Restaurant in Toronto, Canada
A room that rewards repeat visits.
Sotto Sotto is Toronto's go-to for a warm, classical Italian room that rewards return visits. Lunch is the value play — quieter and easier to book than dinner. If you want a neighbourhood Italian at a mid-to-upper tier rather than a formal tasting format, it holds its own against pricier competitors on Avenue Rd.
If you've been to Sotto Sotto once, you already know what draws people back: a room that feels lived-in and warm rather than polished and transactional, and Italian cooking that leans classical without being stiff. The question on a return visit isn't whether it holds up — it's whether you're approaching it the right way. Book for dinner if atmosphere is the point; consider lunch if value and a quieter room matter more to you.
Sotto Sotto sits at 120 Avenue Rd in Toronto's Annex-adjacent stretch, and the room earns its reputation on feel. The energy is lower during lunch service — fewer tables competing for attention, easier conversation, and typically more attentive pacing. Dinner shifts the mood considerably: the space fills, the noise builds, and the room takes on the kind of steady hum that suits a long meal with wine but makes it a poor choice if you need to hear each other clearly. For a first-time companion or a business dinner where conversation matters, lunch is the smarter call. For a celebratory evening or a date where the atmosphere is part of what you're paying for, dinner delivers.
As a returning visitor, the practical case for lunch extends to value: Italian restaurants at this address tier in Toronto tend to compress their pricing at midday relative to dinner, and you'll often move through the meal with less friction. That said, the dinner experience is the one Sotto Sotto is known for, and if you haven't done it on a milestone occasion , an anniversary, a significant birthday , it's worth trying at least once in that context.
Compared to Toronto's Italian dining options, Sotto Sotto occupies a different register than Don Alfonso 1890, which runs a more formal contemporary Italian format at the $$$$ tier. Sotto Sotto is the better call if you want a neighbourhood-rooted Italian room rather than a destination tasting experience. For broader Italian options in the city, see DaNico as another point of comparison, or browse our full Toronto restaurants guide.
Reservations: Easy to book; advance booking recommended for weekend dinner. Dress: Smart casual. Budget: Not confirmed in our data , check directly with the venue. Groups: Contact the venue directly for group enquiries. Dietary needs: Confirm with the restaurant ahead of your visit.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ristorante Sotto Sotto | Easy | — | ||
| Alo | Contemporary | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Sushi Masaki Saito | Sushi, Japanese | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| Aburi Hana | Kaiseki, Japanese | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Don Alfonso 1890 | Contemporary Italian, Italian | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Edulis | Canadian, Mediterranean Cuisine | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
A quick look at how Ristorante Sotto Sotto measures up.
For a more format-driven Italian experience, Don Alfonso 1890 at the Pearle Hotel in Burlington is the closest regional comparison with a Michelin-pedigree kitchen. In Toronto proper, Edulis offers a tighter, more intimate room with a set menu format that suits couples over groups. Alo is the benchmark for prix-fixe fine dining in the city, but the format and price point are a significant step up from Sotto Sotto's more relaxed à la carte approach. If you want a warm, lived-in room over a chef-driven tasting experience, Sotto Sotto at 120 Avenue Rd is the easier yes.
Book ahead rather than walking in — the room at 120 Avenue Rd fills consistently, especially at dinner. The atmosphere skews warm and social rather than formal, so expect a lively dining room rather than a hushed one. Lunch service is noticeably quieter if you want a more relaxed visit. This is an à la carte Italian restaurant on one of Toronto's most recognisable dining streets, so go in expecting a neighbourhood institution feel, not a tasting-menu occasion.
Italian kitchens at this level generally accommodate common restrictions with advance notice, but specific menu flexibility at Sotto Sotto is not documented in current sources. check the venue's official channels at 120 Avenue Rd before booking if you have strict dietary requirements. For venues with explicitly published dietary accommodation policies, Edulis and Alo are more transparent about their processes.
Yes, with the right expectations. Sotto Sotto's warm, convivial room suits birthdays and anniversaries better than it suits high-protocol celebrations. If you want tableside ceremony and a tasting menu structure, Alo or Sushi Masaki Saito will deliver that more reliably. Sotto Sotto's strength is an atmosphere that feels genuinely celebratory without requiring the occasion to carry the meal — the room does the work.
Sotto Sotto can handle groups, and the social energy of the room suits a shared dinner better than venues built around quiet, intimate formats. For larger parties, call ahead rather than booking online — specific private dining or semi-private arrangements are not publicly documented, so direct contact with the restaurant at 120 Avenue Rd is the practical step. Groups of 6 or more should confirm availability and any set menu requirements before committing.
Specific current menu items are not confirmed in available sources, so ordering on the night based on staff recommendations is the sensible approach. At an Italian restaurant of this standing, pasta dishes typically represent the kitchen's clearest statement — prioritise those over secondary courses if you're ordering selectively. Ask your server what's been on the menu longest; longevity on an Italian à la carte list is usually a reliable signal of a dish worth ordering.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
