Atmosphere/Service: It was a nice little restaurant on busy Bay Street. Parking was the tough part, but getting here from Eatons center was doable as it was only walking distance. The atmosphere was warm and it made me think of small Italian restaurants, but less crowded due to social distancing. The waitresses were super friendly and although it took my date and I some time to look over the menu, they were very respectful and gave us the space we needed but was willing to answer any questions we had Menu/food: They had an open oven concept where you could see your pizza being made and I really thought this was cool. All the food was so fresh and flavorful that time went by without me even realizing it. The pizza crust was so soft and doughy, the pasta was al dente which I love, and the muscle sauce was the perfect size of tangy! And to wrap it all up, their gelato was so yummy I wanted another scoop! Overall: Definitely would recommend this place if you worked downtown or live downtown or was around the area. Great dinner location after shopping or even near city hall. The food was superb, the space was cozy. read more

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We decided to check out this rather innocuous looking pizza spot near my husband's office one night, and we were happy with our experience. The room is small, and the service was friendly. We shared a Caesar salad to start, which was simple but good. We had the duck confit white pizza and the Iberian red pizza. They were both quite tasty, and I reheated them the next morning on the frying pan for breakfast! They had some decent wines to choose from as well. Overall, we were both impressed with the good simple pizza. I think we've both kind of reached a saturation point with pretentious pizza spots, so this was a nice find in the middle of the financial district. read more

Za Cafe Pizzeria + Bar - Duck confit white pizza - Pizza Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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We were staying at a hotel nearby and picked this Italian restaurant within walking distance. It's a cozy small restaurant with a small bar area. The food overall was fantastic: Caesar Salad - 4/5 very good, with crispy prosciutto and shaved Parmesan. The dressing had a tangy kick but was on the lighter side. Spaghetti Seafood - 5/5 YUMMY! There were large tiger shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari, and salmon in a white wine tomato sauce. So good, loved the variety of seafood. One of better seafood pasta dishes I've had. Mushroom Mafalda - 5/5 HEAVEN! Mafalda pasta with four different mushrooms: cremini, oyster, portobello, and porcini. It's cooked in a truffle cream sauce and is a mushroom lover's dream! Absolutely delicious. The server was friendly but not attentive. She forgot a beer we ordered. Aside from that the food was overall so good I would most definitely come back again. read more

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Finally came in to eat here after ordering delivery pizza so many times! Interior was really small but service was friendly. Kitchen was a little bit slow but quality was good. Pizza was a bit too burnt in the middle, surprising that happened. Seafood risotto and lamb ragu were solid. Not much of a vibe inside but food is solid, fair value. read more

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I have to say I really enjoy the pizza here. I've been here a few times including a large group lunch and have always had good pizza. Today I had the meat lovers pizza minus the nuduja sausage and cirriander sauce.. It was very tasty, light chewy crust and delicious ingredients... Well done indeed. We also had a burrata salad and some nut pesto pasta, they were ok, but the standout by far was the pizza... read more

I don't know about everyone else, but when I want pizza, I just wanna go to a pizzeria, nothing fancy and I don't want to pay a fortune for my pizza. My son wanted to come here after the baseball game in Toronto. It was a fancier place with candles on the tables and a bar in the front. They had a big selection of pizzas and pastas. The only pizza that sounded good to me was pepperoni because that's just the kind of gal I am. We all kind of split the pepperoni pizza, the truffle pizza and whatever the third pizza was that we had I don't even know what it was. My son also ordered carbonara which I had never had before, and I will never have it again because I did not like it. She said it was not the best she had. She definitely had better than that. As For the pizzas ,in my opinion, the pepperoni one was by far the best, but it was so flat there was nothing to it. It was the size of a small Buffalo pizza , but with a $21 price tag on it. Therefore it was way too expensive, way too flat, but the pepperoni was really good. I did not care for the truffle pizza which the other three who I was with, my two sons and my son's girlfriend, they all loved it. As for the third pizza, whatever it was, I'm sorry I can't give the name, nobody thought it was great. It was just OK. Everything here was very very overpriced, but the server was super nice so I liked her. For dessert, my son Matty got the tiramisu and said it was pretty good, me and my other son girlfriend got the strawberry cheesecake gelato. That was delicious. But that too was over four dollars for just three little scoops. I would probably not come here again, unless I just sat and watched everybody else eat, and then I go to a real pizzeria and order a large pizza and eat the whole thing myself, lol. But I know no matter what I get in Canada it will never be as good as Buffalo !!! read more

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This is a great spot for a quick and satisfying office lunch. I tried their Margherita pizza and would highly recommend it - super fresh and flavorful. The ambience is cozy, and the service is friendly, making it a solid choice for a casual bite. Pro tip: they offer amazing discounts on Uber Eats! Highly recommend- Truffle Pizza, Margherita pizza read more

Za Cafe Pizzeria + Bar - In foreground- Margherita with mushrooms (extra topping) further away is Truffle Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

We cane here for a business lunch and the restaurant was packed; so, if you're a larger group or want to secure your table, make sure you make reservations. The service is fast and efficient and staff are friendly. The ambiance is very pleasant and professional as most of the guests are here for either a business lunch or gatherings. They have great variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian pasta and pizza options and pizzas are suitable for 2 people. read more

Quick and delicious / the pizzas held up well as takeout on the walk back to the hotel. Nice Thick crust, flavorful sauce. The Margherita and mushroom hit the spot! read more

A gem. Perfect for a quick catch up with friends or coworkers or just a quiet spot for a bite to eat and drink after work. Friendly service, great wine and cocktail list, and broad menu. read more

Za Cafe Pizzeria + Bar - Truffle pizza - Pizza Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This is our go to place and usually we get good service. But tonight was terrible and I would think more than twice to go again. Let me paint a picture. When we arrived there were 2 other tables, we ordered non-alcoholic drinks and a starter. Our starter arrived and almost 5 min after that our drinks, so thats almost 15 - 20 minutes we waited for our drink, while they were NOT busy. We then ordered our mains (before our starter arrived), after they cleared the table for the starter the server came and asked what we ordered as she forgot, 2 minutes later she came back AGAIN to ask what we ordered as she continues to forget (now when we first ordered she actually wrote it down). Then she said she will ask the kitchen to rush it, so that means that she did not enter the order the first time. Then came the dessert, we ordered tiramisu and cannoli, when it arrived she only gave us the tiramisu and said enjoy, we needed to remind her that we ordered the cannoli as well (so again she forgot). The cannoli was a disappointment as it was only filled (slightly) on the ends and not all the way through. When they cleared the dessert plates we asked for our bill. Immediately after asking for it, the server went to the bar, cleaned the bar, drank a drink and was on her phone. The table next to us (who asked for their bill after us) got it first and we needed to remind her AGAIN that we would like our bill. So needless to say, tonight which was supposed to be a nice night out was horrible!!! And what is surprising is that we were there in the in past when it was way busier and got better service. Next time I will first look at who the servers are, and if it is the server that served us tonight I will turn around and walk out even if they are not busy. I think the managent staff need to seriously look at their servers as this was unacceptable, I will forgive it if it happened once, or if they were extremely busy but 4 times and while it was not as busy is not a good sign. Would not recommend to go based on the service we received tonight, unfortunately. The only saving grace is the quality of the food. read more

Great food and ambiance. We were looking for a place Close to our hotel. Was not disappointed everything was excellent including the service read more

although Za doesn't feel like a trattoria, their food is nonetheless comforting Italian fare. The beef carpaccio ($17) lays out large slices of raw beef tenderloin that's liberally seasoned with salt, lemon juice, and very little oil. While it doesn't have the drizzles of aioli that typically graces a Canadian carpaccio, there's tons of flavours from pickled bell peppers, brined caper berries, and thick shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano. It's a rustic carpaccio and would be even better if the salt was toned down a bit. The burrata pizza ($21) special had a similar vein, the white pizza foundation just lightly brushed with oil, so the paper-thin crust remained wonderfully crispy and light. While the base was sauceless, the pie was still so flavourful from the herb and garlic base, tons of arugula, bright cherry tomatoes, and a ball of cool creamy burrata that went so nicely with the crispy hot dough. How do we get this special to be on the permanent menu? I'm glad we tried their house made pasta as the curly strands of casarecce were perfectly done, chewy but still soft - almost like a pasta and gnocchi hybrid. The pasta's crevices helped to scoop up the shrimp cognac's ($24) creamy cognac rosé sauce, which was rich but refreshing. We were surprised by the generous portion of six tablespoon sized shrimp that topped the dish, more than enough to go around while sharing. The pesto green ($17) was also large with plenty of the basil sauce so that it seeps into the tubular garganelli. The small dollops of ricotta were a nice touch, but there needed to be more of it. While the seafood spaghetti's ($28) presentation wasn't the greatest, the dish contained a decent selection of seafood: shrimp, salmon, calamari, mussels, and clams. Like the other pastas, Za didn't skimp on the ingredients as there was plenty of it. Often, pasta that's fresh is best, but on the odd occasion I prefer the dried variety. For spaghetti this is the case, as I found the fresh version too doughy and soft. Interestingly, Za uses a spicy tomato white wine sauce with the seafood spaghetti. The heat was evident but doesn't necessarily add to the dish. In retrospect, I would have preferred a traditional non-spicy sauce instead. The Basque cheesecake ($12) is ideal for sharing as it's sizeable. While it was well caramelized, that slightly toasted taste wasn't pronounced... it pretty much tasted like any other cheesecake. Perhaps it's because the mixture was too dense, not the light creamy consistency you'd expect from a Basque. Za's tiramisu ($9) was a let down. It consisted of a lot of whipped cream and cocoa powder and very little lady fingers and mascarpone. At least it was a flavourful dessert, albeit basic and without a zip of zabaglione, which is disappointing compared to their other rustic fares. read more

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This pizzeria in the heart of downtown offers excellent variety in their food, especially their pizzas. I tried the mushroom pizza, which was topped with cremini, roasted garlic, black truffle cream, oyster, portobello mushrooms, and fresh mozzarella. Their thin crust pizzas with their hearty toppings were excellent. They also have some other fun topping options for their pizzas, such as fresh fig and honey, duck, fried eggland and tandoori chicken. Service was a bit slow..it took almost half an hour to get our pizza, but our big group was nonetheless happy to be able to be seated anywhere for dinner on a Tuesday evening! read more

Za Cafe Pizzeria + Bar - Mushroom pizza - Pizza Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Trust this review! Best Pizza i ever had!!! Spent 3 days in Toronto and ate here both nights. This is definitely the place to eat at if your craving a mouth watering za. read more

The pizzas are delish - highly recommend the meat lovers pizza! Absolutely loved the pesto pasta as well.

This really turned out to be one of the best places we've eaten in Toronto. Our server was AJ and he was outstanding. Very personable and paid a lot of attention to us even though they were quite busy. The food was absolutely delicious and one of the best pizza and pasta we've ever eaten. The place is very casual and trendy. It's right across the Eaton centre - so a superb location to get some great food after your shopping or just a casual dinner. We will definitely come back to try more from their menu. Thanks for such a great experience, AJ! read more

Za Cafe Pizzeria + Bar - Pesto pasta and their delicious chili oil - Pizza Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

We got lobster ravioli and tiramisu via ÜberEats. The first and predominant taste of the ravioli was that of fresh thyme. That is an extremely strong herb to pair with the delicate taste of lobster. The ravioli were very greasy. There needed to be at least one fresh ingredient besides the 3 tiny semi-cooked tomatoes. Tiramisù was also ok. The ladyfingers should meld with the marscapone to create a cloudy dream of a dessert. With this one, I was chewing on soggy ladyfingers for the finish of each bite. That was unfortunate and a bit gross. Room for improvement at this price point. read more

Za Cafe Pizzeria + Bar - Tiramisu - Pizza Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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This is one the best pizza joints I've tried in a while, the veal pizza is amazing and worth it and I enjoyed the pesto pasta and the ambience was rather scenic. The service was quick and they were super friendly as well !!! read more

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We liked the Za Cafe. It was yummy. The Creamy Chicken was scrumptious. The Seafood Spaghetti had a little too much pepper making it somewhat spicy. The Margarita Pizza was good but nothing completely out of the water. The Veal Pizza was lovely. We had to wait a very long time to get served, or get the bill. They seem severely understaffed. read more

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Ok, so I'm in Toronto for the first time. We made reservations at this restaurant just a block up from the hotel on Bay Street. The waitresses name is Christine and she was awesome!! She was so attentive, maybe it's a Canadian thing, but it was the best service I've ever had. She deserves all of the accolades and praise for sure. Christine was very accommodating and did everything with a smile. The food was absolutely delish and filling. Some of the best Italian food I've ever had for sure. We basically ordered almost every dish on the menu, starting with the pizza. The crust was extra light and crunchy and made with fresh ingredients. They have this beautiful pizza oven that definitely does the job. We ordered the mushroom, margherita and meat lovers pizzas and they were absolutely delish. We also ordered the spicy mussels, arugula salad, brown butter lobster risotto, creamy chicken, shrimp cognac and lobster ravioli (contained large pieces of lobster). That's all that I can recall, there was so much. We all sampled a little of each dish and everyone had the same reaction of amazement. By the end of the night we were way too full to try the desserts. I also ate so fast that I neglected to take my usual pics of the food. Trust me, it was well presented and great! I'll definitely come back when I'm in Toronto again. If you're in Toronto, please stop by, but make a reservation, it's a very small spot. The decor makes you feel like you're in Italy. It'll be well worth your time and your taste buds will thank you. read more

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Thin crust Margherita pizza with san marzano tomato sauce is typically my go to but za was undercooked and excruciatingly salty. The grilled shrimp appetizer consisted of six pieces of shrimp, a small handful of arugula and a slice of lemon. The shrimp actually had really good flavour from the grilling and Italian bomba sauce but I was not impressed with the dish as a whole and it was not worth the price tag. Two stars. read more

Za Cafe Pizzeria + Bar - Grilled shrimp - Pizza Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Walking up and down Downtown Toronto looking for a place to eat.... We yelped and found this place. I am glad we found it and enjoyed the best meal of our trip. We had the spicy sausage pizza and the creamy chicken pasta. Food was excellent. On top of that the service was awesome, she was confident in giving recommendations to guide us what to order. She also checked with us - just right, not hoveringly. It's just funny when in some places. You are scared to take a bite because here comes the server asking if you need anything- Not here! All the staff were friendly, courteous, and kind. ( someone working outside asked for water and the lady at the bar, willingly served him. I thought that was really nice. The place was beautifully done - classy but not scary that it looks too expensive. The prices were great as well. Had to check the Restroom/washroom - Ckean!!! Well maintained. So look no further, have a wonderful enjoyable meal or date with your special someone. I know I did. read more

Za Cafe Pizzeria + Bar - Spicy sausage pizza and creamy chicken pasta. - Pizza Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Because the pizzas are made in the stone oven, have the burned crust that makes the difference. The tiramisu had a lovely presentation and the taste was marvelous. The service was phenomenal as well, very attentive, polite and always with a smile on her face. The music was perfect, both mood and volume, nicely decorated as well. I do not think there is anything bad I can say about Za Cafe. I would probably order some pizzas to take out another day but just because is more convenient to eat it at home, not because it's not nice to eat there again read more

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Food & pricing is outstanding. The pizza is world class. A total find. Service is fabulous whether for take-out, bar or table. Kind of a small store, and I doubt a big guy like me would want to regularly eat at a table, but I am the exception. Everyone I saw was smiling and I was perfectly comfortable eating at the bar. read more

Their pizzas are Neapolitan styled pizzas (something in the crust that made a tiny little difference that i think it could be even closer to its style). So far we have tried the margherita and meat lover pizzas. The meat lover a little salter than expected but otherwise, they are very good. Loved the basils. Their iced latted (flavored and plain) both are great. I cant stop drinking them. They do take out and only 10 mins wait if ordered in person for takeout. not too bad. :) read more

Service was good and should have gone with their staple...pizza but I got the Salmon Alla Vodka and it was mediocre at best (bland as the day is long). My son got the Island Pizza and though a little floppy it was very good. Another frustrating thing was the charge for a shirley temple @ $6.50 (Sprite and a little grenadine) complete rip off. read more

While the pizza is good, I'm giving lower ratings due to understaffing/slow service I ordered take out and it took 30 minutes to get my pizza, the waitress initially said 5 mins, maybe I heard wrong. Other high-end pizza places take at most 15-20 minutes At 12 pm on a weekday, I only saw 2 waitress on the floor and that wasn't enough. I originally tried placing a phone order but no one picked up. The food was very slow; dine-in customers, food delivery drivers, and I were all waiting for our food. If this is the norm, I would avoid dining in if u only got 1 hour, and do takeout order ahead of time. read more

Za Cafe Pizzeria + Bar - Spicy house sausage - Pizza Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I visited this restaurant several times during a trip to Toronto. The food, the service, and the drinks are amazing! My server on the first night was Hannah - she's super friendly and made the absolute best recommendations. In the visits that I made, myself and my party ordered Salmon Alla Vodka, Lamb Ragu, Fig Pizza, Lobster Risotto, Rose (can't remember which one, but it paired so well with the Salmon Alla Vodka), Manhattans, Espresso Martini, and the melted cheese appetizer. We were all highly satisfied by our choices and loved our experience here. 10/10 would recommend read more

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Pizza is tasty and the reviews don't lie about arugula salad. My bf doesn't like arugula or so he says but he really enjoyed this salad so much we went back twice. Service is friendly too. Gets a little busy read more

Wow, what a hidden gem! I found this place through Uber eats and I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised! I ordered the spicy sausage za which comes with San Marzano tomatoes, mozarella, rapini, green chilies and spicy sausage. It came fresh out of the wood oven and I couldn't resist the temptation - I took a bite there and then! It tasted like heaven. The dough was soft, cheese was perfectly melted and the chilies and sausage provided the perfect spice. Never would I have thought I would enjoy rapini on a pizza but it complemented the overall flavours. One of the best pizzas I've had in a while. Would definitely recommend read more

Za Cafe Pizzeria + Bar - Spicy sausage - Pizza Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Wow!!!!!! Truffle pizza w arugula was amazing!!!!!!! Service was a 10! Don't let the construction deter you!

I ordered the eggplant pizza. Delish! Linguine and clams was ok. Pasta was a tad overcooked but edible. I'm a sauce snob and the sauce on the pizza was fabulous!! Good meal for the price. I had the food delivered to the hotel so I cannot speak to the ambiance. Good job everyone. read more

I got the meat lovers pizza from Za and it's probably the best Italian pizza I've had in many years. I am very picky on my pizza and this was genuinely what a pizza should taste like. read more

Went on a weeknight with a friend from work. We both ordered pizzas which were a good size and very yummy. (Vegetarian for me, fried eggplant for her). LOTS of toppings! Definitely shouldn't have finished mine but couldn't stop myself! The service was good, food came out very fast. The ambiance was fine, nothing particularly good or bad about it. Lots of vegetarian options for both pasta and pizza! Would definitely go back. read more

I had the shrimp cognac which was out of this world. They make their own pasta and you can tell; it's excellent. We also split a Caesar salad which was plenty for two people. I didn't try the pizza but they're made in a brick oven and looked good. This was our best meal in Canada. Nice cozy little trattoria-like restaurant with good service. Frankly seems out of place in the financial district. read more

So tasty. Loved the mushroom risotto and the carbonara, looking forward to try other dishes. The tiramisu as a dessert was definitely a great choice, just wish it was bigger read more

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Their pizza is amazing, Its perfectly cooked with the right amount of char. A perfect soft and crunchy pizza

First time in Toronto and this was the first time at this restaurant. Excellent pizza, old fashioned, and dessert.

the very best pizza in toronto. authentic. the real thing. excellent dough and toppings.