Ascari Enoteca
HOLIDAYS & SPECIAL EVENTS: please see our website for current events and menus
PAYMENTS: We accept Cash or Canadian Debit only, no credit cards
PLEASE NOTE: Tables booked before 9PM may have dining time restrictions
EVERY MONDAY NIGHT --- 1/2 price bottles of wine
We love food. We love wine. We love racing. So we named Ascari Enoteca after one of our heroes, 1950's Italian racing legend, Alberto Ascari. He was as famous for his appetite for food and wine as he was for his talent for racing, earning him the nickname "ciccio" – Italian for 'chubby'. Here you'll find homemade pastas made fresh in house every single day, plus a unique wine list.
Ascari has been awarded one of Canada's Neighbourhood Gems by OpenTable and Best Italian Restaurant in Now Magazine. We look forward to hosting you!
I have dined at Ascari Enoteca 4 times and each time I had a wonderful meal. The pasta is superb and the wine selection never disappoints! There was only one drawback to the evening. I am well aware that we are expected to be finished within a 2 hour time frame - in fact I mentioned this to our server when we arrived. I also mentioned to her that we wanted to have a leisurely meal within that time frame and not to rush us with the appetizers. Once ordered they arrived within 5 minutes - we were still on our cocktails and I hadn't even ordered the wine at that point even though the server was aware we would be ordering one. Apart from this timing issue, we totally enjoyed our evening.
Spectacular food and service!
Went for Valentine’s Day and it was the most amazing meal. The food there is truly exceptional. We had he brussel sprouts, lamb speducci, and two pastas (beef cheek and mushroom) and everything was so so delicious.
It was great. Staff are always friendly. Food is great.
This is our favourite neighbourhood restaurant. The food, the wine list, and the vibe make this a wonderful little east-end gem. Every time we eat here we leave with a big smile on our face. Thank you for doing what you do so well!
Consistently great food and attentive service. Excellent wine list.
Always a treat. Best homemade pasta. Service is always attentive. A personal fave, especially on Monday night 1/2 price wine night.
Friendly staff, great service and love, love, love the food.
The lamb speducci (sp?) was fantastic. The main - Puttanesca - salty!!!
An excellent meal, as always.
My go-to in Leslieville. Quality of food is unreal.
Amazing food. A small menu with exceptional options. The service was outstanding and the atmoshere relaxed and fun. Fantastic wine list with lots of options. There is a fun drink menu as well. it is a small restaruant and you need s reservation for usre. I would recomend it and I will return for sure.
We have a fantastic time EVERY time. The pasta is stellar, the service impeccable, and the vibe is elevated yet laid-back. We will continue to happily gain weight there!
We always have a great time at Ascari Enoteca. Because of the food and friendly atmosphere, this is our go-to-place with our friends and family.
Absolutely lovely and quaint space with exceptional service. The food is unforgettably sophisticated and delicious. Would recommend this gem to anyone and everyone looking for a special and thoroughly enjoyable evening
Ascari is one of our favourite spots in Leslieville, and in the city. We love bringing out of town guests here because it never fails to impress, and the prices are super decent. The drink list is also outstanding and we've always had great service. Also notable is that it can be full of people and not crazy loud. Highly reccomend.
Love the food and the service! Pasta is SO GOOD! Wine list is great.
We love Ascari. Creative Italian food. Pastas are to die for. Carbonara heaven. We have not yet had anything but a great experience. A fave local spot.
Excellent food and excellent service. We love this place and will definitely be back!
One of the best carbonaras I have ever had and it changes with the season. It was my second visit and I will definitely be returning again.
Great location. Food is excellent. Ambience is wonderful. Love their choice of cocktails.
My parents and I love Ascari! My mom says it’s the best pasta in the city. The service, food and ambiance were all great as usual!
We LOVE Escari! It is one of our favourite spots in Leslieville - and Toronto in general. The service is great and the food is outstanding with such fresh ingredients.
Food was good, starters were excellent. Service was very good. Small establishment, when house is full it is very difficult to have conversation, just too loud. Waitress resting her clothed buttocks on adjacent table while chatting with diners was off putting upon entry and caused us to decline that particular table.
Excellent pasta and service. Not a wide variety of food, but the food that is on the menu makes up for it!
Fast becoming one of our favourite restaurants for sure!
Nice place, however time to have dinner was limited.
It is rare situation that I am asked to leave place bx next client is waiting.
I was not aware of if prior booking (no info on website) and having guest from abroad put me in very uncomfortable situation.
To be honest I faced situation like that only in Asia, never in Toronto/Canada
Carbonara. Go now. I'm sure there are other things on the menu, but this is the only one that matters.
We loved our server and our meal - everything was incredible. Thank you!
Great spot. Great food. Great wine. Great service.
Thanks.
I've dined at Ascari Enoteca twice recently: for a triple October birthday celebration, and dinner this week with an old friend who lives out of town and misses city dining. From reservation to presentation of the bill, we had a seamless experience; servers pay attention, always on point, but they never hover. The fresh, rustic sourdough was superb for dipping in sweet green olive oil; we noshed on an ample bowl of warm olives; the broccolini friti is a must-have, every time, with light, lacy batter and tender-crisp greens; also the char-grilled lamb skewers, lean, pink, tender, brightened with lemon and Maldon salt; the plump arancini (rice balls), crisp on the outside, cloudlike inside, napped on a silky parmesan cream; then we tucked in to the spaghetti carbonara and the hand-rolled trofie with hens-of-the-woods mushrooms. Washed it all down with a perfectly chilled prosecco (all wines half price on Mondays). Along with a carefully selected wine list, the bar serves up sublime craft cocktails. Highly recommend for casual bites or a special occasion—but you'll need to make a reservation, at least a day in advance. The place is full every night.
Amazing food! Staff was attentive and knowledgeable . A great night!!!
Love this place, great food and service everytime!!
I never leave reviews but this meal was by far, one of the best I’ve ever had and everyone at the table agreed. We had a variety of apps, mains and the lemon dessert and they were all incredible. We were planning our next visit before we finished our meal.
The pastas were jam packed full of flavour! They were simple but so delicious and we all wanted more (even though we were stuffed). I can’t wait to come back.
Service was exceptional!
Amazing. Not much more to say.
Although it would be more convenient if you would accept some sort of credit card.
Taking clients for dinner with cash or debit is a bit difficult.
Credit cards make things much easier when choosing a restaurant.
Just my opinion.
We’ve passed Ascari often and decided to try it for a Birthday date. We were seated quickly and moved to a quieter table quickly when we asked. Service was excellent and the server was able answer all of our questions and make menu and wine recommendations. Food was excellent. As was the half-priced bottle of wine! We’ve already booked a return visit with the family.
This intimate neighbourhood Italianrestaurant is a must visit, even if you do not live or work in Leslieville. The menu offers a good variety of choices, the portions are Goldilocks-perfect (not too big, not too small), the flavours are full of character, but never over-powering. The wine list rhymed off a good variety from the various European regions we like. It was date night, and we decided to sit at the bar for our dinner. The purveyor behind the bar offered attentive service, but not overly so. And the direct view into the open kitchen not only showed us the honest cooking that resulted in the food on our plates, but a splendid little performance to go with our meal and conversation. We have visited several times before, and look forward to going back again.
A little loud but fantastic food!
Always great. Food is amazing and fresh.
Tables very close together and very loud....but the service is very good and the food is outstanding.