A Toronto restaurant known for its vegan and vegetarian Italian dishes made from scratch is serving three-course dinners for $25.

Bellona Kitchen in Baby Point has created a new concept called The Cantina, where people can dine on the restaurant's original menu for a lower price.

"My wife and I opened our restaurant and we never wanted it to be a restaurant exclusive of anyone, and that includes financially," says John Fusco, co-owner of the family-run restaurant. "I see the signs of the economy right now."

The Cantina is located in the downstairs portion of Bellona Kitchen. Photo by Bellona Kitchen.

At The Cantina — which is located in the downstairs section of the restaurant — customers can choose from almost all of the items from the regular Bellona Kitchen menu. They'll get an appetizer or salad, entree, and a dessert, all for $25 total.

The portions are a bit smaller than what they normally serve upstairs, but Fusco believes that they're still considered "regular size," especially in comparison to their otherwise large portions at the Kitchen.

"We're the doggy-bag capital of the world," he says, because people don't expect their usual large portions and over-order.

People can choose between one appetizer or salad, one entree and a dessert, all for $25. Photo by Bellona Kitchen.

The three-course dinner concept came to be after the owners saw how much their monthly event, The Chef's Table, resonated with customers. During the event, the restaurant would showcase their freshly made vegan and vegetarian dishes for $25.

To top it off, Fusco was also able to cut costs being the owner and the chef himself.

And so, The Cantina —  a name that pays homage to Italian households that have a cold room dedicated to storing produce, sauces and home-made wines — was born in mid-October 2023.

They've taken off in a big way: approximately 500-600 people dine there every week, and reservations on Friday and Saturday are now fully booked, says Fusco.

"It's busier than Bellona is, which is great," he says.

Tiramisu is a popular dessert at Bellona Kitchen and The Cantina. Photo by Bellona Kitchen.

Bellona Kitchen first opened in December 2022, when owners and real-life couple John and Aggie Fusco "were too young to retire" and "just wanted a passion project."

Being raw vegans at the time, John and Aggie had a difficult time finding more than just plant-based burgers and salads at restaurants. They also noticed there weren't many Italian restaurants that were also vegan, other than Toronto's Gia. 

Now, having just celebrated one year in business, Fusco wants to continue creating hearty, Italian meals — just like he says he did with his grandmother — with finesse and vibrant presentation.

So whether you get a large portion of vegan and red-wine infused ravioli for $25 upstairs, or want to try smaller portions of caprese pizza, eggplant sliders, and tiramisu — all combined for the same price — Bellona Kitchen has got you covered.

"I want to give Michelin Star cuisine at an affordable price," Fusco says.