DOVA Restaurant

Delightful Sicilian food. The pastas were all phenomenal, with the Saffron Shrimp pasta being one of the best pastas in Toronto. The steak, while good, is not what I would focus on (and not really what Sicily is known for)— you can get that elsewhere. Some of the best wines (value for dollar) are actually the first couple of Nebbiolo bottles, which is refreshing to see.

Fantastic restaurant! Had a girls night here and ordered a few dishes to share. Loved a few and some others were good but not amazing. Highly recommend the calamari, truffle pasta, and wild boar pasta. Our server also gave some great recommendations and was excellent!

We have to agreed with some of the reviews that there was no WOW factor. For a higher price point we weren’t impressed but not entirely disappointed. Let’s break this one down: 5/5 for aesthetic and ambiance. The patio is perfect for a date night with lots of plants and flowers, a cute lamp for personal lighting along with the string lights above. 4/5 for food. The plating was well done with decent flavour except for the pizza. The dough was good but overall it lacked flavour. The pasta however had an amazing flavour but also like other reviews, a slightly larger portion would be better. 3/5 for service. This is mainly because of our server. As we entered we were greeted by a lovely server and the kitchen staff all said hello with smiles as we passed by to make our way to the patio. We received a new server after we were seated and he just missed a touch of personalized attention for a higher priced point restaurant. Service was slow and for a large portion, we were sitting there waiting to be asked if we wanted another drink, twice. Traditionally when we order oysters, staff will explain where their oysters are from and what type they are. We had to ask after we had eaten them. I think this goes with most items ordered in a higher priced point restaurant, servers will often drop off the food and explain to you again what you are getting. This was not done here. Overall, we had a nice date night but agree we would not rush back for more.

This was by far the best experience we have had with Toronto dining in years. We reserved the chefs table and that was the first thing we did correctly! Michael, was exceptional and Chef Robert was so hospitable and lovely. The kitchen staff with the chef table was equally as lovely. Get the caviar!!! And the duck ragu! Other than that, let Michael and Chef guide you and you will NOT be disappointed.

This cute restaurant opened during COVID, which is a pretty big statement. There is a lot to like but missing some essential pieces to make it magical. Hostess was not personable and ice cold. As we walked to the patio, the kitchen staff looked at us blankly (no smile or greeting). There is one Caucasian server who warmly welcomed us and offered fond farewell when we left. He was the only person who had the basic restaurant etiquette. My husband enjoyed his Olio cocktail, which was balanced and smooth. They offered a great cocktail program ranging from $15-$17. I was quite excited to try their food but the only dish I would reorder is the Ragu. - Swordfish carpaccio $21: Bland, needed more acid, peppermint was a nice touch. - Calamari $22: well breaded and tender but 2 pieces were gritty/sand-like. - Whole grilled snapper $67: we found scales and bones. It was also slightly undercooked. - Fughese pizza $32: bland, sounded better than it tasted. They initially forgot the shaved black truffle, even after adding "extra" for us, it still felt very minimal. - Ragu $23: rustic and comforting. Service was great, she was friendly and warm who consistently checked in on us without being intrusive. If it wasn't for her great service, this review easily could have been 2 stars. We were a bit disappointed that despite us sharing in the rest notes and with our Server, no one acknowledged our anniversary. A simply "happy anniversary" would have been so welcomed. After all, it as our first time dining out after so long, let alone our first date night in more than 1 year. Overall, a decent experience but fell short of our expectations. After spending $300 for 2 people, I expected to be wow'ed but we weren't.

So thankful this modern Italian restaurant opened in Cabbage town. Fantastic menu with a variety of pasta and pizza. Tried the beef carpaccio which was fresh and vibrant. The Ragu pasta was delightful and delicious. Tiramisu dessert was a nice finish. Fantastic service. And they got a nice patio in the back as well. Highly recommend for you Italian fix.

Amazing atmosphere and delicious Italian food! My friend and I split the calamari appetizer, the truffle pasta and wild boar sausage pizza for the main, and the tiramisu to top it off. Service was very friendly - our waitress made us feel at home! When I was using my pizza crust to savour every last bit of our truffle pasta sauce she gave us a taste of their delicious olive oil to dip our carbs into. Be sure to reserve ahead of time to get a table on the main floor! Can’t wait to come back and taste the rest of the menu. *UPDATE* Finally came back to enjoy the end of summer back patio. Was a beautiful atmosphere on a Saturday evening to spend with our two friends. Here, we enjoyed the calamari once again, sampled the carpaccio, and between the four of us ordered the Fughese pizza, the Frutti di Mare pasta, as well as the Boar pasta. The Carpaccio and Boar pasta left us craving more of a kick - however the pizza and the seafood pasta were exquisite. Service was once again lovely, with the chef making an appearance at the pack patio to chat with patrons was a nice touch. Once again we will be back!

Very authentic Italian served in a happening vibe. Ambiance, service and food were all great! Only reason I went with the 4 ranking instead of 5 is that there wasn’t a “wow” moment during the meal: Most of the dishes I’m used to getting at home (yah, I’m Italian and eat very well) and the design of the restaurant felt a tad familiar as well. But for those who are looking for “true” Italian (with an obvious focus on Sicilian) dishes that haven’t been corrupted by North American influences, this is definitely a place to try!

I had never heard of this place and was in the area, so when I found it I was so excited to try. I really wanted to like this place! Everything about it seemed so promising. However, our experience with the appetizers (which are usually the highlights for me at many restaurants) was extremely disappointing... In short, if you don't want to read this whole review, the appetizers were really plain. Here's why: After going through the menu, we ordered the pesce spada (raw swordfish carpaccio), beef carpaccio, and the tartufo (truffle linguine) as per our server's recommendations of his favourites. I was a bit questionable on the carpaccio with raw mushrooms (this just sounds kind of plain and I was eyeing the burrata instead). The rico e pepe was also another one of my preferences since it sounded different enough (plus cacio e pepe is my fave) and I also feel that truffle is pretty standard at a lot of places i.e. it's hard to get wrong and I wanted to try something more unique. However, we are usually trusting with suggestions from informed staff and decided to go along with it in high hopes since everything on the menu sounded pretty good. The swordfish tasted a bit too fishy (like it almost wasn't fresh) and it seemed to be lacking any other flavour as the garnishes barely added anything to the dish except maybe the tiny bits of mustard. The sauce had no taste, I think it was just oil. It didn't even taste like anything was seasoned. I've had crudo before and even if it's supposed to just be olive oil and lemon juice as the "sauce", this time it didn't add anything to the dish. The beef carpaccio was also extremely disappointing for what I had feared in the first place - raw mushrooms just didn't satisfy our expectations and I felt like I was eating more of a salad than beef carpaccio. Again, no sauce or sense of seasoning on this dish. The ingredients may be good but didn't work well together to have any sort of "wow" factor as I saw another review mentioned as well. After the disappointment of the first two dishes, the service also got a lot worse. The pasta took a VERY long time to arrive and we had to ask the hostess/SA to check on it for us. We were sitting at the bar and the bartender also hadn't checked up on us since having the appetizers. We had to ask for more water from the hostess too because he stopped paying attention to us after ordering which was strange because we expressed so much interest in the restaurant and were talking about it with him when we first sat down. Another strange thing is that he told us Dova opened 3 months ago when I can see that reviews have been posted for this place at least a year ago - why did he lie ?? For somewhere that boasts about being in Canada's Top 100 Restaurants, they are also very passive when placing dishes in front of us with no explanation or pride in what they're serving, which is not a pleasant experience at a higher end restaurant ... Okay, thankfully, the pasta was very impressive and lived up to a much better standard. It was cooked well and had good flavour, but like I mentioned earlier, you can add truffle to many recipes and it will instantly enhance the dish (it's hard to get truffle pasta really wrong). Because of the bad experience, we decided to pass on the dessert and just get out of here. Again, I really wanted to like this place and was really sad at how much it failed with the first two dishes BUT since the pasta was so good, I still want to come back to try the rico e pepe. I'm hesitant to try anything else, plus for the price it really didn't feel worth it. Other than that, another good thing is that the ambience in here is very nice!

This cute restaurant opened during Covid, which is a pretty big statement. There is a lot to like but just missing some essential pieces to make it magical. Hostess was not personable and ice cold. As we walked to the patio, the kitchen staff looked at us blankly (no smile, no greeting). There is one Caucasian server who warmly welcomed us and offered fond farewell when we left. He was the only person who had the basic restaurant etiquette. My husband enjoyed his Olio cocktail, which was balanced and smooth. They offer a great cocktail program ranging from $15-$17. I was quite excited to try their food but the only dish I would order again is the ragu. - Swordfish carpaccio $21: bland, needed more acid, peppermint was a nice touch. - Calamari $22: well breaded and tender but 2 pieces I had were gritty/sand-like. - Whole grilled snapper $67: found scales and it was slightly undercooked - Fughese pizza $32: bland, sounded better than it tasted. They initially forgot the shaved truffle and after adding "extra" to make it up to us, still felt minimal. - Ragu $23: rustic and comforting. Service was great. She was friendly and warm who consistently checked in on us without being overwhelming. If it wasn't for her great service this review easily could have been 2 stars. We were a bit disappointed that despite us sharing in the reso notes and with our Server, no one acknowledged our anniversary. A simple "happy anniversary" would have been so welcomed. After all it was our first time dining out after so long, let alone our first date night in more than a year. Overall, decent experience but fell short of our expectations. After spending $300 for 2 people, I expected to be wow'ed but we weren't.

This is a brand new fine dining restaurant in Cabbagetown with tastes from Sicily and the Mediterranean basin. The owners are Sicilan. The focus is on fresh seafood. There is handmade (in-house) artisanal pastas, fresh-caught fish and ethically sourced meats. They have a big pizza oven on site, visible to the customers. So of course their pizza is very fresh. There is also an outdoor patio in the back. Their soft opening was on 2020-08-26 for family and friends. The grand opening was on 2020-08-27. They have a sister ARDO on King St which is also a Sicilian restaurant in a modern space with open kitchen serving housemade pasta, pizza & traditional Sicilian dishes.

We had a great Italian fine dining experience. The quality of food was good. The scallop was super fresh. Anchovies was creative. And the veal was cook just right. The restaurant is located on Carlton, the end side of the city.

What a cute spot!!! Beef carpaccio and tartufo pasta were so light and delicate but so full of flavor! We also got the broccolini that had a great sauce with a lemony zing to it. Recommend for Italian in cabbagetown!!

I'm sorry to report that we had our first sub-par experience at Dova last night. First, both of our drink orders (from the menu) were unavailable; their kegs weren't working and the wine I wanted wasn't stocked and had been replaced with something much less appealing (to me). The food situation wasn't much better, at least for me. The appetizers were quite good (olives and oysters), which was a saving grace. But then, my pasta came out and was completely limp and flavourless (rico e pepe, a Sicilian play on cacio e pepe, which was featured in Toronto Life's write up if the restaurant), and not even especially creamy? I was so disappointed I sent it back -- something I dread having to do. Instead I requested a Caesar salad, which was, unfortunately, also not that good (!!). My partner's lamb was exquisite so perhaps I just ordered the wrong items? (I know that Sicilians generally don't order pasta as a main, but I tend to enjoy it as such.) Was it a fun night out anyway? Mostly yes. The restaurant seemed busy; the ambiance was lovely enough. The music was a bit hit or miss, but generally the mood of the place was pleasant and upbeat. I guess I just expected more based on previous visits, and though we might be back for pizza and cocktails (both quite good here), we'll save celebration dinners for other sure-fire upscale spots. Reading through other reviews, I want to note that I actually felt service was quite good! The server was suitably apologetic when I complained (!) about my meal and generally took good care of us. It certainly wasn't their fault the drinks and food weren't as expected!

We went to DOVA for my birthday dinner and little do we know, this became my fiancé's new favourite restaurant. We ordered A LOT of food to share among 6 people For appetizers, we got the carpaccio (beef), burrata (cheese), calamari & zucchine, polpo (octopus), and capesante (scallops). Their calamari were also fried extra crispy with a light batter. For main, we got their cinchiale, which is a mezzi rigatoni, wild boar ragu, their tartufo, which is a linguine with porcini, parmigiano and fresh black truffle, Rico E Pepe, which is there spaghetti with fresh ricotta, pecorino and black pepper, a fig pizza, which was their house special, vitello, which is a organic veal chop, and then a broccolini to share. My fiancé's favorite dishes were their fig pizza, where it had a good balance of sweet and salty, and the vitello, which the veal had a good sear on it and was cooked perfectly to medium-rare. Their pasta were all cooked al dente and each pasta had their unique flavouring. I got to say my favorite was their ragu pasta, and their polpo (which is an octopus, cockle appetizer dish). We can definitely taste all the love and care that was placed in every dish and their dining experience there was absolutely 10/10. We would definitely go back again to celebrate a special occasion and try more dishes.

I'd give food probably a 4 or 4.5, but I think this restaurant could have really wow'ed more in service. We came in for Sunday dinner and it wasn't too busy at the time. We were seated and waited around 10 minutes before anyone came over and the server who did lead with "has anyone greeted you yet?" It then took them about another five-seven minutes to bring back water for us and get our drink order going, and it was from a new server because I guess some had changed tables they were covering. One nice gesture was there was a hold up in the kitchen so they comp'ed a round of drinks for us for the hold up, so we appreciated the thoughtfulness there in making up for our waiting time. Their pizza and pasta was delicious so I think we'd come back to give this place another chance. Our new server Kyle was friendly and helpful once he was covering our table, so we appreciated him.

Such a cute little restaurant that my friend and I spontaneously popped into. Wasn't expecting such a place in this part of Toronto - honestly felt more like I was in the downtown core instead. It was quite busy for a Saturday evening and we were able to get a seat in the heated outdoor patio. It has such pretty vibes and you truly do forget that you're not in entertainment district or the core. We just stopped by for a quite bite and drinks before going to our actual dinner reservation but service was still quick enough for us to finish everything and be on our way. We had 2 of the cocktails, the scallop appetizer and some bread. Everything was delicious. If we didn't have reservations elsewhere for dinner I would've loved to try more items on the menu. I'm looking forward to coming back in the future and trying their other dishes!

This is a gem in the neighborhood! Wonderful ambience and their cannoli is to die for! A must go place!

Another great pickup. Thanks for always being masked. Bringing the food out and making quality meals Love the no plastic containers!

Food is standard but service is horrible. The waitress was incredibly slow and was no where to be found (even in a really small restaurant). At the end when were were done our meals she didn't come by to ask if we wanted dessert or coffee. We had to flag her down several times to ask for the menu and then she disappeared again where we had to flag her down again to ask for tea. Even bringing us tea took her over 15 minutes to bring over and it was literally just tea bags. Then at the end we couldn't even find her so we had to ask a different waitress for the bill. Tried a bunch of apps here. BURRATA (Italian burrata, wine preserved peach, heirloom Ontario cherry tomato, toasted Sicilian pistachio, basil, olive oil) . Good but nothing to write home about for $25. CALAMARI & ZUCCHINE (Fried fresh calamari & zucchini) this was actually delicious! Fresh and nicely fried. Sourdough bread made with organic flour, served with Leonardo Marino Sicilian olive oil. Amazing bread but always not enough for $6 (normal these days in nice restaurants). POLPO (Octopus, parsley, celery , celery leaf, lemon). Good and nice portion but again nothing to write home about for $22. For the main I had the CONTADINO (Fior di latte, grilled zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, baked ricotta, basil). Not the best pizza I've had in Toronto but just not bad either. Meh. My friend had the RICO E PEPE (Spaghetti, fresh ricotta, pecorino, black pepper) and she was not impressed. She lives in NYC so she knows good pasta. Overall the apps were better than the mains!

Part of a longer review "While my guest and I sat in our front-row kitchen seats (with Plexiglas between us and the kitchen) we observed the small team intricately assembling dishes while Chef stood at the pass. Every dish was carefully observed before getting his stamp of approval -- like most chefs, he's a perfectionist. With a dining room seat, one wouldn't be privy to the behind-the-scenes, inner workings of the kitchen. I would highly recommend the chef's table, because it only elevated my entire experience -- and we hadn't even consumed a thing yet! While we continued to witness the two-week old restaurant operate like a decade-old mainstay, we sipped on some cocktails. The Olio ($16) was made with Sicilian olive oil-infused gin, basil syrup, lime juice, egg white, and Abbotts bitters - a refreshing, herbaceous cocktail pour commencer. I enjoyed the subtle sweetness from the Rabarbaro ($15) -- a frothy, tequila-based drink infused with subtle hints of rhubarb. Sitting at the chef's table revealed that the Italian-imported burrata ($23) was one of the most popular dishes. After just one bite, I now know why. Decorated with the season's finest gifts -- juicy wine-preserved peaches and fresh basil leaves -- the creamy white mound shone in all its glory. The plush cheese and all its accoutrements were perfectly balanced, making it the ideal dish to enjoy solo or with some housemade sourdough ($5)...."

This restaurant has an open concept kitchen. Which is often a great thing, but def means that staff tend to be on their best behaviour. That said, I witnessed the entire kitchen staff actively mocking and laughing at customers at one of the tables on the other side of the restaurant. I found it toxic, and ultimately turned me off this restaurant as a future option. Simply put: it's rude.

Another amazing experience at Dova. The service is impeccable and the food is delicious. Their patio is lovely. Such a fantastic place!

I went to DOVA Restaurant with three friends for Sunday brunch June 4th. It was a beautiful day and we sat out on their lovely patio. There was hardly anyone else having Sunday brunch. How odd for such a beautiful day and such a lovely patio in a patio-mad city. We soon found out the reasons for this. How can you call a cocktail a Sicilian Caesar when you do not use clamato juice? This is Canada NOT Sicily. Silly!! The menu is not what most Torontonians want for a Sunday brunch. Where are the omelettes and/ or choice of egg style? Where are the sausages and bacon options? Where are the toast options? They are all nonexistent. The menu is too twee by half. We asked to see a wine menu. No wine under $70.00/bottle. Ridiculous! There are excellent wines offered by the LCBO between $10.00-$15.00/bottle and even with a 200%+ mark-up can be sold for less than $70.00/bottle. A side of thick white bread lightly toasted was $7.00. $7.00 for two thick slices of white bread! Ridiculous!! We complained and were brought four more slices for ne extra charge as we insisted that we wanted more and would not pay for this. The final bill for one course each + a side of potatoes (nice enough) + a side of bread + six cocktails came to $270.00 inclusive of tax and tip. The service was attentive, I will give them that. This is too much for Sunday brunch. We four will not be going back to DOVA. Victor Pianosi

What an incredible evening. The venue of the patio is wonderful and light and airy. We started with the CAPESANTE and ACCIUGHE & CARCIOFI. Both were amazing but if we had to choose one it would hands down be the artichoke. anchovy dish. The blend of tastes and the oil accompaniment were exquisite. We then had RICO E PEPE which took a fairly simple pasta dish to a new level. Not eaten was the Tonna Pizza we ordered but were too full. We both had some the next day and it was the disappointment. It is unusual and unless you like tuna prepared as a carpaccio I would not suggest it. But... one of the most amazing parts to the evening was our server Zane. From the moment he came to introduce himself he was smiling and friendly. He was quite young and bit by bit we were stunned at his knowledge of the menu, food and drink. Not only did he guide us as to what we could order but he explained the food with such passion and understanding. Each time we asked about something he was beyond his years in capability and explanation. We were so very impressed with him. Keep going Zane... you have a gift for people!

My partner and I had dinner at Dova for the first time recently and we wish we had come sooner. The food was absolutely sublime. We shared the calamari and zucchini app to start. Both were lightly breaded and lightly fried - really good. The single serving was more than enough for both of us. My partner had the daily risotto - king prawn that day. Al dente rice with a smooth, creamy sauce and large chunks of prawn - very nice. She couldn't finish the large serving, even with a bit of help from me. My main: lamb 'sirloin' was from the list of daily specials. Wow - what seemed to be a full tenderloin was beautifully roasted to a medium rare. Tender and juicy and served with a luscious jus. We were too full to even think of desert. Service was friendly and efficient. They offer a good wine list, specializing in Sicilian labels. We asked our server for some suggestions, but try as he might, her really didn't know much about any of the wines. Dova should work on this. Prices are reasonable given the size of the servings. Note: mains are the key meat or seafood element only. Sides need to be ordered separately. We will be back again soon.

Incredible food and service; gorgeous patio with big umbrellas. Wood fired pizza. Expert bartenders. Can't be happier this place has come to this neighbourhood. The burrata and the ragu deserve to be ordered many times.

I love this restaurant! My husband and I visited a few weeks ago and had a fabulous evening. We started with the Calamari and Zucchini along with the Burrata which were both delicious. You can tell the ingredients are fresh and great quality. We then shared a Tarufo pasta and pizza. Our waiter was very friendly and efficient and the bar staff recommended a great bottle of Sicilian wine! I can't wait to go back and I dream of those wood -fired pizzas! Also I must add covid precautions are taken seriously and it felt very safe.

As a long time Cabbagetowner, I can say this is exactly what we have been missing. My dining experience was nothing shy of amazing at this beautiful restaurant! We tried as many things as we could on the menu, including appetizers, mains and desserts and we were not disappointed. I cannot wait to return and explore their wine menu further!

Our Evening Dinner on Sept 9th was very disappointing. There seems little coordination between the kitchen and the servers despite the plethora of staff. Our three diners ordered the Snapper ($90) plus two sides ($20) for the three of us. After being shown the cooked fish they took it to be filleted and served. From that moment it took almost 40 minutes to be brought back with the sides (potatoes and green beans) no surprisingly the food was at best "cool." No wishing to create an unpleasant evening for everyone we did not send the food back - which should have been the case. When the food was brought the server expressed surprise that we wanted new plates as the bread and olives had made the existing plates look rather messy! We ate on the back patio which was austere! Why for such a high end expensive restaurant could they not provide some plants and flowers to break up the walls and fence around where everyone sits?? The staff and management need to sort out a few things before I would return! A disappointing night.

The food was subpar at best and took forever to get to our table despite it not being a busy night. The staff were rather rude and dismissive and didn't come to check in until it was time for us to get the bill. I will not go back. There are superior restaurants in the neighbourhood that are well worth the money.

I enjoyed eating at Dova thoroughly. And I can't wait until I go there again. I was already familiar with Roberto Marotta's style, having eaten frequently at Ardo - his first restaurant. Dova has similar fare, and that can only be a good thing; a delicious thing. I recommend everything on the menu. Any ingredients Roberto uses, will be properly used to extract the finest flavours and aromas in a clearly Mediterranean and Sicilian way. And the menu choices also reflect Sicilian ingredients: octopus, anchovies, great pasta, eggplants, zucchini. But whatever you do, after you've enjoyed the polpo appetizer, the marinated anchovies, the amazing bread, the pasta alle sarde, pizza fumo, do not skip the best part. In Sicilian establishment that means dessert. Sicily is arguably the locus of origin of the West's great desserts, assembling ingredients and traditions from the South and the East which arrived through the Arabs with the discoveries of the explorers in the post Colombian world. Yes, when you taste his orange tiramisu you will be experiencing all that. And you'll be counting the minutes until you can experience it again. Buon appetito

All I can say is their business plan is lacking. Three times I've tried to come to this restaurant to try it out. First at lunch- was told that the plac opened at 3. Full staff. Showed up at three and was snottily greeted and told they were open at five. Full staff. ill pass for an Italian restaurant with charm. On the bright side with this sound planning they should be bankrupt by winter

Such great service and food was amazing! We went mid November even though it was chilly - it was still a great dining experience given the covid restrictions.

Dova left me wondering if I will ever go back. My friends and I were excited to try out  Dova, as we had frequented their sister restaurant Ardo in the past, and were excited to celebrate our 13th anniversary there. Sadly, the service did not compare to what we are normally accustomed to. Minus, the mid-dinner hiccup-when they completely forgot one of appetizers; the real issue began when we had requested dessert. At this time the waitress seemed puzzled and confused to our outlandish request. With no forewarning, we were told it was time to leave, as there were other guest waiting and we had a "2 hour meal limit"(which we were not informed about). Confused we though the waitress was joking-as we had all been exchanging light banter throughout dinner. It was not until she called the manager to our table did we realize that she was being serious, and we were being 100% kicked out. I was very disappointed in the treatment and absence of a simple of apology on the managements side. What's worse is management  proceeded to argue with us- the PAYING customers, on information her staff and her failed to properly communicate between us and each other. What really turned me off was the way management monitoring us while we gathered our stuff to leave, as if we were not good enough for their establishment. All-in-all, Dova has left me unsatisfied with a slight bitter taste in my mouth -but that could just be from the overcooked lemon in the polpo. Food for thought?