Stretching from its westernmost boundary at Ossington toward Bathurst at its east, Toronto's Little Italy began taking shape in the early 1900s. Approximately 60,000 Italian immigrants moved to Canada between 1900 and 1913, according to the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, with a majority of them settling here, in Little Italy. The Italian population that moved into the area brought with them a love for bakeries, outdoor food markets and a stimulating cafe culture.
While most of Toronto’s Italian population later moved to suburbs like Vaughan, King and Caledon, many of the Italian restaurants, cafes and bakeries remain in Little Italy. They stayed alongside new joints that celebrate the other populations that now make up the unique fabric of the neighbourhood: Portuguese, Latin American and Chinese. Despite the changes, the cafe culture in the neighbourhood is still vibrant. Here is where locals go for their morning coffee, breakfast and a slow stroll in Little Italy.
Coffee first
Cafes still reign supreme on College St., where fixtures like Found Coffee serve locals their morning cup. Founded by Leighton Walters, who worked in specialty coffee across Australia and Indonesia for 18 years. Found serves multiple coffees sourced from coffee beans from Kenya, Brazil and Colombia, among other destinations. The company says its coffee is sustainable. They also sometimes carry Vegemite, an Australian spread usually eaten on toast.
Voodoo Child doubles as an espresso and cocktail bar. In the morning, beginning at 8a.m., the College St. fixture serves up basic espresso drinks, known for the latte art. A no-frills joint with great coffee, the cafe/bar has become a neighbourhood fixture, even selling merchandise with the bar’s branding on it. Walking down College, you may even spot a white take-out cup with Voodoo Child’s ominous heart-and-eye logo on it.
Sweet morning treats
Cannolis, cakes, cookies are up for grabs at Riviera Bakery, an Italian bakery at College St. and Manning Ave. Nestled between a spa and a cocktail bar, the bakery has been serving Italian pastries for a long time. The cannolis come in multiple flavours : pistachio cream, ricotta, vanilla and chocolate. Other popular Italian pastries include sfogliatelle lobster tails, a layered pastry filled with fresh cream; and rum babas, a Neapolitan pastry soaked in citrus-scented rum syrup and filled with cream.
A new(ish) fixture on College St., opened by the team behind Pompette and Bar Pompette, Bakery Pompette serves pastries in the heart of Little Italy. With pain au chocolat (chocolate croissants), banana bread and financiers (small French almond cakes) on the menu, Bakery Pompette is a stylish place to grab authentic French pastries in Little Italy. The menu also features fresh baguettes and savoury options like a blue cheese and poached pear pastry, and a ham and cheese croissant.
Besides European pastries, Little Italy is also home to Tsuchi Cafe, a Japanese bakery that serves plant-based desserts, bread, drinks and dishes on College St. The cafe’s aesthetic is minimalist, with plants and natural light. They also have tasty mochi on offer, matcha cheesecake with matcha imported from Kyoto and a hazelnut chocolate mille feuille cake. Savoury dishes include meals sets like the Tsuchi plate, with onigiri, karaage, miso soup, tamago yaki and mini noodles.
For a taste of Turkey in Little Italy, head to Liu Loqum Atelier, a dessert shop with Turkish staples like Turkish delights and baklavas imported straight from Turkey. Located on College St., the cafe has a beautiful interior with bold colours, pastries displays and modern lighting. Outside, the patio has ample space. The cafe even serves kahvalti (breakfast) treats like a full Turkish breakfast with staples like kasseri cheese, made with sheep milk, sesame-coated bread to dip in jam or cheese with hone and preserved meats to eat with your bread.
Any list about Little Italy would not be complete without mentioning Cafe Diplomatico. The mainstay Little Italy cafe — which is technically a restaurant — has been serving locals since 1968. It has one of the most famous patios in Little Italy and potentially the entire city. It made at least one Hollywood appearance in 2009’s Chloe, with Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson and Amanda Seyfried. Colloquially called “The Dip” by locals, Cafe Diplomatico serves up breakfast for early-morning risers and other Italian staples late into the night. It’s a place to truly enjoy cafe culture, to sit, sip, relax and people watch.
