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Terroni
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
57A Adelaide Street EToronto, ON M5C 1K6
Neighbourhood: Downtown Core
(416) 203-3093
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 9 am - 10 pm
Thu-Sat 9 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
118 reviews for Terroni
Review Highlights
-
"Beautiful room in an old courthouse." In 11 reviews -
"...and my bf had Pappardelle al Sugo di Cinghiale (boar pasta." In 3 reviews -
"Flourless dark chocolate lava cake." In 4 reviews
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118 reviews in English
-
Review from Chris T.
East York, ON
4/24/2012
A friend and I checked out Terroni after a Raptors game and it was the best decision of the night! The place had a buzz when we walked in and that's the atmosphere you want on a Friday night. We shared the calamari as our app and it was cripsy and tender, cooked perfectly without too mich grease. My friend order a pizza which had goat cheese and sundries tomatoes and I got the ravioli with duck confit, fig and butternut squash. The pizza's crust was thin and flaky while the toppings were generous. The ravioli I had was the best I've ever had so far. The topped it with a white wine sauce and oyster mushrooms...yum! I've already planned to make another trip back for my girlfriend's bday. Great food, great service, great place!
Food- 5
Service- 4
Buzz- 4.5
Price- 4 -
Review from Rachael H.
Toronto, ON
5/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
(If it was possible, this review would be 3.5 stars)
Terroni is comfort food for me. It remains so, and I'll keep going back because of it. But a few things irked me on my most recent visit...
First, the Good:
The food is still so very yummy. A reasonable take on traditional, Italian fare~ Simple, and fresh. The pizza was great. The Olive oil was delicious. I could subsist solely on their hot peppers in oil.
Their Tiramisu was to die for~ No joke. While it was a far cry from authentic, I'm sure they used an entire tub of mascarpone in that single serving. We devoured that generous portion in a minute, flat. I would *bathe* in that dessert, if I could.
The decor & ambiance is still great. The demographic...well, it was...ours. Young professionals, mostly. Since Terroni isn't the newest & latest, it was void of the trend-following crowd.
The Weird & the Niggly:
The prices for Pizza & Mains are incredibly reasonable; however, the appetizers & salads, desserts & wines by the glass, are *outrageously* expensive! It's so strange~ everything on their menu seems to be around the same price...
The wines that we had, were mediocre, at best. At $14.00 a glass, the sparkling wine I ordered should've been exceptional. It was merely, good.
I remember the good-old-days of Terroni... When they left a grater of fresh parmesan at your table for you to use as you pleased. I imagine this got very expensive. (I *might* admit to abusing the privilege, if you back me into a corner...)
Many years ago, they switched to the common server-proffered topping.
We were told the other night, the chefs no longer allow Parmesan added to the pizza (nor the seafood pastas) as they say it messes with the 'carefully selected cheese blends and delicate flavour' and 'italian chefs are so picky when it comes to their cheeses'... I'm paraphrasing, but that was the gist.
My man, never one to hold back, (discreetly, after the server departed, of course) stated that it was 'bull', as any restaurant in Italy will smother as much cheese as possible on your dish.
Nevertheless, the smoked cheese on the pizza *was* a delight, and more than compensated for my disappointment...
The service was passable. Nothing lacking, but nothing to write home about.
I love Terroni. I do. And I don't really like to be negative, ever. But I was a teensy-bit disappointed with our visit. But I'll be back, if only to meet my quota on those hot peppers... -
Review from Carrie L.
3/9/2012
I had a different experience than the last reviewer on here that discussed dining solo; I, too, dined alone at Terroni while in Toronto on business but enjoyed it very much.
I was drawn to the restaurant from what I could see of the interior from the street - much of the old courthouse is still preserved, and when you're eating alone, it's nice to have an interesting space to provide some visual interest. The waitress was very helpful, giving me a very appropriate wine recommendation (which was incidentally not expensive) when I described what I liked, and generally making herself available for other questions/needs.
I ordered the Bucatini all' Amatriciana, and it was delicious - the guanciale was perfectly smoked and the pasta was obviously fresh. I was so impressed by the pasta that I splurged on dessert, and it - the caramel budino - was equally good. For the quality of the food and wine, the pricing was fair: $40 for an entree, dessert, and glass of wine (as well as complimentary bread with olive oil).
Very nice experience all around! -
Review from Tex S.
Pickering, ON
5/18/2012
This place tries way too hard to be "authentically" Italian and misses the mark in spectacular fashion
While seated at the bar enjoying a glass of wine - that by the way I had to wait a good 20-30 mins for since the bartender was completely ignoring us - was asked to leave my seat for a couple that had just come in and wanted to eat at the bar. If this place took bar reservations that would be one thing but they do not and so I was asked to rudely vacate my seat because this couple were clearly the bartender's friends.
I have never in my entire life seen a restaurant have such disregard for their customers. From the time you try to book a reservation and having them tell you in no uncertain terms that unless your whole party shows up at the same time you will not get a table, to the just plain rudeness of the staff, I was literally flabbergasted. Specific examples of their poor service from last night alone:
1/ My friend ordered a glass of rosé wine but referred to it as blush wine. Rather than the waiter simply clarifying what he was requesting, he rudely asked my friend what he was talking about, that he did not know what that was and ultimately in a very condescending way said "you mean rosé?"
2/ I sat at the table for a good 20 minutes without even so much as an acknowledgment or someone offering to take my drink order - I had to call the waiter over.
3/ This same waiter actually rolled his eyes when I changed my mind about the bottle of wine I wanted - clearly going back down to the cellar was extremely inconvenient for him even though that is his job!
4/ When the bread came to the table we asked if we could have some balsamic vinegar for dipping. We were told that they do not have any and that they simply do not offer that, no exceptions. Side note: they really seems to have an issue with balsamic vinegar going so far as to highlight the items on their menu that would traditionally have this ingredient but do not at Terroni
5/ My friend also asked for some butter for his bread preferring it to olive oil - again when we asked we were told they do not serve that. At this point we called the manager over who, rather than try to satisfy her customers, repeatedly kept saying that it is their policy not to serve butter. Policy??? What if my friend had been allergic to olive oil? When we suggested they bring some out on the plate from the kitchen she once again referred to their "policy".
6/ The one thing the manager did do right was assign a new server to our table as we expressed our displeasure with the service we had been receiving. Wanita came in and somewhat salvages the evening - she was very nice.
I get that Terroni are trying to offer an "authentic" Italian experience and that they have a brand image they want to uphold but guess what Terroni, they eat butter and balsamic vinegar in Italy! The customer should ALWAYS come first. There is no place for this level of pretentious attitude in a city like Toronto where there are a plethora of restaurants to choose from.
Enough about the service. The food was not memorable. I found the menu lacked creativity and variety especially with respect to the wine list. The pricing for what are in essence simple Italian dishes is ridiculously high for the average quality of food served.
- No dipping sauce for calamari - the batter also smelled and tasted like KFC
- Friend's seabream was overcooked - on a positive note they did take it back and made him a plate of pasta. However they did not give him a spoon to help him twirl his spaghetti
- The wine list is ridiculously small and only features one wine from Puglia in southern Italy! For a restaurant that touts itself as an "authentic" southern Italian experience, it would have been nice to feature other southern regions such as Sicily, Campagna, Calabria or Salento.
- The gnocchi was completely lacking in flavor and required the addition of a substantial amount of salt to bring out any flavor.
- The agnelotti were good but again under seasoned and did require the addition of salt at the table
There are much better places in Toronto for authentic Italian food, where the CUSTOMER IS KING. -
Review from Noah G.
4/21/2012
I liked the look of Terroni from the outside and decided to give it a shot. The space is stylish and elegant. The hostess was a bit stiff but the wait staff was attentive and friendly. I had beef carpaccio and the Italian equivalent of a salad Nicoise. Both were nice, prepared with flavorful and fresh ingredients. A tasty glass of Italian red provided a good accompaniment. After lunch I had the flourless chocolate cake and a cappuccino.
-
Review from EatingoutT O.
Toronto, ON
4/24/2012
Parmesan rinds don't belong in antipasto. Bread, chilies in EVOO, and pasta dishes were all heavy on salt but enjoyable otherwise.
-
Review from Ivan S.
Markham, ON
1/29/2012
Terroni is a jailhouse/courtroom converted into a rustic Italian restaurant. The urban legend is that the restaurant is haunted as hangings took place within the building. The ominous feeling is reinforced when you visit the jail cell type washrooms in the basement.
The main foyer provides a sit down cafe style atmosphere, beautifully decorated. When entering the main dining hall, the high ceilings gives the illusion of a spacious dinner, however, the seating arrangements are designed to fill maximum capacity of people.
As for the food, they have a unique selection of gourmet pizzas. I ordered the Al Salmone, a white pizza with smoked salmon dish, which was delicious. The only qualm I had was that it was too plain, but that could also be a credit to the restaurants popularity: Simple dishes with unique twist.
The servers were very friendly. I did prepare for the worst as from previous reviewers experience, so my expectations were very low. There was a delay when ordering our food, but that could have been due to us having a big group (28 people). We were also seated in two separate tables and our server kindly asked us if we wanted our food first since it was ready.
I generally am not in the area too often, but the ambiance and unique food selection wouldn't stop me from going again. -
Review from Vivian P.
North York, ON
2/29/2012
The atmosphere in this restaurant is great - i would have given it a four if the server had gotten our order correct and if i wasn't given attitude at the end when I asked for a takeout box for my pizza.
We were a party of two, ordered:
Appetizer:
Tagliere Mezzo e Mezzo 17.95
selection italian and local cured meats (i.e. smaller version of of Tagliere del Salumiere - 17.95) and italian cheese served with honey and homemade jam (i.e. Tagliere di Formaggi - 17.95)
2 Entrées:
Ravioli di Zio Paperone 17.95
homemade ravioli stuffed with duck confit, fig, roasted butternut squash, sauteed with oyster, button mushrooms and parmigiano
Puzza (16.95)
white pizza with mozzarella, italian mascarpone, gorgonzola, mushrooms, italian ham
BUT was given Polentona (16.95)
tomato, mozzarella, fontina, speck (smoked prosciutto), pinenuts
I realized how ignorant I am of other cultures while I was here - really wished for a beginner's special / introduction, especially when it came to eating our appetizer. I asked the server which order we should eat all the meat and cheese in and he said left to right, but didn't recommend any specific combinations. It was definitely fun to try all the different meat and cheese but there were some moments when we were like .. so how do we eat this. My friend found that this cheese (strong, parmasan-y) went well with the dried (yet moist...)pear and bread. I found that bread + the pear went well with gorgonzola (definitely an aquired taste - that cheese was really strong). Next time i try this dish, I will order some wine just to see how it would taste different :)
So I mentioned the wrong order earlier - I ordered Puzza (and i'm pretty sure i heard the server repeat "Puzza" after I said it) but received a Polentona instead. The worse part is - we didn't figure that out until we saw the bill (on the bill it said i ordered the polentona instead). This made me really sad, it was my fault for not remembering what I had ordered, but at the same time, the server could have clarified what i said :(.
Our server kept us watered, but that's what all servers should do. He could have totally added more value to our dining experience by maybe asking to see if we ever ate at Terroni before and given us recommendations and suggestions (and tips on what to eat first). I hate to mention tips in reviews, but honestly, if he did that, I would have been happy to give at least 20% tip.
Final comment on the service. When I asked for a box, the server said, "What?! you only at a bit" in a very serious tone (I looked up to see if he was just teasing but he wasn't.... he looked really insulted actually). so i told him: Well this is really good but i can't finish it now, that's why i want to take it home with me. Shouldn't he be ... happy that I'm not wasting food? I guess the server wasn't used to serving people in my friend and i's age group - all the other patrons were at least 35+, so he didn't know what to say... oh and last thing - he didn't bring a dessert menu OR suggest any wines (lost the opportunity to upsell, mio amico).
Stuff to keep in mind:
pizza's huge (but thin crusted) and they won't cut it up for you (i heard that they actually refused to take it back in the kitchen to cut it up because italians ate pizza with knife and fork).
Tagliere Mezzo e Mezzo was filling for even two people (I'd say three would be a great number to share the portion that they provided). It's worth a try!
Ravioli was good as well :) - pasta portions weren't as big.
The Adelaide location only takes reservations for 6pm and 9pm - it started getting busy around 730pm.
They have the meat hung up on display in the bar area (in display case of course), which is really cool.
They have a Terroni magazine, which talks about italian food :) It's for free (and has yummy food pictures!) -
Review from Sandy C.
Scarborough, ON
1/14/2012 9 photos
My first time at Terroni and I would definitely come back again!
Upon entering the restaurant, you are greeted with a nice aroma of chocolate and a great place to seat down to have a meal and bond with your friends. We were seated near the front of the restaurant where our server was helpful and nice (he kept coming back to review our water unlike other restaurants where you have to wait for a long time).
We ordered the Capaccio di Manzo which was a raw beef appetizer. Nothing to rave about because it is like eating beef sashimi.
I ordered the Ravioli di Zio Paperone which I loved! The duck inside the ravioli was tender and the sauce used for the pasta really enhanced the duck flavour. My friend ordered the Natalina pizza which he said was really good and the Cavatelli al Sugo D'Agnello which had a very strong taste of lamb.
We also ordered the latte macchiato which went really well at the end of the meal because the espresso shot didn't have a burned taste to it and the milk was nicely steamed.
Overall, my meal and the service we received at Terroni sold me on coming back to this place! -
Review from Asheley R.
Halifax, NS
In meeting my fabbbbbbulously fabulous friends I studied nutrition with
in Toronto, they decided to take me to Terroni.
I knew it was going to be a great big fat Italian experience upon
opening the glass doors. Who cares what the food tastes like! This
place looked incredible. High ceilings, walls of what I'm sure are the
best wines, and wood detailing with rich colors. Wait, it smelled way
too good in there to not care about the food.
I knew we were in a serious spot when asked if I wanted my water iced,
sparkling, bottled, etc etc. It always catches me off guard as I'm
usually not the fanciest of pants. The waitress was somewhat alright I
suppose. Wasn't the friendliest and my friends agreed. She did however
bring us fabulous bread and olive oil. Something so simple yet so
pleases me.
I was rather overwhelmed with the menu, primarily because I sucked at
pronoucing things and was afraid the waitress would kick me out if I
didn't say it right. We all went with pizzas and I opted for the Li
Pecuri with tomato, mozzarella, goat cheese, sundried tomatoes,
arugola, and parmigiano. It was ammmmmazingly delish! Still hasn't
beat the best pizza I've ever had (Pizzeria Regina in Boston) but it
was tasty all the same.
My belly senses (equivalent to spidey senses) tell me I need to eat
some different pasta dishes here. I fully intend to when I return some
day.
Until then, I'll dream of traditional bolognese ragù. -
Review from Luke S.
Toronto, ON
5/3/2012
Love this place. Great food, service and atmosphere. They don't take reservations on some of their busier nights would be my only issue.
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Review from Onyee L.
Toronto, ON
1/8/2012
My friends and I came here on a Wednesday night and it was packed! I did find it odd that when my friend called to make a reservation we were told we weren't able to do that, but the wait was reasonable.
I absolutely love gourmet pizza and they had some of the most unique combinations. My friends ordered pasta dishes and we all loved our food and left the place stuffed!
And how could we leave an Italian restaurant before having gelato; it was aboslutely delicious! -
Review from Mochi M.
12/31/2011
This is my first time at Terroni, I haven't tried their Queen's Street location.
That said, I enjoyed it very much. I am normally very skeptical of Italian restaurants because it's always cheap stuff (pasta) that is overpriced with a bit of cream and flavouring.
We ordered the ostrich carpaccio that had black truffle slices (4 to be exact), and I loved the entire dish. I have never had raw ostrich, let alone ostrich and the flavour was so delicate and with a bit of a tang. Very unlike steak tartare, which I find a bit more mellow and sweet. The black truffle enhanced the flavours very nicely, and with a bit of lemon on top of some bread, it was a real hit for me, even at $14 ;P
Then we shared a sea bass which was cooked very nicely, with grilled vegetables (ick on the potatoes and whatever that tasteless white/yellowy onion-looking thing was), but the raddichio was nice, and the asparagus too little (I would have liked a whole heaping of grilled asparagus and no other veggie). It was flavourful and I was glad to see the entire fish had its head, eyeballs and all, and wasn't sanitized for my dining experience, although the people next to me eating their standard pastas turned a little green.
Another girl at our table ordered the wild boar tagliatelle which we took a bite of and liked. I love wild boar (ate it in the mountains in Portugal once), and although the lovely texture was masked because they shredded this particular boar, it still had a lovely flavour with the red wine and tomato sauce.
We finished with a dark chocolate torta which I liked, but had a feeling that they microwaved, even if it was delicious :)
Overall, a good restaurant to go to. Great ambience, lovely high ceilings, wonderful architecture and lots of space! Reserve in advance for weekends and holidays.
I'll come back, and order the ostrich carpaccio for sure, and perhaps the duck confit ravioli next time.
I suggest you avoid the pizzas altogether. They look mediocre. Go for the pasta, which is what they're known for.
The only negative about the service (and I totally understand) is that they don't split bills. :( We had to try and figure out what everyone ordered with HST included, and it was a little hassle, but a small negative. -
Review from Faye C.
12/22/2011
We were here tonight - (4 fabulous girls) - it was my first time at this location, I've been the Queen west location before (where the mushroom salad is totally amazing)...I had been jonesing for it all day...but it was completely lack luster. (thinly sliced white mushrooms (raw), thinly sliced cheese, and some greens lightly tossed in a vinegrette. Boo on the mushroom salad.
I had a pizza with pear and honey (yum - yummier than it sounds), the pizzas here are great. 3 of us ordered pizza, and the other the gnocchi (i love gnocchi).
The prosecco bellinis are tasty.
Word of advice - they don't take reservations, and won't seat you until your FULL party arrives. Try to get there on time... -
Review from Maddie R.
11/26/2011
Went to Terroni on a Thursday night. It was busy but we were able to get a table no problem.
Had the duck confit ravioli and affogato for dessert. The ravioli was super. My favourite part was the mushrooms. It was advertised as having butternut squash and figs , but I did not detect these flavours whatsoever.
The atmosphere was lively and lovely
The service was seamless
The dessert ( gelato with espresso and chocolate) was the perfect light and refreshing end to the meal.
It is a perfect place to go if you find yourself downtown and craving carbs! -
Review from Courtney B.
Pickering, ON
12/12/2011
I have only been back in Toronto for about six weeks now, and yet I have somehow been to this Terroni twice. Why, I ask myself? It can't be the food or the service. Basically, it's for the location and the size. This place is big, and feels even bigger with the vaulted ceilings. This also means it's very, very noisy when it's full.
I come from an Italian family, which makes me really picky about my pasta. Each time I have eaten here I've had a pasta, and it's always perfectly done, and their tomato sauces are fantastic. However, I am really bothered by the "no parmesan on seafood pasta" rule they have. No substitutions, I understand. But no parmesan, if that's what I want? When you are already at my table, grating parmesan onto my lucky fellow diners' plates? Come on. From what I've experienced, Italians put parmesan on whatever they want.
The service is, in a word, adequate. Not overly friendly, not (underly?) friendly, but they aren't really putting in anything extra. They did do a good job of recommending a wine, which was useful as they have a lot of non-LCBO wines.
So, all in all, not a bad place if you are eating with more than a few people and don't mind speaking up to your fellow diners. Not the greatest place for an intimate outing, though the baby that made up patron #5 of my group managed to sleep the whole time. -
Review from Eating W.
North York, ON
12/18/2011
Terroni's is OK..
The food was mediocre. We ordered the Margarita pizza and the Tuna pizza (sorry, I don't know the Italian name for it,haha) and the Duck confit ravioli. I didn't find the pizza to be that good as many people said it was. For dessert, we ordered two chocolate flourless cakes. They were delicious. It was Heaven in our mouths! You have got to order that if you go there.
I absolutely loved the ambiance in the restaurant. It was classy but also old fashioned. The wash rooms had a pretty layout, with lion-head sinks. That may sound odd,but it was pretty cool.
I am not so big on Italian food,but I would recommend it to my friends that are.
Hope I helped! :) -
Review from Mariko M.
10/29/2011
Was responsible for planning a birthday dinner. My first choice didn't have any tables available for tonight so I went on to Plan B.
I don't want to sound like a broken record so I won't go into the decor of the place.
This place is PACKED. I was certain that I read on the Internet that reservations were a no-go here. Anyway, I didn't want to wait around for a table tonight so I called on Friday to ask when my party should go to the resto if we wanted to avoid a long wait. To my surprise, this place DOES take reservations. On Saturday, I was told, reservations can be made for 6 PM and 9 PM only. Reservation making was a quick and painless process. I gave my name and number. Reso was made.
We were seated in the Cantina area (basement). Close to the washrooms and spacious, I would recommend that you try to sit here. The volume level isn't to the point that you can't carry on a conversation.
Service was absoluuuuuutttteeellly fab. 'Nuff said.
Menu is extensive, but I would highly recommend the pizza !! Yum, yum, yum.
Imma be back. -
Review from C M.
North York, ON
3/9/2012
Sat night at Terroni: was highly anticipating this popular restaurant. Unfortunately, I was left a little disappointed. Atmosphere was lovely upon entering, even what is essentially a colossal basement is made to feel nice and cozy. I ordered a ginger ale as soon as I sat down, it never came. Fine, okay, so I asked for a wine menu . . . it never came. At least we saved money on the drinks as the waitress didn't bring my husbands second beer as well! Anyway, I got the mushroom/proscuitto pizza which was pretty good although very difficult to cut (I was trying to be civilized with a fork and knife as we were among some important guests!). Then . . . the wait began. Waited for everything to be cleared. Waited for the bill (they won't give you separate bills, kind of a pain), waited for the change and were then told they needed the table for the next guests. I was practically asleep at the table from all the mind numbing waiting. Maybe the fault lies a little bit with our 15 person party and that terrible lingering habit people develop when no-one wants to be the one to say "Ok, we're done, lets go".
Overall, fine. I would give it a second chance but order pasta next time. -
Review from Susanna S.
11/4/2011
Dining solo always can bring precarious dinners, even in the best restaurants.
The bar/waiting area...lovely, busy, with the feel of the main dining area, however I was sat in the basement...with the bad kids at the wedding it seemed. I was first sat at the worst seat in the house I assume, and asked for a different table...in the basement.
I went for the Burrata appetizer, which was really wonderful. Huge portion of a lovely cheese. My waitress tried to sell me the 20 dollar glass of wine and I told her that if she sat me upstairs with the adults I might buy it.
The Cosi pizza was tasty,but not mind blowing.
An app, the pizza and two glasses of wine with tip, $85. If I had sat in the lovely dining area, ok. As it was, just alright. Thankfully I dined alone at Canoe the night before and had at least one evening on my business trip where I was treated like a princess.
Note to Terroni. Solo diner at your place, not so satisfied, $85.
Solo diner at Canoe $200 dollars and thrilled...use your little tables better. Sometimes the solo ladies have money at home yes? -
Review from Emme W.
9/2/2011
Wednesday nights are not what they're used to be: they're better. Especially when they involve dinner at Terroni, a hefty Italian restaurant in a converted courthouse nestled in the heart of Toronto. A buzzy lunch spot, I explored the place with a local and I was fortunate to see every angle of the space (even the wine cellar, which was an old jail cell decades past, and columns still stand) before my friend found us a seat at the bar. Some of my favorite dinners have been barside - Grammercy Tavern, Woodfire Grill, Anissa, to name a few - if only because the heart of a restaurant comes through the simplicity of the bar experience. on this particular evening, it was the two of us rounding out a corner seat. Behind us though, the space was expansive - good for large groups and intimate gatherings due to the varied dining rooms - and well lit, as any good restaurant should be.
We started the evening off with the perfect cocktail: a negroni. Then followed that with a bottle of red from the extensive wine list. Food was light that evening. A gorgeous plate of creamy burrata, after which came a crispy mushroom salad - baked not fried so the flavors come through clean - and the most simple of pizza's, a Margherita.
The salad has been a staple on the menu since the restaurant opened, and I can understand why. It's a surprising combination of flavors and textures, a welcome respite for those tired of the traditional cured meat platter - though I hear Terroni does great work in their own salumeria. But the finery is always best found in the details. A good burrata on the menu will often indicate the restaurant is worth trying, if only for that cheese.
Just don't expect pretension. Terroni keeps it simple, so you can be slightly decadent, and well, revel in your cocktail. -
Review from Justine H.
Toronto, ON
8/28/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Restaurant: Terroni
Cuisine: Italian/Pizza
Location: Downtown
Address: 57A Adelaide St E
Price Range: $15-20
1: Poor
2: OK
3: Good
4: Very Good
5: Excellent
Food: 4
Service: 2
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 3
Extra information:
*Used to be a court
*Has Bar/Lounge area
*Extensive wine list
There is a bar to the left side and a sandwich bar to the right when you walk into the restaurant. This restaurant gets really busy during lunch time but there are lots of staff to keep up with the crowd
Restaurant is huge inside. This location used to be a court so it's very roomy with high ceilings (this is what makes the restaurant SUPER noisy). Very nice authentic wooden tables and chairs around the restaurant gives it rustic italian home feel. This was taken 5 minutes before lunch crowd filled up the restaurant.
Complimentary BREAD & OLIVE OIL - The bread was soft and fresh and it's only served with olive oil. Apparently when you ask for Balsamic vinegar they don't give it to you because they use good quality olive oil and when you add balsamic vinegar to it, it ruins the taste. I get that the olive oil is good quality but I always like it better with some balsamic vinegar or salt and pepper.
Ordered: PARPELLINI ALLO IOSA - This is flat and wide pasta made fresh in the house. This comes with lots of ground sausage and it tastes better more you eat it. This pasta was very rich and the all the mild flavors went very good together.
Ordered: PARPELLINI WITH BOAR MEAT - This is same flat and wide pasta as above. I couldn't really taste the difference in boar meat but this was a little more tomatoey in sauce. I really enjoyed this dish.
Ordered: SPAGHETTINI WITH MEAT SAUCE - Pasta was al Dente and I really like my pasta to be chewy. This is not your regular spaghetti- it's thicker and square shaped. Meat sauce was meaty and thick and it really went well with the pasta. There was lots of meat sauce left over and you can dip bread in it after.
Ordered: SPAGHETTINI WITH SEAFOOD - This had lots of fresh seafood and very light tomato based sauce. Tomato sauce was very tangy and a little too watery for me. I personally didn't really like this.
Ordered: AFFOGATO ALLA CREMA - It is a little pricey for $6 because it's kind of small but this was so good. They poured chocolate on top of the icecream and everything went very well together. Although I never drink espresso but this was really refreshing and the espresso was not bitter at all.
SUMMARY: Half way through our meal, the restaurant filled up fast and it got super noisy in the restaurant. We had to shout to hear each other and I blame this on the high ceiling. The service is very quick but don't expect a smile. Also, apparently they don't alter items on menu due to the fact that it's a set recipe so many dishes may not work for vegetarians or if you hate or is allergic to something. Overall I really liked this restaurant and would go back if I was craving pasta.
*chomp chomp*Listed in: foodigatorJ TOP LIST
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Review from Ann H.
Vancouver, BC
2/27/2012
Very Good Quality & Fresh Ingredient make food simple but delicious !!!!
best pizza : C't Mang ( forgot the exact name, but something very close )
it is a pizza that u wouldn't order when u see the ingredient but u will never forget it after u tried it !
C't Man is a pizza that has pears (yes ! pears ! ), walnut, prosciutto and sth. else !
it is not one of those pizza u think u need a lots of Cheese and meatball and all add up grissy and fatting. C't Man is very delightful and super delicious ! like SUPER !
Fried Calamari is sth. very simple but Tasty ! you don't need creamy tartar sauce or dill sauce ! a bit of lemon juice would work it all out !
The interior of this restaurant is also very "Italian" ~ extra tall celling, open space, window on top with natural sunlight, old Roman style decoration. wooden table. -
Review from Jiao S.
10/14/2011 3 photos
I am aware that I might have given out too many four stars.
I definitely like this place better than a 3 star but I am not a fan of it.
Although I did celebrate Chinese New Year there lol and got drunk ......
The food is very good. ( Please bare me that I can't recall the Italian name so have to describe it) Love the mushroom salad appetizer. and LOVE the Tiramisu. Actually I consider it as the best Tiramisu I ever had.
I had the grilled fish once too. Very tender and fresh.
I am not a great great fan of the tradition style pasta ( Why you are going to a Italian Restaurant then? You might ask, but ... sorry?)
So that all the pasta choice I had was not very attractive .
Plus the price is tend to be the expensive side.
But~ Good place to check out -
Review from Joanne W.
Updated - 8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dear Terroni:
You make delicious food.
Sincerely, Joanne
We were here for my friend's farewell that evening -- we had booked a table for 25 (yes! we got reservations) -- at 9 PM. The great thing is this: no set menu required.
My friend and I had ordered the following:
CALAMARI ALLA GRIGLIA: absolutely delicious -- calamari was grilled to perfection and the salad with the bruschetta was awesome as well.
C'T MANG PIZZA: pears on a pizza?! what?! AMAZING. It was a "sweet" pizza - but everything complimented each other sooo very well. The bad part of the pizza at Terroni is that you would have to cut it up yourself (and I'm not very strong).
RAVIOLI DI RICOTTA DI BUFALA: Ravioli with delicious basil and ricotta cheese?! Yes please!
Great evening - great service. I think the only problem was that it was pretty noisy - but you can't really do much if you have 25 people sitting at one long table.Listed in: OMNOMNOM italian cuisine
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/8/2010
Monday night, around 7 PM: I stroll into Terroni ... well, okay - not stroll ... I sort of run in… Read more »
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Review from Anthony K.
Toronto, ON
11/25/2011
First of all, the decor of this location is fantastic! It is exactly the type of feel you expect from a busy dt restaurant.
Now about the food. The restaurant makes their own pasta daily, you can taste the difference. There are many choices even if you are not a big fan of Italian food, you are sure to find something on the menu that tickle your fancy. The portion is pretty decent, not overly massive but at the same time enough to fill you up. Location is very convenient, steps from the financial district and just around the corner of eaton centre.
Some tips, the place is not big on substituting things in the dish, I can see the perspective, they want you to enjoy the dishes they way they were created, but if you have a serious allergy, I'm sure they are willing to accommodate. It is not a super economic place, so if budget is what your concern is, then you may want to think twice. Otherwise, have fun!! -
Review from Anthony C.
Toronto, ON
12/4/2011
I still prefer the Queen street Terroni due to the back patio but for a winter location this one is perfect. The main room is gorgeous. The staff was very good.. We had the funghi assoluti as a app. It was amazing. The reduction was done perfectly. The parpadelle was pretty too.
Service was very good especially given the size of our party and how busy it was.
Easily 3.5+ resto and a great place to kick off a night downtown. I'm rounding up to 4 due to the great service. -
Review from Lauren M.
6/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is my favourite Terroni location because it's HUGE and has amazing decor.
We were seated in this excellent private area at the back which has a large table that can seat 12. I recommend requesting this room if you have a larger party because it's AWESOME. It's decorated nicely and has a fireplace and bay window looking out the back courtyard. It's sort of like being in Nona Papparelli's dining room.
The service here is excellent as is the food quality. I love their pizzas - very thin crust so I can devour the entire thing without feeling TOO gluttonous. The quattro staggioni is my favourite. Pizzas are priced from $13-$19.
My only problem-o is that I'm quite cheap and they have no cheaper wine options. The wine list is HUGE but the cheapest bottle starts at $45 and they don't offer many 1/2 liter options either. So price is moderate if you aren't drinking, but really adds up even if you want a glass or two of wine. -
Review from Ryan G.
10/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I like this place. hands down its the pinnacle of Toronto happy place for me.
I'm not out west and long for this ex-jail type italian pizzeria pasta excitement! The decor is spot on, the food was great (I had the seafood pasta, spicy). Price was good, service was top notch, I expected less. The patio was really good and I imagine those summer nights would be bangin' out there... We went for a lunch on a Sunday so they weren't too busy... Inside or out, the seating is well appointed. I will return again one day... perhaps for a dinner and some drinks instead to verify my aspirations of ambiance.
Until then, keep the seats warm for me. -
Review from Janna S.
This is one of the most interesting restaurants to dine in downtown! The decor is great and the old courthouse space makes for good conversation while waiting for your order to arrive. I came here with a large group and we had a room all to ourselves, so the noise factor was reduced quite a bit. It was rammed at 6pm on a Saturday night and there is a lot of seating here so come early if you want a good table.
I thought the service was great and the pizza and pasta were both excellent - I had the seafood pasta and the smoked salmon pizza. The bathrooms are a bit small and cramped but I guess they face the basement problem that most downtown restaurants have here. I had the chocolate-covered gelato in espresso for dessert - delicious! -
Review from Maheen M.
8/15/2011
Terroni's is Italian food done right. I dropped by for lunch with a friend this past Saturday and our lunch exceeded expectations.
To start - we both shared their beef carpacio (sp?) salad. I have never tried beef carpacio before it was a fabulous. The beef was rare and thinly sliced seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper. It was topped with an argula salad with shavings of asigo cheese. The combination of all the flavours just worked. The beef just melted in your mouth. I would order this again in a heart beat.
For our entree, we shared a pizza - we got the St Nicolas, toppings were prosciutto, argula and dolops of cheese (I forget what kinda). The pizza was devine, it was the right thickness and great balance of all the ingredients.
Service was great. Their staff is very attentive to your needs. It was a good pace between courses.
Terroni's is one of favourites places in Toronto. -
Review from Jason C.
Toronto, ON
9/29/2011
If you want good Italian food, you will probably enjoy Terroni.
Some people say "oh their pizza isn't great" or "they're pasta was average" and to that I say stop complaining. Their pizza and pasta and almost everything on the menu IS good.
I can't say it's all AMAZING, but then again that depends on your individual taste. I CAN say they use fresh ingredients and the composition of their food is rather good in that you can taste the different flavors (compared to an average restaurant where the food is not fresh, bland or just tastes mashed together).
Considering the variety on the menu, the reasonable pricing and the fun/trendy atmosphere I say this place is pretty awesome bang for your buck. Some of the girls working there are moody. Best to just smile or ignore them. -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
9/8/2011
I remember when I lived in Ontario that I loved Italian food.. then I moved to Vancouver and really tried to eat anything BUT italian... and now that I'm back.... I'm trying to find great pizza all over again.. probably there weren't very authentic pizza places on the west coast.
And I hear from everyone - go to Terroni.. best pizza.
Well I went, and I must just not be a fan or authentic thin crust. When trying to cut it.... it doesn't cut, or takes way too much effort to the point where the pizza is slipping off the plate.. uncut!
The toppings were very tasty - white pizza with speck, pears and a lovely combination of sweet and salty. but the crust just reminded me of cardboard. I know that sounds soo harsh, but it's true.
We also ordered a chacuterie plate to start which was a nice combination of meats, breads, and cheeses, a pear and some honey. Definitely a variety of textures, flavours, and would fit any one's palette (as long as they love meat and cheese).
For dessert, we got the tiramisu to share - because I love tiramisu and have heard great things. For the most part, I was pleasantly pleased. Very creamy, very traditional.
The exterior is very nice and being an old prison, you will see the jails as wine cellars in the basement. A little eerie, but very cool.
I would definitely come back to check out other foods, and yes even give their pizza another try. Their pasta looked good, but then I've been told to go to Mercatto instead. To each person's own I guess. -
Review from Cecilia A.
1/24/2012
Food amazing. Service 1 star. It has been a while since I have had such bad service. The staff was obnoxious. Will go to Terroni on Queens street.
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Review from Kat K.
5/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Terroni is located on Adelaide, it is the next door neighbour to the Courthouse club; so it is ideally situated if you want to eat and party the night away.
Came here after a day of city hopping with the boyfriend, (Doors Open 2011), we were served promptly, and quicker than the wait time the hostess quoted us, which was great.
The set-up of the Adelaide location is divided in to a bar in the front portion, with a main dining room just beyond the hostess station
We were seated in the main dining room, with the atrium off to the one side of us, and the kitchen on the other.
Maybe, it is because I've had a lot of good Italian food lately, but I thought Terroni was a bit lacking.. in that little something that made it extra memorable. It does bother me that I can't quite put my finger on what I didn't like about it.
I should mention that it is my second visit to this local chain (since they do have several locations dotted throughout the city, the other is located in the Queen West area).
The atmosphere is a study in contrast between the two locations that I have visited. One is a bustling family restaurant, the other... a bustling supper club, complete with DJ.
We ordered their mushroom salad (Funghi Assoluti) to start, which was great... but I thought there was a tad too much parmigiano and there were plenty of mushrooms, and the balsamic balanced nicely, but it was missing that extra-crispy crunch, that i expected from a salad. (either that or I've been spoiled by Pizza Liberetto and Vinsanto)
The boyfriend ordered the Wild Boar Pappardelle (Pappardelle al Sugo di Cinghiale) and I ordered the Gnocchi special, which was butternut squash gnocchi with parmigiano, sage(basil?) and finished with butter.
The pappardelle was better, but I couldn't get over the fact that it kinda tasted like... Chinese-style 5-spice stewed beef, it was quite enjoyable. I just kept flashing back to the huang siew beef noodle soup that you can get for cheaper up in Markham. It might be because they use Star-anise in it.
The Gnocchi was butternut squash, other than that there isn't that much to say about it beyond that.. It had the color of butternut squash, and it tasted like butternut squash, I smell my dish when it came out... and it smelled like melted butter, which was interesting; but like i said before there wasn't much else to comment on. It's good in a way that it was done so simply, but I kinda was left searching for the wow factor.
We split a flourless chocolate cake for dessert, which was good. I can't tell you if it was fab, as I told the boyfriend to eat the rest; as I am no chocoholic cake fan, I thought the white chocolate sauce was fine, and strawberry that they serve it with was great. He loved the cake, and thought I was crazy, not to eat another bite, but there you are.
The service was great, considering how busy it was. The waiter came and checked on us a few times, and when I mentioned chocolate wasn't my thing, he did offer to get me a scoop of gelato, instead, which was a nice gesture.
The only worry is that the tables of two are kinda close to each other, that when either party sitting next to us, got up or the waiter came between our tables, either our cups or bread basket would shift... so enough elbow room if you're just sitting, anything... keep an eye on your cups or basket or plates as they might shift because you're a mite too closely packed in.
The decor is interesting, considering the building looks heritage on the outside and very modern art-gallery on the inside. It was kinda weird in the atrium they have some hanged dummies (artwork?) on the wall, which is kinda off-putting(but would make a great conversation piece), but since I had my back to it, I didn't really care.
But overall, good, pleasant experience, but not particularly memorable. -
Review from Sam C.
2/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've been wanting to try this Toronto Institution ever since I first moved here and finally got my chance last night. My first biggest dilemna was the location, it was either Queen St. (the original) or Adelaide and ultimately I chose Adelaide given feedback about the building at this location. My choice was definately on the ball in this old courthouse that converted into a very spacious restaurant with a strong metropolitan vibe.
The service was standard and very down to earth. The food was amazing, my S/O both tried a pasta, the Spaghetti in Canna a Mare (seafood) and the Papperdelle al Sugo di Cinghiale (wild boar). The pasta is made fresh daily and cooked to perfection. Both dishes were spectacular and I would definitely recommend. We also tried their desserts, Tiramisu and the Panna Cotta. Both equally good I can't say it was the best I've ever had of either. Overall it was a relaxing dinner experience and the prices don't break the bank. I would be back for the pastas and maybe next time try their pizzas where I hear is the rave.
PS. They don't servce balsamic vineger as the waiter explained to me the olive oil is specially made and adding any vineger would ruin the taste. I can honestly say the olive oil is different but i'm for one who still enjoys good balsamic with my olive oil. -
Review from Ben B.
5/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Terroni is a bit of a dream come true at the end of a long day. As soon as the huge glass doors open, you can let the Italian haze wash away your stresses. And if that doesn't work, try the Negroni - a citrusy, guaranteed second wind.
Don't be fooled into expecting a completely relaxing night though, just about every other young professional will be here doing the same thing. Prepare to jockey for drink orders at the bar while you wait for your table to come up (no reservations). Our party of three was given a 30 minute wait that quickly turned into 50 - a flub excusable only because we ended up in a big, private booth rather than sitting on top of our neighbours like everyone else. Again, the $9 Prosecco by the glass didn't hurt either.
As for the food, I've never experienced a caprese salad quite like this one. It sounds simple but the buffalo mozzarella is beyond compare. I was also really impressed with their butternut squash stuffed ravioli in a gorgonzola cream sauce. It's a favourite dish of mine that usually has me keeling over with The Fulls minutes later, but this one was lighter than most and had a much better balance of the strong flavours.
Definitely worth the long wait...well, this time at least.Listed in: The Big T
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Review from Fernando A.
Montréal, QC
8/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great pasta place. Very noisy though.
We did not have a reservation but the wait was less than 10 min. On a Friday night that is. The place was full with families, tourist and after work people but the ambience is great. Our waitress was slow even though she did not look be be very busy. All and all the food was very good, the chocolate desert delicious. I will go back any day. -
Review from R. G.
Toronto, ON
6/1/2011
oh, Terroni! If only you were anything like the Terroni in Los Angeles!
Yes, there is a wait, and it doesn't bother me if I am in good company and I can sip on a glass of wine while I wait. However, the DJ music made the atmosphere feel so clubby and douchy!
The food was just OK, and the olive oil poured for dipping was rancid! Our waitress wasn't very attentive either, but I blame the management for this. They should have had at least one more waiter in our section, she was totally sweet but literally all over the place! -
Review from Lynn C.
3/1/2011
It's been a while since I've been back at Terroni's...I'm glad it's still looking as romantic as it used to be. Love the sky window on the high ceiling!
To be honest though, I find the price point for this place to be on the pricey side, especially for the appetizer and cocktails. My bellini was 9 dollars, but came in a tiny champagne flute. The beef carpaccio was about $16 and the pizza was also $16. The pizza is thin, with minimal tomato sauce, large slices of spicy salami, and round uncut olives. The look of the pizza just felt unpolished. Nevertheless the food was very flavourful and the overall experience was enjoyable. Unfortunately, it's not somewhere I'd suggest to go to.
