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John's Italian Caffe
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Pizza Italian, Pizza [Edit]
27 Baldwin StreetToronto, ON M5T 1L1
Neighbourhood: Downtown Core
(416) 596-8848
- 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:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
18 reviews for John's Italian Caffe
18 reviews in English
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Review from Heather B.
Scarborough, ON
8/14/2011
Had a lovely lunch here last week, I love the fact that this place makes you feel like you're not in the big city. It's tucked away in a little residential area. I wish they kept this place as a pediestrian street lined with the nice patio restaurants.
I've read a few other reviews and noticed that it might be a trend that service is slow? It took 1/2 hour for our meal to come (which was a panini and a salad - shouldn't take that long). Despite the slow service, the staff are friendly. My one peeve is when they bring your meal and then don't come back to check. 9/10 times there is nothing wrong with my meal but it's just nice to acknowlege your customer and check in on them to complete the service.
I had the Hero Panini - Capicolla, salami, mozzarella, lettuce, fresh tomato with our homemade secret dressing along with a side salad.
I really enjoyed that the panini was not overdone and made just right. Usually you end up breaking your teeth on these hard stone-like paninis that are stiff like carboard when over grilled but this one was light and toasted to perfection.
Ingredients were fresh and Im just a lover of salami. It's the German in me :P
Patio was packed, so luckly we grabbed the last one!
It's a big venue with plenty of seating.
I would definetely come back here again but I will have to do the rest of the street first - one by one :D
Next stop will be the gelato place next door.
Just a note - If you have a one hour lunch break don't expect to go back to work on time :P I won't hold it against them, thank god I have an understanding boss :D -
Review from J H.
Toronto, ON
8/18/2011
love the location and ambience (HINT: DO NOT COME ON TUESDAYS -- garbage collection stinks up baldwin street like nothing you can imagine) but am often disappointed with the food and service.
my dining partner and i each ordered a main dish and a veggie platter starter to share. the starter arrived ten minutes after both of our dishes and crowded the table. every item we ordered was marinated/dressed in the same sauce/dressing which wasn't bad, but got boring. our server was clueless about the error of our orders' poorly stacked arrival and offered no acknowledgement. he was also totally clueless when we asked questions about portion size, coffee preparation, etc, which ended up leading us astray in our ordering.
i like john's patio for a few drinks and maybe a casual bite sans expectations, but i wouldn't go here for a full meal or with a fussy friend who is prone to complaining to management (thankfully i don't have any of those, but you catch my drift) -
Review from Shasta K.
Toronto, ON
7/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
All this hot weather has got me in the mood for some serious patio action...and what better place than Baldwin Street for a casual mid-week lunch?
I was at John's Italian Caffe the other day with a friend - first time there, but not certainly the first time on Baldwin. I found the patio to be excellent - pretty large and lots of seating. I had a breaded veal paninni with a side salad and found my meal to be pretty tasty! Normally, when I have a paninni I expect the roof of my mouth to be scratched up bad like a vintage Eagles record - not at this place. The bun they used was nicely toasted, soft inside, but not hard on the outside - very enjoyable. The only thing that caught me off guard was a young girl (maybe 7-10 yrs) was brining out water and putting napkins on all the tables..while very cute, the Ministry of Labour may take issue..
As an aside, I'd like to see Baldwin closed town to vehicular traffic in the summer - I think it'd make an excellent pediestrian street lined with tables and patio service...a little taste of Europe. There's just something not relaxing about having a dump truck rolling past you while you are enjoying a chilled lunch....maybe it's just me..
A repeat! -
Review from Tom M.
Toronto, ON
8/12/2011
Fantastic, unpretentious place! The front patio area is a wonderful oasis with shade trees in the evening. They have an awning that they pull out in case it rains as well. Get there early for the patio, it fills up at dinner.
The service was politely attentive every time we've been here. There don't seem to be any "waiter zones". Just catch any wait staff's eye and they will attend to you promptly. They will also leave you alone if you wish. We have never felt rushed here. Very important for a nice summer patio experience.
Pizza is the way to go here. The Gorgonzola is fantastic! Even the basic Margaretta is loaded with sauce and cheese. They did not skimp on the toppings. The crust was thin but nicely chewy and flavourful.
The Basil Bruchetta was OK. maybe a bit more basil and garlic needed for my taste. I've also had the Lasagna which was very filling with salad but not as rich as I had hoped. I wouldn't mind a few other staples on the menu as well, such as Calamari or Mussels. Very nice wines and a simple variety of beer on tap as well.
All in all, it has a very nice ambiance and a very friendly staff. A great casual summer patio experience. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
While walking along Baldwin, looking for somewhere to chill for a hour or so until my yelp friend meet me up for some Pre Yelp Event eating, something drawn me into John's Italian Caffe..
Not the food... as I did not even look at their menu...
It was their Patio... I like how it looks with these big trees act as shade... Just giving me a feel of myself lying underneath a tree in nature..having a nap!
Ended up I did not have a power nap as usual, I ate and drank.. my pre pre Yelp Event eating...
Apricot Wood Ale ($5.95)
- A hint of fruity taste..which I really enjoyed. but who won't enjoy a beer on a nice summer afternoon?
Goat Cheese Bruschetta ($7)
- I have to say I was really disappointed...
- The bread was hard and stale.. I felt like I was chewing cardboard..but I was hungry......so I ate them all!
- The goat cheese being dry itself did not help at all....
I definitely feel like I am on vacation while having a drink at the patio of John's Italian Caffe. I will be back next time but just for drinks.. I found the food, at least the bruschetta is not up to par!
BTW, I was having so much fun daydreaming and playing with my IPOD using their WIFI.. I did not even realize I was there for almost 1 hour.. and my yelp friend arrived and pick me up for our next pre event dinner!Listed in: Patio! Patio! Patio, A Day in Baldwin Village!
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Review from Amie T.
Toronto, ON
6/8/2011
When I lived on McCaul, I used to come here a lot. We'd always get the same stuff - bruchetta to start, pizza or panini as our meal, wine, and homemade tira misu to top it all off.
I always assumed everyone loved it here - I had no idea people found the service slow or the food not good. It's one of my fave pizza joints in the city! This is thin crust at its best. Crispy and yummy. And I've never found the service unbearably slow (and trust, i hate slow service), although, it is admittedly slower than some other places. But I like that you're not rushed when you're there!
DONT FORGET THE TIRA MISU. -
Review from Karyn B.
Vaughan, ON
8/1/2011
Ate here today and had a really enjoyable meal. We sat on the patio, which is great here because they have large trees that provide lots of shade. (they have tables in the direct sun too)
We ordered the minestrone soup which seemed homemade with lots of big chunks of veggies and whatnot. Quite enjoyable
We also ordered the Classico pizza but subsititued black olives instead of peppers. It was GREAT! The crust was nice and thin and crispy. They also put A LOT of toppings on! There was a wonderful amount of mozzerella, goat cheese and all the other toppings (def not a stingy place!) We got the small size and it is easily shareable for 2.
We also got the large greek salad. The dressing was just right in my opinion. A little tangy with lots of great flavour and there was just enough (there wasn't a puddle left in the bottom of the bowl and the leaves were covered just right) They also put a lot of feta in there, which is a thing that some establishments are usually lacking.
All in all, a very tasty meal. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that service was on the slow side. We were relaxing on the patio and did not mind SO much but we did notice. Also, the waiter was a tad rude. I asked if they give bread because there are oil and balsamic containers on the table and he said "well we don't unless you ask for it. Do you want it?" which was a bit weird; he said they only bring it out for "certain dishes". He never did bring bread and I think he should have, especially since I did mention it. -
Review from Vivien L.
12/13/2010
Came here during lunch with a friend and it was alright. not amazing and sort of pricey for what we got. We order a caeser salad and a pasta to share. The salad was not that fresh (some leaves were slightly brown on the edges...) and the pasta was not hot enough and was small.
Service was also kind of slow but i was ok with that because we weren't in a rush.
The restaurant was cute and cozy but as a student i want to get my money's worth.. I probably wouldn't go again.. i rather go to another restaurant on Baldwin lol -
Review from Leeor J.
Updated - 6/26/2010
I finally got the chance to come back here years after those slices made an impression on me. And man, once again I was very impressed. I would say this is one of the best, if not THE best pizza in toronto. It ain't cheap (an extra large -- there is no large, just small, medium, XL -- will set you back to the tune of about $33-34) but its really good. They have a half dozen or so varieties. The extra large is an 18", and they will let you do half one way and half another. There are two types with goat cheese on them. both excellent. One has chicken and the other has sun dried tomato (among other things). the meat lovers variety is quite excellent too (with pepperoni, sausage and smoked bacon). They also have pretty high quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the tables to drizzle on when the food arrives.
I haven't tried anything other than pizza there, but I suspect its probably all good.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/14/2010
I only have one memory of this place. They ordered it in at some office I had an appointment at… Read more »
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Review from Alexei R.
Toronto, ON
8/3/2011
Nice place to relax on the patio. We had classic pizza and Greek salad. Good service. Nice relaxed ambiance. I recommend!
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Review from Dishan W.
3/6/2010 7 Check-ins Here
Customer service level separates my review from a 4 star (or perhaps 5) and the 3 star I've given it. While I have had a good server every now and then, the majority of the times, it's been slow.
The food and price is what keeps bringing me back to it. It has just the right amount of variety to choose from even if you are a vegetarian. Pasta, pizza and panini are the 3 big menu items. With good salads and appetizers to start off with as well. The pizza would be my recommendation as it makes a great doggy-bag food as well. The panini does come well dressed with vegetables and some of them do pack a bit of sting to their taste with the sauce used.
The caffe aspect though should be better, one time they did not have coffee but instead served americano, that confused me a bit. It serves more or less the typical coffee drink you can find in any caffe.
It does have one of the better patio's on Baldwin Village (at least from the restaurants one can frequent on a student budget).
But all in all, worth a visit. -
Review from Betty C.
North York, ON
6/12/2011
Really nice , casual place in the trendy row on Baldwin. We shared the pesto bruschetta, delicious. My friends had pizza, and I had the vegetarian minestrone soup and the chick pea salad. I couldn't finish it. The chick pea salad is particularly good, with some greens at the bottom and a mound of chick peas on top, laced with a wonderful dressing. Very nice.
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Review from Aaron B.
7/11/2010
I come here sometimes for coffee and/or dessert. It's not great but it's pretty good and in the summer the patio is nice. It's a run down and rickety old house and while some people may interpret this as charm, this is not an intentional choice so much as just letting an old house get rickety and then turn it into a restaurant...and then run it down some more. It's standard fare for Toronto in terms of prices and menu options. I've not tried much of the food as a by-product of liking the food in neighboring places and not being impressed by what I had here. Not bad, just average. I will probably continue to come here because it serves a purpose, but with a new real cafe opening nearby my reasons for coming here may soon disappear.
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Review from Kat T.
Updated - 5/13/2010
Still loud, still so-so service, wine still comes in drinking glasses rather than stemmed wine glass. But, tonight I had the best thing I think I've ever tasted here. The "Panini" all come in at just under $12 and are stacked full of amazing toppings. Being the vegaquarium that I am, I got the smoked salmon with goat cheese, tomatoes, sundried tomato and pesto sauce. The bread is a warm roll, not flat pressed like most panini places. But, that is what this. Half would have been enough for dinner, along with the delicious side salad. However, I couldn't keep from eating the while thing. Maybe I'll actually be excited to go to John's for next book club.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/27/2009
Although the inside quarters are loud and the service is hit or miss (hope you don't mind getting up… Read more »
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Review from Jason D.
Ottawa, ON
12/15/2008
I used to live in Kensington Market and was overwhelmed by the restaurants in such a small area. Although technically outside the market per se, John's definitely has that old market vibe. It is a very casual Italian restaurant - drinks come in tumblers, food is hearty and plentiful, decor is rough and ready. But, it is so charming and comfortable that you feel instantly feel as if you are actually just hanging at your Italian friend's place. I have been eating there for years and heartily recommend it. My first time there I saw the drummer from the Barenaked Ladies eating there with some friends (before they went huge - think the yellow cassette days). That is the kind of place it is.
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Review from Bijan V.
10/21/2008 2 Check-ins Here
Great food - pasta, pizza, panninis (I really liked their veal as well as eggplant paninis ) - on a great patio in the middle of Baldwin village. Service is great, food is moderately priced (most likely going to cost you $15-20 for lunch) and tastes great and will definitely fill you up. Great place for a lunch on a nice day.
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Review from Tina N.
Toronto, ON
10/20/2009
Walking into the cafe, i was a bit skeptical about what kind of food would be serve here. Boy was i ever wrong to judge a book by it's cover. This place is fantastic! Their pastas were excellent and cooked just right so it wasn't hard or too soft. I adored their tomato/pesto sauce, it was very tasteful and not overly sour. Their pizza was delightful! The vegetables and meats that were used for the pizza were absolutely fresh and flavourful! The crust was cooked just right, flour was not overly used yet it was still able to be crispy! LOVE LOVE LOVE! Server was very helpful on food reccomendations. Good way to grab a quick and great meal! Only thing i could say bad about this place would be the decor, it has a creepy feel to it. Other than that i will definetly be going back soon.
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Review from Medhat S.
Toronto, ON
11/8/2008
Just one of the gems on Baldwin. Delicious, simple, well prepared pasta, pizza, soup and sandwiches. Fantastic.
