When Joe Brancatella was growing up, he had lots of friends from different cultures. “I’m from a big Italian family that loves to eat and at my friends' houses, I discovered there's a whole world of food from different cultures out there,” Joe recalls. His culinary interest just grew and, at 19, he enrolled in the Chef’s Apprentice program at Humber College. To make extra cash, he took a job as a limousine driver on the side.
One night, after Joe mentioned to a passenger that he was training to be a chef, the man introduced him to a friend, Franco Prevedello. Franco was the owner of Toronto's "it" restaurant at the time, Pronto, and he offered Joe a job. “I had the great privilege of working with two great chefs,” says Joe, referring to Raffaele Ferrari and Arpi Magyar. As luck would have it, Joe would also get the chance to work with a young Mark McEwan, who bought Pronto before opening North 44 nearby.
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Great fresh pasta, fast service and all around good dining experience. They are always busy and it's a bit loud, but well worth a short wait and some noise to enjoy their food.
Grazie is one of my favourites restaurants in Toronto. I love the food and I purchase their (Cook) Book "A Recipe Of Memories" so sometimes I try the recipies at home on Sundays. I you like italian food, try it.
My dad took my sister and I out to Grazie for our birthday. We were very excited to go out for some amazing italian food. We had heard a lot of good things about the place. When we got there they were packed..the man at the front told us half an hour TOPS. We waited for an hour and 10 minutes and then was braught to a table in the back corner that was for 4 people, not 5. They put a chair at the end and we were very squished. We were not happy with this at all and saw a table for 6 set up. I told the man at the front that we waited for over an hour and now are squished in a corner and if we could please have the nice table for 6. He gave so much attitude to us and said FINE. So we got the nicer table.. we then ordered our meal. The server was helpful.. but overly helpful.. talked wayy to much and was obviously only pointing out the expensive things. I ordered the gnocchi and was very excited about it..not to mention STARVING. I got my food, took one bite only to find out it was the exact same gnocchi you buy at the grocery store..nothing different! This was not homemade. The chef came out and assured me it was homemade.. but I am italian ,and my nonno has owned an italian banquet hall for over 40 years .....they can lie to me all they want. I didnt end up eating it and completely lost my appetite.. What an amazing birthday dinner.. NOT !! Dont ever go here !!
The restaurant is packed as hell. Fortunately, this can be attributed to their above-average food quality. I would definitely recommend people to visit and give a try their pizza.
I had gone to the Grazie location in Vaughan on Jane Street last year for a Valentine's Day meal. I was pleasantly impressed as the meal was excellent and our server was very pleasurable. I went once again a few days ago to the same location and didn't feel the way I did the first time. We actually had the same server as the first time which I was happy about. However, the food and service wasn't up to par as the first visit. After we ordered our salads, it took about 30 minutes for them to come. The couple beside us came 15 minutes after us, received their main meals after 10 minutes, and left even before we received our appetizers. I wasn't too happy about that. Then our main meals came about 30 minutes after our appetizers came. The tortellini I ordered wasn't that great, it tasted too hard. The server was great and I would go back just to have him serve us again, but the food wasn't as great as I had hoped it would be.
Tried their pasta which was ok. The salad was far better than the pasta. I love the atmosphere of this place so much. The servers should really donate some smiles to the customers.
dont expect to go there every week even if you are right on the same block! they food is awwwwwesome! the menu is fascinating with fancy italian names. cheesecake is a must try! but if you pockets are not deep enough, this is not very cost friendly.
Will never eat pasta anywhere else again! My husband & I were in pure bliss the first time I took him there. This was after a weekend in TO with less than memorable eating experiences. The best cream sauces. They can make a plain olive oil pasta taste divine! And the bruschetta pizza is simple and yummy.
Went to the one up in Vaughan and was thoroughly disapointed. This restaurant is waaay overrated. Everyone in my party found the food to be completely void of any flavour and not at all worth the wait. Also, our dirty dishes remained on the table for nearly 20 minutes after we were finished eating. None of us will be visiting again.
went to the new one next to vaughan mills on jane st. it was a 40 minute wait and the place was filled with screaming little kids. not how I want to enjoy a meal. i can stay home and have that.
I thought this place was great. You should go in with the expectation that you will have to wait a little bit of time because the place is always full. I would say thats a indication of its food, and would agree with that statement. Lots of great tasting options, had the basil chicken pasta dish and my date had the sundried tomato pizza. So as long as you have an extra 15mins in your night, its a great spot for decently priced italian food
Good food at best - good service if you’re lucky and very patient – staff and customers could be very pretentious… Very young crowd of “wanna be’s… “Typical clientele of Yonge & Eglinton… Owner could be very obnoxious and like to flirt with customers – even when they know it’s your wife… so guys, be aware !!! No reservation and always packed !!!
Where else can you go to feel so incredibly comfortable, that the customers just break out into song, good old fashioned food,drink and entertainment. The staff is outstanding always smiling and curtious. The food, and we've tried many if not all dishes, is excellent. Now there's a new location in Vaughan, the only place in the area where people are actually made to feel really good inside and out. What a great night out, cant wait to enjoy my lunches there aswell. GRAZIE! TO GRAZIE RISTORANTE for coming to Vaughan
The food was ok, nothing to great, the restaurant was very crowded but the wait wasn't to bad, I would suggest anyone who enjoys wine, to either avoid this place or bring your own glass, as they think drinking wine out of a water glass is "the way Italians are supposed to". the lack of a good glass of wine with the meal really disappoints, and shows that they are more concerned with appearance that quality.
The food was Good but I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone who enjoys Wine with a meal, This is another one of those restaurants that thinks its cool to drink wine out of a water glass, if you know anything about wine stay away. I think they try to hard to be "authenic" Italian.
My friend mentioned this restaurant to me a few times. So when she took me to the restaurant last night I had high expectations. The calamari, salad with balsamic reduction was excellent. When we got to our mains, I was very disappointed. The Roberto Pizza that I had ordered was unsatisfactory to my taste buds. It was very bland, it tasted like the ingredients were just slapped together and did not compliment each other. For a pizza that is almost $14 I expected much more. The service was excellent; our server was super nice and the food came out at reasonable times. However, I wouldn't eat here again.
This restaurant is by far the best Italian Restaurant in the GTA. The service is amazing, food is always fresh and consistent, the price is very reasonable and the atmosphere is lively and upbeat. I have been eating here since they opened. About the bad reviewers here... You obviously need to have your taste buds and your heads examined. The line ups out the door on Friday and Saturday nights are a testament to how awesome this establishment is. P.S. it's worth the wait.
This was the most hyped let down I've experienced in years. The waiter said the Milano pasta is there best and it tasted average at best!
This restaurant was fabulous. We just happened upon it as we were looking for a place to ear (in town for a conference). We were warmly welcomed, the food was fantastic and we even returned two nights later for a second meal. I have recommended this place to Aussie friends and hope that we will return to Toronto to have the opportunity to eat here again!
This is an excellent restaurant, and luckily its walking distance from my house. Its always busy, and the staff are very efficient and charming. The food is excellent. Yum!
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