Welcome to Toronto

April 23, 2008

An Italian Bright Spot

By Sheldon Landwehr

Italian restaurants come and go (and keep coming), but Archeo Trattoria remains among Toronto's more agreeable. Its casual, rustic Italian fare is heavy with smooth, supple pastas prepared with the freshest simple, tasty ingredients, creating cutting-edge versions of fussili, wild mushroom gnocchi, penne, fettuccine and homemade ravioli. Another headliner is their wide assortment of singular home-made thin, crispy crusted pizzas with the likes of braised rabbit and portobello mushroom. In general, the kitchen refuses to ignore seasons, serving a stable year-round menu. Likewise, Archeo Trattoria is celebrated for proffering a variety of meat, seafood and vegetable antipasti dishes, which are so bracing, sound and elementary that they make their point.

Main courses are fully variable, the best being rosy-pink, sensitively seasoned, flaky roasted salmon filet, hearty, aromatic beef stew, roast beef panini, as well as sliced roast pork loin panini. In short, when Archeo hits the mark, there is no more winsome food among Italian restaurants.

The wine list is of considerable depth. And outdoor seating breaks into a cozy al fresco dining space.

Archeo Trattoria, 55 Mill Street, Building 45, Toronto, Ont. Phone: 416-815-9898. Accepts reservations, major credit cards. Green P. Serves lunch and dinner ($9-$17). Open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Open Sunday for lunch, from noon.