Sort-of Secret: Casa Verde, an old-school Italian restaurant housed in an 1890s Ajax farmhouse
The building was a rum runner’s den and a makeshift maternity ward in its checkered past
More Sort-of Secrets
The sort-of secret: Casa Verde, a family-run old-school Italian restaurant in Ajax You may have heard of it if: You have a thing for classic red-sauce spots But you probably haven’t tried it because: The restaurant is tucked away in an old house off Highway 2
In Ajax, where a night out often involves a chain restaurant, Casa Verde, a family-run Italian restaurant operating out of an 1860s farmhouse, serves as a beacon of home cooking and local history.
Chef and co-owner Roberto Scagliotti—who immigrated from Genoa with his family as a boy—spent his early 20s as a cook at Yorkville’s Il Posto. Then, at 25 and without much to his name, he and his wife, Joanne, made for the suburbs with plans to open their own Italian restaurant. “We just went for it,” says Joanne. “At that time, we were one of the only ones around, and here we still are after 33 years.”
Roberto and Joanne have carved out a niche for themselves since they opened Casa Verde in 1991. With its signature green exterior, kitschy old-school decor, comfort food and friendly service, the restaurant is a favourite of locals, who take pride in telling their friends about the hidden gem off Highway 2. “I think, because we don’t advertise, it’s like an ace in the pocket for people,” says Roberto. It’s also been a go-to for local celebs, including retired NHL players Glenn Healy and Ken Baumgartner, Goddo’s Greg Godovitz and—back when he was still with us—Ernie Coombs, otherwise known as Mr. Dressup.
Related: Where Cibo executive chef Laura Petracca eats Italian food in Richmond Hill
After a guest places their order with a server—either Joanne, their niece or one of their daughters, Sidney, Sabrina or Samantha—the first thing to hit the table is always a basket of complimentary Calabrese bread from Scarborough’s Calabria Bakery. Regulars know not to use it as a vessel for butter but to save it for sopping up whatever sauce is left after their main course. “Roberto’s got this knack for making amazing sauces,” says Joanne. “That’s why we can’t ever take the free bread away.”
One saucy fan favourite? The scaloppine al Marsala, veal topped with a rich demi-glace of mushrooms and Marsala wine. They source the milk-fed Provimi veal from the Butcher Shoppe in Etobicoke and then prep it in house. But the bestseller by far is the linguine alla pescatora: shrimp, squid, scallops and mussels swimming in a savoury white wine sauce with olive oil, garlic and freshly diced tomatoes. “People love it, and they love to take photos of it,” says Roberto. “It brings in a lot of customers.”
Roberto and Joanne source most of their ingredients locally, from places like Willowtree Farm in Port Perry and Pingle’s Farm outside of Oshawa, and everything is made in-house—aside from the ice cream, cakes and dried pasta. But all of the fresh pasta is made on-site, including the gnocchi, lasagna, manicotti and cannelloni. The gnocchi alla piemontese, pillowy potato dumplings in a light tomato sauce with fresh sage, is Roberto’s favourite. “I’d eat them every day if I could,” he says. “And my kids love them too.”
Related: Cucina Mauro, a cozy Italian lunch counter tucked away in a North York industrial plaza
These dishes have remained unchanged—along with most of the menu—since the restaurant opened. “Everything flies off our menu,” says Joanne. “Everybody has their favourite dish.” Essentially, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Even the building Casa Verde is in has remained relatively untouched. Prior to becoming a restaurant, the house served as a rum runner’s den and a makeshift birthing ward when a midwife moved in during the 1920s—Roberto says they’ve actually served guests who were born in what is now the dining room.
Even for diners who didn’t happen to draw their first breaths in the building, Joanne and Roberto aim to ensure that all who enter their restaurant feel like they belong. They see Casa Verde as an extension of their home and credit much of their success to this ethos. After 33 years, some of their patrons have become almost like family. The couple has been invited to cottages and Christmases and has played host to many a birthday and anniversary. “It’s important that we acknowledge our guests and that we remember them,” says Joanne. “The food is huge too, of course. If the food isn’t good, nobody’s going to come—but I think the restaurant has become a place of comfort for people.”
Casa Verde, 49 Old Kingston Rd., Ajax, 905-428-6243, casaverderestaurant.ca
NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY
Sign up for Table Talk, our free newsletter with essential food and drink stories.
