Introducing: Annette Food Market, an Italian trattoria in the Junction

Name: Annette Food Market Neighbourhood: The Junction Contact: 240 Annette St., 647-792-6963, facebook, @annettefoodmarket
Previously: Sagra Owners: Max and Amara Mancuso (owners of the Good Neighbour café next door) Chef: Sivi Sitsoruban (Sagra) Bar Manager: Meaghan Murray (Northwood)

The Food: Sharing plates of rustic, Italian-influenced dishes, the majority of which are roasted in a wood-fired oven inherited from Sagra. The items on offer include house-made pasta, slow-cooked pork shoulder and short ribs, roasted veggies and a handful of Neapolitan pizzas. Also: a bowl of bubbly, melted cheese with crackers for dipping. “There’s nothing wrong with a giant pot of cheese,” says Max.

The Drinks: The focus is on wine (by the glass or bottle) with over 20 varietals categorized by style (big and bold, rich and creamy, smooth and silky) on a chalkboard that runs the length of the dining room. “I really wanted to make it a list that people could navigate quite easily and that’s why we broke it down,” explains Max. There are house cocktails as well, a few beers on tap and champagne, for those special occasions (like a Tuesday).

The Place: Smack-dab in the middle of an otherwise residential stretch of the street, next to its sister coffee shop and a convenience store, the restaurant is named for the original Annette Food Market that closed over 15 years ago. “We had customers coming in all the time next-door, telling great stories about the place,” says Max. “We wanted to bring that back and that’s why we revived the name.” Between church pews and barstools, the cozy space seats around 25 people and there’s a harvest table in the back room for larger parties.