Name: Dova Contact: 229 Carlton St., 416-901-3501, dovarestaurant.com, @dova.restaurant Neighbourhood: Cabbagetown Previously: Hey Lucy Cafe Owners: Roberto Marotta and Jacqueline Nicosia (Ardo) Chef: Roberto Marotta (Ardo) Accessibility: One step at entrance; basement washroom and private dining lounge are down a flight of stairs; back patio is down a flight of stairs Covid-19 safety measures: Hand sanitizer stations at entrance and doorways; tables are sanitized when guests finish their meal; masks are to be worn when leaving the table; plexiglass barriers between open kitchen and counter seating
The food
Named after Don Vale, the village that eventually became Cabbagetown, Dova serves contemporary Sicilian dishes. The dinner menu features fresh seafood, house-made artisanal pastas, ethically sourced meats and wood-fired pizzas finished with ingredients imported from Sicily. Weekend brunch brings things like fried organic eggs on braised Sicilian lentils, house-made sourdough pancakes with hazelnut maple praline sauce or Sicilian chocolate sauce, and a spinach-ricotta-potato frittata that can embellished with black truffle for a bit extra.
The drinks
Signature cocktails (in both boozy and zero-proof options) are made using Sicilian ingredients and house-made infusions. There’s also a selection of amaros, whiskeys, bourbons and grappas, as well as local craft beers and unique consignment wines—many of which are from Sicily, of course.
The space
Save for the wood-fired pizza oven, everything in the space was overhauled, filled with custom-made furniture and decorated with tiles and stoneware shipped in from Sicily. The main dining room is bright and airy with banquettes flanking one wall of the long room, with counter seating lining the bar and open kitchen. There’s also a covered back patio that can seat 39 guests and a private lounge downstairs that can be reserved for larger dining groups.