Your Little Italy Guide: Cafés & Culture in Downtown Toronto

Little Italy offers a heady mix of history and culture. With some of the best restaurants on College Street, Toronto—plus live music and Italian festivals—it demands more than one visit.

Discover Toronto’s vibrant and diverse Little Italy. While the main drag runs east-west along shop- and cafe-heavy College Street, the community also includes stretches of Dundas Street West between Bathurst Street and Ossington Avenue. This charming district boasts a rich history dating back to the 1920s (check out the Toronto Italian Walk of Fame!) and is easily accessible via car, bus, streetcar or subway.

Discover the quieter side of Toronto’s Little Italy by walking side streets lined with Victorian-era houses before sitting on a lively patio with a cortado or Negroni. Food is a major draw here, with some of the best Italian restaurants in Toronto, as well as tasty vendor offerings during its annual Taste of Little Italy festival.

Top things to do in Toronto's Little Italy

Toronto’s College Street nightlife is a strong draw. Hail Mary is a speakeasy that draws a youthful crowd with its DJ, drink deals, neon-lit glow, plus an inclusive no cover charge/no guest list policy. (There’s also a photo booth, so you can commemorate your night out.)

More College Street nightlife worth a peep: Track & Field (located on street level beneath Hail Mary), where you can play bocce, tabletop shuffleboard or hit the dance floor; and El Convento Rico, a College Street institution. The Latin 2SLGBTQ+ focused nightclub is locally loved for its drag shows, dancing and ladies’ nights.

Or catch a comedy show at the historic Royal Theatre, a former rep cinema that was built in 1939 and has found new life hosting standup performances and candlelight concerts (classical live music concerts that take place in the glow of thousands of LED candles).

When it comes to things to do in Toronto’s Little Italy, don’t sleep on the live music scene. From dreamy standards at Emmet Ray Whisky Jazz Bar, to house beats at Reverie, and indie bands at Sneaky Dees—a local landmark known for its cheap beer and Tex-Mex nachos—you’ll find it all in this downtown live-music destination.

Where to eat and drink in Little Italy

You’ll find some of The 6ix’s best restaurants on College Street, Toronto.

Trattoria Taverniti will transport you to Nona’s kitchen. Begin your dining adventure with antipasto before indulging in a plate of house-made pasta.

Contrada is an intimate date-night spot offering shareable fare like hamachi crudo, burrata toast and elevated mains like crab-and-roe-stuffed anolini, or halibut alla vignarola with sorrel, fava beans, asparagus and mustard greens.

Another must-visit is Bar Raval, a Spanish-style tapas bar with a wild Gaudi-esque aesthetic. Sip craft cocktails as you nosh on meat and seafood dishes, setting the stage for a delightful night of good food and conversation.

Pro tip: if you’re looking for one of the best gelato spots in Little Italy, Toronto, make a stop at Sicilian Sidewalk Café, the city’s oldest authentic gelato shop. Or order an affogato at the neighbourhood’s unofficial town square. Other cafés worth a visit include Café Diplomatico (which revolutionized outdoor dining in Toronto when it opened in 1968), and a must-visit for soccer viewing parties that spill onto the sidewalk.

Little Italy shopping and local finds

Karyn Ruiz of Lilliput Hats is one of Canada’s finest milliners. Most famously, Ruiz’s intricate feather-trimmed designs were worn by Gord Downie during The Tragically Hip’s final tour. Drop by her atelier to find your own handmade Panama, beret or fascinator.

Neurotica Records brims with new and preloved LPs, 45s, cassettes and CDs. Their collection spans genres and decades: where else will you find forest green pressings of “Chet Baker: Live in Sendai, Japan, 1986” alongside headbangers Dead Sara or the 25th anniversary reissue of the Virgin Suicides soundtrack?

It’s always fruitful to browse the shelves at Balfour Books, a cherished second-hand bookstore in a neighbourhood renowned for its indie shops.

Little Italy seasonal highlights

Taste of Little Italy is a must-attend. The alfresco festival takes over College Street with live performances by Italo-Canadian musicians, a projection art show and—yes!—food truck fest and street eats.

In late November each year, Little Italy kicks off the holidays with its Cavalcade of Lights, an evening of live music, seasonal snacks and visits with Santa in Lombardi Square (College and Grace Streets).

Getting around Little Italy

Little Italy is readily accessible on foot and by bike.
TTC public transit: take the Line 1: Yonge-University subway to Queen’s Park station, then catch the 506 College streetcar westbound to Bathurst Street.
Car parking is available at metered spots, with limited free options on side streets.