What’s on the menu at Bar Buca, Rob Gentile’s new all-day spot at Yonge and Eglinton
Name: Bar Buca
Contact: #5-101 Eglinton Ave. E., 416-599-2822, buca.ca/bareglinton, @barbuca
Neighbourhood: Yonge and Eglinton
Owner: Peter Tsebelis, Gus Giazitzidis and Rob Gentile (King Street Food Company)
Chefs: Chef director Rob Gentile, chef de cuisine Raffaele Ventrone (Bar Buca, Buca Yorkville) and pastra chef Shelby Abate (Bar Buca)
The food
Bar Buca favourites (nodini, gnoccho fritto, spiedini) and a few brand-new dishes, including pizza Pugliese. The restaurant’s front café displays fresh pastries until lunch time when it transforms into a grab-and-go counter that sells salads, pizza al taglio, stuffed pizza sandwiches to-go. And an after-work aperitivo program from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. lets guests enjoy complimentary chicchetti and antipasti, with the purchase of a cocktail. Weekend brunch is a mix of sweet and savoury stuff, including egg dishes, pizza and pastries.
The drinks
Village Juicery juices, Italian sodas, espresso-based drinks, a wine list dominated with Italian bottles, signature cocktails, draft beer and digestifs.
The space
Equal parts bar and café, the Guido Constantino Projects–designed space is outfitted with Italian-inspired mid-century furnishings and modern finishes, like polished concrete and brick herringbone floors. A 60-seat outdoor patio is scheduled to open next spring.
