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| - This restaurant was a random but wonderful choice for five hungry people at the end of a long day of visiting Toronto's tourist attractions. (I felt a teeny bit of pressure as my guests from Michigan have Italian heritage and were keen to see what Little Italy has to offer!) The proximity of a gelato bar (The Mad Italian) factored in our first idea of getting dinner at Tavernitis, but the friendly waiter who saw us loitering outside looking at the posted menu kindly gave us menus to look at more conveniently, and the selection of salads, pastas, and pizzas drew us inside. The cozy atmosphere and aroma of Italian food reassured us as we made our way to our table.
The restaurant isn't large, but it is charming, with exposed brickwork, and cheerful red checked tablecloths. Our waiter was even more charming - an Italian newly arrived in Canada. He was patient with us (two adults, two teens and a child) as we asked about menu items, helped us arrange tables to accommodate our party, and he made useful recommendations about food and drink.
We were craving pizza, and ordered the carne (pepperoni, Italian sausage, bacon) and primavera (artichoke hearts, black olives, red peppers). As we waited, we noted that dishes at other tables looked very good - we wondered if our decision not to order an appetizer was wise, after seeing the bruschetta and calamari at the next table! We were very happy with our pizzas - thin crust, with a nicely flavoured tomato sauce, perfectly baked, and a good mixture of cheese and toppings. The toppings themselves were high quality - the pepperoni and sausage were much better than I am used to seeing on pizza.
We all enjoyed the food ... the adults enjoyed the wine, too! The prices were reasonable and the service was excellent. (Our experience couldn't have been more different than A.B.'s!) While there are lots of Italian restaurants to choose from in this area, I wouldn't hesitate to go back.
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