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Verona Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
335 King St WToronto, ON M5V 1J5
Neighbourhoods: Entertainment District, Downtown Core
(416) 593-7771
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
21 reviews for Verona Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"...location is great, the staff is friendly and the ambiance..." In 3 reviews -
"...has always been fantastic and last night was no exception." In 3 reviews -
"The flavours of the pasta, the sauce and the seafood was..." In 5 reviews
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21 reviews in English
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Review from Ranell B.
2/22/2012
We had one of their pizzas with sausage and mushrooms which was ok. I was expecting it to be larger, but no worries I wouldn't have finished it anyways because it wasn't anything superb.
We also had their dungenous crab ravioli with artichoke, which on the other hand was quite good. The sauce was right on. It had a nice flavor that wasn't light nor overpowering. It wasn't too thick or watery.
The bread sauce was plentiful on the pesto. Overall not a bad, not a great experience.
* Funny side story- We were running close to time on our meter and I was finishing up my meal as I told my boyfriend to ask for the check so we could rush out of there as opposed to paying for a few more minutes. The waiter replies to him, "You do not want to wait for the lady to finish."- in a dead serious voice. hahaha The atmosphere of the room was going for an upscale, kind of snooty feel but the food didn't say the same. -
Review from Matthew H.
Toronto, ON
3/11/2012
Went there last night with my fiancee, both of us had stomach and head aches within a few hours of the meal and they persisted into the morning.
I had the Osso Bucco, which should have been called the "So-so Bucco" and my fiancee had the duck which was drenched in sauce.
Service was ok, nothing to write home about. I don't fault the waiter for the experience he didn't do anything wrong, he was attentive when needed as I'd expect wait staff to be.
Bill with tax and tip for a bottle of wine, 2 soups, 2 main courses, 2 deserts and coffees came to $190.
Would I do it again, absolutely not!
I've had better, tastier food, at a better price that didn't leave me grabbing my stomach all night long in pain.
(edited to correct a typo) -
Review from Nancy C.
Toronto, ON
2/19/2012
Everyone who has written reviews on here must not know enough about fine dining to qualify to review it. The only reason why we came was because the last 4 restaurants (i.e. Grand Electric, Khao San Road) we wanted to go were full and had more than 1-3 hour long waits.
1) SERVICE - horrendous, fork dropped on the floor, no one replaced it. Our old waiter knew nothing about the menu (when we asked him how many scallops and shrimps we get in the seafood meal, he said "oh, a couple"). Service was slow and unprofessional. When asked about what was good on the menu, our waiter simply replied "Everything is terrible" and walked away.
2) Environment - I felt like I was stuck in the 80's, extremely ugly paintings were covering every service, with upholstery your grandma would be embarrassed by. The head waitress had a bouffant that made me want to gag the entire time I was eating. When I saw that bouffant walking in, a part of me knew we should've walked away.
3) Food - Horrible. The escargot was extremely salty, was bathed in bacon and cream, I could not eat it without balancing it with bread. My Veal Osso Bucco was also extremely subpar, the meat was tender but covered w/ a cheap tomato paste. The risotto side was again, salty as fuck. The veggies I got w/ the Veal + risotto tasted so bitter, that you would never imagine them putting it on a plate, but probably because it was cheap, it was the veggie of the day.
Clearly this restaurant is stuck in the wrong decade, it simply cannot compete w/ todays best restaurants anymore. Don't make the mistake we made, if you are truly a foodie + a stickler w/ service, THIS IS NOT FOR YOU. -
Review from Irene Y.
Toronto, ON
5/24/2012
Best pasta and mussel place in town!!! (their fish is so-so)
You should definitely go with pasta and mussels.
I came here very other month in the summer time with my frds and we loved our dishes. Very fresh and tastes amazing!
Although it is pricy, but its worthy it! Nice environment with friendly staff! -
Review from He and She I.
5/5/2012
Five stars for the soup of the day, NO stars for the waiter who upgraded the gin, twice, without asking. We always play a little guessing game before the tab comes, and we were w-a-y low. Food was good, but not that good, and there are very good places, on the same street, with better prices.
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Review from Archimedes T.
Toronto, ON
8/18/2011
Went here because we were looking for some $14 pizza that two people can share. Apparently this ain't it, though it had a $14 pizza the server said it wasn't a sharable portion.
We ended up getting dungeness crab ravioli for $22 + taxes and tip shared between two people.
Sauce wise, this dish is awesome, the sauce is rich in flavor but not thick and icky.
Portion wise, it isn't too big, but I was satisfied taste wise with the one dish.
The main fault I have with this dish is the ravioli itself. The crab was way too mushed inside. I would expect to feel the texture of the crab, but because it was so mushed up (like it was ran through magic bullet a little too long) it had no texture and I barely tasted the crab.
Service wise, this restaurant is quite good, as to be expected when you're paying top dollar.
I probably won't come here anytime soon, just because I am not a super duper rich guy. Can't really afford eating at a place like this on a regular basis, plus I wasn't really full in the end so I would have to get some filler from McD's later. -
Review from Melissa G.
North York, ON
12/2/2010
I went to Verona for my second time last night to take one of my best girlfriends out for her birthday and I loved my second experience at this restaurant!
First off, it is on that strip of restos right in the heart of Toronto's theatre district on King Street West (the strip of restos across from the Bell Lightbox building), so it is in a great location!
After we checked out the new Tim Burton exhibition at the Bell Lightbox (a cultural thang I would recommend you check out if you are fan of Burton's films), we headed over to Verona for a night of delicious Italian cuisine.
To start, I ordered the hearts of romaine salad, which is a classic caesar salad with crispy and crunchy romaine lettuce. It was lightly dressed with fresh caesar dressing and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese - all for the price of $9.
As my main course, I ordered the amazing Angel Hair seafood pasta, which consisted of a melody of my favourite seafood fish (such as scallops, tiger shrimp and calamari) on top of a large bed of angel hair pasta, which was finished off with a sweet herb tomato sauce! The flavours of the pasta, the sauce and the seafood was such a pleasure to taste and eat.
The pasta was on the expensive side of $24, but it was a huge portion and it did have a lot of seafood in it.
For dessert, my bestie and I split the maple peach creme brulee, which was TO DIE FOR!
It literally metled in my mouth and was a perfect ending to an amazing meal.
The creme brulee was brought to our table for $12, which again was on the more expensive side but it is a classy resto!
So far, my experiences at Verona have been delicious and divine!
My first experience there was my birthday dinner back in May and it has continued to impress me and fill up my tummy with tons of Italian goodies.
I recommend Verona for a special occasion or when you wish to splurge for a good Italian meal in downtown Toronto.Listed in: A little taste of Italy in…
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Review from Cody L.
12/28/2010
I have to mention this place because we found it walking by before a Red Sox/Jays game.
The hostess said "this is the third best Italian restaurant in Toronto" and I stopped dead in my tracks and went in... because she wasn't exaggerating, and that meant that we were going to get a decent meal.
This was a true predictor because the food was good. I don't know what the other two restaurants are like, but I liked this one.
On our way out the hostess asked us how it was and I told her it was the third best. -
Review from SF M.
8/22/2011
Disgusting food. Caesar dressing was worse than what you'd buy in a bottle. Pizza was flavorless. Bread was hard over toasted like a stale cracker. Olive dip was bland. Yuck! Veal was bland. And prices are so high.
The hotel concierge across the street at hyatt has no clue. He said it's best restaurant across street.
The atmosphere of the place with it's outdoor patio was nice. -
Review from Clark X.
5/21/2009
A bit underwhelming for its price. We stopped here before attending the national ballet for a light bite. It delivered in the food department.
My dish (something to do with mushrooms) was not memorable at all. The bread, however, did stand out. I always enjoy a good bread.
The hip-yet-classic style of the restaurant really stuck out though. It's one of those Italian trattorias frequented by the young and beautiful. Being both these things:) I enjoyed it quite a bit.Listed in: The Toronto List
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Review from Maha K.
6/18/2010
I was standing outside Verona, a little panicked. Typical Maha situation: Leave the country without notifying USBank that she was going to be using her debit and credit in Toronto.
The phone call took forever. Finally, a Peter picks up and starts processing my account status update. At one point, he asks, "How do you spell Canada?"
"Excuse me?"
I'm standing in a stairwell - a bustling crowd with nonstop traffic, I wasn't sure I heard this moron correctly.
"HOW DO YOU SPELL CANADA? IS IT CANDA?"
And that folks, is how I will always remember my first time to Verona. I wasn't even in the venue yet and the association was already settled. Ironic that I called USBank of all places, too.
As for the restaurant, this place is expensive as hell and not really worth the price. But with the right company, it could be somewhat worth it. As an American, it reminded me how little the Canadian dollar is behind us in terms of worth.
Was not very impressed with their wine menu, most of which is only and exclusively available by the bottle.
The location is great, the staff is friendly and the ambiance is calm. Food really is delicious. The uppity-rich nature of the venue made me really nervous though, mostly because the waitstaff was anxious it was going to screw up. -
Review from Carmen M.
7/14/2009
Recommended by a friend even though I've lived five minutes from Verona for two years!
We were seated on the lovely patio and promptly brought warm bread with an olive tapenade that was fantastic!
We started with the Almond Crusted Woolwich Goat Cheese appetizer which was delicious. It was served on french toast with baby arugula & cranberry compote. Highly recommended.
I had the the Fettuccine with Fresh Vegetables for dinner. I don't care for fettuccine (too much pasta for me) so I asked if I could substitute angel hair pasta and it wasn't a problem at all. The dish was slightly salty to me, although I don't normally use much salt on my food. Otherwise, it was great -- very fresh and served hot, which is a thing for me.
The staff was friendly and accommodating, and I found the food to be well priced. The wine list was small, but good.
Overall, a good restaurant if you're in the neighbourhood for the theatre or a concert. -
Review from kim F.
North York, ON
11/20/2011
I have dined at Verona many times, usually after the theatre and last night made a special trip downtown just for a birthday dinner. The food has always been fantastic and last night was no exception. I had the pasta special - an angel food pasta with two very large shrimp and my boyfriend had the penne with sausage. Both meals were incredible in flavour. Every mouthful was a delight. Portion sizes were good ...as they should be as the restaurant isn't cheap. My pasta was $20.00. Took too long to get the bill but other than that the service was as always attentive. I am definitely going back again!
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Review from Ken H.
2/5/2009
The highlight of our meal has to have been the fantastic service from our waiter. It's great to sit down for dinner and know that your going to be taken care of. The dining room is nicely decorated - warm and inviting on a cold night. Complimentary bread comes with a spreadable olive tapenade rather than butter. The food came out at a good pace and we never felt rushed.
The wine list was reasonable, and highly focused on Italian reds. The antispasto appetizer was big enough for three or four to share. I wasn't so fond of the calamari on the plate, but the prosciutto and olives were nice. The wild mushroom soup was really good - it was rich and earthy, dressed with a little truffle oil and without any cream or dairy. The veal Marsala was a huge portion, and wasn't quite as good as the soup. The veal was not as tender as it should be and was maybe a little overcooked. I wasn't all that enamored with the lump of potatoes underneath the meat and the sauce was a little heavy. The biscotti for dessert were fine.
The service is excellent and the food is pricey but not spectacular. This would be a fine choice for a business dinner or to impress a date. -
Review from Jessica C.
8/20/2010
Service was unnattentive and food was BLAH!
I ordered the sea bass special and almost choked. The whole fish presentation was nice but there were still many large bones in the fish.
Dinner was going well until a bee chased us back indoors from sitting on the patio. Not a problem, that's one of the elements you face when sitting outdoors. However, the cockroach that appeared from the bench seating was not cool. After that I mentally questioned the cleanliness of the restaurant.
As soon as we saw that we downed our drinks and bolted for the door. Never again! -
Review from Maryrose S.
4/27/2010
I was in Toronto on business and stopped in here my last night.
For service alone I would come back. The hostess was very friendly and made sure I was comfortable during my short wait. During my meal, the waitress was friendly and made sure I was doing okay without being overbearing.
The meal itself was great! I went with the hearts of palm salad, the lobster & scallop special. Delicious! The lobster and scallops were cooked perfectly - not overdone with just the right amount of flavor.
For dessert I went with the banana cream with hazelnut truffle. The cream had a full banana taste, not imitation at all. The hazelnut crunch was a great compliment.
The only complaint was that I didn't receive any of the bread. I'm not sure if the waitress thought the salad would be enough, but I would have liked to have the bread. I guess I could have asked, but I didn' t. Oh well. -
Review from Alex B.
Toronto, ON
8/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
Dropped in for dessert one evening. This is on a major strip of restaurants that are quite popular for pre-theatre meals so be warned that you often need to book ahead. But if you are seeing a show book this one (or the red tomato) as it is close by.
The place is nice, the staff are friendly and the food is good. The service and friendliness alone makes it worthwhile. If I'm in the area I would go back here but don't go out of your way, you will be paying 20% more for the location and the food is a little underwhelming for the price..
White chocolate cheesecake = Yum Yum. -
Review from Tobin B.
9/2/2010
Unimpressed and even yucky. I had a salad, risotto and glass of wine. The risotto was unpalatable with no fresh ingredients in sight. The salad was $9.50 and was good but too small for the price. Things do not match up here. Don't do it!
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Review from Dan F.
Toronto, ON
8/11/2009
Excellent service - waiter was friendly and helpful. Hostess took our photo.
I started with the ginger-carrot soup with smoked salmon. Very original flavour. Though it was spicey, it didn't bother my heartburn in the least. I then had the pan-seared red snapper; very flavourful. WIfe had the spinach gnocci (don't be fooled - the gnocci is green). Very rich and creamy but thoroughly enjoyable. Desert was the rum-ice cream thing. Light on the rum.
Overall a lovely place to spend an anniversary or out of town visit. -
Review from Ana R.
Toronto, ON
9/22/2009
We selected this restaurant for a family dinner due to its central location and delicious-sounding menu. It did not disappoint.
The food was absolutely delicious. I had the escargot to start, seafood pasta as my main and chocolate mousse for dessert...yes, a lot of food. There were 5 of us in our party and everyone loved what they ordered. I had a bit of my husband's app special- avocado shrimp and crab thing...to-die-for!
The prices were appropriate for the quality and quantity of food. However, the selection of desserts wasn't great and the staff did seem to get a bit overwhelmed when all the seats filled up. Our desserts took almost 30 minutes due to a 'large party' being served.
They also accommodated the fact that we had a 3 year old by adjusting the spaghetti dish to be a bit more bland.
The atmosphere was great, perhaps a bit dark, and the crowd was comfortable and not stuffy for a white linen restaurant.
I would definitely come back and am glad to have found another great restaurant on this strip when KitKat was my usual go-to. -
Review from CE C.
9/21/2010
After a long day, we were relieved to find this place across the street from our hotel. Plus it was one of the few places that was actually open on a Sunday. We started off with the grilled calamari. The calamari could have used more time on the grill! For dinner we had the spaghetti carbonara and the tagliolini with braised short ribs. Both were very hearty meals, and we enjoyed the homemade pasta. The tagliolini had a great sauce, from the combo of the red wine and tomatoes, slightly creamier but not overloaded like the carbonara. The carbonara was delicious...the pasta was nice and al dente and the sauce was not too overwhelming or too heavy. The food hit the spot that night for us.
