Paese Ristorante, located near Bathurst & Wilson Avenue, is an Italian restaurant of 27 years that offers something for everyone. Their menu offers a range of favourite Italian eats including homemade pizzas, a variety of pasta dishes with homemade sauces and also favourites such as grilled sandwiches and fresh salads.
I’ve actually visited Paese Ristorante a few years back at their King West location. Currently, their Bathurst location is their only standing location. They also own L-eat Catering.
We arrived on a Thursday evening and were greeted by our friendly waiter who seated us by the window.
Complimentary focaccia to start
Paese Green Salad ($12.00)
- Arugula, romaine, endive, fennel, radish and citrus with lemon mint dressing
Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad ($16.00)
- Mozzarella di bufala, pistachio pesto, and pomegranate
- Originally we asked for a a Beet Caprese Salad however due to the fact beets were unavailable that evening, our waiter suggested we substitute with heirloom tomatoes. We were informed that the heirloom tomatoes among many other vegetables are all sourced from Paese’s garden.
- This was one of my favourite dishes of the evening – an incredibly refreshing starter. Fresh slices of tomatoes paired with large pieces of mozzarella di bufala!
Grilled Calamari ($13.00)
- Spinach, sundried tomatoes, olives and brown butter
Meatballs ($15.00)
- House ground beef short rib, sirloin, and brisket with thyme and pecorino, braised in tomato sugo
Roasted Scallops ($16.00)
- Fennel and tarragon slaw, citrus and blood orange vinaigrette
Funghi Pizza ($16.00)
- Roasted mushroom, thyme, fontina and truffle oil
- This Funghi pizza on thin crust was delicious! Generous portions of roasted mushrooms embedded in a perfect fontina. The truffle oil gave the pizza an earthy, garlicky and deep musk aroma to it.
Beef Ragu Linguine
- Topped with shaved pecorino and mixed mushrooms
- Another mushroom dish but our Paese experience wouldn’t have been the same without ordering this pasta. This was a special of the evening and not featured on their regular menu.
- The linguine was cooked to a perfect al dente – the sauce was flavourful and rich. I personally didn’t think this pasta needed beef ragu – mushrooms would have been just as delicious.
Grilled shrimp linguini ($25.00)
- Roasted pepperoncini, garlic and tomato arrabiata sauce
Laabroni Pizza ($18.00)
- Lamb sausage, goat cheese, spinach, caramelized onions and tomato sauce
Tenderloin & Short rib Ravioli
- 8oz tenderloin with a pulled short rib ravioli and a red wine reduction sauce
- Paese offers a lot of daily specials and lucky for us this was another. The idea of a short rib ravioli & tenderloin was an easy selection for us. The tenderloin cooked perfectly was placed on a bed of fresh vegetables. The short rib inside the ravioli was soft – lots of different texture in this beautifully presented dish
Paese Ristorante is a restaurant suitable for numerous different occasions – dates, a night out with friends or even business meetings – you name it. They are located near Bathurst & Wilson Avenue. They open daily for lunch and dinner service. 11:30am – 2:30pm / 5:30pm – 11:30pm.
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This meal was complimentary but Foodinthecitytoronto.com remains unbiased in our content.