Gusto 101

33 Best Restaurants in Toronto, From Québécois to Sushi | Condé Nast Traveler

"The most striking thing about Gusto 101 isn't the fact that it's located in a former auto body shop—it's that the space actually feels cozy and convivial. The restaurant delivers crowd pleasing Southern Italian classics, including a near-perfect rendition of cacio e pepe. Grilled entrees are also exceptional, especially the branzino, which is served with escarole, cannellini beans, and a lemony, garlicky salmoriglio sauce. Daily specials are also worth checking out; the Saturday Cumbria Cowboy steak for two and the Sunday lasagna (with fennel sausage ragu) have both achieved cult-classic status in the neighborhood. The wine list is heavy on Italian bottles, and the cocktail menu consists of Italian-inspired drinks such as the Cialda, a potent mix of bourbon, spiced pear, Frangelico, walnut syrup, and lemon." - Todd Plummer