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Pizzeria Libretto
Categories: Restaurants Pizza Restaurants Italian Pizza, Italian [Edit]
550 Danforth AveToronto, ON M4K 1P7
Neighbourhoods: The Danforth, Greektown
(416) 466-0400
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 12 am
Sun 4 pm - 12 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
24 reviews for Pizzeria Libretto
24 reviews in English
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
Lunch Specials at $15 Monday to Friday till 5 PM.
I enjoyed my experience at Pizzeria Libretto Danforth much better than the original one.
The restaurant is so much more spacious... high ceiling, comfortable chairs and even a nice patio...
I almost half full after I ate my Arugula Salad.... the portion is huge and have almost a whole pear inside... a little over dressed for my preference but it is GOOD!
Margarhita pizza with oozing cheese and oh so fresh basil leaves.. I ate the whole thing...
Espresso Gelato, what a sweet ending..
All this washed down by a glass of "Anna 6" white wine ($5)
The sun is shining bright and the warm is warm... I kind of feel like I am in Naples?
La vita è Bella! -
Review from Fern H.
4/28/2012
We tried the East end location of Pizza Libretto for a ladies' dinner. Wanted to get reservations for a Wed. night but told that none were available so we decided to chance it. Arrived around 6pm and was seated in the downstairs level, right at the table next to the bar.
Ordered some wine and appetizers to start - warm olives ($5), gnocchi ($5) and buttermilk calamari ($11). Their calamari is usually a favourite of mine but this version was a bit over deep fried. Texture was kinda tough. The coating wasn't as fluffy as I once remembered. Gnocchi was coated in a creme fresh and lemon but a bit bland tasting, not a lot to it.
For pizzas, we got the classic Margherita ($13), Cremini Mushroom ($17), Ontario Prosciutto & Arugula ($16) and the special of the day which was a pizza with lamb and rapini ($18).
It's been awhile since I've had the mushroom one but it was great and I even loved it over my Margherita.
Desserts - how could we say no? We went with the Tiramisu, Posset al Limone and Chocolate-Amaretto Budino, all $7 each. The Posset was awesome...a light and refreshing lemon custard. Tiramisu is always a winner. Sweet and boozy, just how I like 'em. The Budino was okay. More like a chocolate mousse/pudding.
Service was great even though the restaurant was packed both up and downstairs.
Libretto is a great standby for an evening of pizza and gossip. -
Review from Thomas M.
Toronto, ON
4/3/2012
Short Review
The Wild Leak Pizza was great although the crust is somewhat burnt which I don't like. Plus it cost like $13 bucks so its not as expensive considering the pizza is cooked in a wood oven at the back of the restaurant that is also a open kitchen.
The atmosphere was alright considering I went here late at night, the booze really complimented it. For a steamwhistle/beer its about $5 dollars which its an average rate of pricing in Toronto.
The service was friendly but I didn't like when my server, Jesse (I think) called me a "little man" which was really rude. -
Review from E K.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 5/7/2012
Went there last Friday for lunch and it was Really GREAT! They have a prix fix menu for about $15. You can get a seat right away (we went around 2 pm) If you want to try them for the first time, I definitely recommend going at lunch as dinner gets crazy (But still worth the wait) ;)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/21/2012
We were there a few weeks ago on a Friday night. Showed up with no reservations with 3 people… Read more »
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Review from Joe H.
3/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
When you think of Greektown, a pizzeria isn't exactly going to be on the top of the list of things to look out for, but beware, Pizzaria Libretto is probably one of the gems in "greektown" that may sway you to try something a little more italian.
True to napoli pizza standards (aparently it's certified?), Pizzeria Libretto cooks up the pies in two large wood burning ovens that will crisp up a pizza in 90 seconds flat (they kinda look like 2 bomb shells). This creates a thin, crispy and chewy crust that will probably have you coming back for more again and again.
They have a full bar, and I found it kinda funny cause they also offer "unlimited sparkling water" for 3 dollars. I don't really like sparkling water, so I decided against it. For all those interested, they also make Affogato, which is essentially espresso and ice cream. First time I had this was at a family friends house and I have to say that I've been hooked ever since. Order it (I don't care if it's kinda a dessert, order it anytime).
The pizzas come in a whole assortment of variations, but we chose the prosciutto and arugula and the home-made sausage. The crusts were exactly as I expected, light, crispy and chewy. I've had better, but this was still really good. On the prosciutto pizza, the arugula was really good and pared well with it's buttery flavour. The only thing I would improve is the prosciutto they used. It was kinda dry and too salty, so that kinda took away from everything else.
The home-made sausage pizza was a definite winner. There was a perfect amount of toppings on the pizza and everything about it from the sausage, to the caramelized onions to the chili oil was amazing.
Speaking of their chili oil... This was awesome. I'm officially going to try and make this cause it was so good. Put it on bread, put it on the pizza, just put it on everything, it's that good. It's pretty much olive oil infused with red peppers. it's not really hot, but adds that distinct character that brings the oil to life. They should sell this... I'd buy it.
Now again, this really isn't the best pizza I've ever had, but it's definitely the best pizza I've had in Toronto. Come in, hope that there's actually a table, and order yourself a 90 second delight... certified napoli. -
Review from Natalie T.
East York, ON
Updated - 1/29/2012
I tried the meatballs and they did not disappoint! It's all about the sauce and there was lots of it to be scooped up with the bread. YUM.
They filled in for a meal along with the other appetizer of fried gnocchi with sour cream, chives and lemon. I thought it was an affordable price for an appetizer at $5.
I love sitting at the bar here. You always meet someone and the bar staff are never too busy to talk to you.
A note: 9 p.m. on a Sunday and the restaurant was still packed!
Business is good at Libretto on The Danny!Listed in: Meat, Ossington, Italian, Pizza
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/27/2012
It's really nice to see something hip and downtown in the east of the city and it's a refreshing… Read more »
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Review from Susan G.
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Mmmmm $20 pizza.
After a friend visited the Ossington location, we decided to check out this one, which we had heard was not quite as busy (and took a reservation, hurrah!). This was one of those restaurants I knew as soon as I walked it that I would love it.
If I could get the decorators of this place to decorate my future home, I'd be happy. I love the different coloured chairs - and the basement, which is painted with chalkboard walls, is fabulous! They even had a DJ - perhaps a friday night tradition.
We sat upstairs, and ordered the "Libretto Plate" which was divine. Not only was it presented beautifully, the food, including olives, salamis, warm naan style bread and cheeses, was absolutely delicious.
I ordered the pizza with smoked duck, and was blown away. First of all, the pizzas are all beautiful and have gooey centres. The duck was my favorite of all those I tried, but no one had any complaints about their order!
The service was also prompt and friendly.
I have nothing bad to say about my experience at Pizzeria Libretto - and I'll be back! -
Review from Tony L.
Toronto, ON
1/29/2012
Great room, busy packed at 6:00 pm. Reminded me of a NYC like Eataly. Friendly staff, great waiter. Delicious Arugula, pear salad, warm gnocchi fantastic.
Mushroom pizza great, Brussels sprout pizza too salty and drenched in balsamic vinegar, couldn't eat it.
Credit card terminal programmed to add gratuity on top of tax tsk tsk ..not nice!
Tip. Share a pizza or two . Trying to get through one on your own can be monotonous.
Really wanted to give it 5 stars but ... -
Review from Paul R.
Toronto, ON
2/12/2012
I've never been to the Ossington location so I can't compare but I enjoyed their unique take on pizza. I've never had a flash cooked before but it was excellent. According to their menu the pizza is cooked for 90 seconds at 850 degrees. I ordered the Ontario Prosciutto with basil, tomato sauce and mozzarella. The prosciutto is added after the pizza is cooked; the taste was truly unique. The meatballs and olives were wonderful. It was evident these olives didn't come from out of a jar from Loblaws. The homemade biscotti was also a hit.
The service was great and our waitress was the right about of friendly and professional for this type of restaurant. -
Review from Gord M.
East York, ON
2/13/2012
Changing my mind about chains (and general consensus)
Like Paul R, I'd never been to the Ossington location though I'd heard nothing but great things, so when the Danforth location opened up in the neighbourhood, I was more than happy to pop in.
Based on some earlier reviews, I'd already decided that the braised oxtail was a shoe-in and I rolled the dice with the warm, marinated olives and the crostini. Both did not disappoint and, in fact, the crostini was nothing short of delicious.
Since our bellies were starting to fill, we decided to order a single pizza - the Anchovy (tomato, bufala mozzarella, preserved chili, roast garlic) and, again were extremely pleased with the meal. All the ingredients stuck out on their own so every bite popped. Great stuff.
As well, even though it was a packed Thursday evening , the service was spot-on: very attentive, very knowledgeable and extremely friendly. I can't wait to return! -
Review from Geoffrey W.
Toronto, ON
2/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Loaded with hipsters, but really good pizza in a pretty space for a reasonable price.
Really solid pizza, nice ambience, good service. It's a bit pricey but not out of context for the area and style of restaurant.
I've only been once, but I'd definitely go again. If you're on the Danforth and you want a good pizza meal, this is definitely my first pick. Il Fornello, down the street, is no slouch, but Libretto's pizza is better.
That said, it's farther from my house than Queen Margherita, whose pizzas are comparable, but IMO, better, so mostly I'll probably just go to Queen Margherita. -
Review from Renay R.
Toronto, ON
12/29/2011
I don't know, I almost feel bad for writing this as I expected to like this place. A LOT. I had been waiting forever to go and had heard people saying really good things and reading the positive reviews, but I didn't really like it. I felt doubly bad because I had dragged one of my friends here with me and he didn't like it either.
I will admit that I'm not much of a pizza aficionado, but I found my pizza to be a bit too thin and kind of soggy. I had the sausage pizza and there really wasn't much sausage on it. I liked the chili oil but that was pretty much the only thing that gave the pizza any taste!
I found the decor okay (I liked the ovens for sure!) but again, no big deal.
Maybe it was an off day, but I went to pizza e pazzi a couple of weeks and to me, that was much better. -
Review from Sheila B.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 12/28/2011
3 1/2 stars
Back again today with friend and Dh. What does this place tell you about the Danforth? We need something other than coffee shops and greek food! PL has a constant stream of clientele from our start time of 12:30 - about 2pm.
The order:
Braised Oxtail with creamy polenta & brussells 10 + just like first visit $14
Buttermilk Calamari with rosy sauce. 6/10...doesn't need sauce just some slice lemon would be great. wish they gave the option of grilled wouldn't get this again $12
Pear and Fig salad w/gorganzola and mustard vinegrette. 6/10 it's ok needed more dressing a bit bland which is not saying much considering the blue cheese factor $10
Dungeness crab ravioli in cream sauce 5/10.. too much sauce, undercooked pasta, unsalted not a lot of flavour $12, the chanterrele mushrooms were hard to find
3x pizza
pork belly $15
house made sausage $16
prosciuotto & arugula $16
alll excellent 9/10 needed a punch of pepper and salt
2x amaro cocktail
3x steam whistle
$190 + $30 tip
will go back but stick with pizza only and the oxtail appetizer. however many antipasta platters were going out may have to try that1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/9/2011
I really couldn't find any fault with my visit today. The front of the house was friendly, they had… Read more »
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Review from Yvonne T.
Those of you pining to try a slice from Pizzeria Libretto but can never get in on time to nab a table can take a sigh of relief, as the Danforth location now takes reservations (via telephone only). There are 2 seatings, one at 6:30PM and another at 8:30PM.
East-enders can now enjoy some Neopolitan pizza without having to make the trek out to the west end.
This location is slightly bigger than the Ossington location. Wood is still the main feature in decor. The kitchen is towards the back of the restaurant, and it still amazes me how 12 people can fit back there. It was interesting to watch the action that is the Head Chef shouting out the orders and delegating tasks to his staff.
The restaurant is definitely busy, and it seems that a lot of families have piled in here for the promise of better pizza. The local pizza joints must be cursing the arrival of Libretto.
I came here with my best friend for dinner on a Friday night. Thankfully we had reservations. We were promptly seated and informed about the daily specials. Shortly after, our server re-emerged with water for the table and also offered us some bread (which we declined in order to save room for our meal).
They have a short list of wines if you fancy a glass. To my disappointment, most of the whites were more citrus-y and acidic (apparently, as per our server, to complement the pizza).
To start I opted for the Pear & Fig Salad tossed with Blue Cheese and White Balsamic Vinaigrette. I am no stranger to bold-tasting cheese, but the blue they used was just too overpowering for my taste buds. And that's coming from someone who loves all things cheese. The figs were fresh, and the pears added a nice crunch.
For mains, we ordered both the House-made Sausage and Pork Belly pizzas. We were rather disappointed to find that the carnivorous house-made sausage pizza was almost herbivore - there were scant chunks of sausage sprinkled atop an otherwise plain cheese pizza. The pork belly pizza was essentially a plain cheese pizza with a few strips of discoloured bacon on top. Although both pizzas were quite delicious (I loved the thin-crust), I expected a bit more grandeur and finesse in the ingredients and presentation.
My best friend adores 2 types of dessert: Crême Brûlée and Tiramisu. So we opted for the Tiramisu. It came in a Mason Jar, so throw all images of your traditional Tiramisu out the window. I failed to taste any coffee or liqueur flavour in this dessert. But I could definitely taste the sugar! It was a sweet, sweet, sweet dessert!
Verdict:
Libretto has a nice ambiance and its a great place to grab dinner with a friend. Their pizza crusts are yummy (almost reminiscent of naan without being as dense), and the pizza sauces are delicious. Our server was great. I would love to come back and try some of the items on the Assaggini menu (e.g. tapas and small plates). But I think I will skip dessert next time.Listed in: Mangia mangia!
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Review from Joanne W.
Naples pizza? Yes please.
My friends would tell me about this place and how I should go (well, the Ossington one). My friend and I decided to come here for lunch the other day. We went on a Tuesday around 12:00 or so. When we went, it looked pretty empty, however, surprisingly, there were many seats that were already reserved, so we had to sit by the window sill.
Service was impeccable here. The waiters were always there to help clear the dishes and asked if we needed anything else. Also, they were very knowledgable about the food that they were serving as well.
My friend and I weren't TOO hungry, so we ordered the following:
1) Cumbrae beef short rib: Absolutely delicious -- small appetizer, but it was really good. I really liked the fingerling potatoes -- they infused all the tastes in REALLY well.
2) Homemade sausage pizza: I don't think I've ever had pizza this light before. It was cooked really well. However, I felt like they had put too much of their chili oil on the pizza, so it got really oily. However, the pizza was already cut into four, which is nice and different from Terroni.
3) Affogato. The vanilla gelato was good, but I will still have to say that the affogato at Terroni was better.
Overall, I found the food at Terroni better than Pizzeria Libretto. However, I may have to come back again to try another one of the pizzas. -
Review from Jason K.
Mississauga, ON
11/22/2011 2 photos
Just a quickie here-- I was fortunate to get in on opening night. It was all hands on deck and that led to service being perhaps slightly over-attentive, however all the servers were super pleasant and helpful. Rocco was working the pass so all the dishes were coming out perfect.
It's like a parallel universe Libretto-- a bit of crossover from Ossington but not a carbon copy. Enough to make you want to be a regular at both. For starters we had the anchovy crostini, endive and beet salad (with a very cheeky radish masquerading as a grapefruit!), dungenees crab ravioli. For pizza we had the house-made sausage with fresh fresh basil, anchovy with chili oil and super fresh tomato sauce, and pork belly with ginger. The pizzas were good, but strangely a little bit chewier than Ossington. Beautiful char on the crust, and the flour has such a rich taste... It really is tough to mess up when using such high quality ingredients. But Rocco does much more than just "good"-- while you can come here and turn off your inner foodie and just down a few slices, you can easily dissect the nuances and flavour profiles of each dish.
Carl from Marben was right-- if anyone can nail an opening night, it's Rocco Agostino. -
Review from Maddie R.
12/12/2011
This was such an enjoyable meal.
We went to the new Danforth location at lunchtime, and the restaurant was not too busy. This was great, because I've attempted to eat at the Ossington restaurant before and have been faced by an hour+ wait (albeit at dinnertime). The service was fantastic- friendly and attentive.
We ordered the braised oxtail special on polenta with roasted brussle sprouts. This dish was out-of-this-world perfection. The different textures worked very well (creamy polenta, tender oxtail and quite crunchy sprouts) and oh-so flavourful. It was visually beautiful also. They should put this on the menu permanently!
Calamari was good- what you might expect, golden and crispy with a chipolte and a black garlic mayo.
We split the funghi pizza- it was hot, fresh and very light. The crust was almost naan like. I definitely prefer this pizza to Terroni- and the pizza comes pre cut in four slices! (Way better then wrestling with it at the table and having it slide around haphazardly!)
Espresso to finish. Did not try the desserts but there is always next time. Usually when I eat Italian I have ``eaters remorse`` about all the bread and cheese. But here not so. The food was not greasy, very fresh somehow amazingly light.
Check it out!
P.s. The server recommended the duck confit pizza with pear for next time- which is a) a pretty brilliant move to encourage repeat visits, and b) effective because I have not stopped thinking about it since. 5 Stars. -
Review from Indu S.
Aurora, ON
4/17/2012
I went to dine here with my kids and we got seating downstaris because it was busy and noisey. The appetizer we ordered was kalamari in some sort of red pepper sauce which was very delicious and the pizza was also really good. The only negative thing was that the waitress came around at the end of our meal to take our plates and started to clear the table without asking if we were done eating. I was still chewing on my last slice and had some crust in my plate that i was definately going to finish. I had to tell her that I am not done yet. Other then this the experience was good. Also they could add more items on their dessert list. I did have the Tiramasu which was delicious.
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Review from Tim S.
Etobicoke, ON
12/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Great to see a new location open up. Been to the Ossington one a few times and great alternative to endless/mostly crappy Greek places on the Danforth. There really isn't much to add if you have been to the Ossington location, fantastic food and service.
There are reservations at this location, definitely recommended. -
Review from C M.
North York, ON
3/14/2012
Lunch time at Pizza Libretto & restaurant was packed! The main focus is the 2 large, wood burning ovens in the back of the restaurant, with the balance of decor on the clean, simple side.
We ordered the crostini & gnocchi fritti for apps. Crostini was pretty good (I honestly didn't try it & only got a "It's good" response when I asked) but the gnocchi was fantastic, delicately crusted with a smooth filling, perfectly balanced in a chive/lemon/chevre sauce. Give me three more servings of these & I will skip the pizza entirely!
Pizza: Margarita pizza & prosciutto pizza. Both were excellent, although the slightly soft dough texture might be new for some, it was defiantly authentic-Italian style pizza. I only wish there had been a bit more cheese on the prosciutto but all in all very satisfying and tasty. I especially appreciated the quality of prosciutto used, actually all ingredients were fresh throughout the entire meal.
Will probably return but maybe not for dinner as I can't imagine that place any busier but am assured at the dinner hour, it is. -
Review from Joanna L.
Toronto, ON
11/30/2011
There was a lot of hype about the opening of Pizzeria Libretto on The Danforth in recent weeks...perhaps a little too much hype.
I had dinner here last week with a few good friends, one of whom orders pies to go from the Ossington location and drives across town to pick them up!
The new Pizzeria Libretto location offers a cool space to dine or grab a beverage.
The pizza is tasty. They use fresh ingredients...sauces...toppings...yadayada.
That's what you get when you pay $15 for a thin-crust pizza cooked in an 800 degree oven for 90 seconds.
The staff -- mostly male -- were qualified, exuded that 'cool' vibe and knew what they were taking about.
The place was busy and I suspect will likely do very well on The Danny.
Yeh, I'd return again, maybe not on my own accord but certainly if a friend wanted to go there or if it was someone's b-day.
I still prefer Terroni. -
Review from Taz M.
East York, ON
3/10/2012
Was deciding what to eat on a late night after 10PM, and came across the popular Neopolean Pizza... Was hard to notice b/c they didn't have a usual sign up top, but had it written on the window...
Came in, and it was still a bit busy, and the atmosphere was very casual...Got started with 'Ontario Water' instead of sparkling.
Started with their beef carpacio, and it was nice and tasty...Had the lamb neck balls, and it was pretty unique as well.. Got the recommended pizza 'Njuja Pizza" which has sausage, mozzerela, tomato, and other stuff i forgot...But my gf usually not into pizza, said this is definitely the 'BEST PIZZA' she's ever had...
Desserts: Had the cappuchino which had the milk shaped like a heart shape. Got the vanilla gelato...Can't go wrong with that...
Overall great place to eat once in a while...Definitely not a place to go if you are extremely hungry; otherwise, you will spend quite a lot... -
Review from Lisa O.
Toronto, ON
12/11/2011
This is a review for the Danforth location.
My BF and I had a lovely dinner at Pizza Libretto. Antipasto was fantastic, as was the pizza (obviously). The service was impeccable. When we had to wait a little long for a salad, they comped our dessert without us even asking!
ps. the Tiramisu is divine -
Review from Jay C.
Toronto, ON
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
We went on a weekend evening around 7pm and were able to get two seats at the bar within 3 minutes of entering, but it was pretty full at the time and a substantial line up built up a bit after we were seated.
Service was friendly. The decor was eh - nothing special. It seemed to be missing something that the Ossington location has in spades (vibe?), but maybe it's just the different clientele.
We ordered an apple and fig salad to start, to be followed by the house-made sausage and ontario prosciutto pizzas. The salad was great - a nice tangy balsalmic vinegar dressing and creamy blue cheese. The pizzas were also very nice - thin crust, sufficient amount of toppings, prosciutto not too chewy. The rochetta goat cheese panna cotta dessert was light and creamy. The orange consomme added complexity without weighing it down.
The only problem was that it took about an hour to get our pizzas, when the menu boasts that it takes less than 90 seconds to bake each one. At first we thought the kitchen was backed up, but the two top seated next to us after we ordered received their apps AND pizzas while we waited patiently for our mains. At that point we realized that we were waiting for a reeeeally long time, and had to ask our server to look into our order.
Generally I would say that it's the server's responsibility to notice the delay, and not wait be notified by the diners for waiting excessively for their food, but since we were at the bar and our server was busy preparing drinks for the other tables, I can see that it may slip his mind. However, someone should be keeping an eye out for the people seated there since it seems like it would be a common problem otherwise. The problem was remedied immediately. Our server told us that we would be getting our pizza "in four minutes", and we were served complimentary pear sorbets while waiting. This is the best reaction that the restaurant could provide in response to a break-down in their process. W\e were able to leave with a positive impression of Pizzeria Libretto on the Danforth.
I would definitely return!
Plus, they take reservations! Too bad it's not via the OpenTable program, but just a module/widget on their site.
