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Archeo Trattoria
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
55 Mill StToronto, ON M5A 3C4
Neighbourhoods: Distillery District, West Don Lands
(416) 815-9898
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
16 reviews for Archeo Trattoria
16 reviews in English
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Review from John Paul T.
Montréal, QC
2/20/2012
Archeo is a great choice when looking for a place to dine in the Distillery District. Like many Torontoians I am simply enamored with the Distillery District all its offerings. But unfortunately I'm not made of money and I dine out a lot so I'm always on the look-out for something moderately affordable but still classy enough to feel like you're going 'somewhere.' Archeo is the first restaurant as you walk through the gates into the Distillery (which is accessible from Mill Street; go south on Parliament and turn left onto Mill Street). It is an Italian 'trattoria' as the name suggests with some outdoor seating at the front and a large lofty space on the inside. The decor is a little sparse for my taste--a little too industrial--but the space is nice and comfortable enough. The menu is small-ish with many excellent options; they feature only the best. They bring warm bread and balsamic vinagrette/oil to the table. I started with the soup of the day--butternut squash--and it was delightful ($8) thick and soupy, just as I like it. I had the margherita pizza as my main entree and make sure you add peperoni for the extra $2, its worth it and the pepperoni is really tasty. A girlfriend got the margherita but seemed a little bland (as I usually find margherita pizzas). My boyfriend ordered the Braised Rabbit Ragu with Orecchiette and it was really quite good, and surprisingly affordable ($14). I had a bite and I was impressed. Another friend had the Sweet Potato Pansotti which she thought was delicious but the serving was a little on the small-side, fill up on bread if you're inclined to order this dish (or good for those who aren't starving when they arrive at the resto).
The service was a highlight of this place--clearly seasoned servers who understand the value of treating customer king. Its not like I like to be pampered or anything but simply remembering orders, refilling water on the regular, remember who ordered what, and having no trouble splitting the bill (side note: don't you hate when waiters moan about splitting the bill; I mean they probably make more tips on seperate cheques anyways!). The guy-girl duo who was working the room took great care of us, and I appreciated it.
So if you're in the Distillery District or around in Corktown stop by this great little spot--with a great blend or modern-traditional cuisine in a great space. The prices are right (for the location!), the service is well honed, and you'll enjoy yourself, I promise. -
Review from O S.
Thornhill, ON
5/21/2012
Tried to have lunch on the patio at 2pm. We were told that the place was packed (by the hostess) and that we could have drinks right off, but that food would take about 30 minutes to get to us. Ok, we settled in and decided to wait it out.
After sitting down, the waitress told us the wait would be an hour. We let her know that the hostess said otherwise, but she didn't have a comment for it. Fine, given that they said it was busy, and the weekend, and we didn't feel like getting in another line elsewhere, we settled...again.
Meanwhile, the other patrons on the patio were eating, and we weren't given an answer to our question as to why they could eat and not us. I had to assume that these patrons also waited an hour, since the waiter wouldn't say.
Half hour goes by and food is streaming out of the kitchen. I decided to go inside to see how busy it was. IT WAS LESS THAN HALF FULL. The patio by this time, was also less than half full, but the food restriction was still on.
Then the waitress came out to proceed to tell us the specials of the day. Why the hell would you do this, knowing that the patrons can't eat what your offering? Was this to help quell the hunger pains? Or cause more?
After a half hour, we pushed back, stating everything above. Suddenly, they offered a burger and fries that would be 6-8 minutes. It actually took 25, but I cut them even more slack.
Then the waiter comes by to check up. "Wasn't it worth waiting for??" Holy s**t. You gotta be kidding! "Dude, do you know a burger anywhere that you would wait 1.5 hours for? Seriously?" Look, I had to be frank. I think sometimes staff stay stupid crap without thinking, simply because they feel it's expected of them. Personally, I feel dumb questions should get a dumb answer.
Never coming back. This was my 3rd attempt to eat there. The first 2 attempts were blocked by private events. Totally done with this place. Go to the Boiler House or Tappas if you need to eat at the Distillery District. Avoid this place like the plague. -
Review from Jon O.
5/19/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Sadly there aren't enough choices to eat in the Distillery when the Food Truck Festival isn't on. My DC and I had a gift certificate to Boiler House or Archeo and we chose Archeo for the lower prices.
The décor of the restaurant is excellent. Very modern, minimal, "lofty" concrete-and-wood with Toronto-themed art. Although it might feel a bit stuffy at first because of the location and menu prices it actually has quite a relaxed vibe.
Our waitress was new and didn't know how to open the wine we ordered with a standard corkscrew. It didn't bother us at all and lightened the mood, but be aware of that sort of service bothers you.
Everything was going along smoothly, but I found the food simply average. We started with the phyllo wrapped brie, which was delicious, but not really a culinary secret. For mains we had the duck confit pizza and the roasted pork tenderloin. The pizza was lacking in duck and the tenderloin looked better than it tasted. For dessert we had the canoli, the best part of which was the memories of much better canolis I had in NYC.
Overall it's not a bad dining experience, but I expected above average food and didn't get it. -
Review from Denise S.
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Archeo has been an old standby whenever I'm in the Distillery District. I still remember years ago when Archeo and Boiler House were the only sit-down restaurants at 55 Mill Street! Although there are now plenty more options, I still like Archeo and find it to be pretty consistent.
Starting with the location, it's right off the main gates, so very easy to find and convenient. The space is minimalist and rustic, very open and relaxed yet still fancy-ish. It makes sense that it is a popular venue for weddings and other private events. On that note, I have come here in the summer several times only to find that it is closed for an event, so do keep that in mind (or better yet, make a reservation on opentable!). The one thing that I think is out of place and detracts from the atmosphere is the TV playing CP24 in the corner. Just unnecessary and placed in an almost hidden location that I doubt anyone except for staff ever watches it.
One of my favourites from their menu was the ricotto gnudi, which were cheesy and light like clouds. However, it is sadly no longer on the menu. The sandwiches make for a yummy lunch, although currently the sandwich choices are only a turkey club or a burger. On my last visit, my DC and I decided to share a salad and a pizza. I remember their pizzas being really big, so this was a good decision! We had the roasted vegetable pizza, which has mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, zucchini and mozzarella with tomato sauce. It was fresh and flavourful. Their crust is nice and soft, although you might not like that if you prefer a thinner, crispier crust like at Terroni or Libretto. We also had the arugula and bosc pear salad. The portion was generous and the vinaigrette just light and delicate.
Service is considerate and gracious. On my last visit, our server was very mindful that we had to catch a show at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, and brought extra dishes since we were sharing.
Overall, Archeo is a nice place for a laid-back pre-theatre meal and in the summer, the stunning patio is a prime spot for relaxing with some vino.Listed in: Patio Season!, La Dolce Vita
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Review from Kiran S.
Toronto, ON
1/3/2012
I went here over the holidays, after having read many good reviews on yelp!
Archeo is in the distillery district, right off the main gate. Once inside we were greeted and our coats hung for us. It was not very busy inside, a handful of people. I love the decor, modern fused with the historical beauty of the building. We were seated near the window (drafty! could improve on their insulation) and our waiter came by to greet us. She was friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. I ordered the Cobb salad, and my friend the french onion soup and rabbit pasta (that is not the name of this dish on the menu btw, but my best recollection of what he had).
I loved my salad. It was a mixed Cobb, with pieces of chicken, grilled corn, thick bacon chunks, greens, tomatoes, blue cheese, yummy yummy yummy. Zesty lemon based dressing set it off. Its on the appetizer menu but easily could be a main course (I didnt even finish my salad, it was a big serving size).
I tried my friends french onion soup, it had a huge dollop of cheese on top! whooee if you love melted cheese, this is for you! The soup part itself was flavored well. Also tried his rabbit pasta...very good. I rarely eat rabbit, but I would say it didnt have any particular taste to it, just tasted like...meat.
I really enjoyed this restaurant. It would be more fun (not to mention more warm!) with a larger crowd. Given that, the food was excellent and I will return to try other dishes on the menu. I love restaurants that offer some type of creativity to their menu's!
I noticed this place has been given $$$ price ratings. I wouldnt say its overly expensive. Our meal came to...$50-60 tax/tip incl, including a glass of wine. -
Review from Teresa H.
Greektown, Toronto, ON
12/22/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Went here on a business lunch with co-workers for a holiday treat and appreciation. It was fantastic! Although we got lost finding the restaurant, once we were able to locate it what a nice place to have discovered. (Note to people who are looking, the restaurant is just to the left inside the main gate - we were blinded by the people taking down the Xmas fair decorations and missed the sign)
There were 4 of us and we were well attended to. They have a coat check in the front which is a nice touch so you don't have to drag your coat around and hang on the back of your chair.
We ordered appetizers, and remarked at the variety of interesting foods from rabbit ragout, to duck confit. The appetizers we ordered were escargot, and baked brie wrapped in filo pastry. The escargot is divine as it is in a cheese and butter sauce and piled on top of a roll that's been cut out and the escargot sit in it.
For lunch we all ordered differently. The pasta isn't too big for lunch, even if the waitress says it's huge. The pizza however is too big if you are ordering an appetizer. Of our party we had the rabbit ragout pasta, the mushroom pasta, the pepperoni pizza, and the duck confit pizza. I had the duck and it was delish!
I would love to go again one day. I really enjoyed this restaurant and the service was fantastic. She was attentive and helpful with our questions. -
Review from Leslie-Anne W.
Toronto, ON
11/16/2010
The staff at Archeo Trattoria were fantastic in planning our wedding at their venue. The industrial beauty of the restaurant was exactly what we were looking for. Other than the groom, the most important part of my wedding was the food. Archeo ran the dinner like a regular restaurant, with each guest getting a menu, so I didn't have to fuss with everyones preferences beforehand. The food was delicious and the most restaurant quality food I had experienced at a wedding. The side patio was a great place to have cocktails and lounge after dinner. My guests say that one of the highlights of the night was the amazing bartender, who remembered everyones drinks and kept them flowing all night.
If you are looking for a modern wedding in an unconventional space, this is the place.Listed in: Let's Do This Thing...A List…
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Review from Keidi K.
9/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
Shot a wedding here. The food was amazing the patio great and the service exceptional!
First off I was totally excited to have a wedding at the Distillery. I mean it's just such a fantastic spot for photos!
I had a chance to chat with some of the staff and most of them are artists, actors and/or models trying to pick up some cash while looking to score their next big hit. That being said, there was nothing cocky about their service, they were friendly, genuine and never seemed annoyed by requests.
The decor is great and perfect for an intimate wedding, with a great patio for the ceremony or just the cocktail hour.
And the food? Well that deserves a 5 stars just by itself! Perfectly cooked and seasoned, to where you have no need to add any more salt (being a salt addict this is a big award) -
Review from Leons P.
Toronto, ON
2/22/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Meh. The menu's pretty uninspired. There are better restaurants in the distillery, and there's better Italian to be had in Toronto.
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Review from Richie S.
2/8/2010
***3.5 Stars***
I'm saddened to read some of the reviews regarding this place.
THAT SAID, I also boycott all places participating in Winter/Summerlicious (only during these "festivals") because I see the best and worst in customers / staffers and therefore I can't really gauge a true feel for a place during these time periods.
I liked Archeo. I found the food to be good and love the inclusion of Mill St. brews. Great selection of wines, including a good portion of Ontario/Canadian. Ordering and actually receiving food seems to be a long-running problem, as every time we've gone it has either been a wait for one portion of the meal OR the bill.
I liked the place so much, I had my wedding reception here, but I don't think one can compare having a sitdown meal with renting the place out. An open bar can have that effect.
Love the decor inside and patio as well. Hmm. Will have to try again sometime soon. -
Review from Cass S.
Toronto, ON
7/26/2011
This is a nice-looking restaurant with a great patio and I probably would've given it five stars had I not returned so many times and found the service and food to be inconsistent. When it's good it's really really good, but because I'm rather a regular there I've experienced some frightful moments like: getting meat when I specifically asked for none or being ignored by servers. For the most part it's pretty great though; obviously the fact that I keep going back (I work in the Distillery) speaks for itself. The Caesar salad is amazing (usually) and if they had a few more healthy/vegetarian dishes I'd go more often.
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Review from Jenn W.
9/17/2009
Great spot for an afternoon drink & snack on the flower drenched patio. I'm not sure how extensive the wines by the glass are as I had a one-track mind for Prosecco. The beer selection, while having a couple of decent options, was a bit flawed considering the history of the location (everything was imported, we were expecting more local microbrew).
As to food, we were just in for a snack so we split the strawberry goat cheese salad. We declined bread when asked, but our server brought it anyways and when the salad arrived we knew why he had - it's not a strawberry & goat cheese salad, it's a strawberry-goat cheese salad (with delicious pickled sweet onions and fresh spinach). This was one of the few instances in which "cheese with stuff in it" (as my cheesemonger friend says) was acceptable (more than acceptable) , the portion of cheese was massive and we were happy for the delicious nutty wheat rolls.
Our server was delightful, chatty & entertaining. Unfortunately his chattiness resulted in very slow service, the missing star is for that and the poor selection of beer. -
Review from Tina N.
Toronto, ON
1/29/2011
My partner and I lucked out and got a seat here during the Winterlicious event! It was a delicious and reasonable meal where there was an appropriate amount of food per course (very hard to come across at other restaurants). Good salad starter, tasty fresh made pizza entree and a not so bad chocolate cannolis dessert. Wonderful service that was friendly, upbeat and efficient. We stuck around for awhile and took our time eating and felt no pressure at all. Everything was decent so if you're at the district, it's worth a visit, especially during Winterlicious!
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Review from H S.
6/19/2010
Disclaimer: we dined here as a part of a private party / large group (apx. 80 of us) and did not have the ability to select from the regular menu. Due to the challenges involved serving a group that size I'm adding a half of a star to what would have otherwise been a 2.5.
Pros: Atmosphere - the Distillery is an interesting pedestrian-only brick area that had live entertainment in the street (another private party complete with go-go dancers and techno music), it filled up with club-dress wearing 20-somethings by the time we were leaving.
The interior is charming from the walls up (see other reviews for detail), but the cement floor needs ....needs....SOMEthing.... just not cement.
Staff - very attentive, no downtime, excellent bartender - looking for the next customer while remembering/serving your 3 drink orders.
Outside patio - the couch area was intimate yet perfect for people watching.
Creme Brulee - I'm a creme brulee NUT - this was the 2nd best I've ever had...the first being at a tiny restaurant in Vail, CO.
Cons - the appetizers were inedible (lamb, mini-burgers, spicy chicken), the dinner salmon was bland and overcooked, the dinner tenderloin was anything but tender and overcooked.
Overall - if you're a family looking for a nicer place to take the kids, I would try it. If you're a foodie - not so much. -
Review from Phil T.
Toronto, ON
7/3/2009
Excellent patio seating. It's stunning venue if you like the modern rustic look. Their Summerlicious menu was excellent for a $15 lunch. The smoked pork sholder quiche was suprising good. Their bread was soft and still warm.
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Review from Dylan O.
Toronto, ON
6/11/2010
Amazingly huge and tasty antipasto app. I ordered the pulled pork special with homemade BBQ sauce and guatemole on a lightly toasted bun. Delicious :P Sweet potato fries are out of this world.
