New restaurants in Little Italy only add to an impressive range of many spots on this strip. Whether it was for presenting a comforting old style of cuisine in a new and provoking way or putting in the extra effort to make tortillas or pasta by hand, these restaurants that opened up in a food lover’s neighbourhood this year really shone.

Here are my picks for the top new restaurants in Little Italy.

Il Covo

Handmade pastas and luxurious small plates can now be found at this darkened restaurant near the bustling corner of College Clinton.

Giulietta

Produce-forward Italian cuisine as well as pizza, pasta, mocktails and one of the city’s favourite steak tartares are now on the menu in this space near Rusholme formerly home to Bestellen. 

Quetzal

A clay comal used to make all tortillas and wood-burning grills running nearly the entire length of the restaurant now infuse this space near Bathurst with the smell of Mexican cooking.

Peacock Pub

This place pivoted from a former wine bar concept to more of an English pub and now does standout bangers and mash, fish and chips, and savoury pies.

BBs Diner

Homestyle Filipino gets put on a pedestal at this weekend brunch spot on Lippincott that serves fried chicken, spaghetti and Ting.