- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
La Vecchia
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
2405 Yonge StToronto, ON M4P 2E7
Neighbourhoods: Mount Pleasant and Davisville, Yonge and Eglinton
(416) 489-0630
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 10:30 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 10:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Stanimir C. said: "After reading the reviews I decided to try Il Mullino and went there for my anniversary last Sunday. The interior is what you can expect from seeing the pictures here and on their website so I won't comment on it. The environment was…" read more »
44 reviews for La Vecchia
Review Highlights
-
"...cozy, which makes it a great date spot - even if you are..." In 2 reviews -
"The rigatoni romani was delicious." In 4 reviews -
"...generous portion, and while the risotto was a bit oily, the..." In 6 reviews
Loading...
44 reviews in English
-
Review from Stanimir C.
Toronto, ON
2/25/2012
We went there on a Wednesday night and the place was packed. Fortunately we had a reservation.
Overall, a very nice atmosphere in the restaurant. Service is really good and fast.
Food was just amazing, even though I'm not a food expert and I was really hungry at that time. We ordered pizza and now when I think about it it might have been a little greasy, or that was just the way it was supposed to be. Pasta was really good though.
The only drawback is that it's a little noisy inside, but I think that's how most restaurants are in Toronto.
I'd recommend it for anyone who wants delicious italian dinner with someone special. -
Review from Vivian P.
North York, ON
5/23/2012
--- SUMMARY ---
Great for: any meal (patio); dates (inside restaurant)
Service: 4 / 5
Food: 3 / 5
Atmosphere: 4 / 5
--- COMMENTS ---
Came here for a catch - up session with a friend. We had walked up from Davisville station to find a place to eat. This place caught our eye because of the patio and because we didn't feel like going to the Chinese fusion restaurant beside it.
Friendly servers, we were sat and watered almost right away. It was a really hot day and we sat on the patio, so we were really happy to see the water. The server helped us lower the shade so we weren't in direct sunlight but didn't tell us the specials though. I'm (sadly enough) culturally ignorant about white food, so I was disappointed - I could've asked for recommendations, that's true, but meh. The menu covers were really cool - they were hardcover and looked like artsy books.
The inside (before I forget) is really nice - they have simple chandeliers hanging, classy european decor.
My friend and I decided to be healthy and get something from the insalate and antipasti section.
He ordered: DI POLLO - Grilled Chicken on organic greens marinated grilled vegetables tossed in balsamic $14
Said the chicken was very good, moist and well seasoned - vegetables were fresh
I ordered: ANTIPASTO DI CASA Marinated vegetables, smoked salmon, seafood salad, prosciutto, goat cheese, pickled button mushrooms and warm herb focaccia $12.95.
very colourful - with shrimp, squid, salmon, cheese, garlic bread, assorted veggies. I don't recommend getting this dish though - the vinaigrette was too lemony / sour for my liking.
They didn't take debit (we overheard the server tell the people sitting next to us). and they don't do separate bills (but they will do separate payments).
I'll definitely come back to try their pasta (our neighbours had pasta and stuff from the brunch menu). -
Review from Natalie T.
East York, ON
3/28/2012
I was starving and needed a quick dinner and feeling like pizza, so I decided to see what all of the buzz was about.
VIBE
It's really dark in here! It's very fancy pants looking and can look very intimidating to a solo diner. Luckily, the staff here were wonderful. We were all engaged in conversation from the cook to the owner!
I ATE
I had the signature La Vecchia pizza. Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella, Spicy Italian Sausage, Mixed Mushroom (just regular ones ..no portabello) it hit the spot. The bread is a bit stale on the end. I'm partial to Pizzeria Libretto to be honest.
OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK
$25 (including a generous tip) for a pizza and a pop is A LOT to spend on a solo dinner (for me). I'd come back again though and see how other items compare as this was my first visit.Listed in: Yonge & Eg, Italian, Pizza
-
Review from Lauren M.
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
2.5 star. Let's be honest, this place is really quite crap.
I feel bad saying it because our server was incredible (GREAT service) and the interior is okay - decent decor.
But the food, ugh. The pizzas we had were so uninspired and bland, they tasted like something I bought in the freezer section of Rabba. I ordered a quattro staggioni - which is supposed to have a different ingredient in each quarter of the pizza (representing different seasons) but instead it was just four ingredients placed all over the entire thing. Sigh. And the crust was thick and hard like cardboard.
Maybe their non-pizza items are better, but ugh! -
Review from Janna S.
1/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
2.5 Stars.
I came here with Lauren and I have to agree with her. I'd be more forgiving if this place was considered "fast food", but the prices imply something far more gourmet. Unfortunately the experience fails to deliver. My pizza was mostly hard crust with a stingy handful of toppings and overall it was greasy and overdone.
I arrived here with a huge appetite, so the fact the food tasted so mediocre suggests I wouldn't want to chance this menu on a narmal day. Service was friendly and the decor was nice, but I'm puzzled as to how the average rating seems higher than my experience suggests. -
Review from Maritza L.
Scarborough, ON
2/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Tuesday night. Rammmed packed! and made no reservations for 7:30. Only waited maybe 10 minutes.
I ordered the goat cheese rigatoni. It was from heaven... really rich and creamy sauce that you want to just dip with bread at the end.
My friend ordered their fish special of the day. It was cold, and tasteless. We had to get them to make another one which tasted delicious but by the time we waited for it, the appetite and mood changed the expectations.
Candle lit. Very romantic place. I'd suggest it for dates. They have a decent list of wine, especially from Italy. -
Review from Jenny T.
9/13/2011
I honestly don't go to many fancy Italian restaurants because most of the Italian places out there make me feel like I can whip up a basic pasta dish at home that would be comparable or better.
Went here for a work outing, and found the ambience to be nice, calming and the building aged, rustic and fitting to what I would imagine an Italian restaurant should look like. I went here for a work outing and thought that it was a nice fancy twist to the typical mediocre restaurant that work place outings are notorious for.
We didn't order any alcoholic drinks but we did order appetizers. Although the waiter messed up and did not bring our appetizers out until our food came out, he apologized and at the end of the meal gave us a round of mango shots. These shots were amazing, and tasted like a mix of mango lassi, lime and vodka. Not sure if that was authentic Italian or not but it was the best shot I've ever tasted. Truly inspiring.
The dining experience is not always perfect, but this was a stellar example of how a really good server can turn around a somewhat negative experience into a very postive one. It almost made me forget that the kitchen mixed up one of my co-worker's dishes.
The food was very nice as well. Not too over-the-top, nice, simple and tasty. With that being said, I would recommend this place for a date or intimate dinner. It's just a place that you can fully enjoy during a 1 hour lunch window. -
Review from MW P.
Toronto, ON
12/4/2011
Had dinner here Saturday night.
We had no reservations.
After being turned down by an EMPTY restaurant across the street (they said they were fully booked up that night, but the place was huge and only 1 table was seated. I looked around and said to myself, "that's cool, we'll go somewhere where they WANT our money".
We get to this place. It's about 6:30pm. We have no reservations. It's packed already. The guy at the front door says "ok, it'll be tough, but I'll find a way to get you in". We were sitting within 2 minutes.
We ordered an appetizer of prosciutto (sp?) wrapped prawns. Fantastic.
I had the 12 oz veal chop, on a bed of mashed potatoes and veggies. Fantastic.
My mom (who was visiting town so I took her out near her hotel) had a mushroom prawn risotto I believe. She said it was fantastic.
We had dessert. I had the Gelato La Vecchia (what I'm guessing is their signature dessert). It was vanilla ice cream (or gelato, I'm not sure. It's CALLED Gelato, but tasted like ice cream) with chocolate, caramel, and espresso shaved on top. My only complaint about it was that when it arrived it was already a little melted. I'm guessing it's because that place was absolutely PACKED and it was tough for the waiters to get around, so it just came to me a little late. No biggy, I would have liked it more solid, but I'll live.
It was also extremely noisy in there. It's a trendy place I guess, so there were lots of people there, and plenty more sitting at the bar waiting to be seated (likely including the people who's table we stole by not having reservations...) so I know what type of place it is, so I'd likely try to avoid going there on a Saturday night around 7pm because it's gonna hurt my ears. But the food was really good, and the star of the night was probably that prawn appetizer I mention above.
It's on the expensive side for a poor/cheap guy like me. Meat dishes were in the $20-$35 range, but they had pasta dishes in the $18 range. I saw a person at another table eating pasta and it looked like a huge portion. I would love to try it sometime.
Anyway, we had a good time, despite the noise. I approve of this place.
Win. -
Review from jocelyn l.
11/8/2011
3.5*
We came here for dinner on a Sat nite and didn't think to make res...
Restaurant was packed but we didn't have to wait too long. We grabbed a drink at the bar and were seated in 25 mins or so.
We had the bruschetta- good
I had the Linguine Fruitti Di Mare- good
Ricotta Cheesecake- good
It wasn't a completely standout meal but it was a nice, cosy, reasonable place @ Y&E. Will be back for brunch -
Review from Thuy T.
Woodbridge, ON
11/2/2011 7 photos
I must say the dishes was amazing ^_^
There's something special about their sauces, that makes the dishes taste so good.
Restaurant Rating:
0(Too Sad), 1(Horrible), 2(Poor), 3(Ok Lah), 4(Good), 5(Excellent)
Food: 5
Clean: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: Casual
Will I Return? Yes
Keep in mind all food postings is according to personal preferences and taste buds. Therefore, it's best to try the places out for yourself and see if it suites your taste. -
Review from Sean H.
Toronto, ON
1/23/2012
This place was packed on Saturday night, but despite that and the fact that we had a group of 9 people, our service was spectacular. Our waiter was spectacular. He was very knowledgeable about everything on the menu and even went so far as to help us out with our wine selection. I realize that he may have up sold us a bit on the wine, but I don't really care because what he recommended was great.
The food at La Vecchia, if you hadn't guess already, is very traditional Italian and they are proud of it. The menu cover most of Italy. I tried the Antipasto Di Casa to start. The antipasto came with a seafood salad, roasted veggies, and flat breads, tomato and boccaccini. This was a perfect appetizer for 2 or 3 people. It is nice and light, the flavors are well balanced, and there is a little bit of everything. For my main I had the grilled red snapper. This came in a beautiful lemon sauce and a side of salad. The simplicity of this dish is what made it special. It was exactly what it should have been, light and delicious. We didn't actually try any of the desserts, which is a bit unfortunately because my wife and I love sampling tiramisu... Next time I guess.
The next time I have a craving for some great Italian food this is the first place that I am heading. Although it isn't as well known as some of the more popular Italian places further downtown, I think it is a lot better (cough.. cough.. I am looking at you Blu). -
Review from Laura Y.
Toronto, ON
10/11/2011
This is my current favourite restaurant. Such a wonderful atmosphere (kind of like a little cave inside!) and the food is perfect.
My first time going they asked us to move tables in order to fit in a larger crowd that showed up unexpectedly, and since I'm really easy going I didn't mind at all! But the waiters/staff kept apologizing for the "hassle" and at the end gave us a delicious free shot. What a way to a girl's heart :)
I have nothing bad to say! -
Review from Alice H.
Toronto, ON
8/13/2011
The atmosphere was fantastic - a really nice quirky blend or old and new, and we were able to site outside which was nice.
The service was good, although it did take a while for our food to arrive, especially given it was lunch time and not very busy.
The food itself was to be expected. I had a Focaccia Salsiccia with sausages, mushrooms, peppers and onion, it was a bit dry for my taste (no sauce of any kind on the focaccia), and the focaccia itself was rather dry and heavy - not the traditional light mouth water fresh focaccia I was expecting. My fiance had a seafood risotto which he enjoyed, the shrimps in it were excellent.
As others have mentioned they tried to up sell us on the water (flat or sparkling) and when I asked for a pitcher of tap water they said they didn't have pitchers, given it was the middle of the day and 35 degrees out I would have really liked a pitcher of ice water. Although the did do a good job of keeping our glasses filled as we drained them like fish.
All in all it was a pretty average meal - nothing inherently wrong but I wasn't leaving singing it's praises. -
Review from Tee Jay R.
Toronto, ON
5/15/2011
I have to endorse other reviewers' dire assessments. Our desperately gregarious waiter heavily oversold the authenticity of the cuisine, but I saw nothing on the menu that differed from any other generic Italian restaurant in the city (e.g., Il Fornello). The food amounted to expensive, overcooked meat and mushy pasta drowning in very heavy sauces. The clueless servers didn't seem to know how to handle a crowded table and it was all kind of an unprofessional mess.
One of the members of my party left an admittedly stingy tip, and to her stunned chagrin one of the staff confronted her about it and essentially shamed her into leaving more money, which showed a total lack of class. I won't defend cheaping out on the tip, but it struck me as really, really tacky behaviour on the part of a restaurant that holds itself out as a fine dining establishment, and a shocking 180° reversal from the over-the-top insincere hospitality with which we were presented.
I haven't left a restaurant this dissatisfied nor, frankly, felt so ripped off in a long time. -
Review from Madelaine D.
Toronto, ON
11/29/2010
La Vecchia came on high recommendation from friends in the area and let me tell you, we were not disappointed!
We of us showed up on a Saturday evening around 8:30pm without reservations. There were two groups in front of us but we got away with only a 15 minuter wait (during which time we were invited to sit at their bar and order a drink while we perused their menu. Our initial impression was very positive and it only got better from there.
We were seated at the front of the restaurant near the door, and shockingly didn't feel a draft from the cold outside air at all.
La Vecchia has a fabulous ambiance. It is both classy and cozy, full without feeling crowded, and the noise level and lighting are perfect. A very romantic way to spend an evening.
We were similarly impressed with the presentation and taste of our food, as well as our lovely waiter who brought us drinks courtesy of the house to finish our meal off with.
Overall my friend's recommendation was spot on. This place was one of the better restaurants in the area and one I would strongly recommend (especially over Alize!) -
Review from Keith C.
12/28/2010
Not a bad Italian place. I've had better in the states. The service was very good and friendly. I went with my family and surrounding families (a group of about 10 people) and we got a lot of food. We started out with a bunch of appetizers. There were 3 plates of the grilled calamari which had a balsamic vinegar with olive oil dressing. This was actually one of my more favorite dishes. We also got the orders of the mussels which I did not like because of the sauce. There was also a plate of grilled calamari, octopus and shrimp which wouldn't be bad if it wasn't cold.
For the main course, I got the fish of the day which was pretty good. My sister got the Grigliata di pesce which was a grilled red snapper that came with calamari, shrimp and salmon. I tried the red snapper was ok but not as good as my fish of the day. My brother got the Pizza Piemonte which came with spicy italian pancetta. This had the potential to be really good if the pancetta was actually spicy and if they did not completely load up on the cheese. My aunt got a risotto la vecchia. The jumbo tiger shrimps looked fantastic as did the risotto. However, there was just way too much butter in the rice to make it enjoyable. My mom got the Linguini Frutti di mare which I thought was probably the best dish and wished that I had gotten it instead of my fish of the day. If I ever go back here, I will be getting this dish because from all the ones that I tried, this was the best.
Oh. And plan on dropping some serious dough here. -
Review from Monica B.
Toronto, ON
I've never been to a restaurant with such a beautiful European flair like La Vecchia. This restaurant is one of the best Italian restaurants I've been too. I enjoyed the fact that this place had great Italian food and a true Italian ambiance. They have beautiful stone walls, deep red curtains, slightly dimmed lights, dark furniture and the walls are covered in Italian pictures and art. This place is cozy and fancy without the snobbiness, which I love.
La Vecchia has a brunch, lunch, dinner, group lunch and group dinner menus. I came here for lunch and had the rigatoni romani and loved it! The pasta was cooked perfectly, the smoked chicken was so tender and yum and the blush sauce with goat cheese was so good I wanted to stick my face in it! My hubs had pizza which I tried, and that was very good too. The portions are generous and satisfying; I walked in hungry and couldn't even finish my pasta.
The staff is extremely kind and the service is excellent; the food is reasonably priced for what it is, but it is a tab bit pricey during dinner time. The only downfall about this place is that the drinks and desserts are really overpriced.
Overall, La Vecchia is a great Italian restaurant, but their drinks and desserts are pricey.Listed in: Yonge & Eglinton
-
Review from Debbi R.
3/16/2011
Food = 3.5
Service = 5
Ambiance = 4
Tip: make reservations; we waited over an hour to get a table on a Sat night.
The food was typical nice Italian food. Nothing special or memorable but I would say it's a great restaurant for a first date. It's impressive without being too costly and has a comfortable atmosphere without being too loud. -
Review from Nav T.
Toronto, ON
12/21/2011
Saw the reviews and decided to go there with my family for a celebration. Boy, was it packed on a tuesday night! We had to wait 30 mins, and it is tough to wait inside given the space available, so we had to wait in the cold. The space was very cramped for us to sit on as well. So why have I given it such high ratings?
The service was excellent. They kept coming to apologize about the space available and the wait, and it seemed like everyone was really doing their best to make us have a good time. Our server (I think her name was Shannon) was FANTASTIC. Despite the place being extremely busy, there was never a moment without fresh bread on the table. Our server was extremely cheerful and added to our high spirits. She also got us free shots (which were great BTW) before we left.
Now the food - seriously amongst the best Italian food we have eaten. The spaghetti was delicious as was the rigatoni. Very favourful and an interesting mix of flavours. Very unique in taste as well. We loved the pesto chicken pizza as well. Again, bursting with flavour. The portions were generous, and none of us could finish our dishes, even though we hadn't eaten any starters. My brother decided to try the special (beef cooked rare, with mashed potatoes and wild mushroom sauce). It was good, but not as exciting as our pastas and pizzas.
We were in the mood for a chocolate cake, but unfortunately they had run out of it since it was so busy that night. Next time...
Definitely a must visit! I am hoping to go again for my birthday -
Review from Tina H.
3/27/2011
Stuff started off a bit sour. They gave our table away because we were late (20 minutes), which is understandable because they were busy. We had to wait quite some time before they found another table, probably waiting out another person's reservation or something.
Waiting at the bar, I decided to get a drink. The Disaronno Sour on the menu sounded good: fresh lime and bitters. When I saw her make it, there was no bitters used, and she used bar mix. I brought this to her attention and she said they ran out of fresh lemon and lime and had to use bar mix. Ummm... Why didn't you tell me this when I was ordering? If you're going to say your Amaretto Sour is super awesome on the menu, please let me know that you can no longer make it that way and that you're going to charge me restaurant prices for a dive bar amaretto sour. I hate when people do that. Are they hoping you don't notice?! I'm gonna know that you're using bar mix instead of actual fruit.
The food is average, about a 3-star food itself. Not the best but not the worst. The appetizers we ordered were quite dull. The beef carpaccio seemed like it was sitting on the plate in the refrigerator for a long time. It completely fell apart when I unstuck it from the plate and had no flavour at all. Topped with a generous amount of arugula and cheap parmesan cheese (not the good stuff). I was quite disappointed. The fish of the day, Chilean sea bass, was quite nice. It also came with a salad of arugula, fig and walnuts, which was a surprisingly good combination. The rigatoni romani was delicious. The entrees were the highlight. They do this well. Espresso was good.
Service started off slow but they brought everything pretty quickly. I had to constantly ask for a water refill. The server didn't seem to know much about wine and was hesitant to talk much. I had to keep asking questions to find out more info. Fortunately they have a great wine menu. I was happy with what I ordered.
Food came quickly. I prefer when they stagger it and give you time between your courses but they brought everything right away, yet were slow to take the initial order and bring drinks. I prefer the other way around, like most restaurants do.
The atmosphere is quite nice with the pot lights on dimmers and exposed stone work.
Decent Italian place that's good for a date if you arrive on time for your reservation and are on a budget. Based on my experience I'd be hesitant to go back, and with so many new places to try in the city and old favourites to revisit, I doubt I'd find myself here again. -
Review from Nox D.
Toronto, ON
7/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
Yet another case where Yelp came through for me big time. I recommended this place, based solely on Yelp reviews, for a dinner for 6 to celebrate a family birthday.
Arriving I was happy to see it looked good. Dark wood, stone finish, floor to ceiling wine cabinets and lighting bright enough to easily see your whole party but dim enough to let you forget about other patrons. Warm summer nights mean the full front window is opened up, merging the sidewalk patio and interior dining area and making for a lovely breeze.
Service was fantastic. On a busy Friday night our table of six had as many as three people taking care of it, under the direction of a great waitress whose name I wish I could recall. Little details, like ensuring everybody always had water, were taken care of before any of us noticed they needed to be attended to.
Our meals spanned the range of daily special, seafood pasta, pizza, and veal chop with each dish delivering a consistently delicious experience. Even my boyfriend's grandfather, who has owned two five-star restaurants, was vocal about his enjoyment of the food.
La Vecchia seems like a great place for a date or a small group meal. Given the noise level I wouldn't recommend it for a group larger than six, though, unless you're okay with not being able to hear people seated down the table from you. Consider making a reservation as it was packed and you may find yourself disappointed if you have to make do with another local eatery after expecting to have dinner here. -
Review from Amber T.
Toronto, ON
10/5/2011
This is my favourite Italian place in the whole city. I really recommend you choose from the fresh pasta and risottos. My favourite dish here is the agnolotti di monte. It's fresh, delicious and just melts in your mouth. The triangoli toto is also great and their meat and special dishes are also expertly cooked. The pastas that aren't made fresh (like the rigatoni romani) are not nearly as good, though, in my opinion. I recommend choosing a meat dish or a fresh pasta/risotto if you want something that tastes authentic.
I love the atmosphere. It's very romantic. Their bar is gorgeous to look at. I also find the servers are really friendly, social and accommodating. The one thing I would say is that this place is very small. It cannot accommodate large groups on weekends. I came for my birthday with 8 people and it took them 45 minutes to seat us, although we had a reservation, and there was nowhere to stand in the tiny space! Servers kept bumping into us! But that was only one time. And the manager did his best to make it up to us. He gave us some free drinks, and even turned down the music at our request. They also brought out the homemade birthday cake my mom had brought and plates and took photos for us.
It's clear that the management really cares about the restaurant and wants repeat customers. This is by far, the best Italian restaurant in the Yonge and Eglinton area. Trust me. I've been to every one of them. -
Review from Constantine N.
Toronto, ON
9/5/2010
La Vecchia has a wonderful ambience to it. The decor is very well done. The whole place is quite classy; yet not snobby in the least. The service is wonderful. The servers are very attentive and extremely friendly.
The food is very good. I usually stick to pizza in Italian restaurants (and theirs is pretty good); however, their pasta is out of this world!
Although the main dishes are reasonably priced; I found their desserts and specialty coffees to be quite overpriced - which is La Vecchia's only real downfall in my opinion; yet it is an important downfall. The fact that one dessert (the vast majority are $8.95 each) with a specialty coffee ($9.50) costs nearly $20.00 (before tax) together, ends up discouraging me from getthing them, and therefore, puts a bit of a damper on my dining experience. Overall, though, I did like La Vecchia. -
Review from Mozart A.
Whitby, ON
8/3/2010 1 Check-in Here
With so many cute places to eat on the Yonge & Eglinton area, I once more made use of Yelp to look for the best choice and, boy, was I not disappointed.
We went there on a Saturday afternoon, and while the lunch menu is not big, I was extremely pleased with my choices.
For starters, I ordered the caprese salad. I don't care about salads but I ordered that to join my wife, but man, I would have that salad as a meal every day. Everything was great about it, but I have to mention the tomatoes, extremely juicy and mouthwatering.
Then I ordered the salsiccia focaccia, which was awesome. Again, I do not love foccacia bread because it's always kinda tough and bland but this one was soft and savory, you could taste the herbs and spices of the bread.
My wife wasn't overwhelmed by her choices, and I'll have to say that her salad was not as good as mine, but the gnocchi that she ordered had a fantastic texture and taste. The sauce was too bland for her, but I enjoyed the taste of real tomatoes.
The service was great, if it wasn't for the lack of accent, I would say that the server was taken right off of a mafia movie, friendly, galant and bold at the same time. The indoor decor is simply gorgeous.
I have only two small complaints: I guess it's the most expensive non-refill pop I've ever paid ($3.50 a glass), and the bread that they serve at the start seems to be taken out of a Wonder Bread bag. It's not enough to take away one of their five stars. -
Review from Moritz H.
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice ambiente. A little noisy (Typically Italian). Good food but not extraordinary. The prices for entrees are a little high for the stuff you get. But its worth a try...
-
Review from Terry P.
6/10/2010
I was taken here today for a birthday lunch with my boss and co-worker. They have a nice selection of lunch specials, plus a full lunch menu. I had the seafood risotto, which is served in a tomato sauce and has a decent amount of shrimp and scallops. It was creamy and delicious. I also had tiramisu for dessert, which was soooo flavourful, light and fluffy, and a very generous sized serving.
I can see how this would make a great date spot, but it also makes a good business lunch. The service was good - we were offered fresh parmesan and fresh ground pepper, our water glasses were never empty, dishes were cleared promptly, and our server was friendly and even a little funny. The establishment is elegant looking, without being the least bit pretentious. Lunch prices are more than reasonable ($12 for the risotto I believe).Listed in: Yonge and Eglinton Highlights
-
Review from Melissa G.
North York, ON
8/6/2009
I discovered La Vecchia over a year ago when my friend and I were walking in the Yonge and Eg area, looking for a yummy dinner spot.
After my first visit, I find myself going back to this restaurant on a consistent basis because I absolutely LOVE their dinner menu.
The food is really delicious and they have a large selection of Italian goodies, such as pastas, pizzas and meat dishes.
To start, I always get a creamy caesar salad, which is always fresh and crunchy with homebaked croutons or I will get the bruschetta with sweet tomatoes and herbs if I am absolutely starving.
For my main course, I am a HUGE sucker for their pastas. I drool as I think about their four cheese gnocchi, their portabello mushroom penne, their rigatoni romani or their simple spagetti - which is so satisfying.
In terms of other meal options, their pizzas are huge and are not skimpy when it comes to their toppings.
FOR VEGGIES -- try the vegetarian pizza! It looked like a rainbow because it was packed with red, green, orange and yellow peppers, spinach and onions.
The appetizers range anywhere from $6 to $12 and the main courses range from $14 to $30 (prices go up when you order the red meat options).
The restaurant's atmosphere is romantic and cozy, which makes it a great date spot - even if you are just going for a drink.
In the summer, La Vecchia opens up their patio so you can experience the sunshine, warm weather and the busy streets of Yonge and Eg as you eat.
Overall, this is a great midtown Italian delight!Listed in: A little taste of Italy in…
-
Review from Ellie A.
4/9/2011
First of all, you have to admire the ambiance of this place. It's such an odd mish-mash that somehow manages to work together. Think: gothic mansion meets Ikea modern (lights) meets 1950's black and white movie photos. Who thought to put these things together? Yet it oddly feels cohesive in this warm italian cave-like restaurant. And did I mention the grey and black paisley suspenders that the waitstaff wear? Awesome.
Service was incredibly fast and very attentive. Our waiter did the "sparkling or still?" water upsell but was gracious when we just asked for tap. He recited the specials of the day with aplomb. He also checked in on us throughout the meal unobtrusively to make sure we were happy. Great service.
The food itself was better than I expected. Spinach, mushroom and goat cheese salad was nothing special, but a perfectly decent start to the meal. Since it was obvious that my husband and I were sharing it, the waitstaff split it for us onto two generous plates without being asked. Love those little extra attentive touches. The Linguine Frutti Di Mare was terrific. A rich, tomatoey, slightly acidic sauce that didn't overpower the generous shellfish. Calamari, clams, muscles and scallops were all perfectly cooked - not a chewy bite in the entire dish. The Penne Arrabbiata was spicy and full of dense black olives. Rigatoni Romani was, according to my friend, "Rich, but not heavy. Not too cheesy, not too smoky - but nicely cheesy and smoky" Hmm. I'll take him at his word that he enjoyed it - he happily ate the whole thing. Gamberi Del Conte was "light and lemony," according to my other friend. The pasta was not fresh, but it was cooked perfectly.
On the whole, a very good restaurant experience. Food and service were both highly generous.
Vegetarian score = 8/10. Lots of choices between the apps, pastas and pizzas and very good variety. -
Review from Ktimene G.
5/25/2009
Quite tasty Italian conveniently located just North of Y&E, with a small patio and nice cool stone interior for hot days.
FOOD:
Excellent fritata selection, from vegetarian friendly to all - out meat and cheese fest-- prociutto with asagio and ricotta, etc. I chose the Estiva, which was succulent with portabello and crisply cheesy on the edges, perfectly savory.
The french toast looked amazingly crunchy, and was served in Jenga-ish layers, adorned with berries. I admired, and was told it was heavenly.
These portion sizes were hangover-friendly.
SERVICE:
Service was merely decent. Coffee service was poor. The server was very rude when I enquired about the French toast, and confused challa with calabrese bread. Jeesh, I'm not James Beard on bread! -
Review from Andrea R.
Toronto, ON
8/7/2011
The service was attentive without being intrusive, and the food was delicious. The wine list had plenty of options, as did the main menu. Plenty of salads, pastas and meat entrees to choose from. I ordered the caprese salad and the mushroom risotto. The caprese was a very generous portion, and while the risotto was a bit oily, the flavors were fantastic. Very rich, but very good. My friends were all happy with their choices, and while we wanted to order something off of the dessert menu, we were far too full. I'm definitely saving room next time, as the desserts all looked swoon-worthy.
-
Review from jocelyn b.
North York, ON
1/10/2011
love this place
ambience- warm, romantic, authentic with the European flair
food - consistently very good
price point - rightly priced for the quality and quantity
service level - consistently excellent
this place is great for dates during the evening, or lunch time is excellent for a group of friends to meet and catch up on the weekend
I've been to this restaurant several times and would certainly go back there again and again... both for lunch and dinner. -
Review from Lynn T.
Toronto, ON
5/25/2011
Part of the still-open-on-(some)-statutory-holidays Yonge and Eglinton strip, I've been to this place a few times.
Upon arriving, you don't get that outsider feeling, like in some restaurants where the waiters are hiding from you until the host/ess shows - at La Vecchia, they'll greet you with a welcome (and seat you if need be). My experience is that the waiters have tried much on the menu and can offer good recommendations.
The ambiance is one of a friendly gathering place for close friends to share a girls' night meal or a double date. They dim their lights at about 7:30 giving the place a more intimate feel, but the crowd doesn't get any more canoodly as a result.
Having had a selection of starters and mains, I'm of the opinion that both the appetizers and pastas are freshly prepared and well-assembled. The ravioli in particular stands out, with perfectly cooked fresh pasta and savory (and not overly greasy - hooray!) mushroom sauce.
Sadly, not all of their desserts are made in-house. As for the ones that are, they are fairly well-prepared, though not the chef's specialty. The creme brulée was passable, but not spectacular, and the warm chocolate cake is rich, but somewhat overdone.
On the whole, I would recommend this place for dinner - but not drinks or dessert. When the patio is open, patio lunch is also well done and recommended. -
Review from Augusto B.
North York, ON
6/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is our favorite place in Toronto. Great atmosphere and always good pasta. Call ahead on Fridays and Saturdays, it's always packed.
-
Review from Amanda L.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 11/8/2010
Absolutely fantastic!!! Went today for dinner and it was, dare I say, better than lunch. I had the spinach, mushroom, and goat cheese salad and the buffalo chicken. To top it all off raspberry compote cheesecake. The service was impeccable as always. Very quiet, but then it was a Monday night and kind of early.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/1/2010
A fantastic restaurant. I've been twice and both times it did not disappoint. A small place with a… Read more »
-
-
Review from Lara J.
North York, ON
12/26/2010
Beautiful ambiance... indifferent service, mediocre meal.
Thankfully I had great company that night, so we glossed over the waiter who forgot to refill our water glasses. We asked the busboy to get us water. But to our astonishment, our waiter grabbed the water jug from the busboy, and went and filled the water for the table behind us... we eventually got our glasses filled.
I had veal. My guest had the salmon pizza. We both left half our meals uneaten. It wasn't bad... but it wasn't great.
We ordered cappuccinos. The waiter brought them -- with the cheque. A bit rushed, as we had not asked for the bill!
Perhaps it was an off night (Sunday) for the waiter? We may give them another chance -- we had read the great reviews on Yelp.
Meh... I've experienced better. -
Review from Mitch S.
Toronto, ON
10/11/2009 1 Check-in Here
A great little restaurant with a very intimate (read date spot) decor. The grilled calamari as an appetizer was excellent but the caesar salad I wouldn't get again. For main courses, we tried out the 4 cheese gnocchi and the angel hair pasta. Both dishes were top notch, although the gnocchi may require you to be rolled out as it's incredibly rich.
-
Review from MC J.
Toronto, ON
3/24/2011
Great food and vibe!
The staff was fantastic.
Highly recommended -
Review from Steve P.
3/15/2010
I'm going to start off with my largest personal vexation when it comes to restaurants and this place had it in spades. I can not stand it when the server makes a single person of the party feel more important than everyone else at the table. The only time this does not apply is when it is warranted to have that person feel important, IE their birthday, them getting a promotion, new job, new something, etcetc.
When a restaurant, such as this one, is trying to pull off the image of being a little more classy than the rest by taking my coat at the door, and pulling out the chairs...Ya know, all that stuff. However, when I am in my seat, and the waiter takes an abnormally engaging involvement in my date over myself, it destroys any ambiance they are trying to pull off. And that's what happened here. The waiter would barely look at me during our orders, would take the info I gave him and move on, however, speaking with my fiancee, he was all ears and suggestions and how great her choices were and how much he enjoyed the same dish. I had to sit there in uncomfortable silence while they had a little banter back and forth about how much the ravioli trumps the risotto. Hey Spivey.. Bugger off, this isn't your date is it? Halfway through the entire meal she did take a larger notice to this and even mentioned it herself about how it seemed very rude that he wasn't really caring about the fact I was there and would only focus on her, kneeling down, putting his arms on the back of her chair, all the moves you would expect some sleazeball to be doing. The difference is you are a waiter, save your moves for when your shift is done and the girl you're making a move on doesn't have a big diamond ring on her finger....
So with that out of the way.
The food was fantastic. We ordered the Garlic Mussels in wine sauce, Penne Vodka, and Ravioli Di Niro. Everything tasted superb and everything that could not be finished was taken home. The bowl of mussels was very substantial for the price and after we were done eating the meat, the broth at the bottom was good enough for us to finish off like a soup, it was even fantastic with dipping the bread in it. My Penne Vodka was cooked perfectly to Al dente and I had them add a little bit of Parmesan, it filled everything out excellently. Good flavors all around, nothing too overpowering and it all meshed together. The di Niro was flavorful and the mushroom butter sauce with truffle essence made my fiancee savor each bite since she adores mushrooms. Each one was quite substantial in size and there were about 6 of them on her plate. She ended up taking 2 of them home.
Food wise everything was fantastic and I would not mind coming back here again. It is within walking distance to her home and the menu has many more things I would like to try (Kiwi Risotto for example). What I cannot abide by is the fact that the server made me feel like an outcast, pouring all the attention to my date as though that would help his chances, all it did was hurt his tip. -
Review from Randi M.
Markham, ON
8/8/2010
Great restaurant! The decor made you feel like you were in a basement wine cellar in Italy (the stone was a great touch). It was romantic with low lighting and beautiful music. The food was succulent! I had the veal scaloppini in mushroom marsala sauce. I highly recommend it! My husband had the pasta of the day and loved it. Everything tasted fresh and flavourful. The calamari was grilled to perfection. Desserts were great too. It was very busy on Saturday night so have reservations ahead of time. The only thing was that the seating was cramped as they tried to get as many tables in a small area as possible. I highly recommend it and will go back again in a heartbeat. There were several other dishes I would have loved to have tasted!
-
Review from Tamara K.
Cote Saint-Luc, QC
7/17/2010
I love this restaurant. I had the pizza when I went and it was YUM! My friend had a pasta dish which was also delishhhhh. I will definitely frequent this establishment again!
