An easy to miss restaurant, as it is located on the basement of a row of Yorkville stores. Upon entering, it is a cosy and intimate space, perfect for a romantic dinner. We came on a Monday night during the holidays, and was surprised to have the whole restaurant to ourselves for a good portion of our meal. We ordered the Arancini and Gloria salad to start. Both were absolutely delicious, the Arancini was packed with melting cheese and perfectly prepared. The Gloria salad was a a surprise, as I loved the use of warm radicchio as the salad base. For mains, we shared the Penne Cleopatra pasta and the Vitello Saltimbocca. Again, both were absolutely delicious and paired well with each other. The pasta was super creamy and balanced the heavier flavours of the veal. Service was lovely, as our hostess was attentive but gave us space to enjoy our leisurely meal. She made great recommendations from the menu, which we very much enjoyed. Definitely a special place to celebrate any occasion. read more

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Beautiful hidden Italian restaurant in Yorkville. I have only tried the salmon penne rosé pasta and it was better than I expected. Good amount of sauce and portion size. They were even kind enough to bring us a small bowl of parmesan and chili flakes on the side. Great service. read more

Food was amazing and service was over the top. They brought out a dessert for my sister's birthday and you could tell that they really cared. read more

Vaticano Restaurant - Espresso martini was so good! - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

There is no nice way of saying that this may be the worst restaurant experience in Toronto I have had. The food was just ok, too sweet to be true Italian cooking, but it was the service that was a total disaster. We waited 1 hour for our appetizers, and another 40 minutes for our main course to discover that one of the main courses delivered was incorrect. Upon arguing with the waiter my friend was told the correct dish he ordered can be prepared in 3 minutes (that's after waiting 40 for the wrong one), so he agreed to have it replaced. The waiter then left the incorrect dish with my main course to cool on the next table, forgetting about me completely. I had to get up and go to get my dish, and the waiter was oblivious to that fact until I mentioned it to him. I will definitely NOT be back here. For this price range there are many much better choices for Italian food even in that area of Toronto read more

Vaticano Restaurant - Antipasto a La Gordon - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This has to be my favourite Italian restaurant in Toronto! Every meal we tried is better than the next & bursting with flavour, that you want to savour every bite! We took the entire family for an early valentines dinner & shared a few appetizers - meatballs, artichokes, and mushrooms, and for the main courses we had the Veal Lasagna, Pasta with Lobster and Pasta Carbonara. The desserts & Expresso Martini were great too! The home made apple strudel is a real treat. The service & atmosphere is excellent. It's perfect for a date night, special occasion or to bring your entire family! If you're a tourist visiting Toronto, and a food lover, it's located in Yorkville and a must to add to your list of places to eat! read more

Vaticano Restaurant - My photo doesn't do this dish justice. If you like seafood their lobster pasta won't disappoint! - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Wow! Fresh ,tasteful and plentiful. The quality is outstanding. As is with any restaurant, the food took a little longer to come to us as it is obviously prepared fresh when ordered. A necessary evil that anybody who enjoys what they eat, welcomes! The owner came over and introduced himself. His story about having learnt his skill as a young boy in Italy is renowned judging by the a accolades those dining nearby, were giving him. A MUST GO TO place ! read more

The worst experience I had for a long time. We just came back from our vacation in Italy and were craving good pizza. Since we were in the area we decided to visit that restaurant. For simple pizza we had to wait over 40 min even though we were told that it'd take only max 15 min. What we received instead of pizza was a round large tasteless chip, all burned out and too hard to eat. Never again! read more

This was the worst dining experience of my life. Visited for valentines. Was seated at a group table with another couple despite making a reservation for two people. Appetizer salad took 40 mins. Main course took over two hours and never arrived. We walked out at 10pm without food. I cannot give a stronger recommendation against this restaurant. read more

They should be closed, terrible service, food it is the worst restaurant we have been too in a long time. It took 1 hr to get our food, which was terrible! If you want waste your time or life then go their. For being in Yorkville one would expect better!!! We are so happy we never got food poisoning! read more

Husband was kind enough to take me here for Valentine's Day dinner 2024. Never have we experienced the worst service ever! Took about 20 minutes for someone to say hello. We ordered wine, never arrived. We had to remind the waiter. While having the apps we waited for our entree. About 40 minutes later the waiter says to us that he forgot to order the entree and that he will have the chef make it right away. Finally our entrees arrived. You would think the food would have made up for the terrible service but the food was worse. The waiter was trying to sell the sad Marsala Veal dish my husband ordered by saying it was one of the favourites on the menu. Do not, I repeat DO NOT ORDER the veal of any kind, unless you love to eat cardboard. Worse than airplane or hospital food. Oh, and the waiter forgot to replace our cutlery. Had to ask if we should use the place setting on the table beside us. I had ordered a 2nd drink hoping to have it with my entree. Never arrived and I had finished my meal. Told the waiter to cancel the drink order. His excuse "Sorry but the bartender is also helping in the kitchen" How has this restaurant survive in Yorkville all these years??? Let's just say, NEVER AGAIN! Unfortunately had to put at least a star for this review to be posted read more

Went with a friend for dinner and the food and the service were excellent. we had the fried calamari and fresh bread for appetizers. both were incredible. I had the the homemade gnocchi with a four cheese sauce. it had an amazing texture and was cooked perfectly. My friend had pasta with a bolognese sauce which was well seasoned. Bar staff were friendly and entertaining and made a great wine recommendation that paired well with the meal. Finished the meal with homemade tiramisu and a latte. 100% would go again and would recommend to friends if they are looking for a great Italian meal in a relaxed atmosphere. read more

I have high expectations for restaurants in Yorkville as it's one of the most high end areas in Toronto. Unfortunately Vaticano was pretty disappointing. As a starter the bread came in as complimentary, however the bread was awful! It was hard, not tasty, and the butter was hard as well. We then had their pizza. We made our own pizza with, instead with pollo we made it with veal. The pizza was probably the best part of the meal.. A solid 3.5/5. I then had the spaghetti bologonese. It was good but nothing special. It tasted like a pasta I would have at any other restaraunt, not a high end Italian restaraunt. I then finished my meal with a chocolate cake. It was super chocolaty, which I love. I just wish it had better texture, taste was good, but it felt a bit cheap to me... Kind of like it was a premade food. The service was horrendous, I had to ask my water to be filled constantly. We had to call our server each time we wanted to order something. Usually at fine dining experiences, the service is much much better. The server was nice, but he just was never there. Overall I wouldn't recommend this place. It was the same quality as scaddbush but more pricey. I'd save money and go to scaddbush instead read more

Vaticano Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Classic southern Italian, home made delicious cuisine created by chef Felice Vacca with love and only the best ingredients. Excellent old world service and wine. Always consistently delicious. P read more

Vaticano is once again open for lunch.. yay!! A favourite lunch stop in Yorkville; we were personally hosted and cooked for by Felice Vacca (owner/chef). We were treated with the utmost hospitality and friendliness. Pasta and sea bass were perfection! A truly Italian experience; notwithstanding the famous people whose photos adorn the premises, Vaticano is without pretension and families of all ages are welcomed with open arms. Grazie Felice! read more

Came here in the summer for a patio meal. The weather was beautiful and but low marks to Vaticano for very salty food and no beers. It was a Cafe Artois event and no Stella Artois The food took forty mins to come which sucked but the weather was so good I didn't mind The Experience was fun because of the patio so maybe try another restaurant on the strip read more

GREAT Restaurant!! The food at Vaticano is Delicious!! The staff are personable and pleasant!! The atmosphere in the restaurant is Wonderful!! read more

I wish someone would have warned us that there was construction going on basically inside the restaurant (that's how loud it was) because it would have saved us the $80 for a crappy lunch altogether. Not to mention, the hostess chose to seat us right behind a party of 15 in an almost otherwise empty restaurant so between this and the construction, we had to ask to move. We went for the winterlicious menu which sounded good and affordable (app, entree and dessert for $28 each). The portions were just about the only thing good about it though as the food was off tasting and bland. The service was hesitant (our waiter seemed scared to talk to us) and slow but at least he was friendly... I couldn't even understand one of the waiters because his accent was so strong so I had to just nod and smile a few times. I will say that the tomato sauce was fresh and delicious though... it made me want to eat all of the free bread. The regular menu seems rather expensive so I likely wouldn't take my chances and eat here again... nonna probably wouldn't approve anyway. read more

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I came here for the fish (it's the Pesce del Giorno - I went for the bass), and it was delicious. I also had a red pepper appetizer that was very tasty... The seafood blend I shared was less noteworthy. I think that the food here depends on what you order, and perhaps I got lucky. But it was still very tasty, so I will give credit where due. The service was fair, and the atmosphere is very cliche-romantic (pillars, dark red curtains, etc), but in a nice way. A good place to set the mood for a date, if you know what I mean. read more

Terrible service. Charged us for a mandatory 18% tip for horrible food and service during winterlicious. The meat was overly cooked, salmon was NOT fresh, and the mussel had gone bad to the point where we could not continue eating (later in the evening my friend had actually had stomach issues due to her meal). Overall would not recommend at all. Very disappointed. read more

I ordered the Margarita pizza and it was not what I was expecting. Picture of Margarita pizza a couple of posts below was better and was not what I got. Should have been called Cheese pizza not Margarita pizza. Pizza did not have enough sauce, was bland, chewy. Place was not lighted enough, outside was brighter and the sun was setting. Too dim to see what you were doing. Service was ok, had floor manager that was not interested in giving out specials, butted in later after I asked my main server for the bill to see if I wanted more. I already asked for the bill (the place was not busy so the extra help was not necessary). Main server was polite and asked if I enjoyed the food. I lied and said I did, but I was not going to complain over a pizza. Points were because of the main waiter, who at least tried. Restaurant seems to be a place that was once good and now has fallen on hard times. The place needs to be redecorated (outdated), better lighting, better pizza. If you cannot make good pizza then you have no business being an Italian restaurant. This may be Toronto but there is a place that serves better Italian Margarita pizza just around the corner (and I should have went there). Will not be coming back. read more

Great authentic Italian restaurant. Would definitely come back, the pasta was amazing and mostly homemade. The restaurant was atmospheric and service was very attentive and friendly. read more

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A Italian restaurant in yorkville. Very dimmed, with home like interior (a fancy home). The waiter was spectacular and the food was decent. The price is a tad pricey but very reasonable for a nice date. Would be back for sure! read more

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In hopes of spending a wonderful dinner bonding with my visiting mom and aunt, my sister and I decided to take them both to Vaticano restaurant in Yorkville. I had heard great things in the past and decided this would be the place to take them. Unfortunately the experience didn't go quite as I had hoped. The interior walls were lined with picture from over the years of the staff with different celebrities thus giving off the illusion that this was the "it" place to go....my candlelit surroundings gave off a very sophisticated yet cozy feel however the service that followed did not....nor did it deserve the built up hype. Following stressful weeks for us all we decided to indulge in some wine. When taking our order, our server asked us all what we would like. When she reached my sister, she said very specifically that she wanted a "WHITE wine...perhaps the Pinot Grigio" later when the server returned my sister was met with a glass of Rose wine....as our server came around the table to pour my mother a glass of her merlot, she ended up spilling it all over the table and in the process a few drops onto my mothers white fur vest. Both are far too polite to say anything about this but all in all it was a mutual agreement between us that had the server been paying more attention to detail she would have noticed it was the wrong wine and perhaps the spillage could have been avoided. Once all of our entrees arrived both my mothers and mine were missing our sides...we had to wait for another 10 minutes for our side salads...which ended up appearing like that had come straight from a ready made spring mix box at metro....the sautéed veggies that came with 3 of our meals were all way over cooked as well. When the server went around the table to ask if we wanted any fresh ground pepper she stopped at my sisters plate....mid sentence as my sister started to say "no thank you" She was cut off by the server grounding fresh pepper across her meal. After finishing our meals we decided to skip out on coffee and desserts for fear something else would go array. Although the restaurant has beautiful decor and a warm welcoming atmosphere I feel it wasn't up to par with the service I have received at other restaurants in Yorkville. I feel it was a rather unfortunate dining experience for my family after having travelled 3 hours to come visit us. I do not think I will be back to this place any time soon. read more

This place is nothing special, the inside is nice and the area is great, but as far as food and service goes, they need work. Three of us went at lunch time and had a terrible experience. We waited almost 45 minutes (on a 1hr lunch break!) for the entrées. I had the chicken which was dry and kind of bland. We were also suppose to receive a free dessert which we told them we no longer had time for since they made us wait so long. They said they would give it to us to go. The owner is not friendly and walks around the restaurant like he is some kind of celebrity. We got the very expensive bill where they charge gratuity on a table of 3? this was ridiculous! I will tip well over the average if the service is good but this was terrible. We refused to pay the 18% gratuity charge which they then removed. we then saw the owner literately "throw" our dessert in a box and told us we could leave. I will never step foot back in here! read more

I'll give this place one thing: the food is delicious. Everything else... well... not so great. Service was indifferent and the restaurant's decor was cheesier than all the bufala mozzarella in Campana. (The chef's picture on the restaurant signs! The celebrity photos up front! And the murals! OMG, the murals! I half expected "Decor by Carmela Soprano" business cards by the door.) But, if you can ignore the Olive Garden-Meets-Buca-di-Beppo-esque decor and the standoffish service, then chances are you're in for a pretty good meal. My pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, with a rich rose cream sauce. And my Meditteraneo salad was fresh and lightly dressed lettuce, and topped with a really nice, mild feta. Yum. Prices are a bit high in general, but for a restaurant in the middle of Yorkville, it's not so bad. In sum: Food = 4 stars; Service = 2 stars, Ambience = 3 stars. In average, a 3 star experience. read more

Tonight I had one of the worst experiences I had in a restaurant. After we got seated, we chose one wine and were informed they didn't have that one, we had to settle for another one. After getting the wine, we asked the waiter for a garlic bruschetta and we were told they couldn't make it because their oven was broken so they could not make any bruschetta or pizzas. So, we decided to skip the appetizer and just order our plates. My wife asked for a pasta and the waiter told us they were out of that pasta, so she had to choose something else. I ordered a different pasta and were told they were also out of that one too. The waiter told us the restaurant had a big cattering event and that affected the restaurant. When we were eating our courses, we could listen to the group behind us having the same problem, they were even told they were out of fish dishes too. That is unacceptable! We should have been told about the situation when we entered the restaurant or right after we were seated. If I had known that before opening the wine, I would have gone to another place. The poor waiter was in a tough spot. If half of your menu is not available, just don't open the place or tell your customers upfront so they have the option to leave and come back another day. This a poor and pathetic way of dealing with a problem, not showing any respect for customers. Will never set foot in this place ever. read more

I was there today with my friends. Ordered appetizers pizza and calamary. Pizza was so tasteless and the calamari was ok. We ordered the main, rissoto with mushrooms, ooooohhh disapointment, rice overcooked and it was very salty so sad, the chicken we ordered was bland, not too much flavor, sea food casserole was nice from all the dishes it has more flavor. The lasagna was allright. I think the best part of our meal was the wine. After the meal nobody felt good, super heavy. My italian neighbour cooks so much better and she invites me for free. Waiter was nice and explained everything. Honestly so disapointed about this place, I was expecting better things from Yorkville, so sad :(. read more

Vaticano was, on the whole, a disappointment, a slight tarnish to the plurality and uniqueness and charm that defines Yorkville. The overpriced menu, coupled with an inattentive server and subsequent small meal portions leaves one wholly dissatisfied. Perhaps credit may be awarded with respect to the house olive oil, which is quite excellent, but rest assured not enough to earn the forgiveness of the other shortfalls. read more

Vaticano Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I've never felt the need to leave a review, but the urge to write one for this cesspool of a "restaurant" really struck me. Upon entering, it was hard not to notice the dated decor and nonexistent crowd (two occupied tables). After ordering, we waited for 30 minutes or so only to be informed that they were "out of the dish". I then requested for another dish, and was AGAIN told that they were "out of the dish". After waiting for another 45 minutes, I finally got what I requested - remind you it was my THIRD choice... The food itself was appalling, oversalted, and somehow flavourless. I think they actually tried to flavour it with the salt itself. It was as if they were trying to raise my blood pressure; the food sucked the water out of my poor cells. Ultimately, this was my first time at this "restaurant" and of course my last. The atmosphere was atrocious, food was revolting even nauseating, prices were absurd, and the service was unnaturally slow. I'm surprised they're still even open in a place like Yorkville. Really wish I could give them negative stars. Terrible. read more

Just okay - decor, service, food. Soup that was slapped all over the plate, server was hardly at ease bringing the plates to the table. Asking repeatedly for bread or wine or water. Nothing we had was memorable, at least positively. Wine by the glass was poor - again nothing special. Hey if I am paying for Italian food I expect somewhat Italian staff - they were all Indian (nothing against Indians) not what I expected. I have now been here twice and had the same experience. Not worth a mild recommendation for a starving man. read more

Our experience, in order. 1. The lighting is not ambience... it's damned near impossible to actually see. 2. The waiter couldn't be bothered with us and largely ignored us, giving preferential treatment to other customers who were dressed in business attire. We were dressed in reasonably nice going-out clothes. 3. The bread in the basket was gritty and stale 4. It took an hour for us to get our food 5. When the food finally arrived, it was prepared poorly. The pasta was rubbery, the lobster tail was dry, tough and flavourless, the sauces tasted like they came from a jar, the portions were miniscule. The last one would have been forgivable if the food was good, but it absolutely was not. Never again. read more

This was a bit of a disappointment, considering its location and the price point. Our bill for 2 came to $180 plus tip (2 entrees, 2 appetizers, and a bottle of wine). Now, for that price I expect excellence. Instead we got mediocracy. Service was fine, but nothing to write home about. I could have used more water, but never got a refill. The food is mixed. I will say that the grilled calamari ($16) was delicious! The beef carpaccio ($18) was good. Both were big portions. The bread was tasty, but the butter/dip was basically just pureed garlic -- it was crazy strong! Then the mains came. We both got a veal dish, and they tasted similar (both about $25 each). Mine was VERY salty, which really overpowered the taste of the meat. The side portion of vegetables was pathetic. I got 1/8 of a potato (literally, 2 bites), 1 broccoli, and a few slices of red papers and zucchini. The vegetables were all lukewarm. I think you could do a whole lot more for $180 bucks. I usually don't go to these types of high-end restaurants (cause I'm a value hunter!), but my sense is that there are better Italian options in the area. DIsclaimer: I'm Italian and love Italian food! read more

The owner Felice and the bartender Peter were very friendly and accommodating. Luca was the entertainment for the evening singing fabulous tunes such as Frank Sinatra, Andrea Bocelli, Buble etc. We danced, we laughed and we were treated as if we were family. The ambiance has a very warm, romantic feel to it. Not to mention the unforgettable meal that we had. Try the artichokes.....they are to die for!! A hidden gem in Yorkville that will tantalize our taste buds. read more

This is our neighbourhood favourite. We have always had a great meal when we've gone here. They have a quaint patio in the summer and nice atmosphere inside, with service being excellent no matter where seated. Everything we've had on the menu has been excellent with the beef carpaccio being one of our personal favourites. The tiramisu and panna cotta are both a great way to finish off a meal with an espresso. read more

Vaticano is one of our top go-to Italian restaurants in Toronto. I've been here quite a few times and the service is always on point - fast and friendly. It's in a great location and the space is good with a few different options for seating; in nice weather you can sit outside on the small patio. The food is very good, fresh and well prepared. For starters, the beef carpaccio is awesome and the grilled octopus is really good too. Where Vaticano really shines is their home made sauces - their tomato sauce and their vodka sauce is incredible. Try the Chicken Parmesan with a side of Angel Hair pasta to experience the tomato sauce. Or if you're in the mood for the Vodka Sauce, get the Penne Cleopatra which is served with fresh salmon. I recommended this place for a good meal at a pretty good price. read more

I have been to this Italian restaurant many times and I have never been disappointed. If your tummy is craving a delicious homemade pasta, then this place delivers wat it promises. Their tomato sauce is to die for. I am a pasta lover and i have tried so many places and this one is one of my favs. Their prices are a little on the high end but the food is delicious, the area is perfect for a nice walk ( unless its -30 outside lol) , the restaurant itself has a romantic feel so it would be perfect for a special occasion. You are looking at spending $70-80 between two people. Service i would say is average, nothing special. oh before i forget: The portion is big! No need in searching your fridge as soon as u arrive home! read more

A place that never fails but always bring comfort and delicious dishes. I have yet to try anything on the menu that hasn't exceeded my expectations. Some of our favorites are the eggplant parmigiana, Gloria salad, seafood risotto, penne bolognese. Oh and an amazing wine selection as well! read more

Bad service, tiny portions, overpriced, not tasty. Never going back, warning my friends away from this spot! read more

Had a fantastic time, place was full of people celebrating birthdays and food was terrific. Penne Cleopatra and marvelous chicken in mushroom sauce. I'll be having that again. Staff was top shelf quality. read more

We went there for Winterlicious and it was divine!We had the mussels, soooo yummy followed by the salsicce and rapini, pesto gnocchi and breaded veal chop, dessert was panna cotta, cheese cake and biscuits! Nothing short of wonderful, amazing and tasty! Kudos to the chef and kitchen staff! Great selection From the moment I made reservations to when we arrived the staff was welcoming, accommodating and professional and a plus they all spoke some Italian...nice touch!! The bartender that made my Seabreeze was so sweet, she was so patient with my order and above all this took place on Super Bowl Sunday. Such awesome service too bad Barbarians steak house can't take pointers from you all!! Thank you for a wonderful evening!! Salute!! read more