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Café Diplomatico
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
594 College StToronto, ON M6G 1B3
Neighbourhoods: Little Italy, Palmerston, Bickford Park
(416) 534-4637
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 8 am - 2 am
Fri-Sat 8 am - 3 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
48 reviews for Café Diplomatico
Review Highlights
48 reviews in English
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Review from Avi J.
3/31/2012
I absolutely do not understand why some folks have given this place less than 5 stars. I'd give 6 out of 5 if I could.
I'm visiting Toronto from Berkeley, CA. One thing I love doing when I travel is to wander around interesting neighborhoods, and so I spent a couple of hours walking around the residential neighborhood of "Little Italy" behind College Street. When I walked by Café Diplomatico the first time, at about 4 pm, the courtyard was teeming with happy people drinking their beers and eating (for the most part) pizza. By 6 I was really hungry, so I decided to give it a try.
My overall impression is that this is a place that cares a lot about the customer. Although the place was packed, I was seated in a jiffy. (In fact, while I was having dinner, I saw four staff members improvise a large seating for an unannounced party of 9, in record time, without disturbing any of the other patrons.)
I had the special -- grilled veal -- which was delicious: nicely marinated and done to a turn. There were tons of different desserts, and I chose the white chocolate and fruit mousse cake, which did not disappoint, along with a decaf espresso that tasted like it was made in Italy.
But best of all was the impeccable extra-mile service I received from Virginia, who was friendly yet genuine, attentive without being pushy. I cannot recall ever seeing a more professional server.
The price was completely reasonable for what I got -- $23.70.
True, the interior does not shout "fancy restaurant," but neither do the best trattorias in Italy. It's clean and comfortable and simple, and that was perfect. -
Review from Jay M.
Toronto, ON
3/25/2012
This place has been in business long enough to know how to make everything just good enough that you won't complain.
Today's breakfast was a good example of that. It's $5.29 or $6.29 depending on if you order before 11am or not. Today it was composed of 2 scrambled eggs which were actually scrambled well, but then on the side 2 (instead of the customary 3) pieces of deep fried sausage, around a half dozen tater tots, and toast which somehow managed to be burnt on the top but only toasted enough to be considered bread still for the other 3/4s of its density. And my dining partner had similar results only their eggs were over easy and came out near cold temperature.
And I could have sworn it said coffee was included but we were charged. But again, not enough of a hassle to want to complain to question it. Just paid the bill and bounced. -
Review from Natalie T.
East York, ON
2/22/2012
I was super starving so I came here for some quick Italiano.
VIBE
It's nothing much. Who knew that the movie Chole was filmed here? The humongous poster with the advertisement will tell you. (It is actually kind of cool).
The patio can't be beat if you're looking to chat with friends over a pitcher. Sangria in the summer!
And this is the place to be if there is a World Cup happening.
Staff is friendly but don't rush me and let me keep my menu on the table.
I ATE
The pizza and drink special for $2.50 plus tax. When did the Dip become a knock off of Pizza Pizza? I love that on the menu it has slashed prices. Not sure that is ever a good sign unless it really is a deal.
It was cafeteria food but as I said, I was hungry. Cheeseburgers and veal sandwiches are also on the discounted price list on the back of the menu.
OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK
I remember when I was 20 and I thought I was SO cool for coming here. This was the splurge meal. But now a 10 year old can afford this place. It's still a College St. landmark though.Listed in: Patio Lanterns, Pizza, College Street
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Review from Myrem D.
Mississauga, ON
9/4/2011 9 photos
Just when I thought I knew what horrid service was....this place pulled a one up me.
After a nice stroll me & my main decide to try this place out - the patio looks pretty chill and it was def popular.
I cannot begin to explain how poor the quality of food was. The oil/bread app they give you was just...blah. The oil had a thick body and they seriously should consider adding vinaigrette.
Our server was "new" with a heavy English accent so I suppose this should have been the first indicator. Still, we aren't such demanding folk so why not give it a whirl? Wrong. After she forgot to bring us the starter, we had to remind her about the drinks- thrice. How complicated is water and coke?
We had to wave down another server and finally he got us our drinks. I will say this tho, the coke class has a PUMA symbol on it. I have no clue what that's about but I like it. I wanted to try and take it home. Rest assured, I didn't. Too many witnesses.
I noticed that there's alot of groups that come here for the beer/pasta/snacks patio. With the way the servers are (they take 45minutes to come check on you), it's pretty good if you are looking to not be disturbed. If you are looking for food - keep walking and come back to the patio for a beer.
Order:
Crab dip
"special" - which we had to get another 2 servers to find out because our server and I quote ' haven't a bloody clue' - OH, brother.
grilled chicken panini - I got the panini without the chicken - HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? the server tried to tell me I ordered it that way. After huffing and puffing about how she will 'see what she can do' , I just sat there in shock. A- I am starving! B - what a RUDE way to make me feel. Actually, what a rude way to make ANYONE feel.
wow.
The bathroom is pure sketch. You walk inside and walk all the way to the end, down the smallest/sketchiest looking series of steps,you'll face the back/kitchen door. Walk down another bunch of steps down to the basement which is just a horror show. They DREW the "ladies" bathroom sign. REALLY? REALLY? considering you can get a sign from the dollar store, there is NO excuse. One of the doors to the 3 stalls wont even close properly.
We paid and left as soon as we got the bill - which on it's own was mission impossible.
Ughh.
xoxo
M. -
Review from Katherine L.
12/1/2011
Here's the thing, my family and I are the type of people to try any restaurant that's just around the corner because we're lazy. And rarely is it actually a place that we like. We were visiting Toronto from San Francisco, CA and were in the mood for Italian so we just parked across the street and walked in.
The service, atmosphere was nice from the start. But when the food got there... WOW! Their pasta was AMAZING!!! I forgot what I ordered and I wish I remembered so I could tell you all but my family and I have not stopped talking about that restaurant since we've visited over 5 years ago.
Everytime we head to an Italian restaurant back home, we always compare it and say "remember that one italian restaurant in toronto!! That was soo goood!" My sister agrees. I definitely rate it 5 stars for service, atmosphere and delicious food!
The manager even gave us free dessert, on the house! :) -
Review from Toronto L.
Toronto, ON
8/10/2011
The Toronto Lover system:
5 stars = Must visit!
4 stars = Really good. I take my friends here.
3 stars = Somewhat worth it... if you have nowhere better to go.
2 stars = Below average. Attend only when necessary.
1 star = Do not visit!
This is one of the better spots to hang out in Little Italy, if not for the food, then for the location and the buzz. It's good for coffee and conversation, lunch and drinks, or just enjoying this happening part of town. Late at night it becomes a bit of a hangout, where tans, big hair, and sunglasses get more focus than anything coming out of the kitchen or taps.
Constantly packed, trendy, and at a prime location, Café Diplomatico could probably serve and charge anything and still have success. Pizza, pasta, and sandwiches are available in the $10-15 range, and are generally appealing and served with speed - once you're lucky enough to place an order. Their pizza is fresh and has many options. Don't be tempted by the Cafe Dip Lager; stick to your usual choice of beer.
Most people come here to drink, see, and be seen on this stretch of College Street. Expect a possible wait to get a patio seat when the weather is nice. Also expect service to be below average: they don't need you, and they don't mind if you know it. Still, it's a winner.
4 stars -
Review from Alla A.
Toronto, ON
8/17/2011
Here is the story. We were greeted nicely at the door and told to take a sit at the patio at any table we liked. So we did. The lady at the next table was smoking and the wind was blowing right at us, so we decided to move to a different table (Especially since we didn't order anything yet) Not a big deal right? Wrong!! Some a$$hole manager-wanna-be came to us and said "CAN YOU SIT BACK AT THAT TABLE!" There was no "please" or even a concerned why we moved. We said we wanted to move because the smoke was bothering us. He said "IT'S A PATIO, I CAN'T TELL EVERYONE TO STOP SMOKING" and asking us to sit back at that table. There was plenty of empty tables, I don't know why he insisted we sat to that particular one (they were all for 4 people).
This was ridiculous. We left to a better place.
Really, this place is sh*tty. There are much better placed in Little Italy with a nice patio too!!! Don't come here!!! -
Review from Noel D.
1/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
The patio of this place is absolutely bonkers during the summer, but I don't really understand why. College and Clinton is a nice little corner so I guess people don't mind waiting in line for a table in order to drink and people watch. As far as having dinner though? There are so many better options in the area than The Dip.
I hadn't been here in a long time and thought I would give it a shot, but was greatly disappointed. The service was nice enough so I will give props to our waiter, but the food was incredibly bland and not exactly cheap for borderline cafeteria food. It was early afternoon and I was still in coffee mode, but was surprised that refills were 50 cents each. Who charges for refills anymore?!
I also had lentil soup, which lacked any flavour whatsoever, and a sandwich I believe was called the Diplomatico: if this is their signature sandwich than I don't think I'd care to try the others. It was incredibly skimpy on ingredients and was one of those instances where you're eating more bread than anything else. Gross.
Likely won't be coming back here again to be honest. Unless someone really wants to go, but past experiences haven't been too exciting and Utopia is right next door. -
Review from Alison B.
2/28/2011
Not very impressed with Cafe Dip. It looks like it should be some sort of age old college institution. But it ain't!
Instead, it's a fairly dirty restaurant with mediocre food and no spectacular deals. I found the menu to be seriously blah.
Bottom Line: If you are on college street, there are much better places you can go to get better eats at similar prices. -
Review from Ashley R.
Toronto, ON
12/21/2011
I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how this place is popular.
Sub par service and pasta and it's gross inside. -
Review from Tamara l.
Toronto, ON
12/8/2011
I went there with a group of friends for lunch, as there weren't a lot of restaurants open on College during the week for lunch time. I knew from past experiences this place had a great patio but terrible food but that was years ago so we decided to give it try again to see if things had improved. Well... its actually worse. I ordered Linguine Vongole, which is a dish I usually order at any Italian restaurant in the city. It tasted and smelled awful. The clams came out of a can! At all the other restaurants, the clams are still in the shell so you know they are fresh, but these ones were mushy and certainly the canned typed. I will never order anything but beer there again.
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Review from Shelly M.
10/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
Oh cafe diplomatico the years have been kind to you, your prices have also.
In my poor college years we used to come here for all you could eat spaghetti on Saturday.. I groan with delicious remembrance.. We would eat so much! To the point it was gross, full replent. Go home have a nap then wake up and go dancing at the dance cave! -
Review from Laz C.
Toronto, ON
2/16/2011
I'm just gonna come right out and say that I think Cafe Dip is absolutely the most overrated place in Toronto. I caught onto their lackluster food offerings long ago, but for years I allowed myself to be dragged there by friends that were drawn to the patio.
It has been common, in my experience, for every single order at the table to be screwed up in some way. 'Oh, you wanted whole wheat pizza dough and your friend ordered regular? Well, we just decided to switch it for you, and get your toppings wrong.'
As is probably indicated, I have been very disappointed with the pizza here, mostly because they never get my order right but also because the crust is too thin to stand up to the weight of the cheese and grease of the toppings so it gets soggy and floppy fast. Their minestrone, with its paltry sprinkle of pasta tubes underneath a flavorless broth, doesn't even meet the expectations of canned soup, let alone a traditional Italian dish. The potato puffs that they serve with their mediocre breakfasts must surely come from a freezer aisle. As for the pasta, the sauce I want never seems to be available but I'm also adverse to paying for non-fresh pasta as a restaurant meal.
I could go on but I feel that this place has already occupied too much of my time. Instead, I have finally taken a stand and will no longer agree to spend time or money there. Thankfully, Toronto has thousands of other places to sit outside and drink. -
Review from Tanya N.
2/27/2011
I've been meaning to try out Cafe Diplomatico for awhile since it seems to be such an establishment in Little Italy and the patio is packed in the summer.
I was expecting this place to be great but I'd have to agree with some of the other Yelpers - it's overrated.
The crab and lobster dip didn't taste like at all like lobster or crab - it was more so like a cheesy dip. My friend and I didn't even finish half of it.
My chicken parm with pasta came warm and was cold before I was half way through it. The chicken was nicely fried but lost some of its crispiness due to the fact that it seems to be sitting there in the sauce before it got to me. I also found the pasta to be bland - the chili flakes were my friend. Needless to say, I was disappointed and wouldn't go back. -
Review from Erin S.
Toronto, ON
9/21/2010
This place really embodies the spirit of "meh." The food is meh, the service is meh, the crowd is meh...even the patio is meh. I think people just get excited about the patio because it's the only thing viably positive about the experience.
It's not bad. It's fine. It's just...why would you go here? There are nicer, funner, cheaper places right on the same corner. -
Review from Kat F.
7/18/2009
"Psst," the waiter said to me: "The food here is mediocre, but the sangria is a killer. Once you try it you won't want to leave."
He wasn't kidding. My grilled cheese sandwich (which is admittedly difficult to screw up) was expensive ($4.50 without a side) and forgettable, but the pitchers of sangria were outrageously boozy and fruity.
At $30 a pitcher (you can't buy it by the glass) for red or white wine sangria, it was the priciest pitcher I'd ever had, but I got my alcohol's worth. Concentrated, fruity goodness served in a beautiful and sleek glass carafe.
I wasn't exactly wooed by the several dozen fruit flies floating around in the white wine sangria carafe but I wasn't completely turned off either, and I can only attribute this to the month of July - aka fruit fly season in Toronto. I've probably inadvertently swallowed hundreds of them in the past month. And the fruit in the carafe WAS enticing -- evidently to fruit flies as much as to humans -- mangoes, orange segments and whole cherries. So order the sangria but ask them to hold the fruit flies, and be sure to inspect before you swill.Listed in: Sangria!
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Review from Soukia S.
Toronto, ON
1/12/2010
I've been to Cafe Diplomatico twice and the second time was absolutely against my will, so I just ordered a beer.
I have no idea why this place is always packed. The food is less than mediocre -- come on people, you're in Little Italy! You can definitely find better Italian food! The ambiance is a little trashy and the price is crappy for what you're getting.
You know what frozen food pastas taste like? You know, the ones you can buy at grocery stores? I'm reminded of that. -
Review from Kent P.
6/2/2010
Packed patio.
All hype.
Food isn't awesome.
Nice to sit out there as long as there aren't too many smokers. -
Review from Lauren M.
That's right, yet another review of the Dip. I just can't help myself, after staggering home from here yesterday evening in a state of bliss. I just feel it deserves some love.
Completely agree with most of the reviews below, in that:
1) The patio is awesome (5 star)
2) The food is pretty terrible (2 star)
Therefore, I don't eat the food here (after 2-3 disappointing meals over the last few years)
But now that summer is in full swing, the Dip patio is likely to be a weekly occurrence for me. I've been twice already this past week and so far the service has been great, the wine, sangria and beer refreshing and the people watching absolutely top notch.
Go, but eat somewhere else first. -
Review from Sarah W.
Oakville, ON
9/15/2009
We only stopped in for coffee and dessert. When we told the waiter we didn't need bread, as we were just there for after dinner treats, he looked annoyed. Yes, I get it. Your tip might suck. But we're still customers, right?
The chocolate cake was pretty damn good. The frosting was a bit too thin, but the cake was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The "Sicilian Crepe" was unimpressive. A crepe wrapped around vanilla ice cream, and drizzled with chocolate. Ok, but not spectacular. Not that it promises to be.
Coffee was excellent, and, excluding the wait staff, I liked the atmosphere. Lots of people sitting outdoors, looking relaxed, deep in conversation. Very mellow crowd. -
Review from Matthew S.
Toronto, ON
4/27/2010
Great location and a decent patio, but otherwise Cafe Dip is crap. The few times I've been dragged here, the food has been totally weak and I don't like the atmosphere. I hate places like this that exploit a good location to survive despite being weak in all other areas.
Do yourself a favour and walk a block south to Bitondo's (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) for a slice or, even better, a panzarotti. If you want something classier, walk a few blocks east to Negroni (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) for some killer panini. Want to eat outside? Find a park. -
Review from vivian v.
Aurora, ON
5/4/2009
Okay, I feel like I'm the only person who was a Little Italy resident that does not and would never call this place "The Dip." Already, that name is frustrating me enough to not want to go back.
I think people's frustrations is very well warranted. I've had some god awful experiences there. I've had a waitress ignore us the entire time we were seated there because we happened to be sitting next to her sister, so her attention was elsewhere, yelling across the restaurant to get her order. Frustrating. My most irritating experience was when a waitress dumped a cup of coffee on me because after I stood up, she did a quick turn from the counter instead of being CAREFUL. Oh, and it was my fault and I've never seen such a sour puss face.
But I've been there dozens of times, it's always my go-to place with friends when Utopia is way too full and I'm way too hungry. Nothing I've had is extraordinary, but it's all pretty good for the prices it's at. Downside on the breakfast is it's kind of cheap with tater tots and ready-made bacon. But again, it's cheap so I can't expect much. It would just be nice to be able to substitute the coffee that comes with that meal for something else, if you're not a coffee/tea drinker. But that's also a no go.
Also, having to pay for refills on fountain pop is pretty lame. So get a bottle, you'll save 75 cents for laundry next door.
I almost forgot, one more thing. They don't accept debit. And I'm always super angry that there are still places that refuse to make that accessible. My credit card is permanently maxed out and I have to spend 5 bucks on service charges (between the atm & my bank charges) to take out money at their machine in the basement.
Listen, i'm broke, so all this matters. But I should probably just stop eating out so often........ anyway..... -
Review from Kim R.
7/25/2010
Horrible service. Not so great food. Nice outside patio, however.
Granted, I ordered a BLT. However, I asked to have the BLT pressed like a panini. I got two slices of white bread toast with lettuce, tomato and bacon. The bacon was good, though. I also asked for french fries with my sandwich. They never came. I even reminded the expo that brought our food that I was supposed to have fries. He said, "OK" but never bothered to bring them.
Our "too cool" waiter wore his sunglasses the entire time he waited on his customers. Not cool in my book. He never refilled our waters and never brought us the check. We had to go inside and ask for the check.
What a disappointing Italian place in Little Italy. -
Review from Erin B.
6/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
I'd give 4 stars for the patio and 2 stars for everything else about this place. Works out to a solid 3 stars.
The patio is big and actually out in the open air rather than in a back yard or alley. The lights of the neighbourhood create a bit of ambiance. Not quite enough, though, to overpower the zillions of sports banners and totally boring beer selection.
The beer selection is fully mediocre - a bunch of blah lagers. I suppose you could argue that they have a local microbrew on tap (millstreet organic), but being local doesn't mean that it tastes any better than most of the other mediocre lagers.
I was in the market for somewhere pleasant to sit whilst enjoying the company of a rarely seen friend, and the dip didn't disappoint on that count. -
Review from Mannie d.
Toronto, ON
6/22/2011
Is it possible to leave less than one star?
I have come to this restaurant several times and although I never found it outstanding, I would have previously rated it around 3 stars. But my last experience set me off so much I find myself on Yelp complaining.
The restaurant seemed understaffed. Although I would feel for the waiters/waitressed normally (if I saw that they were working hard and trying) the waitress we had was extremely rude and unfriendly. Any little request or question was met with an eye roll. And when my water still had not arrived in 15 minutes, I asked again, and she snapped, "I'm just getting it!" followed by a look that could kill. I work in customer service myself and am by no means a difficult customer, but I do expect to be treated kindly when I'm spending money at a restaurant.
Then I got my food, which to their credit arrived shockingly fast. I ordered Chicken Parmasean, and the chicken was not even a REAL chicken breast! What I received was some sort of lukewarm breaded mechanically seperated "white meat chicken product" like you would get in the frozen section of Sobey's. Call me crazy but for $12 or $13 dollars (I forget the exact price) I DO expect a decent quality food item to be served to me, not some nasty oversized McDonalds chicken nugget with tomato sauce and cheese on it. To be completely fair, the pasta and meat sauce that my friend had was very good, but this whole experience has set me off and I definately won't be returning. There are too many higher quality restaurants in the area.
My suggestion to the restaurant: If you cant afford to offer food of decent quality, you should raise your menu prices, because mechanically seperated chicken is not exactly restaurant quality, and customers DO notice. -
Review from Greg F.
Toronto, ON
2/10/2009
The Dip!
Its all about watching people, having a beer on the patio and enjoying the summer's warmth.
The Cafe Diplimatico is somewhat of a renaissance cafe situated in the heart of Little Italy. Its all about comfort Italian food, fresh baked pasta, and great thin crust Pizza. The service is exceptional, and the entire staff is as good as the food.
This is the place in the summer to relax on the patio, watch the beautiful people walk by, and enjoy the comforts of Little Italy. -
Review from Spiro P.
Toronto, ON
12/11/2010
I really don't like the food here. The only reason that I did not give it one star is due to the patio. It's a great place to sit in the summer time.
I ordered the pasta and canned olives were placed in the dish. The chef and owners should be ashamed that they could serve crap in Little Italy.
My advice to the owners and chef would be to take a trip to Italy and learn to cook Italian food! -
Review from Melissa J.
Toronto, ON
11/24/2008
I guess I'm one of the non-believers, because I really don't care about this place. I mean, it's OK, it's in a good location, the food is typical white-people "Italian". So I really don't get why people love it so much!
Personally I can't stand waiting in line for food that I don't dream about. They serve pasta, sandwiches and salads. Big whoop. You can, and will, get much better Italian food anywhere else on College street without waiting in line for 5 years. If you're dead set on learning about this "Toronto legend" then go during the day, in the middle of the week. Forget about Friday nights, and don't even think about going on a summer weekend -- the patio will be packed.
The only thing here that is absolutely unbearable is their breakfast. Literally I have made far more exciting meals for myself at home. The basic eggs, toast and homefries might only be $3.50 or so, but I'd argue that it's not even worth that. Only venture here for breakfast in moments of extreme desperation.
I say, if you're visiting Toronto and you want some authentic Italian cooking, go up to St. Clair or find another awesome place on College, because there are tons and they are way more authentic. To me, Cafe Diplomatico reminds me of those Gotti boys -- they think they're Italian, but when it comes down to it, they're just greasy wannabes. -
Review from ritchie c.
Toronto, ON
12/18/2009
Ordered 2 large pizzas, which were a little undercooked on the bottom, but not a deal breaker. I like the concept of customizing your pizza per topping, but $1.50 for a couple sprinkles of feta? Really?
My friend's chicken sandwich was dry and underwhelming. We did manage to redeem it somewhat by ordering extra mayo (we got a dirty look for that) and mixing it with hot sauce and then slathering the chicken all over.
Fusilli special was very tasty, good portion with a creamy rich rose sauce (could've used a bit more butter though). However, the garlic bread was sad, dry and boring.
All in all, I enjoyed the atmosphere, an unpretentious place for decent pizza and a couple drinks. -
Review from Catherine M.
ON
11/22/2008
With an incredibly devoted fan base and an equal amount of people who say it's overrated, the Cafe Dip never seems to suffer from the controversy. Check out its packed patio on a warm summer evening and tell me who the winner really is.
I personally am an unabashed fan of Diplomatico, despite some pleas that it is overrated, overcrowded or just plain over. There is nothing lovelier than a rainy Sunday inside bonding over huge plates of pasta, or sharing a pitcher over panzerotti on the patio in summertime. The menu is full of all the Italian classics you would expect, and one of my favorite things about Diplomatico is the fact that you can get Amsterdam Raspberry Wheat ale by the pitcher.
You couldn't ask for nicer servers, although things can get a bit intense on the more crowded times on the patio. Their brunch is reasonably priced and pretty popular, although I haven't yet had the pleasure. I mostly go for their delicious carbonara, panzerotti, salads and of course, the beer. Try to go on off-peak times and learn from my mistake and try to manage to save room for dessert, something I have never quite managed to do. -
Review from John C.
Mississauga, ON
8/3/2010 1 photo
Great place to sit back and have a cold beer.
and watch life go by college street. -
Review from Melissa G.
North York, ON
3/24/2009
As an Italian restaurant expert, I can tell you that Cafe Diplomatico is amazing! It has great food, cheap prices and it is in a great location.
In the heart of Toronto's Little Italy (College Street), "The Dip" offers up a huge variety of the 3 P's... PIZZAS, PASTAS and PANINIS!
They offer an amazing build your own pizza and pasta options.
For pizza, you get choice of sauce, crust, cheeses and toppings and has reasonable pricing per topping you want on your personalized pizza.
For pasta, they offer a choice of both plain pasta and meat and cheese filled pastas, along with your choice of meat, rose, marinara, alfredo sauce, etc!
In the summer time, they opened up their huge and busy patio, which is always a hotspot for an after-work drink, meal or a night out.
To celebrate the upcoming warm weather, The Dip's tables with be packed with their yummy strawberry daquiris and other frozen alcohol favourites.
Another important point... Cafe Diplomatico gives you delicious food at a very cheap price!Listed in: A little taste of Italy in…
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Review from Betty D.
Toronto, ON
12/31/2009
The thin bacon is very tasty but the tator tots are revolting.
They do not have freshly squeezed OJ.
I think I kinda hate this place. -
Review from Jennifer P.
Edmonton, AB
11/17/2008
I used to live a few blocks away from Cafe Diplomatico. It is an institution in Little Italy, where trendy restaurants, pubs, delis, cafes, boutiques and clubs create a European feel. This place is huge and it's got a lively patio on hot summer nights. The food is authentic Italian comfort food, so if you're in the mood for a home-cooked plate of pasta or panzerotti, Cafe D's a sure bet. The smell of fresh bread emanates from this place that feels like a cross between a diner and pizzeria.
Parking's a little tight in the area, as it is in most downtown neighbourhoods, so it's best to take the subway and street car over to College. Go early to get a spot on the patio. Then linger for drinks and people watching. You'll be the envy of the late-comers, who won't be so lucky. -
Review from Dardana M.
ON
12/26/2008
Now, I have not been to this place in quite some time, and there is a good reason for that; but it may leave me a little less than qualified to give the most objective, scientific assessment possible.
Living, as I have, on the outskirts of Little Italy for over four years has made it impossible for me to remain unaware of "the Dip" (ick) and its epic presence on this strip. While still newcomers to the neighbourhood, my (ex-) roomie and I decided we had to check out this place we were hearing so much about. Unimpressive service (I had to go find my own ketchup, while the waitress watched and kind of directed me from her seat), and less than average food made me reluctant to go back. And I haven't been able to do it again. Yes, ever (so yeah, for those keeping track, I've only been there once).
Once again, not the fairest way to form an educated opinion, I know. But, after all the mixed reviews I have received from others, and the clincher- a Toronto guide book I that I saw a couple years ago call the food "mediocre" and the service something in the realm of "bad"- all while acknowledging that people knew, accepted this and continued to flock there!!-- convinced me that I absolutely could not buy into the idea of a "hotspot" built on a reputation of never quite measuring up, but still coming out on top. -
Review from Anna V.
Toronto, ON
10/17/2008
Café Diiplomatico or "The Dip", as most people call it, has been around for as long as I can remember. Back before West Queen West, College was the cool street and The Dip was THE SPOT for people watching.
The food is nothing to write home about. Both cheap and inexpensive. It's mostly Italian; lots of sloppy,, meat-filled sandwiches and iceberg lettuce with cream dressing. But that's not why people go. It's the patio baby. The patio seats tons and it's almost always full in the summer. It's hands down, one of the better spots in the city to sit with friends for a pint. The service is decent, they serve late and the view is the best on the strip. -
Review from Alejandro A.
Toronto, ON
11/24/2008
Café Diplomatico is a Toronto staple. Back when my sister used to live in this neighbourhood (and street car stops were announced by living people instead of sexy computer voices) the street car driver would call out this stop as "Café Diplomatico" instead of the actual street name ("Clinton St.")
The Dip celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, and it's not hard to see why. Their food is delicious. I've enjoyed their veal sandwiches, their bacon and egg breakfasts, and most importantly their pizza. Oh my goodness their pizza.
Now granted, this is no Chicago deep dish pizza (very jealous of Chicago about this) but as far as Pizza in Toronto goes? Delicious. It's just the fact that it tastes like what I imagine pizza is supposed to taste like. It's the opposite of the processed cheese of pizza. It feels like its made with love.
Unfortunately, their popularity has interfered with me enjoying some pizza, veal, coffee or whatever many times. To get a seat you either have to be prepared to wait in line, or you have to be lucky. There's really no two ways about it. -
Review from Rob B.
4/24/2009
I can't believe anyone could give this place a thumbs up
I ordered Lasagna and got layers of flat noodles with a sauce which
had no more character than Ketchup..
A disgrace to Italian cuisine.
If you want a beer and big patio to people watch it is fine but stay away from
the food! -
Review from Sam G.
Toronto, ON
7/18/2009
The sandwich I ate was the kind you'd serve a 5 year-old who will barely eat anything and has to have the crusts cut off his sandwich. On the other hand, the patio is first rate. If you are looking to have a coffee or a beer, walk by and spot a good patio spot then go for it... otherwise I'd pass. Note - I've only been once but I'm not sure the food deserves a repeat. The rating is a three, sort of an average, because the food is one or two and the patio is a five. Service was middling.
Listed in: College Street kinda from…
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Review from Dr. Martin J.
North York, ON
3/2/2011
Awesome thin crust pizza
