What’s on the menu at Masseria, a new Italian restaurant from the president of Pizza Nova

Name: Masseria Neighbourhood: King West Contact: 577 King St. W., 416-263-9999, masseria.ca
Owners: Domenic Primucci (President of Pizza Nova) Chef: Rob LeClair (Fabbrica)

The food

Grab-and-go southern Italian fare, including pizzas, salads and sandwiches. Made-to-order Neapolitan-style pizzas come with one of three crust options: standard, carbone (a black crust that gets its hue from vegetable carbon) and gluten free. Guests can order one of the 12 pre-designed pies, or build their own from a long list of ingredients that includes ’nduja, grilled eggplant, truffle oil and prosciutto di Parma.

The drinks

A short wine list of Italian bottles, including a Barbaresco and a Bolonero; easy-drinking beer (Peroni, Stella, Lost Craft, Mill Street Organic, Molson Stock Ale); and espresso, of course.

The space

To accommodate a 6,000-pound pizza oven and the heaps and heaps of marble, the floor of the 2,300-square-foot, 40-seat room had to be reinforced. “Masseria means farmhouse,” says Primucci, who was inspired by the eateries run out of people’s homes in the Italian countryside. “They serve whatever’s fresh and people eat at communal tables.”