Archeo

We went during the Christmas market and therefore we could enter the market without paying. That was starting great.
We enter and we are surprised by the large place in this old factory. Decoration is sober but made with good taste.
Waitress are really nice.
The choice is not that large but the selection is great.
Prices are correct.

Totally loved the experience here. We stopped in with no resos– and even though we waited 45 mins for a table — (it was a full night due to the Christmas market). the servers and wait staff totally made it ok. They offered us snacks and water while we waited! When we sat down, the food was amazing — I had the seared ricotta gnocchi with smoked chicken.
The only weak point was the $ 8 carpaccio, which was only slice.
Otherwise, It was a great experience. Will definitely go back.

While the service was slow and the room cool because of change in weather, it was worth waiting for as the food was fabulous. Our party of six had soup of the day (tomato), chicken pizza and eggs Bennie brunch and we all commented it was very good.

We got married here two years ago.
We used the patio for the ceremony and had the reception inside. We were able to customize the menu to all Canadian dishes and the distillery nervous was fantastic. We set up an open bar and paid per drink which was the right choice since our family aren’t big drinkers.
The food was tremendous and the people who came, still talk about it after all this time. The service was excellent as well.

My wife and I went to Archeo for Summerlicious 2015. When we showed up, the restaurant was about half full so it was a very nice and quiet time. Our server took our drink order and brought us our drinks very quickly. We were starving, so we ordered our food quickly in the hopes that the appetizers would be out very soon. I had the poached arctic char salad, linguini alla amitriciana, and the crème brûlée and my wife had the caesar salad, pan seared atlantic salmon, and crème brûlée. It took about 15 to 20 minutes before we received our appetizers even when the restaurant was not busy at all. The arctic char salad was delicious and was not fishy at all and the caesar salad was pretty standard. Once we finished off our appetizers, our mains came out about 10 minutes later. My wife’s atlantic salmon and fingerling potatoes were very good but the sauteed spinach was a little oversalted. The pork hock in my amitriciana was the best meat I’ve had in a while but the sauce and pasta was just okay. By the time dessert was brought out, we were pretty much stuffed. I tried the crème brûlée and it was perfect. The espresso bits inside made it that much better.
Overall, it was a decent experience but the wait staff wasn’t very attentive and the kitchen seemed very slow for a Tuesday evening with only half the restaurant full.

Food: ⁴⁄₅
Service: ³⁄₅
Location: ⁵⁄₅
Nestled in the Distillery District, Archeo gives off a modern, yet rustic vibe. It’s described as an urban loft with modern and historic appeal and I couldn’t agree more. Due to its location, it is more on the expensive side, but it still won’t break the bank.
I ordered the lemon linguini vongole with clams and I loved it! You can never go wrong with citrus and seafood and the pasta sauce was perfectly creamy. For dessert we ordered the tiramisu crème brulee and never looked back. The crème brulee was executed perfectly and the little biscuits they included on the side were a delicious touch.
Archeo is a great choice for a romantic date. The Distillery is especially beautiful during the holiday season when they have the Christmas village up and running.

When it comes to the food, that place is simply phenomenal. Simple menu and everything I had was simply delicious. That lamb pasta I had during Winterlicious was one of the best pasta dish I had in years and I came back a second the same week for that same dish. The seasoning on my octopus appetizer was to the point; it was spicy and the the orzo brought the perfect amount of umami to my meal. The dessert and appetizers were also very well made and portioned.
The space is industrial and lofty. Great for events but if you are looking for intimacy, It might not be the best venue.
I am curious to know where that chef learned to cook like this. His recipes are inspired and simply delicious.
The place is often reserved for event, call first to see if they are open to the public.

The best that I can say about this place is that whomever designed the inside had really good taste in art.
Whoever cooks the food is clueless about how to make a delicious dish. Everything was bland, boring and uninspired.
Whoever hired the waiters and hostess doesn’t have any idea about the scope of their staff’s duties. I shouldn’t have to feel like a pain in the ass asking to order or get more water or receive the bill.
This place sucks. Spend your money on other restaurants in the Distillery.

The food was pretty good but nothing really stood out. The staff was polite and friendly but the whole place seemed a bit disoriented and unorganized. The space of the restaurant didn’t seem fully utilized. I was expecting a better design, it seemed like they could have fit many more tables. The menu was also very small. We had the soup of the day, and two pastas, the food seemed quite homemade, but as I said before it wasn’t anything memorable.
Food also took a bit longer than I expected. Overall, great location. But honestly I wouldn’t go back again. Next time I would prefer roaming the food stalls of the Christmas market that was going on nearby

This review is based on my experience during Summerlicious 2014.
I love the location right inside Distillery District. As I can walk around a little, go for a drink after or just hang out.
Making reservation using Opentable is just super convenient.
Summerlicious $ 25 Dinner
First Course:
— Classic Caesar
— Grilled Calamari Sofrito
Second Course:
— Penne Arribiata with Ricotta Salata
— Grilled Salmon
Third Course:
— Red Wine Poached Pear and Mascarpone Tart
— Tiramisu with Red Wine Cherry Compote
The food was solid and the portion was generous. I enjoyed most of the item aside from the dessert which were so so.
Service was excellent and attentive even during «Licious» Restaurant week.
There is also a really nice patio, maybe not be as buzzing as other patios in the area but if you want some quiet time, this seems to be a much better choice.
Archeo is worth coming back if you enjoy good Italian food and some quiet time with your friends!

This place is lovely for an event. The interior is beautiful and has a authentic meets modern look to it. Inside there is a mix of wood and stone and glass as a design. They offer a wide selection of drinks. Pricing can range from high end of affordable to expensive depending of how much you drink and eat. It is tucked away in the distillery district so it is mainly Accessible by walking or bus.

I came here with friends after attending the Christmas Market in the Distillery District last month and I will definitely be back!
I absolutely loved the interior. The space is evocative of a trendy art gallery with its open concept, high ceilings, and enormously framed pictures. The food was delicious! My friends and I shared the bruschetta to start and it was very fresh and flavourful. I opted for the burger and fries. The burger was medium rare, juicy, and tender. Our server recommended the fries, which were also very good.
Service was exceptional. Our energetic server had a lot of suggestions for us and made sure we were well taken care of.

No. Just no.
I’m amazed by the glowing reviews on here. I don’t know if it was a full moon or what but our brunch experience here was one of the worst dining experiences of our lives!
We were lured in by the buffet coupled with the opportunity to sit outside on a beautiful day. It was the worst mistake of life.
We were seated outside, the hostess was really pleasant and quickly cleaned off a table for us. We were told that a server would be with us in a minute so we waited patiently. Our server walked by our table many times without ever acknowledging us in any way, we figured there was no way he could even be our server. After about 15 minutes he mentioned that he would be right over as he passed by us. As a former server/​bartender I have a really high tolerance level as I know what it’s like to have a lot of tables sit at once or a demanding large group. We spent a lot of time watching this guy and there was zero reason for things to have started this way and it only got worse. Also, it’s a buffet — you aren’t handling the food at all! He had someone topping up coffees/​water and helping to clear tables — what?
After finally ordering drinks we ventured into the buffet. Not the end of the world but it would be really handy to have some kind of place cards on the covered containers so your customers aren’t needlessly opening and closing every dish.
We grabbed a couple of plates and they were super dirty. Not, «oh you missed a spot» kind of dirty… a large black thing stuck to the front of one (bigger than a toonie) and a pile of come kind of dairy product on the other. After picking through the entire stack we had to find someone to bring out more — there wasn’t a single clean one.
We get back to our table, finish our plates and our drinks still haven’t arrived. When they finally do he hasn’t brought the water or cream/​sugar for the coffees. He says he’ll be right back and after 5 minutes we go in and ask another (very helpful) server to get them for us.
After seeing the chunks floating in our water we decide that one plate of food in this place was enough and it was time to get the heck out of dodge. Getting the bill is equally painful, the best part of the entire thing was leaving.
We will never be back and I can’t imagine trusting this place to run a special event.

My mother loves to make me responsible for choosing restaurants for birthday celebrations. My parents also LOVE brunch buffets. There aren’t too many in the city so, I figured why not give Archeo a try. We were able to make reservations which is always a bonus when it’s brunch.
Our 11:30 reservations got us a choice of where we wanted to sit in the spacious and not super busy restaurant, so we wound up on the patio under the shady umbrella.
Just a heads up that the the tables are really small and we had to do a bit of juggling between glasses and plates to make room for everything.
Let’s talk about the food for a second. The buffet table is in the center of the room. There are about 6 chafing trays filled with a variety of food including standard breakfast fare. Lots of selection, sadly most of it was cold or lukewarm.
They also had roast beef and peameal bacon sitting under a hot lamp which wasn’t super appetizing. There was the requisite make your own omelet bar which I didn’t try but it looked yummy from what I saw on my dining companion’s plate.
I found the layout confusing having to circle back to get condiments for toast. Also, the dessert table was right in the sunlight and the pastries started looking sadder and sadder as the sun shone through and the plates got emptier.
Needless to say, the food was delicious, at $ 20 including coffee or tea per person it’s quite the bargain. Our server was also fairly attentive bringing coffee and water refills constantly. At this price for this variety, I’m willing to let the few deltas slide for many repeat visits.

I’ve only been here twice, and both times were for organized events where the entire space was rented out. It’s in the Distillery District, which is one of my favourite, picturesque areas of Toronto.
The décor was simple and rustic. It’s a decent size space as well perfect for about 100 – 120 people and a large dance floor or stage area. The bathrooms are at the side too — love private bathrooms — so you don’t have to walk through the stage area if something is going on. They have a nice size patio as well when it’s nice out.
The staff were great, and the food was excellent! I would come back here on a regular day to try it for sure. For the wedding they had a good variety of midnight snacks as well.

Summerliscious 2013
For $ 15 meal?! Sumptuous. I love it. Love their décor inside but opt for patio. Food: good portions, good taste, great ambiance, good service. We were full! Our server was kind enough to give us kiddies appetizer to share for the kids instead of their summerliscious appetizer. Will definitely come back.

Went here for a wedding on a Saturday, and thought it was great. I can’t comment on this place when it’s a regular restaurant, but for a wedding I enjoyed it.
The décor is not stuffy, which I liked, but also not too casual. Lots of brick. The outside area is a little dangerous for those wearing heels (I think one girl took a spill), as the bricks are very uneven and your heel will constantly get stuck in the dirt. That said, if you know how to walk properly in heels you should be able to fare decently. The outside décor wasn’t anything special, but for an outside ceremony it was fine. I think they could setup a nicer tent though, the one they have is a little dirty looking.
The staff seemed very friendly, the only complaint I had is that during the cocktail hour, the snacks were nowhere to be found. I know I saw food entering a few people’s mouths, but no food went anywhere near my mouth which was aggravating at the time… but considering everyone stuffed their faces at dinner it was quickly forgotten.
The dinner was great, some sort of pear and pecan salad to start (was pretty good), I had the stuffed cornish hen for the main and everyone else had steak. Mine was great. The desert was a crème brulet with a random piece of shortcake cookie on the side, om nom nom x 2000.
This place is good for a small wedding, the dance floor is small and right in front of the bar, and it’s nice to be able to go back outside to the private area whenever you want (there’s also a gate where you can escape if you want, but I don’t know why you’d want to).
I had about 48 glasses of white wine and the bartender was super friendly with each serving.
I’d like to try this place on a regular day sometime, but until then I would recommend it for an intimate wedding reception.

The food was a 3. The overall experience was a 4.
We split two pizzas – the blanco and the grilled chicken. Both were tasty, though we were surprised that neither had pizza/​tomato sauce, and I like chewy crusts and these were crunchy. Still, excellent tastes and creative toppings.
The local lager was delicious.
The ambiance is SO nice! It’s a beautiful setting – great for an occasion meal.
Our waiter was friendly and helpful.

A cute place at the Distillery District to enjoy a good meal with friends. We booked a large table and got seated right in the middle, which was sort of perfect for us until we started socializing. Apparently, the aisles are a bit tight, so we got bumped several times by servers while talking to guests.
Service was up and down — food and drinks came at a great pace, but the bill took an extremely long time and required a few follow-​up clarifications (and we were all pretty antsy at that point as we all parking that was expired).
Food here is delicious though. The pizzas are great, the risotto is fantastic, and the sandwiches are a great deal (comes with soup or salad).
Love the bathrooms here too, individual stalls and they’re oh-​so-​clean!
Would I come here again? Not quite yet — there are so many places in this area I need to try before I can make a truly informed decision as to whether this place is awesome or not. I’ll fill you guys in later!

Archeo has been an old standby whenever I’m in the Distillery District. I still remember years ago when Archeo and Boiler House were the only sit-​down restaurants at 55 Mill Street! Although there are now plenty more options, I still like Archeo and find it to be pretty consistent.
Starting with the location, it’s right off the main gates, so very easy to find and convenient. The space is minimalist and rustic, very open and relaxed yet still fancy-​ish. It makes sense that it is a popular venue for weddings and other private events. On that note, I have come here in the summer several times only to find that it is closed for an event, so do keep that in mind (or better yet, make a reservation on opentable!). The one thing that I think is out of place and detracts from the atmosphere is the TV playing CP24 in the corner. Just unnecessary and placed in an almost hidden location that I doubt anyone except for staff ever watches it.
One of my favourites from their menu was the ricotto gnudi, which were cheesy and light like clouds. However, it is sadly no longer on the menu. The sandwiches make for a yummy lunch, although currently the sandwich choices are only a turkey club or a burger. On my last visit, my DC and I decided to share a salad and a pizza. I remember their pizzas being really big, so this was a good decision! We had the roasted vegetable pizza, which has mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, zucchini and mozzarella with tomato sauce. It was fresh and flavourful. Their crust is nice and soft, although you might not like that if you prefer a thinner, crispier crust like at Terroni or Libretto. We also had the arugula and bosc pear salad. The portion was generous and the vinaigrette just light and delicate.
Service is considerate and gracious. On my last visit, our server was very mindful that we had to catch a show at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, and brought extra dishes since we were sharing.
Overall, Archeo is a nice place for a laid-​back pre-​theatre meal and in the summer, the stunning patio is a prime spot for relaxing with some vino.