Terroni

Opening its first location in 1992 on hip Queen West, Terroni was the first eatery in Toronto to make Italian dining cool. The chain now has more than half a dozen spots in the city, all of them terrific, but it’s the two-storey emporium in tony Rosedale that takes the torta. Chandeliers, brick and midcentury modern flourishes create an unstuffy, contemporary vibe. The chef is so confident, no changes to the dishes are allowed. But you wouldn’t want to substitute a single ingredient of the impeccable pastas, such as house-made ravioli stuffed with duck confit, fig and roasted butternut squash, sautéed with oyster and button mushrooms, or the Garganelli Geppetto (named in honour of the owner’s father) with house-made spicy sausage, dandelion greens, fontina and Parmigiano-Reggiano.