Occhiolino: What's the vibe?
Occhiolino, just off College Street, is the kind of place that feels like it's been there forever. Step inside the converted auto-body shop on Bathurst and you'll find Scandi-esque blonde tables and chairs, pale pink walls, a sleek bar in front of the chefs slinging noodles, and even a pasta shop where you can take home handmade cavatelli and bucatini.
It's no surprise, then, to learn that the team behind Occhiolino has some serious culinary chops. Chefs Nick Mazone and Luke Donato have collectively worked in some of the city's top kitchens, like Campagnolo and Bacchanal, with the latter having served as private chef for none other than Drake.
Ryan Emberley
If the space feels a little déjà vu, that's because Guido Costantino — the design team behind Michelin-starred Osteria Giulia and other Toronto faves like Forno Cultura — masterminded the light-filled space. The colourful branding also has Toronto DNA: The Design Office, responsible for iconic visuals at spots like Drake Commissary and the Devonshire Inn, designed everything from signage to menus.
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Read moreWhether you're heading for the chef's table, the second-floor dining space or the merch shop, everything about Occhiolino feels like an old friend.
Rick O'Brien
Occhiolino: What's on the menu?
Even if you've never set foot in Occhiolino, you may have tried their handmade pasta and never realized. The pasta here is made onsite by Manzone, under the Pastificio Double Zero wholesale brand, which supplies restaurants all over the city and has been beloved by the industry for over a decade.
Ryan Emberley
"There's nothing more rewarding than seeing people enjoy the food that comes straight from my heart and hands,” says Nick Manzone, Occhiolino's executive chef and co-owner.
Occhiolino means "wink" in Italian, which is a good metaphor for Manzone and Donato's new Mediterranean venture. Dishes have been kissed, not smothered, by Italy — there are no regional specialties, just good-quality plates of pasta and sides.
Ryan Emberley
Kick things off with the Barbabietole, a bright and summery salad that'll make you feel like you're on the Amalfi Coast. Everything is on the smaller side, and pasta dishes come out thick and fast, so order a couple for the table. The Chittarine alla Teramana places mouth-watering veal meatballs on top of noods, while the Rigatoni alla Zozzona is a Roman medley of gorgeous classic dishes like carbonara and amatriciana.
Rick O'Brien
Round it all out with fried dishes like calamari or simple focaccia, drizzled in olive oil and Maldon salt, and you've got yourself a fantastic lunch or dinner (Occhiolino is open for both and serves the same menu).
Occhiolino: What's on the drink menu?
Drinks are on the Italian, aperitivo end of the cocktail scale, with plenty of refreshing spritzes — negroni sbagliato, hugo, garibaldi — and spins on the classics to choose from on the "unusuals" side of the menu. My favourite is the Lambrusco Spritz, which adds a dash of amaro to the Italian sparkling red, and the Jungle Bird, which shakes up rum, Campari, pineapple and lime for a summery sipper.
The beer menu is a gift for the indecisive with only two options — a draught beer and the local Collective Arts Life in the Clouds, a juicy and hoppy New England IPA.
Cap off your dinner or lunch with Occhiolino's extensive selection of amaro and Italian digestives.
Dinner and drinks for two; $100 plus tax and tip
