Agio Ristorante - Toronto, Ontario

We stumbled upon this place when we were on a walk along St Clair West. At first we were skeptical about it since the front door and interior looks outdated, and there were not a lot of people inside. Glad we took our chance — the pasta tasted fresh and homemade. ... They even gave us complimentary bread and tomato salad which was very refreshing. The chef seem to have learnt how to cook Italian food throughout his time in Europe, and is very friendly. Read more

The chef is a master. I thoroughly enjoyed his creations and the atmosphere in the restaurant which I had to myself on a Monday afternoon. I left very happy and the chef totally made my day better. Edit: Wow I didn't realize the photos from this review would have over ... 1000 views in a month!! Just validates my review and how good the chef is. To be totally clear, in my most popular photo, I ate the first piece of zucchini and pumpkin puree with that delicious sauce BEFORE I took the photo. Hahahaha it just looked too enticing. What an experience and I feel so blessed to have experienced it. Be good to everyone and the chef will do the same for you! Thank you again!!!!!! Read more

Absolutely delicious spaghetti Bolognese. The meal starts with fresh bread and oil, followed by a taste cleanser, and wow what a great main meal. I recommend this place to those visiting. Clean bathrooms, amazing service, and an atmosphere to die for.

I feel like I am in a trattoria in Italy. The food of the chef is very authentic and unique. The penne with shrimp arrabiata and carbonara are amazing! I strongly recommend the appetizer, the fried cauliflower with pesto and mayo sauce. They are perfect match!!😍😍

Agio is a seafood restaurant situated on St Clair Avenue, a bustling hub for Italian cuisine in Toronto. My cravings for seafood led me to venture to this new eatery. I had previously heard of Agio, with positive reviews on Yelp and Google, so my expectations were high upon entering. ... However, the decor was rather understated, not matching my preconceptions of a fancy Italian restaurant. The interior was adorned with flags from around the world, and an older Asian man awaited our arrival. Initially, I was unsure whether this was a genuine Italian restaurant, but I was soon corrected by the owner, who revealed his fascinating backstory. Born in Korea, he worked in Japan before extensively training in Italian restaurants. He even tested my Italian skills and impressed me by mentioning that he could read Vietnamese. His love for Italian culture was evident, and we bonded over our mutual admiration for this great country. The owner recommended spaghetti alle vongole and calamari fritti, and I happily obliged. Before our mains arrived, he offered us fresh bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, as well as a delightful amuse bouche of zucchini drizzled with squash and balsamic glaze. I must admit that my assessment of the restaurant is somewhat contextual. The owner is evidently an older man who works single-handedly. He serves as the waiter, entertainer, and chef, making everything fresh to order. In this sense, his passion for Italian cuisine shines through, and I have the utmost respect for his efforts. If I were to judge the food as home-cooking, I would give it a solid 4/5. However, if I were to evaluate the restaurant against the standards of a high-end establishment, the story would be different. The decor was outdated, service was not the quickest, and the tableware could do with an update. However, given the owner's limited resources, this would not be economically feasible. Despite these minor critiques, my overall experience was highly enjoyable. The owner taught me much about Italian culture, and the calamari was fresh, light, and crispy. My only complaint was that the clams in the pasta were not pre-shucked, resulting in many shells in the dish. However, given that the owner was working alone, this was understandable. The flavor of the dish was on par with that of many high-end restaurants. I highly recommend supporting independent business owners like the proprietor of Agio, who possess a deep passion for food and the culture of Italian cuisine. The restaurant's namesake, Agio, meaning comfortable, aptly describes the ambiance of the establishment, and I felt right at home throughout my visit Read more