Eat: Terroni

{Image via Andrew Rowat}

There are lots of great places to eat in Toronto. I mean lots. That’s one of the greatest things about this city. It’s so diverse. Google ‘most multicultural cities in the world’ and Toronto will be listed on almost every page you find. Which means that you’d be hard pressed not to find pretty much any kind of cuisine you could be looking for. Toronto’s got it all.

When it comes to food, Toronto’s got it all. And when it comes to Italian, Terroni is my favourite.

But that also means that if you’re new to the city or if you’re a local looking for new places to try, it can be difficult to sort through the abundance of options. Let me help.

The place: Terroni is one of my absolute favourite restaurants in all of Toronto. {And according to this Toronto Life article, I’m not alone; Jake Gyllenhaal is apparently a fan, too!} Without question, it’s the food that ensures my return time and time again.

The food: Terroni is known for its pizzas but for me, the fresh pasta is the real attraction. Italian food can be found pretty much anywhere. But good, authentic Italian food? That’s not always so easy to sniff out. The Pappardelle alla Iosa {homemade spicy sausage, button and oyster mushrooms, peas, parmigiano, extra-virgin olive oil} and the Agnolotti alla Bella Olivia {buffalo milk ricotta and mozzarella agnolotti, yellow tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, pecorino, basil} are superb and delicious choices but the menu is full of mouthwatering options meaning you’ll have to visit over and over again to give everything that makes your taste buds tingle a try. One visit just won’t cut it.

The atmosphere: So much of what makes a restaurant a place you want to return to, a place you want to spend hours with friends, lingering over a glass of wine is the atmosphere and Terroni oozes with it. It’s hard to put into words what makes the restaurant so instantly welcoming; it’s a feeling you get when you walk through the doors. Interestingly, the Terroni location I love, on Adelaide Street, is situated in a former courthouse, complete with bathrooms in converted jail cells. But don’t worry: There’s nothing austere about the space as it is now. Step through the front doors and there’s a bar with an impressive offering of wine and spirits – an entire wall, to be clear. To the left, a grocery area to buy gourmet ingredients like olive oils and tomato sauces. And once inside the restaurant itself, the mood is laidback, casual and intimate. It’s the perfect place for good food and great wine, best shared with fine friends and stimulating conversation.

Buon appetito!