Name: Il Covo Contact: 585 College St., 416-530-7585, ilcovo.ca, @ilcovo.to Neighbourhood: Little Italy Owners: Ryan Campbell and Giuseppe Marchesini (Buca Yorkville) Chef: Ryan Campbell (Buca, Buca Yorkville)
The food
Il Covo specializes in cicchetti, small dishes (think half-portion sizes) made for snacking and sharing. There’s also house-made pasta, including unique kinds like scrigno, toasted little bundles filled with gorgonzola and raddichio. Aged Italian cheeses, single-origin dark chocolates, raw honey and specialty olive oil all have their own menus.
The drinks
Organic and biodynamic Italian wines, many of which were acquired directly from the winemakers. The by-the-glass selection is currently about 30 bottles long, and detailed descriptions of each are found in leather-bound albums that took Marchesini six months to put together. There are also Italian beers, spirits, classic cocktails with contemporary spins and a bunch of non-boozy options, including Italian soft drinks.
The space
The 50-seat room’s warm and dark decor features vintage wrought iron details and Venetian marble–plastered walls. Ambient lighting is courtesy of candles, custom-made chandeliers and wall sconces.