/
1x
Advertisement
Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!
Food & Drink

Review: Buonanotte, Charles Khabouth’s clubby Italian resto-lounge

By Toronto Life
Copy link
Review: Buonanotte, Charles Khabouth’s clubby Italian resto-lounge

Buonanotte  ★★ 19 Mercer St., 416-599-7246 buonanotte.com

We’ve updated our star ratings system since this article was first published. Read more about the change here, and find the up-to-date rating in our restaurant listings.

Charles Khabouth does two things very well: pounding nightclubs and fancy restaurants. This new resto-lounge, the Toronto counterpart to Montreal’s Buonanotte, highlights his knack for both. The place looks like one of Khabouth’s King West clubs, with underdressed female wait staff and low-slung lounge furniture, and the kitchen turns out confident classic Italian food.

Ridiculously moist beef and veal meatballs in a puddle of tangy marinara sauce are a terrific start, followed by lusciously al dente tagliatelle sautéed simply with mushrooms and olive oil. A Neapolitan pizza comes out of the wood-fired oven with a perfectly scorched rim, chewy centre, and flavourful rosemary, pancetta, brie and potato toppings. For dessert, a crisp, creamy floral mille foglie layers airy sheets of pastry with wine-poached pear slices and vanilla custard. The well-chosen Italian wine list has options for misers ($13 flutes of bubbly) and millionaires (a $1,000 Brunello). Come 11 p.m., the music thumps, the dance floor fills up and the Grey Goose flows.

NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY

Sign up for Table Talk, our free newsletter with essential food and drink stories.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Big Stories

Dancing Queens: Patrons, staff and performers share their wildest memories of Crews and Tangos, Toronto’s most storied drag bar
Deep Dives

Dancing Queens: Patrons, staff and performers share their wildest memories of Crews and Tangos, Toronto’s most storied drag bar

Inside the Latest Issue

Inside the Latest Issue

The April issue of Toronto Life features the anatomy of a Bay Street fiasco at RBC. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.