Proprietors Anita Mancuso and Alan Thomson of Little Italy’s Zitto Zitto Taverna accomplished an amazing feat: opening a restaurant during the pandemic! Situated beside their long-standing Toronto restaurant Sotto Voce, Zitto Zitto Taverna is an enchanting offers an ambiance of old-world charm and contemporary chic. Sicilian-born Chef Alessandro has introduced a summer menu with a heavy emphasis on seafood. I was invited along with a guest (my mom!) to sample the new menu.
The summer 2022 cocktail menu features drinks such as Espresso Martini, Coraggio Verde (a cucumber/tequila/lime concoction) and Rum Punch. My mother enjoyed the latter: a drink made with Gossling Dark Rum, Amaro Montenegro, Cinzano Rosso and pineapple juice. It was served with a wedge of fresh pineapple! Being a teetotaler, I was offered a made-from-scratch Limonata prepared with white grape juice, freshly-squeezed lemon juice and club soda. How refreshingly good it was! I’m going to try and make this at home!
For starters, we were offered three dishes from the summer menu: 1) Thinly-sliced venison tenderloin; 2) Tuna Tartare; and 3) Crostone with Calabrese nduja, burrata and roasted peppers.
The venison tenderloin was served with a black peppercorn crust on a bed of wild berry reduction. Venison has an earthier texture than beef; it’s quite meaty. Because it was so thinly sliced and thanks to the fruity berry sauce, the gamey taste did not overpower and it definitely benefited from the peppery flavour of the frisée.
I liked the pairing of the Ahi tuna tartare with avocado, sesame oil and ravanillo aioli, which minimized the fishy taste of the tuna.
The Crostone was the stellar dish of the three! Made from a base of to-die-for country grilled bread, the crunchy bread melded beautifully with the soft burrata. The roasted peppers added spicy interest to the smooth cheese.
We ordered two main entrées, which we split so that we could try them both. The first main was Pan Seared British Columbia Scallops on a Prosecco rose and lime risotto. The scallops were perfection: large, thick and buttery! The risotto tasted as pretty as it looked with a hint of sweetness from the sparkling wine.
Our second main was Oven-Roasted Black Cod with Jumbo Tiger Shrimp and avocado salsa verde. The presentation was so spectacular that we didn’t want to dismantle the dish – on the other hand, I was dying to try the fish! The shrimp was succulent and juicy – the way shrimp should taste! – while the cod was thick, tender and fresh. I particularly loved the al dente asparagus upon which the fish was placed, as well as the tasty eggplant – a vegetable that can be tough and chewy if not cooked right.
There were two Italian favourites on the dessert menu: Raspberry Pannacotta and Madagascar Vanilla and Sicilian Pistacchio Tiramisu. The Tiramisu was good, but my mom preferred the Raspberry Pannacotta because it was lighter.
We loved what we tried from Zitto Zitto Taverna’s summer 2022 menu! This menu is full of culinary surprises and updates on classics. The summer 2022 menu will be available sometime in June.
Zitto Zitto Taverna
593 College Street (just east of Clinton Street)
416-533-5253
Instagram: @ZittoZittoTaverna
You may be interested in reading “Baro Restaurant on King Street West: Review“.
This looks like such a nice restaurant! I love how colorful the food is.
Hi Patricia, Yes, the chef really knows how to present a dish! The restaurant decor is gorgeous too! Cheers, Lori
Goodness how do you find all these amazing restaurants with food that looks too good to eat. Everything looks so exotic and delicious.
Holy moly! Just looking at these pictures is making me hungry. That’s how you do food right!
Oh yum, this looks delicious! I would love to eat here. Everything looks fantastic.
I love Italian and this sounds to be the best place to have a new culinary experience. Food is amazing!
The food looks delicious and the ambiance is just perfect! I love those tables!
OMG! All that food looks so good. Would love to eat there.
Hi Tammy, I highly recommend Zitto Zitto Taverna! The cuisine is exceptional! Cheers, Lori
The place looks so nice and the ambiance is great. The food and drinks look absolutely delicious. Such a great find!
Hi Gervin, I agree…the ambiance at Zitto Zitto Taverna is gorgeous, as is their food. I loved my freshly-made Limonata! Cheers, Lori
I love when restaurants do seasonal menus. This one looks great and I would definitely order one or two of the Coraggio Verde cocktail!
Hi Katie, I also like when restaurants change with the seasons and offer seasonal menus! Cheers, Lori
the food looks tempting! despite having just eaten I find myself interested! I would love to visit it if I were around
Hi Lyosha, I don’t blame you lol; the food at Zitto Zitto Taverna is really good! Cheers, Lori
Wow! All of these are looking so delicious and tasty! I would really love to eat here!
Wow the menu looks excelent, that risotto is just making me so hungry! I would love to stop by for a visit 🙂
Hi Amalia, The risotto was so delicious! I hope you get a chance to check out Zitto Zitto Taverna! Cheers, Lori
The menu looks very upscale compared to what I typically eat. I’d love to try the venison.
Looks like their menu is really awesome! I hope I can be able to try it too once I get to visit around the area.
Hi Anosa, Their menu is great! Lots of seafood which I love! Next time you’re in Toronto, I definitely recommend Zitto Zitto Taverna! Cheers, Lori
every meal here was a masterpiece! Look at those! Great find! No wonder you are happy on those pics!
Oh my goodness, these look so delicious! You find the most amazing places to eat at. I would love to try the Crostone and British Columbia Scallops. It looks so good and I bet every bite delicious!
Hi Maureen, The crostone was so delicious and so were the scallops! Yes, Zitto Zitto Taverna is a fabulous restaurant! Cheers, Lori
The desserts sound so nice, especially the Sicilian Pistacchio Tiramisu. Such a great summer menu.
Wow! Food looks really good and the presentation is amazing. Love how much effort they put into the details. We’d love to visit soon. The Oven-Roasted Black Cod with Jumbo Tiger Shrimp and avocado salsa verde looks absolutely delicious.
The food looks really yummy there. That’s really a beautiful summer menu!
Hi Khushboo, Yes, the food is indeed yummy! I hope you get a chance to visit Zitto Zitto Taverna! Cheers, Lori
Everything looks so delicious and fresh.
Hi Janet, I’ve eaten at Zitto Zitto Taverna twice and the food and service was exceptional both times! Cheers, Lori
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