What’s on the menu at Quadro, Little Italy’s new pizza and pasta spot from restaurateur Tony Longo and designer Joe Mimran
Name: Quadro Ristorante
Contact: 577 College St., 416-792-5959, quadroristorante.com, @quadrotoronto
Neighbourhood: Little Italy
Formerly: Sidecar and Toronto Temperance Society
Owners: Tony Longo (Splendido, Centro) and Joe Mimran (Club Monaco, Joe Fresh, Dragons’ Den)
Head chef: Nick Delia (Centro, Piano Piano, Sotto Sotto)
Covid-19 measures: Hand sanitizer stations at the entrance; masks are mandatory when away from the table; tables are sanitized between seatings.
Accessibility: A small step up at the entrance and two low steps down into the main dining room; the basement washrooms are down a flight of stairs; the back patio is up one small step.
The food
The simple and cheerful menu was designed by consulting chef Christine Mast (Sofia, Canoe, Colborne Lane) and focuses on wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas and fresh pastas using certified D.O.P. products. The kitchen is helmed by Delia, a veteran with over 30 years of experience cooking pizza and pasta in the city.
The drinks
Quadro’s wine list is (unsurprisingly) focused on Italy and its best known growing regions. In addition to being able to order older vintages by the glass, there are a few celebratory bottles, including the only non-Italian option, a champagne. The cocktail program is proudly Italian too, replete with spirits like Aperol, Campari and Cynar.
The space
Longo has given the 3,300-square-foot restaurant a timeless, fresh finish with whitewashed walls, sleek black accents and banquettes, and stacked split logs. There’s currently seating for 50 diners indoors, and another 50 on a lush back patio complete with plenty of greenery and palm trees. A second-floor events space (formerly the Toronto Temperance Society) is equipped with a private entrance for up to 60 guests. Longo says this is the first of five planned Quadro locations. Up next: Bloor West Village and Roncesvalles.
 and Joe Mimran (Club Monaco, Joe Fresh, Dragons' Den)
Head chef: Nick Delia (Centro, Piano Piano, Sotto Sotto)
Covid-19 measures: Hand sanitizer stations at the entrance; masks are mandatory when away from the table; tables are sanitized between seatings.
Accessibility: A small step up at the entrance and two low steps down into the main dining room; the basement washrooms are down a flight of stairs; the back patio is up one small step.
The food
The simple and cheerful menu was designed by consulting chef Christine Mast (Sofia, Canoe, Colborne Lane) and focuses on wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas and fresh pastas using certified D.O.P. products. The kitchen is helmed by Delia, a veteran with over 30 years of experience cooking pizza and pasta in the city.
[caption id="attachment_563359" align="aligncenter" width="2750"] Crisp, wood-fired focaccia topped with blistered cherry tomatoes and sea salt. $11.50.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_563360" align="aligncenter" width="2750"] The fennel and citrus salad is topped with pistachio, mint, Calabrian olives and extra virgin olive oil. $17.50.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_563361" align="aligncenter" width="1833"] Made with pecorino, toasted black pepper and butter, the cacio e pepe stands out for its use of frilly mafaldine noodles. $22.50.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_563362" align="aligncenter" width="2750"] Just look at those noodles getting sauced and tossed.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_563364" align="aligncenter" width="2750"] These ravioli are stuffed with ricotta mascarpone and plated with spinach, lemon butter sauce, honey and pine nuts. $31.50.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_563365" align="alignnone" width="2750"] The Hot Honey Pepperoni pizza is made with (you guessed it) hot honey, pepperoni, fior de latte and San Marzano tomatoes. $31.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_563368" align="aligncenter" width="1565"] The Quadro Bianca pizza is a white pie topped with fresh figs, gorgonzola, caramelized onion, 20-year aged balsamic and hot honey. $29.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_563369" align="aligncenter" width="2750"] Here's a look at the happy couple.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_563371" align="aligncenter" width="2750"] And here's a whole spread, with the radicchio salad ($15.50) in the middle. It features the bitter veg with dandelion greens in a creamy anchovy dressing, topped with parmesan, guanciale and breadcrumbs.[/caption]
The drinks
Quadro’s wine list is (unsurprisingly) focused on Italy and its best known growing regions. In addition to being able to order older vintages by the glass, there are a few celebratory bottles, including the only non-Italian option, a champagne. The cocktail program is proudly Italian too, replete with spirits like Aperol, Campari and Cynar.
The space
Longo has given the 3,300-square-foot restaurant a timeless, fresh finish with whitewashed walls, sleek black accents and banquettes, and stacked split logs. There's currently seating for 50 diners indoors, and another 50 on a lush back patio complete with plenty of greenery and palm trees. A second-floor events space (formerly the Toronto Temperance Society) is equipped with a private entrance for up to 60 guests. Longo says this is the first of five planned Quadro locations. Up next: Bloor West Village and Roncesvalles.
){kind=link}