Bar Salumi

Came here during a really gluttonous jaunt in the Parkdale area specifically to try the Burrata pizza. Burrata… and pizza… heaven. Unfortunately, I must say that — although it was certainly delicious — I didn’t enjoy the pizza here as much as I enjoy the pie at Pizzeria Libretto. The crust wasn’t as thin as I would have liked it and it seemed a bit «dry», but still… burrata cheese + anything is a winning combination in my books (can you tell I really love burrata cheese?).
Also, we started off with some olives and nodini, and I found the olives really greasy and the nodini way too dry — they were pretty much like crackers rather than bread knots. Washed everything down with a Peroni and then headed over to Local Kitchen & Wine Bar for more food and drinks. I liked this place enough, but it wouldn’t be my top choice in the city for pizza. Probably a better option to stop in here for drinks and apps instead (not the nodini though).

As a resident, dining out in Parkdale can get awfully trying. Between overpriced establishments cluttered with scenesters more interested in showing off their smattering of knowledge on the one hand, and pretty average options on the other, one can be forgiven for avoiding the area. Particularly on any Thursday, Friday, Saturday night, or Sunday morning/​afternoon.
Bar Salumi, fortunately, is an oasis of unpretentious service and excellent food, well-​executed. Forget about gawking at salami hanging from the ceiling, jars of pickles perched high above the bar, or crystal chandeliers: this place is worth visiting because its food and service are wonderful.
Prices are, unfortunately, Parkdale nouveau: a half-​fillet of a sardine on a thin slice of bread and about 10 Calabrese olives will cost you $ 8. The sardine, mind you, is incredible: house-​cured in a citrus brine, it transports oily fish, orange, and salt flavours, all balanced, in each bite. The bread was perfectly chewy, with a great crunchy crust. Great support for the fish. The only wrong note in this dish were the Calabrese olives: they completely overpowered the rest of the dish. The sardine could very well have been served unadorned, or perhaps with a different garnish that wouldn’t overtake its delicately-​balanced flavours.
We also ordered the «Bison + Bufala + Herbed Butter + Lemon» pizza, and the «House-​cured Proscuitto + Patate + Oregano + Fresh Ricotta» pizzas. Both were exceptional: thin crust pizza lifted to the next level by the generous use of fresh butter and quality ingredients. We thought the bison pizza was amazing: delicious mini-​meatballs of gamey, well-​spiced meat dotted the surface of a crunchy, doughy slice, with creamy, tasty cheese supplying a great textural contrast.
If I were to criticize at all, it would be for the Aperol sour I ordered: it was cloyingly sweet and sour, and not particularly drinkable. After waiting a bit for the ice to melt, it was a little more acceptable, but still, in its tiny glass, not worth its $ 10. Will try the other options next time, or stick with the wine list.
What made this place a 5-​star establishment for me, was the service given by our server. She seemed genuinely interested in our feedback, open to criticism, and cared about our experience. It’s a shame more establishments can’t say the same!

I’ve only been at Bar Salumi for drinks and snacks, first waiting for a table at Local and another time to hang out with a good friend. Both times I really enjoyed myself: quirky chandeliers, low lighting, funky décor, everything I love in an indie bar. Plus delicious looking slabs of freshly baked bread sitting on the bar, which I generally don’t see in anywhere.
What really makes this place great is the wonderful staff and chefs– totally unprententious, friendly, and warm. Wine is always the perfect temperature and pizza is yummy, great for those nights when you just want to throw on something comfy and be social. Great place for a night of conversation with your friends or for just sitting at a bar on your own and having a nice glass of pinot.

What happens when you have an awkward date at a pub and all you’ve had are wings? You emotionally eat. And Bar Salumi is perfect for that.
VIBE
After being startled by the local homeless/​crackhead in the street (it’s the area –never a dull moment), I decided to come in. The staff were super welcoming. I love love LOVE the décor of this holdover for Local Kitchen. The darkness with the candles, shimmering chandeliers; salamis hanging from the ceiling; taxidermist pig in the back hanging on the wall; and chalkboard menus atop and on different walls; there’s also another whiteboard retro 80s-​esque menu. The music was loud enough and complimented the vibe of this perfect first date place. Speaking of, there were many dates. How ironic that my went wrong and I came to the place I probably would have wanted to been taken. I digress.
One weird thing: the cook abruptly delivered my pizza to me and I said «thank you» and in my hazy memory said «good on ya» or «go with it.» It was weird. She wouldn’t let me comment on anything –she just dropped the pizza and left. Err…
I ATE
San Marzano Tomatoes + Buratta and Basil
OMG, I need to come here after every bad date, the pizza is that good. You can taste the freshness on this pie and the slightly tart taste of the tomatoes compliments the saltiness of the buratta. I didn’t see any basil on my pie but the crust was thin and cripsy and lovely. It was interesting how the za was cut as well: into irregular pieces that were perfect as a bite size to eat.
Interesting note: they have pasta making classes here. Very cool.
OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK
This the ideal place for stuffing your face solo. Yes, I’m bitter.

Was looking for a chill place to have some drinks and snacks and remembered reading about this little joint in the west side of town (Parkdale). It really is a small bar owned by the people of Local Kitchen & Wine Bar. At first walking in the place was buzzing with every seat filled, we made our way to the back where we got some beers first before seats started to free up. The service is really friendly, not stuck up whatsoever which is generally the norm in this part of town. On a side note, might be why the recent tipping controversy was started by the restaurants in Parkdale. But we found ourselves there sitting til closing which by the way is 11PM, just started noticing people clear out the joint as if they knew. But most I suspect start out their night here which I think is a fantastic way to do it. For food, we tried the Octopus + Potato Crostini and had the Prociutto (house cured I believe) + Potato + dallops of ricotta Pizza. This place is pretty much like a bar but with higher end bar food, great service, and a nice atmosphere, we’ll be back.

What Bar Salumi place lacks in square footage, it makes up in spades with killer cocktails, maybe-the-best-I’ve-tried-in-the-city pizza and an incredible vibe. Located near Queen and Roncesvalles, Bar Salumi is the kid sister of Local Kitchen (which is right next door). It’s a wee space that’s lousy for groups but perfect for a date; narrow, dim, and buzzing with noise. The kitchen is simply everything you can see behind the bar, a space no wider than a hula hoop. Food is an integral part of the décor: a couple of shiny manual meat slicers are perched on the bartop and massive hunks of cured meat dangle from the ceiling. You can watch the cooks prepare everything (which I did avidly), and it just makes you that much hungrier.
Strong drinks are key while watching food prep. As long as you like negronis, the cocktail list is decent. They have a few variations of the classic cocktail (one with prosecco, another with soda, etc). I opted for a variation swapping out vermouth for a berry-​tea-​infused Cointreau. Amidst all the flavours, I can’t honestly say I could pick out the berry tea, but I liked it. My date choose a simple aperol sour and it was — as the ladies sometimes say — uh-​mazing.
A tiny space means a tiny menu. There are a smattering of simple appetizers like sardines and crostini, an olive plate, grilled octopus, and other nibbles. We elected to share grilled pears and soft cheese, served on proscuitto and drizzled with pine nuts and honey. I loved this. A great way to get your appetite going.
There are even fewer pizza options than apps. Of the four, we went with bison with buffalo mozzarella, thyme and lemon. The square pizza is a decent portion, so with an appetizer it was just enough for the two of us[1]. Was the pizza good? HOT DAMN. It was dotted with savoury bison meatballs and served with a fresh lemon wedge on top. The crust was brilliantly thin and so buttery and rich, I should have reached out and high-​fived the chef. (I just thanked him instead.) Such a perfect balance of flavours, with not one ingredient overpowering another. I wholeheartedly agree with Ashleigh G when she says that this place could give the other pizza powers in the city a run for their money.
There is no dessert menu at present, but the chef told me that they might be coming up with something soon. Exciting. If this place is a secret, it won’t be for long. Five stars all the way.
Obligatory Title Anagram: I MAUL BARS.
Menu Readability: A5-​sized paper on a clipboard. Note how prices are shown three different ways.
Need to mention: The music selection was kick-​ass. It might as well have been my mp3 player playing.
What this place teaches me about myself: I maul bars.
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[1] My date and I were light-​eaters that night. Your mileage may vary.

Bar Salumi is the unassuming sister bar-​come-​restaurant to The Local Kitchen in Parkdale. It might be a little too unassuming for its own good, as many people seemed to question its whereabouts when I mentioned its name… but maybe Bar Salumi doesn’t like the spotlight. Indeed, its sign is almost an afterthought, with the store’s original signage for an antique shop, dominating the storefront.
My friend and I had been meaning to go ever since she discovered they served Burrata pizza. She really has a thing for that cheese, and I can’t say I blame her. It’s delicious. We went awhile back, excited at the prospect of this new twist on a Margharita pie, only to find out the chef was on vacation and they were only serving up the liquid portion of their menu. Normally I wouldn’t have a problem with this, and in some cases I would actually prefer it, but that night we were hungry and consequently, deflated. My friend entered the chefs ETA in her phone, and we vowed to return.
Two weeks later, the alarm sounded, reminding us that the chef was back to work (and also that she had golden potatoes ready to harvest in Smurf Village). We went the very next day.
As it was on our previous visit, Bar Salumi was quiet and dark, illuminated by flickering chandeliers (leftovers from the former antique shop maybe?) and tea light candles housed within mason jars. Hanging legs of prosciutto fight for space with ceiling fans, and a boar’s head watches diners from high above on the back wall. I know it might not sound like it (what with the strong presence of dangling cured meat and taxidermy) but it has a real romantic vibe happening.
There is no kitchen at Bar Salumi, so our personable apron-​clad server was also our chef. The menu is a small one, focused on pizza and apps, so diners can watch as everything is prepared behind the bar. It did get a bit hot, what with the pizza oven operating from within the same room, but think how cozy that would be on a winter’s night.
The menu is presented on the wall in cafeteria style (or bowling alley) fashion, with those little plastic letters that slide in and out, and I half expected to see nachos and cheese listed somewhere. More menus were brought to us on mini clipboards, and because the food menu was unnecessary as we had fully rehearsed our order, we paused awhile over the drink list. They offer a thoughtful selection of reds and whites as well as some interesting cocktails. We went with two glasses of Malbec ($ 12 each) to go with our starter of olives & nodini with ricotta salata ($ 4). So far so good, except that I couldn’t help but think the nodini crackers weren’t the most functional choice for the cheese… more like basketball hoops for the olives.
Our pizza ($ 14), although not wood-​fired, did come served on a cross-​section of a tree trunk. With the creamy white Burrata blending with the red of the San Marzano tomatoes, punctuated by basil it was like an homage to the Italian flag. I wish I could say that the Burrata we were so looking forward to, made it the penultimate Margharita experience, but it was like any other made with Bufala. The two are from the same family after all, so I’m not sure what we were thinking. Cheese does things to people. That being said however, we weren’t disappointed, as the sauce was tangy, the crust was crispy, and it was big enough for both of us to eat and still take home leftovers.
I wouldn’t rank the pizza with the likes of pie giants, Terroni or Libretto, but Bar Salumi is rife with ambience where the aforementioned aren’t. The promise of Buratta may have lured me in the first time, but it’s the character that will bring me back.

I regret not visiting this place earlier! To think of all the pizzas I could have enjoyed in the last year! This place is a 5 minute walk from my apartment.
This place is certainly flying under the radar in the Toronto war for best Pizza. I speak from experience (as the previous foursquare mayor of Terroni) — and I’d say this place could top Libretto, Queen Margherita, and possibly even Terroni.
Sharing the same owners as the Local Kitchen, this place primarily serves drinks and appetizers to those waiting for tables. Fantastic move — as I’ve found myself waiting for the call in some divey bars every time I’ve visited this restaurant. Though from now on, I’ll happily be eating my entire meal here instead.
It’s a long small bar, with a few tables for two that we saw the waitress happily arrange into many configurations to suit the larger parties that came in. It was super hot inside — but the service couldn’t have been better and we always had a full jug of ice water at our table.
The tunes were fitting for a bar as far west on Queen West as you can go. We enjoyed a hipster soundtrack that included The Virgins, Wilco, Broken Social Scene, and a few others that had us checking Shazam a few times while we waited for our meal.
The pizzas were amazing.
Fresh San Marzano Tomatoes, buttery burrata cheese, fresh basil, and a crust that has somehow managed to be so thin, perfectly crisp, yet doughy at the same time.
I’ll definitely be back soon. I have a lot of missed time to make up for.

Does anyone else know about Bar Salumi? I was so pleasantly surprised when I stumbled across it tonight on Queen West.
My friend and I were perusing the area for a small bite and first approached Local Kitchen and Wine Bar just 3 doors west of Bar Salumi. Since there was a 30 minute wait for a table, owner Michael recommended we sit at Bar Salumi in the meantime. Bar Salumi and Local are owned by the same two guys — Michael and Fabio. Because Local has become a popular spot since it opened two years ago, the two opened up Bar Salumi: a tapas style bar where their guest could go and enjoy cocktails and apps while waiting for a table at Local Kitchen and Wine Bar. Brilliant.
The scene: small space with big character. Homemade tomato sauce and preserves line the top shelving along the bar. Cured cuts of prosciutto, chili peppers and onions hang from the ceiling, juxtaposed with crystal chandeliers. The food is served on beautiful, raw 2″ thick cross-​sections of an old maple.
The menu: delicious cheese plates, sardines, olives, cured prosciutto (sliced right off the cuts hanging from the ceiling — did I mention it’s local?), and pizza. This pizza is good. And I mean REALLY good. I would say it’s on par (if not better than) Pizzeria Libretto’s or Terroni, but the topping selection isn’t as superior. The owners do not encourage their patrons to make adaptations to the menu options, so in order for us to have some of that delicious prosciutto on our pizza we had to order the plate of it and add it ourselves. But let’s be serious, who wouldn’t want to order just a pile of shaved prosciutto as an app?! ($ 8)
Honourable Mentions:
— homemade sauces and preserves used in their dishes
— reclaimed wood used around the space
— delicious Aperol Spritz