We'd passed by this restaurant countless times in a busy Markham plaza, but this was our first…read morevisit. We made a semi-last-minute reservation the day before Father's Day weekend for a party of seven at 6:00 PM on a Saturday. Surprisingly, it wasn't very busy during our visit, aside from one larger group and a few couples, the dining room remained fairly quiet. The restaurant itself is quite spacious, though only about half of the venue is dedicated to dining. The atmosphere strikes a nice balance between casual and upscale. It's not fine dining, but it's polished enough for a date night or celebration while still being comfortable for casual attire. Service was provided primarily by two servers throughout our meal. They were friendly, attentive, and consistently kept our water glasses topped up without being intrusive. The food was enjoyable, though not the best I've had at this price point. That said, it's a solid option for the area. The grilled calamari appetizer was cooked well, being tender rather than chewy, and nicely seasoned without being overly salty. The kale salad was a pleasant surprise, featuring a fresh, homemade-tasting dressing that complemented the kale perfectly without any bitterness. The garlic bread was absolutely loaded with garlic, which I loved, though it was softer than expected and could have benefited from a bit more toasting. For my main, I ordered the mushroom truffle pasta. The pasta was cooked al dente, and the generous amount of mushrooms was a highlight. Around the table, the spicy chicken rosé pasta was well received, though the spice level was quite mild. I recommend asking for their chili oil for an added kick. The aged striploin was cooked medium as requested, tender throughout, with nicely crisped edges. The accompanying truffle fries and truffle aioli were delicious. The clam linguine had good flavour but could have used a bit more sauce. The branzino was the surprise of the evening, as it arrived as a whole fish, which wasn't what we expected in this type of setting. While flavorful, it required navigating quite a few bones (wouldn't really recommend it for this reason, not the classiest dish to eat). Dessert was a mixed experience. The banana pudding was unfortunately a miss, with an unusual stretchy texture and an overly sweet flavour profile. In contrast, the house-made pistachio tiramisu was outstanding and easily the standout dessert of the meal. It's a must-order. The restaurant was clean and thoughtfully decorated, and the washrooms were well maintained. I especially appreciated the complimentary mouthwash, a small but memorable touch that added to the overall experience. Note: They change their menu from time to time!

Love the space. Very tastefully decorated. Pasta dishes are delicious. Sauces for the pastas…read morehave depth of flavour and are perfectly seasoned and balanced. The pastas themselves I think are house made....not sure but they're are the perfect texture. The service was good. It didnt feel the warmest and was awkward at times. Clearing my side plate without asking if I was done with it was a little annoying because we weren't done with our appetizer. Overall I would definitely visit again based on the food. Its yummy.

I think one of the best Italian restaurants I've been too so far…read more I had the calamari and bruschetta, the calamari was good well seasoned the bruschetta was my favourite, the tomatoes and the feta cheese worked perfectly together. I had the special very expensive 50 bucks wild mushroom ravioli, with rack of lamb, portion size is massive, the lamb was cooked perfectly and the mushroom ravioli was one of the best pasta I ever had. This once every ten years because it is very expensive. The dessert was really good a gelato really tasty and not too sweet. The service was excellent the server was really attentive and brought more bread, and the ambiance is really nice I can't believe I never heard of this for all the years I lived here

Came here on a Friday evening for birthday celebrations. The restaurant looks like it was…read morepreviously a house. Most of the restaurant is quite tight and close, but the bar area is probably the most snug. It wasn't too busy when we sat down, so service was fast; even when it got busy we had no problem getting the attention of a waiter/waitress to get what we needed. Calamari - One of the top calamari batter I've ever had. The batter was fluffy and still crispy, the perfect compliment to a nice chewy calamari. Wished the calamari was a little thicker to give it more of a chew and a bit more seasoned. Fried peppers were a nice touch! would get again. Sofia Mia Pizza - This was an absolutely amazing pizza. Crust was not the best but the toppings stole the show. Normally I don't like goat cheese, but that was balanced by the fruitiness of the fig and the balsamic reduction. The prosciutto brought on some meaty flavours while being balanced by the caramelized onion and arugula. Would come back again for this. Cheese wheel pasta - some mushroom pasta - A bit of a gimmick in my opinion, but it was a fun experience. The head chef comes by and does the final touches of the pasta in the cheese wheel. The pasta itself was a bit lacklustre for me. It lacked flavours compared to a saucier pasta, probably because they wanted the parmigiano cheese more forward. Nice to try, but would not get again.

Came on a Saturday and sat at the patio since the weather was really nice. We were able to choose…read morewhatever table we wanted as long as it was available and there were not a lot of people initially so that was nice. Service however was just decent later on but we noticed there were a lot more people came so our server was probably really busy due to the influx of diners. The food did come pretty fast though, about 20 minutes after ordering, so that was really good! We ordered the Fettuccine Al Funghi E Scaglie Di Tartufo Nero and Bologna. Both were really delicious. We added chicken for the pasta but I'd say even without it, just the mushroom itself was sufficient already! I had it once before and came back this time for more because it was that good! The pizza was quite interesting since I've never had pistachio pesto on a pizza before but it actually tasted pretty good and blended nicely with the mortadella. I'd have it again if I were to come back! Overall a pretty decent dining experience and would come back for the same food!

Tip: This restaurant has a market where you can get dried pasta, snacks, gelato, and more…read more On Wednesday, I had a wonderful early dinner at Good Catch Cafe and Bar. Sadly, this eatery didn't have a dessert menu. I wanted something small to satisfy my sweet tooth, as I was stuffed. I wondered if Costa Sorrento had dessert that I could take home. I walked over to this restaurant. I was already parked in the lot across from Good Catch. I walked in. A small market was in front of me. Gelato was on my right in the freezer. Yay! A male staffer came over to greet me, who was a bit hard of hearing. I let him know that I was here for the market. He nodded and let me be. I was so happy to see candy, sugar, salt, pasta, chocolate, and a lot more. It was wonderful. I got these items: - A small cup of Biscoff gelato - Black truffle luxury mixed nuts - Frizzy lemon candies I asked the man where I could pay for these items. He guided me to the cash area at the bar. The downside to this market is that you don't see prices. He knew how much the gelato cup cost. He didn't know about the other two, so he had to call a colleague. It's funny, but it ended up being a group effort to figure out pricing and cash me out. Two other female staffers also joined in. It's not exactly a cheap market. I suspect that the mixed nuts and lemon candies were imports. They were $10 each. My small gelato was $5. I'm glad that I didn't commit to getting a pint. What if I hated what I had? I also wanted a small dessert, so it worked out. I paid with a credit card. I tapped. Done! I asked if I could get a spoon for my gelato. One of the nice women went into the back to get one. The other woman let me know that they used to give out big spoons, but had gelato spoons now. I got a blue spoon with a napkin from the woman. Service is great here. I thanked everyone and left with my goods. I declined getting a bag, as I was parked closed by. I enjoyed my Biscoff gelato in my car. It was yummy. I'd get the pint next time. It had bits of Biscoff that were so flavourful in creamy gelato. OMG! It was delightful and the perfect dessert to end my meal. Yesterday, I devoured my bag of black truffle mixed nuts. If you love black truffle oil and mixed nuts, grab a bag. The cashews, walnuts, almonds, and more were huge. I'd get another bag in a heartbeat. Tasty! I may have to come back and get the black truffle potato chips next. I'm sure they are equally as yummy. I haven't tried the lemon candies yet. I hope that they are delightful. It was great dropping by to check out the market. I hope to return and have some pasta next time. (215)

this place is soooo amazing. the environment is nice and the food is super tasty and the tiramisu…read morewas superb. the service is also good the servants are soo nice. definitely recommend

The food was quite good. I tried the fettuccine selvaggia and it was really good, not too heavy and…read morea good amount of mushrooms. The tiramisu was also quite good, not enough coffee for me personally but was still very enjoyable. The service was excellent, the food came out quickly and the server was also attentive. The owner even came around checking in on everyone, which was nice to see. The ambiance was also nice, a well furnished restaurant and ample seating. It'd be perfect for little get togethers as well as large parties. It wasn't too busy when I went so the noise level was fine but I can imagine it getting loud when the restaurant fills up. Overall a very enjoyable experience and worth a spot for anyone wanting a new Italian spot!

My wife and I went to Smash Kitchen and Bar, and we had a generally good experience…read more The staff are friendly, the wait time for food was 13 minutes (yep, I time it), the food tasted great (we split the truffle mushroom baked eggs for the main, and Cathy's chocolate banana bread for dessert). Overall, a very pleasant experience. They only lost a point because there was an egg shell in our meal.

Smashing good brunch?…read more Smash Kitchen has been on our list to visit for a while till we finally had the opportunity. For more than a dozen years, this Markham spot has been known for good flavors and portions. The weekend brunch menu from 10am - 2:45pm had an assortment of creative dishes. We opted for their LA mac & cheese ($25) with a saucy cheese blend textured by herb crumbles. The soft shell crab benedict ($24) looked irresistible with two nicely poached eggs beside crab drizzled with maple buffalo hot sauce. While it came with no sides, bites of the whole fried soft shell crab on brioche toast were scrumptious. The inside of this restaurant is cavernous, featuring even a private room and patio. It's much larger than the dated plaza entrance would indicate. Staff were generally active at the tables, even delivering colour sheets to young ones. Skip it or hit it? It was a long time coming but brunch here didn't disappoint. Hit it!

We went for this super comforting meal @scaddabush on Boxing day and can't stop thinking about…read moretheir chocolate panettone bread pudding since! The toasty bread was perfect for the snowy weather, toffee caramel drizzle wasn't too much, and the candied walnuts was a genius addition. We always get their kale salad and gigantic meatball spaghetti with an extra meatball whenever we go, this time was no exception. We've also ordered their limited time festive blood orange and cranberry bellini. It was a tasty punch; just too bad the glitter sank to the bottom, or it would have made a better photo. I was a bit disappointed because I asked specifically which of the Christmas cocktails looked prettier, and was told the glitter makes it really festive. Later in conversation the server said the liquid glitter sinks to the bottom so customers can only see the glitter when the drink is almost finished. So I suppose it was known to the staff. Service was great, server apologized for the long wait for the cocktail, and explained the bartender had to make 20 cocktails for a large party, hence the wait.

We picked this restaurant for a team dinner. There were about 15-16 people in the group. We made…read morereservation few day prior to ensure the availability. Upon arrival, we were promptly taken to our giant long table. I was also very impressed by the interior of the restaurant. It was appeared like farmhouse setup, with wooden frame and arches, brick walls and a big size bar. I got to try some of the hand stretched mozzarella dishes like naked. It came with butter toasted bread and sea salt. The mozzarella was so delicious, such good quality. I kept eating it until the entree arrived. I got the Mediterranean salmon for entree. The fish was cooked excellently. Moist in the middle. But some of the ingredients, especially the white beans didn't go well with the salmon. I left of it in the plate, just ate the fish and the spinach. I ordered the pineapple mango (spirit free) drink. Loved the flavor of it. Our server was such a champion. He handled this huge group of diners with ease, took everyone's drinks, appetizers and entree orders correctly, not a single error. Several other staff members helped him out with serving and cleaning out empty plates. Overall we had a wonderful dinner together here.

After grabbing coffee with my friend on Main Street, we decided to sit down for a small bite. While…read morewalking around TooGood Pond, we came across La Fonte, which is tucked right alongside the pond. We walked in and were immediately greeted and seated. We initially asked for a table at the back, but were informed there was a reservation coming in, so we were offered a table for two by the door instead. Thankfully, it wasn't too chilly, and since foot traffic was minimal, the door stayed closed for most of our visit. When we arrived, there was only one other table of two enjoying coffee. The space itself is quite small, which isn't what you'd typically expect from an Italian spot. They do have patio seating, but it's not really suitable for this time of year. That said, the service was excellent. We were promptly offered drinks, given menus, and had our order taken within a reasonable timeframe. The server also introduced us to the daily specials, kept our waters topped up, and cleared tables as needed. Our waitress was very friendly, and what appeared to be the manager also stopped by to thank us for coming. For food, we shared the sausage pizza. It's meant to be personal-sized, but we were pretty hungry. The flavors were solid, and the pizza wasn't too heavy. The crust was nicely crispy yet chewy, and the toppings were well balanced, not too much, not too little. We also noticed their pastry display; the apple muffin in particular looked tempting, though we didn't try it this time. Definitely something to come back for. All in all, a pleasant experience and a nice spot to stop by if you're in the area.

There are restaurants that earn their success through great food, relentless hospitality, and years…read moreof hard work. And then there are restaurants that win the geographic lottery. La Fonte sits on one of the most enviable pieces of restaurant real estate in Unionville. Perched beside Toogood Pond, with a patio facing west, it offers the kind of sunset view that would make a mediocre sandwich taste profound. If you're taking an evening stroll around the pond, there is essentially one place to stop, sit, sip a cappuccino, and watch the day disappear. La Fonte knows this. And perhaps that's the problem. On a cool evening, we approached the mostly empty patio with modest ambitions. No elaborate dinner. No special requests. Just coffee, a couple of treats, and a front-row seat to one of the best sunsets in Markham. The greeting? "Do you have a reservation?" No. Reasonable question. What followed was less reasonable. Instead of the traditional hospitality playbook--"Welcome, let me see what I can do"--we were informed they were busy - did I mention the empty patio? And immediately questioned about whether we intended to order food - what does what we intend to order matter if a seat can be made available? We did say we would like a seat on the deck/patio. We explained that it was our first visit and, not being blessed with psychic powers, we had no idea what they served. Snarky attitude in check - with pleasantries exiting the oral interface. A menu was handed to us and we were instructed to step aside and review it. Step aside....???!!!??? As if there were crowds of eager diners stacked ten deep behind us... There was nobody. Not a single soul waiting for a table. No line. No rush. No visible crisis requiring crowd-control measures. Just an oddly defensive interaction taking place on a mostly empty patio overlooking a beautiful pond. The conversation somehow became more absurd from there. Every answer seemed to generate another hurdle, another question, another subtle suggestion that perhaps our presence was creating administrative difficulties. Eventually, we did what any rational person does when hospitality turns into a bureaucratic exercise: we left. The funny part came later. Walking around to the opposite side of Toogood Pond, we could clearly see people casually strolling onto the patio and taking seats. No interrogation. No menu review committee. No apparent examination of intent. Just people walking on past the gatekeeper and sitting down. Which naturally raises the question: Is the secret to dining at La Fonte simply to ignore the front-of-house operation altogether? Not that we'd ever do that. Most of us were raised to believe civility matters. You wait to be seated. You speak politely. You respect the establishment's process. But La Fonte provided a fascinating case study in how that social contract can break down. Because when courtesy is met with indifference, and curiosity is met with suspicion, one begins to wonder whether good manners are simply putting oneself at a competitive disadvantage. The tragedy is that none of this has anything to do with the food. The kitchen may be wonderful. The coffee may be excellent. The patio is unquestionably spectacular. The problem is that the first course served at any restaurant isn't food. It's hospitality. Perhaps what seems to be nepotism at the gates is not the best hiring practice. And on this evening, La Fonte managed to take one of the most beautiful dining locations in Unionville and make it feel strangely unwelcome. That's a remarkable achievement, though probably not the one they were aiming for. Carpe diem, indeed. Just don't expect anyone at the front door to help you seize it. JEERS!!!

Stopped by for brunch at Next Door, located in the heart of Main St. Unionville. The restaurant is…read moreunique in a sense where it's situated in the historical Unionville Planing Mill. Was seated in their dinning hall ( the other side is more of a bar) and ordered a brunch tower for two. The tower includes their signature malaysian scrambled eggs, chorizo sausage, bacon, Brussel sprouts, toast with buttermilk pancakes stacked at top of the tower. The tower was beautifully presented and what I love most about the tower is their pancakes. Truly fluffy and light with whipped cream on top of it. Overall, service was efficient and attentive, often checked on and refilling water. On top of that, the restaurant has great decor and parking is provided in the back of the restaurant. Its considered on a slightly higher end for brunch ($20-30 range), but it was truly an amazing experience. They also have daily promos so worth checking out for dinner and late night deals.

This is very popular brunch place in Markham - but the options are more limited up here. Came with…read moremy parents to see what the hype is about (a few years after the hype has died down, but oh well). I must say that I do understand why people are drawn to the restaurant - it is very pretty and makes for wonderful pictures! This includes the lovely visuals of the food, which is beautifully presented and extremely photogenic. The taste of the food, although quite acceptable, fell just a bit short of its looks. The variety of colours was not matched with a variety of flavours, and everything was somewhat on the salty and greasy side. That being said, we very much enjoyed the potato hash, pancakes, and French toast. The portion sizes also outdid themselves - if you're coming here for brunch, just be prepared for a long nap in the afternoon! Service was excellent: prompt, helpful, and friendly. The interior is fairly spacious and elegantly decorated. Overall, a pleasant experience even if it's not the most spectacular - and perhaps worth a visit for some based on the aesthetics alone.