure I'd go again based on simply the size of the serving.

Small tiny restaurant trying to be an high end fancy restaurant with no customer service…read more Please ask your waitresses to wash their dirty black top as their "uniform". The moment we entered the restaurant is not welcoming at all. No smile on the waitresses' face. Bunch of young girls (I believe they worked there) stood behind the bar talking the entire time. Black ravioli with red peppers for 30$ with lack of flavor.

By far the worst veal sandwich I have ever had. Poor quality and greasy. Not just the one time a…read morefew times where I have had to deal with bad management. Not recommended in any way!

Hadn't been to Rocco's in a while as we live an hour and a bit away. Went for my husband's…read morebirthday. Service was outstanding and Rocco himself came to our table to make sure all was okay. I had my go-to chicken parmigiana with a side of tomato risotto. So delicious and fresh. Has to be my favourite chicken parm of all time. We had a couple of great pizzas to start and some of our party had the stracciatella soup which received rave reviews. To finish, they brought us a dessert platter, singing happy birthday to my husband in both English and Italian!! Nice touch. We felt like family. Amazing job Rocco's. See you again real soon!!

It was cozy and warm inside, both the vibes and the staff. The mussels in white wine sauce were…read morepure bliss with their aromatic broth and tender texture. The risotto with butternut squash and sausage filled my senses with a velvety blend of sweet and savoury. It was a perfect place to celebrate my brother's belated birthday party.

Overall, I'd rate this place 3.5 stars, based on the fact I got to sample a variety of dishes and…read morefound that they were quite hit or miss. Calamari Alla Griglia (4/5) - the grilled calamari was well-cooked, the sauce was quite tasty, but the portion was quite small. Rucola E Funghi Portobella (3/5) - The salad dressing is yummy, but the price is steep for what it is. While each ingredient in isolation was good, the mushroom didn't feel like it complemented the dressing. Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese (4/5) - Surprisingly one of the better dishes, ordered based on recommendation from the server. I didn't think I'd order a bolognese (arguably the most boring sounding item on the menu), but the noodles and sauce were overall tasty and well executed. Portions were reasonable, but not as "huge" as other reviews made it seem. I had no problem finishing the dish. Gnocchi Al Gorgonzola (3/5) - I think whether you like this dish will really depend on whether you like "stinky" cheeses. The Gorgonzola flavour is STRONG and can be tasty/unique at first, but overpowering 5+ bites in, when all there is to the dish is straight cheese. The gnocchi is soft/pillowy. Tortelli Di Magro (3/5) - The ravioli was pretty good and well-cooked, but the sage sauce just didn't really cut it for me. The dish sounded better than it tasted, and didn't feel cohesive. I think it came with 7-8 large ish pieces of ravioli, but it still isn't very filling on its own. Margherita pizza (4/5) - A classic take on a thin-crust, wood-fire Margherita pizza, nothing particularly spectacular or unique, but it was very good! I heard from others in my party that the dessert and other dishes were generally so-so. The service was friendly but extremely slow. Maybe it's because we came with a very large group and it's a very small restaurant, but it took us nearly an hour to receive our entrees. Overall, for the price point of this restaurant, I was a little disappointed in the flavour, portion sizes, and experience.