Spuntini Restaurant & Bar

I’ve been to this restaurant twice, both on visits to Toronto with my boyfriend. The first time, we just came across it, and left full and happy. This time, we planned to go back and made reservations, and we weren’t so full this time around, but it was still very good.
The atmosphere is right on. My boyfriend and I love intimate, warm restaurants with small tables and candles burning. This place is exactly that. You can’t beat it for a date night.
The food has been delicious both times — so delicious that I ordered the same dish each time. I got the Spaghetti Amore, which is linguine in a creamy pesto sauce (you hard me, CREAMY PESTO SAUCE), with red peppers and chicken. It’s kind of incredible. To top it off, they serve yummy Italian bread with homemade hummus as a complimentary starter.
They have a decent wine selection, but you won’t get out for under $ 8 a glass, but I’ve learned to expect that in the city. They have about one choice for each popular wine.
The only thing either of us had been disappointed in was the size of my boyfriend’s entrée. For about $ 18, he received five half-​moon ravioli stuffed with cheese and mushrooms in a sauce. It was very good, but very small for the price. As a guy who loves to eat, he was a bit disappointed.
Dessert was great: tiramisu and pecan pie with ice cream. Both were homemade.
Overall, super yummy restaurant with a great atmosphere. Definitely a good date night spot in a nice neighborhood in Toronto.

Went last night for another amazing dinner! We ordered the mussels and eggplant appetizers which were both amazing. The broth for the mussels was to die for. For dinner we had all decided on pasta, and from the first bite to the last it was delicious and flavourful. Desert was great as well. Our server was great and answered any questions we had.
Overall we had a great experience :)
I will definitely be back!

Went here for a birthday dinner, and the food was delicious! We had the eggplant/​cheese appetizer which was phenomenal and probably one of the best appetizers I’ve had in my life. The goat cheese and eggplant worked so well together. We also had the margherita pizza which was not on the main menu but they still made it, and it was not that great… lacked sauce, and needed more cheese and basil leaves. But maybe that’s because I’m obsessed with margherita pizzas and have had way better ones elsewhere. Then we had the lobster for the main, which was really good… but again not the greatest lobster I’ve had. They brought us complimentary desert for the birthday boy, which was super nice of them. The chocolate cake and tiramisu were both such a treat. In terms of the price, it wasn’t too expensive for the location (Yorkville).
Other than the food not being top-​notch (but better than average), the service wasn’t too great… They took way too long to check up on us each time, and serve our food despite it not being too busy. While the ambiance was beautiful, and the place looked pretty clean, unfortunately we did spot a cockroach crawling on one of the tables in front of us. Once we noticed it, we immediately notified one of the waiters, he seemed surprised, but not too shocked, and simply stepped on it with his shoe to kill it. Did not offer any sincere apologies…
Overall, I really liked the place and food… but I’m not exactly eager to go back so fast. Better service and cleanliness, and maybe I will be.

I can see so many famous people and movie stars were here before. The environment is great so as the dishes. I love the way they use the bottled holder for decorating the restaurant and display how many good wine they have.

My boyfriend and I went here originally as a fluke, but boy were we ever glad we did! We’ve been back a few times since and decided to celebrate our anniversary dinner here as well. Service was great! Ambience was perfect. Great place to have dinner/​drinks with friends and catchup or to go on a romantic date with your sweetheart. Every single staff member that greeted/​helped/​served us was friendly, upbeat, made interesting conversation and made our experience at Spuntini enjoyable. Great wine selection as well! Perfect combo. Meat is always tender and flavourful and pasta is cooked just right!
Lovelovelove this place!
We will definitely keep going back! and recommending it to friends/​family :)
P. S. Totally craving some Spaghetti Amore! (Simple but perfected each and every time!)

Peter and his entourage provide great attentive service, excellent food and a great wine collection. If you don’t see what you like, ask! Wish I could go there every day! Forgot to mention… a great wine selection too!

I REALLY want to give Spuntini more than 3 stars but unfortunately I can’t due to this simple reason:
You CANNOT have a great experience at a restaurant (regardless if the food and drinks are fantastic) and have SHIT service
I was extremely annoyed with my experience at Spuntini because it was the first time my mother and my boyfriends parents were meeting. A friend of ours suggested Spuntini because we wanted to treat our parents to a nice restaurant where there would be delicious food and drinks and a cozy atmosphere.
I loved the décor and how rustic it was– I adore details like this so we were off to a good start. I made reservations for 5 just to ensure we didn’t have to wait as it was winter (sorry I wanted to write this review earlier but I kept putting it off because I sounded too much like a raving bitch every time I wrote it– probably will still sound like one.)
Our host brought us to a table which was located on the upper part of the restaurant. Once our waiter arrived, spoke to us and took our drink order– it sort of went down hill on his part from there. After he took our drink order, he left and came back 2 minutes later and told us to had to move to this «window» table.
We moved to the «window» table because he said unfortunately our table was reserved and I explained to him. yes reserved for us as I made reservations (he said NO).
Anyways, annoyed but moved.
From there on our waiter had a very pissy, rude and snobbish attitude. First of all, I’m not sure who he thought he was. Perhaps he felt special because he worked in yorkville? Congrats. We are paying customers who keep your establishment RUNNING in order for you to receive a pay cheque and maybe if you are lucky. a TIP.
Secondly, he seemed annoyed that our table spoke Portuguese and that we had to translate some of the items in Portuguese for our parents to have a better understanding of it. They all speak English (it’s just not their first language and we not used to going to Italian restaurants).
Thirdly, my mom made comments that she was cold and asked if we can go back to that «reserved» table that nobody was seated at for 30 minutes and he said «Welcome to Canada». Thanks Jerk, she has been living in Canada for 35 years, I’m sure she has experienced more Canadian Winters than you.
(our food finally arrived and was DELICIOUS)
I got the Ravioli Di Soraia (tasty but small in portion-​well in my opinion)
2 spaghetti amore (also delicious, decent size and nice presentation– I tried some)
1 stone oven pizza (delicious, flavourful and truthfully tasted like it was baked in a stone oven).
The only meal that was disappointing was my boyfriends (which we warned him) He got a chicken dish– which we questioned. Luckily we all had enough food to give him some of ours ;)
In the end… my waiter didn’t even get 10% tip because frankly he was not worthy of a penny. But being a waitress in the past, I felt some sort of guilt (oddly).
I was just hurt by the experience and felt unwanted. What was supposed to be a great experience was ruined by some prick. Everyone at the table was confused and wondering what his problem was. We still enjoyed ourselves and didn’t obsess over that jerk– but it still ruins the experience.
I am a foodie. I love trying out new restaurants (and returning to ol’ favourites). Spuntini would have been a spot that I would have loved to go back to, but I won’t.
I made a comment to the manager and he apologized. I think if you ever have a bad experience at a restaurant (especially when it has to do with the waiters– COMPLAIN). Shit staff members should be tossed to the curb and if the food and beverage industry is not your cup of tea, please find a new industry to work in.
I hope the management reads this and figures out who the problem staff is. Reading most of the low reviews– it seems to be apparent that the problem is not necessarily the food but CUSTOMER service.
:)

Food was delicious. Octopus salad, whole wheat spaghetti. Caesar with homemade croûton, penne with vodka sauce. But what really made this experience was the manager who is friends with the owners. We were there late and he served us gelato, hazelnut and pistachio, and provided excellent conversation even though it was closing time.

Bland bland bland bland!!! We went on a Saturday evening with another family. The service was extremely slow for salad and pasta dishes. They served a chick pea dip with their bread offering. The dip had no flavour other than that of a pasty chick pea spread. We ordered an arugula salad with minimal tasteless dressing. The pasta dishes, to sum it up, had no distinctive flavour that would encourage you to take another mouthful. The sauce according to my son was less appetizing than what he had in preschool child care. My frutti Di mare pasta dish had a tasteless mix of what appeared to be boiled shrimp, clams and calamari with a marginal amount of undercooked linguini.
I must say that they had great water service at filling up our glass throughout the meal. Perhaps they should transfer some of this staff to help in the kitchen so service can be a little quicker. They also had a quick cleanup after we were done with our meal to get us out the door!
The only positive would be the décor (except for the dated curtains that act as dividers within the restaurant) and the proximity to Yorkville.

Went here last week, and did not have reservations BUT was taken to a table immediately :). The wine was incredible, and the bread and dip (I think it was a sort of hummus) was great — I recommend asking for oil and vinegar to dip the bread.
For an app we had the eggplant and crostini with cheese — both really good, and the presentation was beautiful! I had the classic pizza as an entrée, which I will DEFINITELY get again! Overall, it was a great experience, and you really feel appreciated here.
Will be returning soon

This place was great. Went here for a party and got a private room. Wait staff was very attentive and helpful. I got a pizza, which was good value for the price. It was delicious and I would totally recommend it.
Very nice area & restaurant has great, romantic vibe. Would definitely return.

Had a really nice buzz about the place. Even though the tables are very close together you don’t feel distracted by other diners because of the buzz.
We were a party of 4 and ordered different dishes.
Antipasto — delicious
Bufala Mozzarella — delicious
Agnolotti California — delicious
Penne Alla Vodka — delicious
Spaghetti Del Campo — delicious
Cassata D’Agnello Al Forno — delicious
Wine and drinks reasonably priced
Service — EXCELLENT
Would definitely return

4.5 stars…
I went twice in the last month: for a big dinner as a group of 12 in early December, and as a twosome on new year’s eve. In both cases the dining experience was spot on. The atmosphere is lively, noisy, and energetic: it’s refined, but not stuffy. The service is excellent: warm and inviting, but not too intrusive.
For the group, we asked the waiter to just bring a bit of everything, and so we got to try quite a few dishes. Pasta, seafood, meat… everything was well-​prepared, with quality ingredients. The two waiters that took care of us did an excellent job, and there was never an empty glass or empty plate on the table.
For new years, even though it was a busy night, the service was prompt, efficient, and friendly. The prix-​fixe menu had a tremendous number of options, and what we selected was fantastic (from simple green salad, to smoked salmon, to grilled bass).
The prices are very reasonable for the quality of the food, and the wine list has good options at a variety of price points.
A wonderful dining experience.

Wonderful neighborhood Yorkville. Spuntini’s was a delight, my husband started with Parma Antipasto entrée Capellini Forestiera… tasty, ample serving, keenly priced @ $ 15.50. My starter, Arugula Parmigiano a little dry, lacked dressing but our waiter kindly obliged & promptly delivered to our table a wee bowl of extra saiad dressing. My entrée Pollot[chicken] Ripieno stuffed w/​Proscuitto & Fontina Cheese served in a Creamy Tomato Pesto. @$ 27.00.
Wld definitely recommend Spuntini’s for food, ambience, price & certainly location wonderful. Yorkville a delight to take a stroll after dining safe, secure, clean & refreshing. FYI our waiter [mature grey haired jovial waiter] a delight. Just one drawback as far as I’m concerned… we were never infomed of his name. So wish restaurants staff would introduce themselves. Restaurant suitable for date night, couples, groups.

I had a great meal here but it all depends on what you order as our large party had mixed reviews as some loved their dishes and some were ‘meh’. I had an amazing tuna steak which was the special for the evening served over risotto. I had it medium rare and it was grilled to perfection with very light seasoning — salt, pepper, olive oil and some lemon juice. Total amazeballs. The risotto was also fab — this was an amazing dish and was perfect on the warm summer night. I also tasted the gnochhi which was pretty average with a heavy cream sauce (not for me) but I’ve had better, lighter and fluffier gnocchi elsewhere.
The restaurant is busy and popular even on the Wednesday summer evening we were there. It’s dimly lit and buzzing with conversation.
Service was good and the wine list was decent. Complimentary bread served with hummus was okay — not outstanding or memorable.
Overall, great meal.

My rating is actually 2.5÷5
The service at Spuntini is spotty at best.
While our waiter was friendly, he was notably absent for a good chunk of the evening, and left us hanging when our water glasses needed replenishment. We had to flag him and several other staff throughout the night to make a point of it.
Our group of 5 ordered a Pizza to share as a starter. While it was pretty to look at, it quickly became apparent that the base of the pizza was pre-​cooked, and lacking the flavour of freshly raised yeasty dough. The dominant flavour in our Quattro Fromaggio Pizza was that of mozzarella, the type you get in large bricks at the grocery store. Come on, really? The Pizza’s description boasted the addition of Gorgonzola, Bocconcini, and Asiago. Those flavour profiles were most definitely missing.
I chose the Linguini Frutti di Mare as my main, as many bloggers and reviewers had recommended it. I found that while the seafood (Mussels, Jumbo Shrimp, Calamari, and Clams) were plentiful for the portion, that the entire dish lacked depth. A little extra seasoning, and a stronger seafood based would have helped it along greatly.
I had a taste of my friend’s Rigatoni Portabello, and it was quite tasty. Though they didn’t list Porcini as one of the ingredients in this dish, the deep earthy flavour of funghi permeated the plate. Great for mushroom fans.
The saving grace of dinner was dessert. The Tiramisu was light, and airy with just the right amount of coffee hit.
I was expecting a better experience for a restaurant located in Yorkville.

If you’re looking for good affordable Italian food in a ritzy neighbourhood with an intimate atmosphere, Spuntini is the place to go (and as evidenced by the many picture frames in the front hallway, this is also a popular spot for celebrities!). Great place for large groups but make sure you book early in advance (tried to make a reservation for 3 on a Sunday and could only snag a 5pm spot).
BUFALA MOZZARELLA — Vine Ripe Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, Extra Virgin
Olive Oil And Balsamic Glaze — This came out with only 3 slices of tomato and 3 slices of cheese. Very aesthetically pleasing but quite a bit disappointed with the portion size (especially given its price tag).
SPAGHETTI AMORE — Spaghetti Tossed With Strips Of Grilled Chicken, Roasted Red Peppers In A Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Cream Sauce — I’ve been here twice and gotten this dish both times! It is THAT good.
TAGLIATELLE DEL MONTE — Tagliatelle Al Ovo Tossed With An Australian Lamb Tenderloin Ragout — Quite tasty and surprisingly not salty (which is usually my problem with lamb pastas).

Spuntini at Yorkville was such a lovely place to celebrate a special occasion– my birthday! The inside was dimly lit and elegant, but we hardly had enough room to seat ourselves. Upon arrival, we were chastised by the staff for not calling in to tell them that we were going to be 15 minutes late. I know that we shouldn’t be late, but really, do you have to give us attitude for that? I wasn’t impressed at all, but thankfully, the service didn’t have any other problems for the rest of the evening.
We went with a pasta feast and ordered many different kinds. I tried some of everyone’s order and it was all delicious:
Linguine di mare– linguine tossed with sautéed mussels, calamari, shrimp and baby clams in a white wine and fresh garlic sauce with green onion & cherry tomatoes.
Daily special: butternut squash ravioli with goat cheese. I usually detest goat cheese. However, this pasta turned out to be surprisingly good, and I couldn’t taste the goat cheese at all. Too bad I won’t get a chance to order this again.
Rigatoni Portabello: Rigatoni tossed with red onions, sun dried tomatoes in a Portobello mushroom pesto cream sauce. The sauce tasted like cream of mushroom soup, but in a very good way. I couldn’t get enough of the creamy, scrumptious sauce and I love the bite of the rigatoni. An overall winner!
Penne alla vodka: penne tossed with Italian cured bacon in a tomato cream sauce and a splash of vodka. The bacon bits were delicious, and this sauce is more intense than the other pasta dishes. I would’ve liked more heat to it, but all in all, I enjoyed it a lot.
Risotto Funghi: Arborio rice with porcini mushrooms in natural broth topped with a truffle essence and grated fresh Parmigiano Regiano. I love the chewy texture of risotto, and the mushroom sauce was quite aromatic. However, I thought that the Rigatoni Portabello had a better mushroom sauce, so with that comparison, it made the dish less desirable.
Desserts were all delicious. We sampled the tiramisu, crème brûlée with mango sorbet, and dulce de leche cheesecake. My personal favourite was the cheesecake, a really decadent treat! The rich dulce de leche and the creamy cheesecake were a match made in heaven! I will definitely reorder this in the future.

This is seriously one of my most favorite restaurants. Ever. It’s up there with Nobu, and I LOVE Nobu.
Why do I love Spuntini’s? The food is incredibly flavorful, fresh, and perfect. The atmosphere (depending on where you sit and when you go) can be either great for a fun night out, a date night, a birthday, whatever you need it to be.
I have been there three times and have never had any issue with the food or the waitstaff. The waitstaff is incredibly helpful and prompt, the food comes out in an orderly fashion. And, another GREAT thing about Spuntini’s is the quality you get for the money. It is EXCELLENT.
I strongly recommend the mussels marinara for an appetizer, the lobster ravioli in crab, lobster, and shallot bisque, and the mango crème brûlée. Absolutely wonderful.
My one and only complaint is the lack of parking. I had to do street parking the last time I was there, and because I did not read the sign carefully (it was freezing out!), I got left a lovely little parking ticket.

This is one of the best restaurants for Italian food. Although it is located in Yorkville, the menu offers a variety of pasta, pizza, and entre selections for various price ranges that borders on affordable to high end. I’ve been there three times for dinner for business and the place has great ambiance and service.
I recommend making reservations if you plan to have dinner. Also, if you are going to order wine, be prepared to pay the price.
We typically get the seafood and grilled vegetable platter as apetizer. Their breads are fresh and very tasty.
The first time I ordered the lobster tail, the second and third time I ordered the lamb. The lamb came with a side of funghi rizotto. The food doesn’t disappoint.
Overall, I think its a high end place which doesn’t have the high end formal feel and the big price tage. But since the waiters are paid by tips, they are much happier the more you order.
For a fine dining, this is probably my first choice over all the others I have tried. I highly recommend it!