Located on College Street between Bathurst and Ossington, Toronto’s Little Italy is a vibrant neighbourhood with roots dating back to the 1900s. Known for its longstanding Italian heritage after large groups of Italian immigrants first arrived in the early 20th century, this neighbourhood does a great job of honouring its past and welcoming its future.
Shopping, eating, dancing — whatever you want, there’s a good chance Little Italy has it! Check out some local favourites and start exploring.
Where to eat
When in Little Italy, eat like the Italians do.
For some classic community icons, you can’t go wrong with a meal at the famed Cafe Diplomatico (a.k.a. The Dip), a neighbourhood staple since 1986. We recommend the veal parmigiana or the Oscar Ciambotta Scrambled for breakfast — a tasty mix of eggs, hot peppers, onions, and tomato sauce.
Keep it Italian style at Sicilian Sidewalk Cafe, rocking authentic gelato, made with 100 per cent Fiore di Latte, since 1959. Try the lemon ice and baked Belgian waffles at this gelateria. Other longstanding community establishments include Grace Meat Market, serving quality butcher cuts since 1954, and Riveria Bakery for Sicilian cannolis since the ‘60s.
Visit The Fish Store and YuNes’ Sandwiches for one of the city’s best fish sandwiches with a truly amazing selection of fresh fish like seabass, Mahi Mahi, and Atlantic Cod. A new kid on the block, Janelle’s Kitchen is the go-to spot for brunch if you love fluffy French omelettes or a classic French toast.
Still hungry? Check out these places for seconds:
Where to shop
Get cheesy at La Fromagerie, an artisan cheese shop since 2005 with a focus on French and Quebecois cheeses — chèvre, burrata, manchego, munster; you name it, they have it.
Long-standing neighbourhood shop Red Pegasus is your indie store for Canadian-made products and handicrafts, including jewelry, housewares, and games. Little Italy also has a great variety of bookshops like Flying Books and Balfour Books, plus The Monocle Shop for curated magazines.
Vinyl listeners will love local business Neurotica Records, which has a longstanding history in the city, tracing back to 1989. This underground shop features new and used records, plus CDs, DVDs, cassette tapes, books, and more.
Fresh flowers? Head to the Riverside Flower Shop for classic bouquets or Botany Floral Studio for bespoke creations. Menswear shop Pasqualino has been family-owned and operated since 1988 and sells curated and trendy pieces, while Lilliput Hats is the home to famed Canadian milliner Karyn Ruiz and is the place to get unique caps.
Support the local economy and shop at these businesses too…
What to do
Little Italy landmark The Royal Theatre has been sitting at 609 College St. since 1939. The Art Moderne-style theatre was first named The Pylon and included a roller-skating rink and dance hall back in the day. Now, it’s home to international film festivals, movie screenings, live comedy, and candlelight concerts.
Get your groove on at El Convento Rico, the spot for late-night Latin dancing and drag show performances. Rocking the night away since 1992, El Convento was one of the first 2SLGBTQ+ friendly spaces outside of The Village and continues its proud legacy to this day.
For a bit of neighbourhood exploring, take a stroll down Palmerston Boulevard and gander up at the Victorian-style homes. A walk in Little Italy will reveal much of the neighbourhood, row-houses and heritage homes, with some built in the late 1880s.
Don’t forget to check out the Taste of Little Italy, a weekend-long street fest that takes place every June.
With its mix of longstanding local businesses, unique range of restaurants and cultural history, Little Italy is a great neighbourhood to explore, just like great Italian actress Sophia Lauren did in 1979.
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