If you are craving Italian food then there are a lot of great options in Toronto. Il Covo, however, is special. It’s “date night” special, “just got a promotion” special, “happy birthday” special, or even “we made it to Friday” special.

The food menu is comprised of cichetti – small plates designed to be shared. The menu is divided into five sections: from the sea, from the pasture, from the garden, from the cheese maker and from the pastry chef. I encourage you to order as many of these delicious cichetti as possible. (Pro tip: this is where dining with a party of 4-6 really pays of).  While items on the menu change periodically, some staple standout dishes are: stella di ricotta in brodo (roasted buffalo mozzarella in hen’s broth), tramezzino fritto (fried shrimp and scallop sandwich) and linguine di mare (seafood linguine). This food is elevated yet somehow comforting too. Also, anyone with food allergies will appreciate the ingredient legend on the menu which notes which dishes have common allergen foods such as nuts, eggs, shellfish, lactose, etc.

The room is narrow, dark and cozy. The wine list is extensive (mostly Italian, of course) but the servers are all warm and professional and happy to walk you through both their food menu and wine list.