The Reveal - Café Oro di Napoli

Two-and-a-half years ago, Pizzeria Oro di Napoli launched in Etobicoke, and quickly became one of the most popular and successful restaurants in the area. Thus, opening a location in downtown Toronto was the logical next step. 

Café Oro di Napoli, set in a picturesque historic building in Old Toronto  and just steps from the St. Lawrence Market and George Brown College St. James Campus, is your new destination for pizza, pasta and gelato.

Take a look:

Provisions & Tipples

What appears at first glance to be a casual neighbourhood eatery, is in fact an authentic Italian restaurant with fine made-from-scratch fare by chef Mathan Rajaratnam and team.

The Neapolitan pizzeria offers an array of antipasti, salad, pasta, risotto, pizza, and dessert, made with a combination of local ingredients and imported Italian delicacies.

Pizzas are hand-crafted according to Neapolitan standards in a hand-built wood-burning oven.

Previous tenant G For Gelato provides fresh gelato to the restaurant, with 18 varieties currently available. And despite cold temps, the famed frozen dessert continues to sell briskly.

You’ll find mostly Italian vino here (gls $9-$12, btl $40-$89), rotating beers on tap (currently: Moretti, Steam Whistle, and Flying Monkey), Italian cocktails ($11) such as Negroni and Aperol Spritz, and Single Malt Scotch ($12-$16), in addition to a selection of non-alcoholic beverages.

Food diary

Arancini di Asparagi ($9)

A delicate crisp coating gives way to creamy Arborio rice stuffed with asparagus, smoked fior di latte and grana padano.

Grilled Seafood - Gamberi Grigliati ($14) | Calamari alla Griglia ($15)

Grilled seafood is always a good idea. Here, grilled shrimp is set atop thick Italian bomba, with citrus dressing and organic micro sprouts, while grilled squid is supplemented by addictive in-house pickled tomatoes, Kalamata olives, scallions, white wine, and charred lemon.

Crostini - Mushroom ($9) | Prosciutto ($12)         

Thick slices of grilled fresh baguette blanketed with cheese and other sumptuous ingredients, just might be how you get through winter.

Fungi fans, the Mushroom Crostini is for you, with a thick medley of oven-roasted mushrooms topped with fior di latte, micro greens and drizzle of truffle oil. Meat lovers will want in on the Italian cured ham selection - Prosciutto di Parma draped atop a thick swath of whipped ricotta cheese, finished with arugula and olive oil.         

Barbabietole ($13)

Beet salads can feel so 2009, but here, the combination of sweet candied beets, creamy Buffalo ricotta, crushed pistachios, organic sprouts, basil oil, and vincotto, result in an balanced, elevated dish.

Ravioli del Giorno (MP) 

Handmade ravioli is a tough dish to get right. There’s the density of the dough - enough chew without too much heft – and the filling –robust flavour, distributed evenly throughout.

Chef’s daily homemade ravioli special on this particular day is exceptional - fine dining in both taste and execution. The delicate pasta stuffed with black truffle mushroom, ricotta, and grana padano, delivers a subtle earthiness with serious umami finish. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself signaling for another order before finishing the first.  

Anatra Pizza ($17)                                                                         

Two words: duck pizza. Need more reasons to get in on this action?

1. Ducks are confied in-house for 48 hours, then slow cooked for six.
2. This artisan poultry pizza also boasts fior di latte, red wine poached pear, walnuts, rosemary, and smattering of arugula.
3. With 18 pies to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start. Start here.

Backdrop

Much like at the Lake Shore location, décor is uncomplicated and inviting. A mix of rustic and industrial fixtures - red metal stools, wood shelves made by local craftsman Peter Wowk – works well with exposed brick walls and heritage space.

Of course the centerpiece is the striking hand-built pizza oven covered in ruby red tiles. The custom-made gas oven from Naples is similar to the one at the west end eatery- both were made by Stefano Ferrara, though this one’s larger, coming in at over four tons.

Names

Head Chef
Mathan Rajaratnam

Higher ups  
Cristina Ionescu 

Numbers

Drop a pin
75 Jarvis St. (at Adelaide St. E.)

Ring, ring
(416) 315-7979

Come on in
Open daily 10am – 10pm. 

Please be seated
The restaurant accommodates 52 guests for lunch, dinner and brunch on weekends. Take out and delivery are also available.

For more photos, visit Toronto Restaurants on Instagram.