This Opinion article is part of a Narcity content series. The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
A new Toronto restaurant has opened up in the heart of the Financial District and I recently dined there to scope out just what it's like.
Located on Adelaide between York and Bay in First Canadian Place, Edna + Vita recently opened up in the space that used to be Red's Wine Tavern, which was such a Toronto institution, so I was curious if it would live up to the restaurants legacy.
The restaurant says they offer upscale Italian cuisine in a sophisticated, lighthearted and engaging dining experience with authentic Italian dishes that are curated for socialized sharing as well as hand-crafted Italian-inspired cocktails.
So, from what the vibes of the new restaurant are to a review of their food and drinks, here's what my experience was like dining at Edna + Vita.
The vibes
From the time I entered the restaurant, the staff was very friendly and attentive and I was impressed with all of the swanky touches that had been added to really make the space feel different than Red's.
The outside of the location has a beautiful sign that's perfect for posing beside, if you're looking for some social media content, and there are also cute signs inside the restaurant like the neon pink "Vita" sign that adds a bit of "ooh la la" ambience and also photographs nicely.
I was seated in the downstairs portion of the restaurant called Vita, which is the more laid-back area that seems ideal for grabbing drinks after work, having a bite with your girlfriends or hanging out and sharing a pie with your partner. It's open, airy, inviting and has an overall feel of bonhomie, which I found to be both welcoming and chill while still being upscale.
The upstairs portion of the restaurant is called Edna and it feels a bit more intimate — like if it was my mom's birthday, Edna would be the spot to take her to, or if I was looking for a romantic, more private spot for date night, I'd pick the upstairs.
I thought both areas were vibey and cute, but my personal favourite was the downstairs!
The appetizer and main dish
For an appetizer, our waiter recommended the Tuna Crudo ($23.50) from the antipasti menu and I'm glad he did as it's not the first thing that I would have picked for myself.
The dish itself is raw tuna with green olives, pistachios, oranges, pickled red onions, chilli, garlic anchovy aioli, and basil oil (we opted to skip the pistachio due to an allergy).
When you get a mouthful of all the components together it tastes like a wonderful poke bowl in one bite with the brightness of the citrus and the slight sour and tartness of the onion really complementing and elevating the subtle flavours of the fish. The chilli brings in a nice kick of warmth without being overpowering, and it finishes with a pleasantly acidic taste in the mouth.
For our main, we opted for the Agnello Alla Scottaditio ($40.00) which are grilled lamb chops with salsa verde and lemon.
You know when something is just really simple and really delicious? That's what this lamb is, and it also has a stunning presentation, which is ideal for the 'gram.
I sometimes find lamb to be gamey but there was none of that in this dish — the meat was tender and buttery with an almost melt-in-your-mouth consistency that's brightened up by the zinginess of herbs from the salsa. If you get this dish, do yourself a favour and liberally douse the lamb with the lemon. It truly wakes all of the flavours up and I'm mad at myself that I didn't squeeze it on until I was halfway done eating.
The pizza
Our waiter recommended the Emilia pizza ($25.00), and although I was starting to feel pretty full at this point, I absolutely demolished this pie.
The pizza is made with prosciutto, stracciatella, sun-dried tomatoes, pickled onions and arugula, which of course sounds yummy, but I was truly blown away at how delicious it was.
I've been fortunate enough to travel to Italy and have had pizza there, and I can absolutely say that the Emilia is the best pizza I've ever had outside of the dish's home country.
The combination of the zing of the pickled red onion, the sweetness of the prosciutto and the dreaminess of the stracciatella are highlighted by the acidic and bitter notes of the sun-dried tomato and arugula, which makes for a chef's kiss moment of a balanced bite.
The bottom of the pie is super crunchy, which I found to be a nice choice over the usual doughiness of pizzas, and although I tried to be proper and eat it with a knife and fork, in the end, I just said "to hell with it" and opted to use my hands.
I don't usually find myself in the downtown core since I live in the west end of the city, but honestly, I'd make my way to Edna + Vita again just to have this pizza again — and that's saying a lot, because I hate leaving my home.
The drinks
For drinks, I tried the Prickly Pear Spritz ($8.50) the Hot Mess Margarita ($18.00) and the Out Of Office ($18.00).
The spritz is made from elderflower, lemon and soda and is visually delightful with its hot pink hue and specks of floating gold particles — when the sun hit the drink at a certain angle the whole thing kind of looked like a sparkly beverage fit for a fairy.
The Hot Mess Margarita is aptly named as it might get you into trouble if you have one too many. It has a smooth tequila that goes down easily and is paired with jalapeño, peach, agave, and lime and rimmed with spicy oregano, which gives an unexpectedly nice herbal note to the whole thing.
The Out Of Office is the drink to go for if you're looking for some drama for your Insta story — it's a rum cocktail with hibiscus and lemon that's served with a bubble of smoke on top which pops to reveal a delicious aroma.
The verdict
As I mentioned earlier, I don't really leave my home or find myself in the First Canadian Place area, but Edna + Vita is absolutely worth visiting.
The vibes are somehow both fancy and chill, the service is excellent, the drinks are creative and most importantly, the food is delicious.
I highly recommend it!
Narcity does not condone the overconsumption of alcohol. If you're going to drink alcohol, please do so responsibly and only if you're of legal age.
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.
I dined at a new Toronto restaurant and it's the best pizza I've had outside of Italy
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