Eataly Toronto
Eataly Toronto is part of a chain of Italian food emporiums with over 35 locations worldwide, including this 50,000-square-foot outpost in the Manulife Centre at Bloor and Bay.
You can find imported Italian products showcased alongside offerings from local producers, with an emphasis on sustainability, quality and education.
Three floors encompass counters for pizza, seafood, meats, cheeses, baked goods, gelato and more.
There's also several full-on restaurants, a cooking school and a basement brewery, beer bar and bottle shop by Indie Alehouse.
Enter and immediately be greeted by Il Gran Caffe Illy, Eataly's coffee bar on the ground floor serving coffee, pastries and panini, and then regional wine and beer in the evening.
Head up to the second floor for fresh pasta made every day here using water, flour and eggs. Labels even offer suggestions for sauce pairings.
Nearly 100 varieties of Italian extra virgin olive oil can be found here, along with many varieties of vinegar.
A produce section includes mushrooms that are foraged for and farmed by local Canadian producers.
A formaggi e salumi section offers the option to choose from a variety of cheeses and meats sold by weight, or opt for pre-portioned selections.
Whole shelves are stocked exclusively with grana padano and parmigiano reggiano.
Mozzarella is pulled fresh by hand on site right in front of shoppers, and antipasti is available to complete a cheese board.
The Macelleria butcher counter runs a dry-aging program, sourcing meat from farms in Ontario and Prince Edward County.
Bread made using fresh local flour and mother yeast from Italy is baked fresh daily in a wood-burning oven.
There are more kinds of panettone than you can shake a stick at, including enormous $200 "hat box" varieties.
An Il Gelato Artigianale counter serves small-batch gelato (made using Sheldon Dairy Creek milk) and sorbetto in cups, cones and take-home tubs. Flavours include fior di latte, mango, caffe, limone and tiramisu, and there's also affogato al caffe and affogato al liquore.
There's also a build-your-own cannoli bar, Il Cannolo Siciliano, where you can get house cannoli shells filled with ricotta, jam or other options and rolled in your choice of toppings. Bomboloni can also be filled to order with your choice of traditional Italian filling here.
La Pescheria is run by Diana's Seafood, one of Toronto's best fish destinations, which is also completely responsible for the seafood counter.
Here you'll find dishes like fritto misto ($24) available for sit-down consumption.
La Pizza & La Pasta serves items like Margherita Padellino ($12), kind of like a small Italian-style deep dish pan pizza, typically served in Torino.
Pastas like ruthlessly simple house-extruded spaghetti al pomodoro ($12) are also available in this same sit-down area.
Booze options available at restaurant and bar areas include wines and spritzes.
Watch out for cooking classes, special events and special dinners at Toronto's very own Eataly.
Hector Vasquez