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The restaurant every neighbourhood wants

Rated this place:

"Local" is the perfect word to describe Local Kitchen & Wine Bar in Parkdale - it's the cozy, bustling restaurant that every neighbourhood in Toronto wishes they had - with great, friendly service, homemade comfort foods, and locally derived ingredients. With smaller tapas-styled dishes, everything is meant to be shared here which means you can try a lot more for a lot less. Pastas are freshly made in-house - the Black Pepper Tagliatelle is delicious while the Ziti has a bit of a bite that's a refreshing take on marinara sauce. Be sure to get try the salumi & cheese platters of locally made + cured meats and cheeses or the restaurant's famous Ontario Pancetta plate. If you've got the time, try the Salumi Tasting (8 courses of delicious cured meats, an ultimate treat for your palette) or get a reservation for 2 at the Chef's Table where for $50 per person you'll get the special treatment - carnivores only. The Lolla Rossa salad is delicious with the roasted acorn squash. Order dessert early before someone snags the lemon ricotta cheesecake you've been eyeing. No reservations are taken so it's first-come first-serve basis so arrive early (doors open at 6pm) and you're sure to get a spot easily enough.

Highly Recommended

Rated this place:

This place is awesome. Two childhood buddies with a dream and a vision. I mentioned this somewhere before, its about an old italian baker I knew. He told me "food is life". These guys live by that pretense I'm sure. Food takes you back to your childhood - it warms the sole - it wows your senses and takes you to far away lands. These guys do just that. They make this Gnocci that your grandmothers grandmother made - but then they do this oh so slow cooked italian mountain ham thats cooked and lovingly basted in local maple syrup for days?! Nonna cooked 'all day' but not for days at a time?I'm a foodie - it takes alot to get me excited when it comes to someone else's cooking. But these guys never stop. I've been a couple times now and get wowed every time. You have to try the daily cocktail, you need to have the special of the day. What to order? Ask the host because he's an owner, and both he and the chef (the other owner) sit down every day and decide on the menu and 'specials'. Its what they fancy - its what's fresh, its what's exciting. I want to grab the phone and call to reserve a table right now because thoughts of my last meal there make me want to go back again tonight. But alas no reservations are taken, their too busy and the line up is almost always out the door. But don't worry service is fast. Very fast. The menus small but thats ok - everythings awesome. Turn arounds quick - unless the diners' like me and tells the chef to just keep bringing it and eats all night long. You won't be disappointed and I'm sure that your first trip to Local Kitchen and Wine Bar won't be your last!

delicious, great staff, amazing vibe

Rated this place:

A friend and I had a delicious dinner here a few days after it opened. We shared a few small plates including the salumi tasting - all charcuterie is made in-house and is fabulous. Our mains were perfect and the drinks- just trust me and order the "Penny's Cousin" which involves bacon and bourbon! These guys are so passionate about their food and this place and it shows! I can't wait to go back!