1214 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1X5, Canada
Plant forward restaurant serving pasta, risotto & innovative vegetarian & vegan dishes plus sustainable wine & cocktails.
I honestly didn’t even know this was a vegan restaurant. We ordered the meatballs and only noticed afterwards that there wasn’t any meat. You wouldn’t be able to tell, the texture and flavours were so reminiscent of a well seasoned classic meatball. The focaccia bread was so good too, flaky and crusty, and the addition of the sweet butter was so nice. Pastas are of course all very well made with rich sauces. Tiramisu was hefty and had great coffee taste.
Wow… I’m not a vegan but I must say this restaurant is probably one of the top in the city - I was thoroughly impressed by everything! It’s such a nice vibe - we sat at the bar and the service was quick and attentive. I ordered the meatballs and they literally tasted like actual meatballs - the tomato sauce was also delicious. The spicy broccolini was also perfectly prepared - and the spice level was also on point. My favourite dish was my main, the eggplant parmigiana. The portion was massive, the actual parmigiana was crispy and had a similar texture to what you would expect to have if it were a veal parmigiana. I would 100% recommend to anyone who enjoys delicious food - you don’t have to be a vegan to enjoy these dishes, they were far better than many of the meat alternatives I’ve tasted elsewhere. Well done, Gia 👏
I brought a non-vegan friend and they were so surprised at how well the food tasted, especially the Lions mane Bistecca/Steak. It is a little on the pricey side and the portions are not very big, but the mains tasted great! The atmosphere is cozy and stylish, perfect for a casual night out or a more intimate dining experience.
What a lovely restaurant! Upscale but not pretentious. The vegan maple butter that came with the warm bread was so delicious. Really loved the mushroom agnolotti - it had a subtle truffle flavor that wasn't overpowering. The cocktails were yummy as well.
Had a surprisingly amazing time here. Met the owner, lovely lady and we ate almost everything on the menu. Favourite dishes were meatballs, pasta and the mushroom steak. Highly recommend. Fun night. Great staff. Excellent wine list too. Tiramisu was the best!!
What a delicious meal. I brought my non vegan friend here and she was pleasantly surprised at just how good plant based food can be! We had the brie, meat balls, spaghetti, and ravioli — all of the dishes were incredibly good. Can’t wait to come back here again. Highly recommended to anyone vegan or curious and open minded to try it.
Such a cute, modern spot. I'd say perfect for a girl's night out, or a cute date. Cocktails are fun and inventive- the "I Should Live In Salt" paired gin with basil oil and tomato brine... How savory and exciting! Food was equally as good- and it's all either vegetarian or vegan, so you can really try a number of things. The pasta had excellent texture and the sauce tasted fresh and was absolutely mouth-watering. The Semolina cake at the end is a MUST- a hearty portion that goes especially well with an espresso to wash everything down.
** Delicious food and good service overall ** We sat at the bar since we didn't want to be on the patio fronting Dundas. Food was delicious, the bottle of Brut, excellent. Overall, great service, especially the server who worked behind the bar - friendly and accommodating. All female servers were warm and unpretentious. Only the one male server, who gave us the bill, had an attitude. His behaviour tainted an otherwise nice dinner. He needs some training.
Highly recommend! Came here to celebrate my birthday and we were very impressed. The meatballs were delicious and the eggplant parmesan was one of the tastiest I ve ever had. Their tiramisu was amazing too! While I m a vegetarian, my boyfriend eats meat, and he was very satisfied with his meal! The interior is beautiful and I love that it was open concept with the kitchen. I will definitely revisit to try their other menus.
Was there for dinner and it was such an amazing experience. Loved the food. Tiramisu is a must have. Ambiance was beautiful and the servers were very courteous.
Excellent food. We ordered: Baby Gem Salad 10/10 Shishitos 8.5/10 Pappardelle 9.5/10 Agnolotti 10/10 Brussel Sprouts 9/10 for two people and it was the right amount of food. Bar seating is a bit tight but the table seats looked spacious.
Gia Restaurant made our staff holiday dinner truly memorable. From the warm greeting, coat check, and offered beverage while I waited, to the cheerful and attentive wait staff, the service was impeccable. The beautifully plated vegan and vegetarian dishes were bursting with layered flavors, and the server s recommendations were spot on. The cozy ambiance and stylish decor added to the charm, making it a perfect setting for any occasion. Highly recommend Gia for exceptional plant-based cuisine and a fantastic dining experience in Toronto!
My husband and I shared take out food from the restaurant. The mushroom ravioli was very tasty and I loved how the stuffed pasta melted in my mouth. We both really enjoyed it!
The food was incredible! The vibe of the restaurant is cozy, vibrant, and elegant, all at the same time. Definitely a great spot for date night. The cocktails are also very unique and well thought out. Overall, a lovely place!
Great date night spot for plant forward meals. Their baked brie is by far the best fake cheese I have had to date.
I will definitely be eating here again, the food was extremely delicious and there is an incredible ambience. The service was prompt and phenomenal. Special thanks to Matt for his incredible drink recommendations. The wine was very unique and paired amazingly with the food we ordered. I can t wait to try other things on the menu!
I ve been going here for many years and have never been disappointed. The food is incredible, the staff phenomenal, and the ambience is perfect for a date or a night out with friends. Highly recommend the meatballs and literally any pasta. And when in doubt on wine, any one will do because the list is well curated. You can t go wrong making a reso here.
It was excellent, very well-executed and delicious plant-forward cuisine. For a restaurant with Michelin recognition, the cost seemed eminently reasonable, especially when contrasted with many far inferior establishments in Toronto.
Everything about this restaurant was great. The food was fresh and unique. The atmosphere was relaxing and the service was efficient and everyone friendly. Highly recommend going to Gia.
Terrible service, felt like we were rushed to leave. We were shoved menus after menus and the waiters were not attentive at all.
Perfect date night spot! Loved the meatless menu, even though Im not vegan.
Loved the food and atmosphere. Service was chill too. Cocktails were special.
I feel bad for the chefs because the food was actually great they clearly know what they re doing back there. But the servers? Absolute rudeness at its finest. I had left a simple request in my reservation notes to put a candle on the dessert for a special occasion. When dessert arrived sans candle, I asked politely if they could add it, and the server gave me a look as if I d asked them to split an atom. No apology, just a heavy sigh and full-on attitude. Not sure how this place ended up on a Michelin recommendation list with service this bad. Maybe they impressed the critics on a good day? Or maybe they just put all their charm into the food and forgot about the rest of the experience. Either way, if you re planning a special night, prepare for disappointment unless you re only there to eat in silence and leave.
Definitely check out Gia - really delicious vegan and vegetarian dishes. We had the Red Fife Foccacia and the vegan butter was absolutely amazing. I would love the recipe for this! We also had the Plant-Based Brie, which was tasty. The White Truffle Agnolotti was very rich, but not too truffle forward - delicious. I was most looking forward to yhe Lions Mane Bistecca and it met all my expectations. It was uncanny how much it looked like steak. A must try! The Blood orange mocktail was also really nice and not too sweet. Excellent service as well and a great atmosphere. Recommend making a reservation because it gets quite busy. Vegetarian options: Superb vegan and vegetarian options.
Good spot for vegan/vegetarian folks. The food was on the more expensive side with not much flavor to it.
Food was delicious, staff was polite, but felt rushed out with strange service. I ordered the Eggplant Parmigiana and was delicious highly recommend it! However, the service left a weird taste: When I first arrived, I found food on the chair. I requested if I could get another chair one of the employees said oh all the chairs are stained! and gave me another one that didnt have fresh food, only old stains. While we were eating, we finished up within 50 minutes of eating, was slightly rushed out. (reason I knew the time so well was bc we had an event afterwards, so I was keeping an eye on the time). I understand theres a limit to seating however, the restaurant wasnt full and we were there for under an hour. I know you want customers in and out, but I wasnt a fan of being asked if we wanted dessert twice and given the bill, all within 5 minutes. All in all, food is great, portions are fine, itll meet your basic expectations, as long as you dont mind other parts being potentially questionable.
Vegetarian options: Fully vegetarian, optional vegan Food
Snotty service, would not return or recommend.
I came across Gia while trying to find a nice place to take my vegan wife on a date. It s rare to find a place that is plant based forward, inventive, and absolutely delicious; Gia is all three. What initially caught my eye and interested me in Gia were the appetizers. We got the Red Fife Focaccia and the Plant-Based Brie. The focaccia was so crispy on the outside and so fresh and soft on the inside with the perfect hint of olive oil. However, what truly amazed me was the Brie; as a non-vegan I could not tell that it was plant based. It was perfectly balanced by the cinnamon spiced cranberry compote and some mildly pickled onion (I think) to create a perfect bite on the crostinis. For a main we decided to split the Beet Cappelletti. We did love this dish as well but, as the waitress kindly pointed out, it is a dish best enjoyed by beet eaters. We typically have beets a couple times a week so this was right up our alley. We ended our meal with the sweet potato cheese cake which was delectably creamy and absolutely delicious. Cheesecake is my go to desert and this one blew me away. The sweet potato came across almost like a pumpkin spice flavor making the whole thing a delightfully fall flavored finish to our fantastic meal. For drinks I had the I Should Live in Salt . I will admit it is a bit of an acquired taste, sort of like a Cesar martini, but I loved it. My wife had the Bramble on which they made vegan, it was delicious and fruity and much more approachable. This will definitely become a regular spot for us when we are looking for a nicer plant based date meal. Vegetarian options: The restaurant is plant based forward. Nearly everything is, or can be made, vegetarian or vegan.
Tasteless food, below average service. If youre looking for plant based food, this isnt it. Almost every item has real butter and cheese.
Gorgeous and vibey little spot with such lovely staff and top notch service. Really enjoyed the meatballs and beet pasta. Woud love to see more plant-based pastas but absolutely loved everything we did try. Excellent wine list too. Thanks!
Drinks: Canadian Pie and Baked Goods. The rhubarb taste was great and we gulped the whole thing. Starters: Shishito Peppers and side of Green Beans. While the peppers had the occasional citrus kick, the green beans were more consistent. Both were tasty though. Mains: Eggplant Parmesan and the Gemille. The Eggplant Parmesan was fantastic. Crispy, cooked through, and the garlic sauce was what brought it all together. Just perfect. The Gemille was so-so. Dessert: Semolina cake. The sponge wasnt dry and the orange/lime zest syrup with a cream of some kind was spot-on. The cream was quite heavy but the cale was light and we finished the whole thing. Kylie was extremely sweet and attentive, even engaging with our 3 year old. The staff here seem happy to be part of the restaurant. With their menus being seasonal, we would definitely want to go back and dine again. Edit: November 17th The 2nd visit this time and we were very excited to try their new menu. Drinks: Bramble On (no egg whites) and Tom Ford. Both were exactly what we were looking for and tasted great. Food: Beet Cappelletti which was very nice, and definitely enough for one person. We then went for the Pappardelle Ripiene. This was just amazing, and the highlight of the meal. No matter what you order, definitely get the Pappardelle. It was perfect. We then ended with the Tiramisu, which was fine. The espresso soaked cake inside was subtle yet evident. We are looking forward to dining here yet again in the near future.
Super impressed with the food, being Italian I was skeptical about the food being vegan but it has to be the best thing I ve ever eaten!! Hands down a must try!!! Food
Came here with a group of 35 last night (company dinner, we bought out the first seating). I could not have been more impressed with the food or service. Truly delicious meal (from the focaccia at the beginning to the olive oil cake at the end) and the service was impeccable. Our server was jovial, accommodating, speedy, and kept us laughing all night. Thanks for having us Gia, I ll definitely be back.
Amazing place, food is delicious, cocktails are tasty and fun
Delicious meal. The starters of baby gem salad, burrata and meatballs along with the risotto, pappardelle and spaghetti bolognese were the highlights for our table of five. They had something for everyone!
As someone with many vegetarian friends, Im always on the lookout for good vegetarian-friendly or veggie-forward places. Gia came up a lot in my search so we decided to give this place a try. What will first strike you is how good this place looks. Its got a modern, classy vibes yet doesnt feel too suffocatingly upscale. We were also seated promptly and service was good throughout the night. I got the mushroom bistecca (made to mimic a steak) while my friend got the gnoochi. We also shared the meatball appetizer. While his gnocchi was good, I thought my bistecca was just alright. It was on the bland side and I wish there was more to it than just mushrooms, potatos and broccolini drenched in demiglace sauce. It got a bit exhausting to eat towards the end. While this place is definitely leagues better than the likes of Planta, I was not wowed during my visit. If I come back again, Id get a pasta dish instead.
Don t come here unless you want mediocre food and service. Shishito peppers were undercooked (bc it is only torched), the beet cappelletti dish tasted over powered by the garnish (the dill I believe) My partner and I liked NOTHING about this experience. Our server (who barely spoke to us btw) suggested the chocolate cake even though I was already hesitant but decided to trust him. Cake was trash, tasted artificial and grainy. Our tall Caucasian server barely spoke to us, never checked on us, was pretty short and casual the entire 30 mins we were there before we decided to leave. After paying, he walked off after only asking did you want a copy? Not really sure how this place got a Michelin guide but after trying this place twice, i definitely won t be coming back nor recommending Gia to anyone.
Wonderful, romantic restaurant with great service. Great vegetarian options with lots of small plates. Service was VERY fast and friendly, and though the restaurant was small it felt nice and intimate with wonderful lighting and decor. Would dine again! Vegetarian options: Delicious vegetarian options - elevated cuisine with lots of variety. Everything was very fresh and local. Parking: Parking on a Friday night was busy but not impossible. Street parking is ample, and theres a Green Dot lot behind the restaurant, less than a 2 minute walk. We were from out of town and found a place to park within a few minutes of arriving in the area.
Great vibes, great service and most importantly DELICIOUS food! The plant based Brie with focaccia and crostini was an amazing way to kick off the meal, I tried the mushroom truffle pasta and it s hands down the best pasta I ve had in Toronto. The beet pasta was great too and the drinks were yum!
Food, drinks, and atmosphere is always top notch when I visit! The Meatballs and Sweet Potato pasta are always my go too. If you like to treat yourself, the Olive Oil cake is a must. UPDATE: A girlfriend and I have made Gia our monthly dinner night out spot. We love to just sit at the bar and order a bunch of food to share, the bartenders are always so informative with the new menu features and gave us fantastic recommendations! We ordered the I should live in salt cocktails, if you havent tried before, its a tomato juice martini, and the best one I have ever tried :) Up next we always order the meatballs and baby gem salad to start. A MUST! For mains we ordered the 1. Pappardelle Ripiene, the Vegan Cheese inside the perfectly cooked pasta was seriously to die for. The sauce was perfect, and had really nice flavour. The mint was a nice touch. 2. The Il Risotto. Let me explain, you need to RUN, not walk to Gia for the best Risotto that has ever wrestled my taste buds. Call Chef Ramsey pronto. This needs to have an award, seriously!! The warm squash, the crunch of the pumpkin seeds, the perfectly cooked rice, the sauce.... I am drooling thinking about it. For dessert we have the perfectly crafted Tiramisu. Unfortunately, it wasnt fully vegan. It did consist of dairy, but we said lets have it anyways! It was worth it :) Thank you Gia for an unforgettable experience. Until next girls night!
cocktails were good but the service was not impressive
Amazing food, super friendly service and nice atmosphere. My friend who wasnt vegan couldnt tell that is was all vegan and vegetarian food. We both loved it. The baby gem salad was the star of the meal.
I wouldn t exactly call this a food review, given I couldnt get to that. My friends & I were quite excited to try GIA and made a reservation. I showed up a few minutes late, and my friends were also running behind. I hastily walked in and asked about the reservation. Couldnt even get the whole sentence out when the manager rushed over and directed me to a food package. She had assumed me for a food delivery agent. I had to explain that I was there for a dine-in. She apologized and showed me to our table, but the whole exchange just didnt sit right with me. I ended up canceling the reservation and walking out. The manager did call later to apologize, but that kind of experience really left a sour taste!
Service: server was knowledgeable and had great recommendations. Only complaint: we stopped receiving service once our food was served, and it took awhile to get our bill/pay. Food was phenomenal and had so much flavour. It s rare to have a menu filled with great vegetarian options. We ordered: Starter: TOMATO ARANCINI Main 1: WHITE TRUFFLE AGNOLOTTI Main 2: RAVIOLI Dessert 1: STRAWBERRY LEMON BASIL SORBET Dessert 2: TIRAMISU All our dishes were a good size - not too big, not too small, except the ravioli dish which we found to be a bit small. Drinks were insanely priced - $17 min for a glass of wine is much more than I d typically pay.
Honestly, we had high expectations as the restaurant had received Michelin stars. But the service was extremely slow, we could see our order was prepared and ready to be served but idk why it wasn t served. We got our food 45mins after we ordered and never got our starters. The food was cold and the crispy chickpeas were actually raw. Even at the end they gave us the wrong bill and the server was like oh yeah you re right this is not your bill, no remorse :/ I would not recommend this restaurant to my friends.
Dont waste your precious time or money at this very disappointing restaurant. The service is appalling - ridiculous attitude. The food is bland, over priced and of poor quality...a big pass. We were very excited to eat here - theres no way this is a Michelin star restaurant - Metro has better vegetarian options than this place.
Everything I tried was incredible, I need to go back so I can try more of their dishes. Vegetarian options: All dishes are vegan/vegetarian, some of the dishes can be made either way
We had a wonderful meal here! The service was fantastic. I had heard wonderful things about Gia and it did not disappoint.
It s a very special place. Highly recommend to try their food.
We had the pleasure of dining at Gia on a Thursday night for their group dining experience to celebrate a friends engagement, and it was absolutely fantastic. From the moment we arrived, the service was impeccable. The staff was attentive, friendly, and went out of their way to ensure everything was perfect. The restaurant is on the smaller side, so I highly recommend making a reservation, especially since its required for their group dining experience. The cocktails and mocktails were enjoyed by everyone in our party. Every dish was delicious, beautifully presented and the portion sizes were generous. We left feeling more than satisfied, with plenty of leftovers to take home. Among our group of 11, only one person was vegetarian, but the meal was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone, regardless of dietary preferences. There was a slight mix-up with the 18% gratuity for group dining, but when we brought it to the staff s attention, they went above and beyond to make things right. Gia is a place I ll definitely be returning to, and I d recommend it to both plant-based eaters and non-vegetarians alike. A truly memorable experience!
We visited Gia in February, and Im a bit late to this review, but I honestly have not stopped thinking about this place! Wow is an understatement to the feeling my partner and I walked away with. The servers and bartenders both were so incredibly hospitable, and had great recommendations and answers to our questions. Also accommodating of peanut allergy and made us feel so comfortable with the menu. They were also so accommodating for staggering our appetizers and mains to our personal preference, very attentive but we never felt rushed. For drinks, we had the Picante Panini (so good), unfortunately I dont remember the name for the lime drink (maybe the Smoke Show according to their instagram). The drinks were so good we had to order another! (Bramble On, with the egg whites on top, so yummy!!) For appetizer, we had the meatballs which were just so crispy and delicious, and the plant-based brie that absolutely stole the show for us! We would come back just to have the brie over and over again. I got the Gnocchi Genovese as my main, which was so divine and fresh, I even took some home and it was amazing next day as well, honestly a perfect dish. My partner got the risotto, which I believe may have been a seasonal dish called Risotto Milanese, and it was incredible as well, very filling. We ordered the coconut vanilla affogato for our dessert, but since we were celebrating an anniversary dinner as mentioned on our reservation, the staff so kindly brought out the tiramisu with a cute little candle! That truly made the end of our dinner/night. As a vegetarian, it is so hard to come by a fine dining experience where the quality and quantity of the food all come together for your hard earned money. The open kitchen lets you see the chefs make your meal in real time, and you can taste it is cooked with love. It makes incredible sense why they are recommended by the Michelin guide, I cannot wait to visit them again! Vegetarian options: One of my favourite veg restos now, with such a variety of foods. Parking: There is paid parking on the street across the restaurant.
My wife and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary at GIA and it truly was an unforgettable experience. Thank you to the team for making it special and especially big thanks to the GM for making our night one to remember.
Went here for dinner with a group of friends. We reserved online and the staff was super accommodating since we had an addition to our group. We were intrigued by what plan forward means. We figured it means the restaurant is predominantly vegetarian, with the occasional animal product being used, such as milk/butter or eggs. We started by ordering the burrata, focaccia and the meatballs . All 3 were super tasty and our group was quick to get through them. The meatless meatballs were my favourite. The focaccia was freshly baked, and super soft. I wasn t a big fan of the spread that came with it though. For the mains, we all ordered our own individual dishes. I got the risotto, since a lot of Italian places tend to stick with pizza and pasta, and risotto isn t that common to see on the menu. It was cooked well, and the crispy sage added a nice texture change when biting into it. Similar for the pumpkin seeds. The squash does make the dish a bit sweet, but not in a bad way. To finish, we ordered the tiramisu, which was heavenly. It was so good that we debated ordering another one! Would definitely be coming back here. Recommend 10/10. Vegetarian options: This is a predominantly vegetarian place. Lots of options, with many things also being vegan. Parking: There is street parking along the road near the restaurant.
Had the most amazing meal here! The atmosphere, food, staff & service were all impeccable 5 star. This is an amazing restaurant for every palate not just vegetarian. We will be back again!!
Brunch was incredible.
This is the best Italian resto in Canada. Its delicious and elegant with incredibly lovely staff. The owner is so amazing as well that she even delivered an order to me herself when her online delivery service was down. Perfection in all categories. They also have some of the best cocktails! 10/10 My entire family went here during the holidays as well. We had a pre fix menu and everyone including the few non vegans in our large party absolutely loved every dish!
This place is one of the best we have experienced, offering an amazing taste of vegetarian/vegan-friendly Italian cuisine! We enjoyed the starters, the main course, and the dessert!
Great service, fantastic food. Had the Spaghetti, beans and Raviloi. YUM!!
We really enjoyed our experience both food and service wise but both of us were left a tad hungry. We shared 2 apps and had a main each. Food was delicious but for the cost, there needed to be more substance. My stuffed pasta could have been stuffed more.
Amazing selection of creative plant-based dishes. Outstanding service, and a relaxed yet refined atmosphere. I would not be surprised if this place got a Michelin star next year.
Excellent food! The Cashew Bri and Lions Maine mushroom with potatoes was so delicious! Well done
The risotto was a little bland
The food was fantastic..Nice to have a vegetarian italian restaurant. I loved everything. The staff were wonderful and very attentive Vanessa was the bar tender and took time to serve us. Marly was the waitress who also made sure that we had everything we needed A great place to go.
Came here around 5:15pm and we were told that we could stay until 7. We ordered the risotto and porcini agnolotti which were both scrumptious. It bothered us that the service felt curt and quite rude. As soon as we declined dessert, we were rushed to leave. The waiter brought our bill even though we weren t ready, and then brought the machine to prompt us to pay even though we had wanted to stay a bit longer and wouldn t have stayed past 7 as they mentioned when we walked in. All this happened around 6pm and we were out of the restaurant by 6:20pm. Not a fan of being rushed out, although I do understand that they probably wanted to get through as many customers as possible. Nevertheless, both of us felt like they wanted us to leave as quickly as possible and it made us feel uncomfortable. The atmosphere itself was lovely and the food tasted absolutely divine. The portions were a little small for me and I left a little hungry, so I highly recommend ordering an appetizer to go along with the pasta. The ambiance was a bit too loud for my preference once it started filling up around 6pm. I would come back for the food but I hope I get better service here in the future.
Amazing Vegan/Vegetarian restaurant, would recommend every dish we tried was good and our server was very friendly
TLDR; There are better vegan spots in the city. I had been meaning to try Gia for a very long time because of their vegan and vegetarian offerings. However, I was really disappointed with my experience. We went for dinner and ordered the Arancini, Lumache Bolognese, and Farro Verde. The Arancini was okay, nothing great. I liked the Lumache Bolognese and the Farro Verde lacked flavour. Average service, but my to-go order got forgotten. Had to run back for it. Had been meaning to try their tiramisu so I might go back, but I think there s better vegan spots in the city for the price and the experience.
First time visiting. Small and quaint. Staff is very friendly. Tried numerous items, all were delicious. From the Burrata, Arancini, White Truffle Agnolotti to the Semolina Cake to finish. Looking forward to my next visit. Vegetarian options: Plenty of options available. Plant based restaurant.
If you re in the mood for something incredibly tasty minus a load of bad stuff, this vegetarian, vegan friendly and GF safe restaurant is an absolute gem! Incredible presentations with Michelin level care and deliciousness ! Vegetarian options: So many! Dietary restrictions: Vegetarian, Vegan, GF
Comically small burrata as an appetizer for $24. Truffle pasta was good, but very pricy especially for not having any meat. Service during the meal was good, but took ages to get the bill.
My idea of the best day ever is a visit to Gia or Stefano s. Easily the best dinner I ve had with an elevated service experience that really makes you feel like you re in New York City. The sandwiches at lunch are easily my favourite sandwiches ever, nobody comes close. The owner is so sweet she chatted with us and told us her story. Thank you for your hospitality. See you soon. By the way, just bring your carnivore friends here and don t say a thing, they like have no clue it s plant based, it s that good.
The brunch was amazing! We had the bolognese, Brie and vegan eggs in purgatory and everything was an incredible taste sensation! It s such a cute place and the servers were so friendly and helpful!
Oh my goodness. You MUST try this place if youre in Toronto! Ive tried many plant-based restaurants from LA to New York and this one takes the cake. We ordered drinks, appetizers, entrees and desert and it was so filling and elevated - especially for plant-based foods. The owner is are so kind a polite, you can really tell she put her heart and soul into this place! Anyways, Best plant-based restaurant in Toronto hands down!
In terms of taste, the food here is delicious, even more so when considering that its a plant based restaurant. The highlight of the dinner was the meatballs - a work of wonder and practically indistinguishable from real meat (the texture was a bit off but what really matters here is the taste). Of course, being fully plant based comes with its markups, and my one qualm is that the portion sizes didnt feel enough, and I think maybe the mains could have been 25% bigger to really fill the stomach
Sleek plant-based Italian restaurant with fantastic pasta dishes. Good for couples and small groups. Burrata - paired perfectly with the savoury focaccia. The peach slices made it a wonderful summer starter. We wanted to sop up all the remaining oil, the dish was so good! Charred corn arancini - great crunch, complex flavour. Tasted good but wasn t my favourite. Casarecce al basilico - a fresh pasta dish for the summer. Green curly noodles, snow peas, green peas, creamy sauce, topped with crunchy pistachios. Really well-balanced and simply delicious. White truffle agnolotti - the truffle flavour packs a punch. The sauce is excellent and the noodles are cooked perfectly. Truffle lovers can t go wrong with this one.
Such a fantastic meal! The pasta was outstanding, highly recommend the mushroom gnocchi! Lovely atmosphere, and the service was excellent. Post-Covid it s been difficult to find new restaurants that match atmosphere/quality/ and value for money and this one hits!
Perfectly Perfect. I have been to this place for brunch on a Sunday, so basically, I m an Indian the satisfaction I need for Italian food is a bit difficult but tbh the BUCATINI All UBRIACHI oh my god!!! It blew my mind I just loved it along with the meatballs it is fantastic. It is tangy juicy perfectly cooked just wanna rush next weekend and cant wait to make my friends try it out. Recommended
My bachelorette dinner was hosted here. Being a vegetarian, I always cherish places that are 100% vegetarian, so i am not choosing out of 2 options. The food was excellent, except my friends complained of too much salt in their gnocchi, but it was replaced. The appetizers were great, so was my risotto. Drinks - mocktails - were also amazing. Definitely worth a visit if you like Italian food and are vegetarian or vegan. Vegetarian options: Many
Amazing food Wow
Italian cuisine and vegetarian cuisine is simply a perfect match. The restaurant is classy but not fancy. The menu is short and simple but curated. (I do wish they had more gluten free options). Very interesting wine menu! I had the plant based brie and the mushroom steak. Delicious even if the vegan steak was a bit too meaty for my taste. Overall it was a great dinner. Very curious to see what else they add/change to their menu.
there s has been a STEEP decline in the quality of food with all the chef changes. very disappointing.
Good food and better service (particularly the management). Very kind people and very accommodating.
Great place for an intimate dinner or a celebration with friends. Highly recommend. Pillowy pasta with white truffles and a special drink with lavender fizz -perfect (I-had two)!! I only wish I stopped and took a pic -tooo good!! Vegetarian options: My husband is a steak lover, his daughter is vegan how do you make both happy make a reservation here and have dad order the steak he ll love it (ours did) !!
Amazing, amazing, amazing. Everything on the menu is delicious, but brie cheese used to be one of my favorite foods before I went vegan, and Gia has perfected a plant based version! Highly recommend.
just melt in your
So not gonna lie I was really disappointed with the food quality. I heard this place was a must try for good plant based food. Sadly not blown away with any of the food here. Maybe we ordered the wrong dishes. Eggplant Milanese is very dry, clearly over fried and has little to no eggplant! I had to ask for red sauce to actually make the dish edible. Farro verde was okay, but again missing a depth of flavor. The focaccia wasn t crusty enough - too soft. Service was good however and the restaurant has a great atmosphere. Overall wouldn t recommend - there are way better plant based options in the city.
What an amazing restaurant, catering hugely for vegetarians and vegans. The starter of burrata and arancini was perfectly cooked with spice levels to our preference (we prefer it spicier). The pastas were cooked to a perfect bite with plenty served as a portion. A great Italian and I couldn t fault the service and atmosphere.
I cannot stop dreaming about this place. Not only is their pasta amazing, but I cannot stop dreaming about their affogato.
What a place! Love it! Best vegan meatball sandwich ever!
I stopped by for lunch intrigued by the plant-based menu. The owners were incredibly friendly and kind. I had the delicious meatball sub. Highly recommended!
Great food, chic yet casual atmosphere, didnt cost an arm and a leg.
The froccacia was light, fluffy, salty. It was great. The leek risotto. The leeks were well seasoned and tasty, the risotto was fine but I would personally never order it again. The elder flower cocktail was nice and reshreshing, not too sweet. It was a good balance of flavor. The problem - one of the leafs in the risotto had a dead worm like bug on it. I had brought it to the attention of the waitress, she then grabbed a napkin and I put the leaf with the bug on it in the napkin. She did not apologize, no body apologized. They didnt offer any sort of discount for the experience, it was completely ignored. I understand that fresh produce has the risk of bugs but to not even get an apology is unheard of. I would not go back based on how the problem was handled.
Excellent meal. Collette was superb.
Hands down, a new favourite restaurant on my list. This place had friendly service (all the staff members were kind and welcoming), beautiful decor, and the food was delicious. I got one of their mocktails and was seriously impressed with how good it was. The same goes for the food- the pasta was . You can t go wrong with picking this place to eat at. Vegetarian options: Plenty of vegetarian options - catered almost entirely to vegetarians/vegans. Although, options were available to everyone (some meat dishes, too).
Went for brunch on a Saturday. Really busy, but front of house was really friendly and seated us quickly with a reservation. Server was really cool and had some good recommendations. The meatballs were perfect, and the kale and egg sandwich was prepared perfectly, with just enough crunch left in the kale. This place is serving up plant-based goodness and Ill definitely be back for seconds. Vegetarian options: Vegetarian restaurant
Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Went here for my birthday with my family, all food was fresh, delicious and beautifully plated! All our eyes might have been bigger then our stomachs but it was definitely worth it; the wine list is extensive and interesting, and there is a large variety of non-alcohol drinks to choose from! (The mocktails were beautifully crafted and you did not feel as if you were missing out). I would strongly recommend the Gettin Figgy with it . Decor was warm in earthy/foresty tones with light wood all around and the lighting was perfectly suited to the decor. Vegetarian options: All the menu is vegetarian or vegan. Dietary restrictions: The menu is clearly marked for allergens such as gluten, dairy, eggs and nuts (and maybe soy?); as well as being marked vegetarian or plant-based
This place is Aaaaamazing. The food was so delicious and large portions. The service was impeccable. If your vegan or not I highly recommend !
Hey honestly sharing my experience it s nothing but all show they have this weird looking elderly age woman who is manager or owner didn t even bother asking. waitress were ok food uh, Not really worth it, mummies that you see eating in there it s as if I was in brothal dress to invite you I wasnt interested hate it when people are staring at me while I m eating my food my money my time skipped the dessert won t ever visit again Gia sucks also noticed this manager or owner lady treated poor delivery guy was waiting on his pick up and she seem to Not care or help him I felt disgusted utterly pathetic
Amazing food and great atmosphere and decor, I had a great time at Gia. The focaccia might have been my favorite, super fluffy and crispy at the top, served warm. The lions mane mushroom stake was also delicious. Will be coming back!
Small portions and good food, okay service. Can t express how abysmal the portions are.
Best part is that they are plant based too. Service was exceptionally good but the taste of food didn t stand out. I have tried and been to a lot of authentic Italian places, but this one (till date) was just average for me. In future might give it another chance. Portion size was average too. Rigatoni pasta, focaccia bread seemed proper authentic.
Really enjoyed the food and cocktails! Would definitely return again. My only suggestion is more comfortable bar stools (with backs) at the bar since they seat guests there for the entire meal and it can get uncomfortable after a while. You ll definitely want to make a reservation because it s a small restaurant.
Had the lions mane steak and it was fantastic. Plant based brie was on point as well.
Their pickle brine martini is to die for, super crispy and boozy in just the right way. I m not usually a martini fan, but had to order two! Their seasonal squash ravioli was also A+, had no idea this was a plant based restaurant, but nothing disappointed a meat-fan like me.
We decided its gonna be an Italian Easter dinner tonight and came across Gia on Google maps with glowing reviews, so we throught to give it a shot. However, we only realized thats its a vegan/vegetarian restaurant after we sat down. A little skeptical, but was reassured by the Michelin recommendation we saw on their wall. I am glad to say I enjoyed every dish. They were all flavorful and beautifully presented. The service was wonderful and atmosphere was casual sophistication which I liked. I think this was a beautiful mistake that we made, because as a meat eater, I rather enjoyed todays meal! Vegetarian options: Two dishes they use eggs Dietary restrictions: Two dishes has eggs in them
Our group of 5 had an absolutely stunning experience at Gia. We tried several apps, mains and desserts and loved every dish. The truffle agnolotti and lions mane bistecca were the standout dishes. The cocktails were delicious and we received a great wine recommendation too. The service was fast (but not rushed) and our server provided wonderful recommendations throughout our meal. Will definitely return!
Went for a birthday. Intimate space, excellent food, great non-alcoholic drinks. Will definitely go back. Dietary restrictions: Several gluten free + vegan options to choose from
I recently went to Gia for my birthday lunch, and it exceeded my expectations. It was the perfect intimate vibe for a special occasion. We tried several apps and they were all amazing. The arancini and fresh focaccia are a must order. When ordering a main dish, I recommend the Rigatoni Bolognese. My Fiancé is a meat lover, but he was beyond impressed with this plant based alternative. There are a variety of vegan and vegetarian options if thats important to you. This unique Italian plant-forward restaurant is worth the visit! Vegetarian options: So many plant based options including- baby gem salad, Rigatoni Bolognese, eggplant parm, arancini, meatball sandwich.
Amazing experience at Gia this evening. We had the pleasure of Colette serving us with additional help from Paula and it couldn t have been better. The food was fabulous- gonna be dreaming of that vegan brie for a while. And I highly recommend the olive oil cake for dessert! Michelin star well deserved. Dietary restrictions: Vegan and vegetarian options
Very cute spot to grab a meal with friends! But I found the food inconsistent. The pasta was overly salty, the eggplant sandwich was not seasoned at all, and the meatballs were perfectly seasoned. Their lattes and matcha are very delicious. Id definitely come back for that.
Used Uber eats for our first meal in Toronto. Bad mistake. All the food we ordered was incredibly salty!! No joke. What a disappointment given the good reviews. Also they didnt give me the extra portion of focaccia despite it being buy one get one free. I would not recommend getting this for delivery.
Got delivery from Gia last night and the food was INCREDIBLE. We got the cauliflower, arancini, and the rigatoni bolognese. Can t wait to come fine in person!
Vegetarian restaurant you would not expect! We came to this place not realizing this was a vegetarian restaurant and we loved it. FOOD: The food was really good throughout. We enjoyed the olives, the focaccia (salted perfectly), and the vegetarian meatballs. On top of that, we all had pastas, a red sauce bucatini and the stuffed mushroom pasta. All was done well, though the stuffing was a bit dry with the sauce on the latter pasta. SERVICE: The service wasabi good, attentive and friendly explained the dishes well for us, non-vegetarians. ATMO: The place is small, but I think they have an opportunity to expand it more give the demand. Overall, definitely recommend!
I just had the best vegan smash burger EVER! Amazing taste, texture and look! Coming back Food : 5/5
The food was amazing, considering everything on the menu is plant based. Staff was attentive. Ordered meatballs and lionsmane steak bistecca. Taste was complex and delicious, ingredients were thoughtfully selected and maximized to its max taste potential. The ambience was good filled with dimly lit incandescent bulbs, would be better if the place would be bigger and not as cramped
Cute little place to grab some brunch or regular menu. Our visit included the fig mimosa! Highly recommend. Had the bolognese pasta and eggplant parm sandwich. Both very good Service was great. Would go back. Cute walk up bar.
Gia is one of my go-to vegetarian/vegan restaurants though this was my first time going for their brunch and it was so yummy! I loved the menu options and the food was great! Vegetarian options: Mostly vegan and a few non-vegan/vegetarian options. Great restaurant!
Excellent food, pleasant service, and fantastic non-dairy Italian food makes for an easy 5 stars. Definitely want to come back for more!
Gia: Delicious food Bucatini all ubriachi, meatball, eggplant parmigiana and the olive oil cake. Exemplary service from Emma and the owner Stacey . I highly recommend Gia. I will certainly return. Well worth the drive from Mississauga. Everything we ordered was delicious even the espresso Americano and the loose leaf tea orange pekoe . Thank you Stacey and Emma See you soon. Vegetarian options: Lots of vegetarian options. All delicious Parking: Paid parking on the street .
I recently went to Gia for a birthday brunch, and it was nothing short of spectacular. From the moment we walked in, we were captivated by the ambiance, exceptional service, and, most importantly, the exquisite food. As a testament to its Michelin star, Gia Toronto offers a lavish menu with a focus on plant-based options, each dish more delightful than the last. A special shoutout to the thoughtful staff who, knowing it was a special occasion, surprised us with a delicious cake on the house. Its rare to find a place that truly exceeds expectations in every aspect. Gia Toronto has earned a special place in our hearts, and we cant wait to return. Highly recommended for anyone looking to celebrate a special occasion or simply in search of an outstanding dining experience.
Went there to celebrate our daughter bday. Was an absolutely right choice. First time there and definitely coming back. Three of us picked all different things, and all got shared. Brie is amazing, arancini is our sons fav, Maitake mushroom is a blast, Bucatini full of different flavours, and, oh, Zio Pablo cocktail! Next time trying the rest. Vegetarian options: There are some dishes we asked to replace with plant based (no cheese or eggs)
Great food. I have tried a few dishes there and I love the variety of flavours. I have been recommending it to friends since!
Bad male server. Arrogant and ignored our thank you every time. Wouldn t pack our dessert although it would have only took 2 paper cups, instead he just cancelled it. The appetizers we ordered were out of this world, so good and we wish we only got those. The pasta wasn t half as good, expensive, heavy and made us feel bad the entire way back home. Good rosé. The restaurant s vibe is that of a cafe, the seats and tables, the general structure of the place as well as the staff give off cheap vibes while the food is expensive. And yeah I wouldn t come again except for the appetizers.
Attentive staff and great food! Amazing vegetarian place with a great ambiance for a girls night or date night, though I wouldnt mind coming alone either.
Had a lovely experience at Gia; The service is friendly and efficient (but we never felt rushed), the space is trendy yet cozy and the food (every dish we ordered) was absolutely delicious. Cocktails were also good and their wine list well curated. Our group particularly liked that there were ample options for both vegetarians and vegans alike. Would gladly return to try their brunch. Vegetarian options: Loved that many of their vegetarian options can be made vegan and that there are many vegan options, all of which are researched and delicious.
My partner and I frequently travel to Toronto for their incredible vegan food scene, a few months ago we went to GIA for brunch and the food was incredible but we were so excited to come back and try their dinner menu. The atmosphere and vibe of the restaurant is amazing, great music, beautiful lighting with gorgeous & comfortable furnishings. Definitely a great date night spot. The service was wonderful, our server was very kind, attentive and super helpful. For appetizers we had the focaccia bread served with a delicious maple butter and the Brie which was phenomenal and I ve never seen or tried a plant based Brie! For entrees we had the rigatoni bolognese, risotto Milanese, and the lions mane bistecca which were all fantastic. The lions mane bistecca was by far my favorite dish. They have the BEST mock-tail I ve ever tried, gettin figgy with it! I would absolutely recommend giving GIA a try, I cannot wait to come back! Dietary restrictions: Lots of vegan options
This was our second visit to GIA for the year, we travel from upstate NY to Toronto to get there so that alone should give an indication of the superb experience you will have. The first thing that caught my attention was the cozy and perfectly lit dining room, it feels like youve walked into the private, cooler section of the hottest restaurant in town. There are no uniforms in sight here. The wait staff confidently walk the floor wearing their own choice of fashionable yet sophisticated attire, giving the dining experience less of a Ruby Tuesday, fast casual feel and more of a, Ive been invited to a very classy dinner party vibe. The menu has some classic Italian dishes alongside some fresh takes on lesser known ones, the menu did change from the last time we were here which Im glad to see, its nice to know theyre coming up with new ideas to keep things interesting. We started our meal with the focaccia, baked brie and arancini. The baked brie was out of this world, if this is house made which I think it is then hats off to them because this felt like a product that was refined over years of practice. I also have to mention the pickeled fennel, I did not know I needed that flavor in my life until then. We loved the focaccia and lemon maple butter, not over done with the rosemary. For the mains we had the lions mane steak, risotto and rigatoni bolognese. Ive been craving a good steak replacement since the day I switched diets and nothing has hit the spot until we tried GIAs. The texture was perfect, the sear on the steak was beautifully done. It really brought it to the next level as far as steak flavor goes and the demi glace tied it all together, amazing... The rice in the risotto was cooked to al dente, the crispy artichokes gave the right texture balance and as a whole has great flavor. The bolognese was a nice surprise, I wasnt expecting too much as this is a simple dish at heart but the depth of flavor was very nice, a good umami punch. The buckwheat pasta blend was very toothsome and provided additional flavor compared to most pastas that blend in the background. You can tell from the moment you walk in to the last bite that they really take care and attention to insure you are going to have a good meal and a fun time. Out of the growing list of vegan Italian restaurants weve tried from Italy to California GIA is at the top of my list. Thank you to the staff for a great evening!
Food was good, reasonably priced. Wines were overpriced. Meatballs were great, didn t like the radicchio (drenched in too much oil in my opinion)
I have never thought that vegan pasta could be so so so soooo delicious
Very welcoming, coming back here for the second time, this vegan/vegetarian restaurant is my new favorite in the city. There are a variety of dishes, and each is made uniquely. Best is to share different plates, and yes, it could be pricey, but theyre worth it. The meatballs are one of the top choices under appetizers. A touch spicy. PORCINI AGNOLOTTI was quite tasty. Reservation in advance is highly recommended.
The ambiance and service were really great, but the food was a bit disappointing. There was too much oil in the dishes, especially the Burrata and Arancini balls. Despite sitting far from the kitchen, a very strong smell of fried oil was noticeable. Overall, the experience was not up to the mark!
Lovely place. Went for brunch. Plant based / vegan menu! Enjoyed the macchiato as well. Vegetarian options: Vegan menus clearly marked Dietary restrictions: Vegan / plant based
Been wanting to try Gia for a while now and decided to try their brunch menu. I had the blueberry mascarpone pancakes and my friend had the breakfast sandwich with fingerling potatoes. Everything was absolutely delicious and love the design of the restaurant too!
We enjoyed our meal here. What kept this experience from being 5 stars was a very heavy and rich feel throughout and the dining room being a bit too cramped. The service was great, though there was too far of a gap between our appetizers coming out right away (even too fast), and our mains which took some time in between to arrive. This disrupted the flow. We can appreciate the necessity to fit as many tables in a small space, but it took away from our experience essentially sitting with our neighbours in proximity. The food was certainly tasty (their house-made bread was phenomenal), but a few dishes we tried were far too heavy/rich. It was very busy, on a Tuesday no less so they are doing many things right - with some room for improvement.
I absolutely love gia! The food was so amazing and the atmosphere is cozy and casual but still very nice.
One of the best dining experiences Ive had in Toronto. I cant recommend this spot enough!
Beautiful aesthetic, great service and the food was good but pricey. Not sure if the price is warranted but the food was tasty. We went for the lunch menu. Good mix of vegan and vegetarian options.
An Italian place thats vegan/vegetarian?! You dont see that too often! So we reserved a table for 2 for Sunday brunch to check it out, as it promised something you wont get every day. And the place delivered! We had the potatoes with bagna cauda (a sauce usually made with anchovies, but their vegan version contains seaweed instead) as a starter, which was quite interesting, and shared the vegan chicken sandwich and the vegan scrambled egg with mushrooms and truffles on toast. Everything was delicious, you could taste that the ingredients were top quality, the bread in particular was of a level that you rarely get outside of Europe (the ciabatta was amazing!!!). The atmosphere was very relaxed, three friendly waitresses took turns serving us, and even though the price to amount of food ratio was the slightest bit off in our eyes, the quality of the food more than made up for that! If you want something nice, you gotta be prepared to pay a little extra. Memorable brunch experience and easily in my top 5 of 2023/early 2024 restaurant visits! Well be back to check out the dinner menu!
Four of us shared 4 different plates of appetizers and each one was delicious, well-presented and perfectly sized. Then came the disappointment - 4 different bowls of beige. Blah looking pasta with not a speck of color or garnish on the plate, and taste to match. Same with the gnocchi dish and pomodoro. On top of that disappointment, my dish of tonnarelli was lukewarm. Had we not been in a rush to get to a show, I would have spoken in more depth to the server. This was food that would have been meh at a chain road house. Major disappointment - especially considering I had taken 3 people wanting to show them how awesome vegan food could be. I failed .Gia failed.
Good atmosphere, great entrees and super tasty vegan food. However, lacklustre service. Server didn t introduce herself to us and was very monotone. When you opt for still water over tap, be aware that they charge per bottle. Which costs eight dollars for a 750ml bottle. For reference a bottle of Perrier/San Pellegrino costs less than six dollars in similar and/or higher end establishments. Since the food was yum I d rather order take out or delivery next time.
Great food, beautiful place. Will be back
Came here for dinner and had a pretty good time. Had a reservation which I think is a must for a Friday night based on how packed it was (server could barely put the food down for the booth side since the tables were so close). Volume wise it got a bit loud since there was a group next to us that was pretty excited but could still have a conversation without full on screaming. We got their nonalcoholic drinks to start and were quite happy once we stirred them ourselves heavily. Ordered the arancini which were delicious but had whole peas that made them fall apart super easily and didn t really add anything flavour wise. The risotto was quite tasty but would have been better without the random squash on top and all the nuts/seeds. The gnocchi was also good, maybe slightly overcooked and there were only 16 of them? Loved the sauce though (very, very truffle-y). Overall I think it might be a bit overhyped, but always happy to see more veggie options available in the city. Vegetarian options: Everything is vegetarian based! Dietary restrictions: Vegan options
Food and service were amazing and loved the vibe. Will be returning... Vegetarian options: Vegan brie and figs were detectable. Food : 5/5 |
Not sure how they are Michelin rated there simply is not enough effort/ingredients that goes into a single dish. Each item has 3-5 ingredients listed. I ordered two pastas: TONNARELLI TARTUFO and TAGLIATELLE BOLOGNESE. I asked for mine to be extra saucy as pictures of the dish looked quite dry. The extra sauce just looked like thick cashew paste piled on top of the pasta. Not very Michelin like at all with presentation. The other pasta had zero flavour was literally knock off meat and noodles in red sauce topped with basil. No vegetables.. not even onion? The olive oil cake (which the icing was super tasty) was doused on top with salt flakes which made the cake unbearable to eat. We had two bites and were still charged for it even though our waitress agreed there was way too much salt on top and it wasn t supposed to be like that. The cake was also very crumbly..not moist nor reminiscent of a pound cake at all. Everything is pretty basic and overpriced in my opinion. Can be made at home - if you know how to cook. I m still waiting for a fully plant-based restaurant with outstanding flavour. If you re going to be plant forward please add more plants. I m glad I gave Gia a try but will not be back. OH! AND THERE IS NO JUICE like nothing. My boyfriend opted for sprite.. they didn t have that either so we got gingerale instead. Pros: Arancini balls were great.. sauce is quite tangy but still good in my opinion. Presentation of the mocktail gettin figgy wit it was beautiful wish they muddled the fig into the cocktail not just used for garnish.
Brunch was fantastic
Absolutely loved this spot! Quality food, beautiful atmosphere and absolutely wonderful service - there s no wonder it is on the Michelin guide. A social shoutout to the lovely lady behind the bar - she made our experience exceptional.
Went to Gia for the first time recently for my birthday. The food was good but what really stood out was the tiramisu. It was the best tiramisu I ve ever had.
Loved the atmosphere. Food was great but not amazing.
Amazing vegetarian restaurant
Small restaurant but big yummy! A couple nights back- the family came here to celebrate my sister s new job and her birthday! We ordered a couple things but their meatballs and carrot dish featured stood out as being the best! Ps. This restaurant isn t really lit but it s enough to get by!
We had no reservations and they accommodated us. The entire staff and owner were friendly and catered to our needs. Portions are on the smaller side so its best to have appetizers and dessert. We arent dessert people. Food
Brought my two young kids and all of us enjoyed every bite. Cocktails were great and they have an affordable wine list. Food was delicious. Highly recommend a visit.
Delicious vegetarian and vegan food. Gia is more upscale and a great place for a date or a celebration. Good selection of drinks, friendly staff. The food was really amazing - high quality, fresh, delicious, decadent yet healthy and bursting with flavours. As a long time vegetarian I am very pleased that there is a nice restaurant in Toronto that celebrates vegetarian/vegan lifestyle and is making food that all foodies will love. Very highly recommended.
Great food, the look and taste, obvious that they care about their level. Update: Went there for the second time, again great experience, tried tiramisu and it was fantastic!!! A bit too sweet but it was so delicious! Food
Some of the best veggie/vegan food you can get in Toronto! Very friendly staff, a relaxed atmosphere and high quality ingredients and cooking. The only dish I think wasnt perfect was the focaccia which was a bit too oily but no biggie. The tagiatelle bolognese was everything and gnocci alla panna was rich but not too truffle-y. Definitely coming back.
Delicious brunch with a great menu for plant forward options - highly recommend
Truly an incredible meal. The pasta s were some of the best I ve ever had and barely noticed it was a vegetarian restaurant. The gnocchi in particular is absurdly good.
Drinks were amazing. Highly recommend their cocktails. Arincini 5/5 Gnocchi 4/5 Food : 4/5 |
Very nice place for a girls night out. Food is veggie/vegan and I was very surprised how good it tasted! The decoration is lovely, chic and cosy Food : 5/5
Very friendly staff, great atmosphere Edit: this restaurant is slipping. The turnover rate here is extremely high, so it makes consistency virtually non existent. The owner, Stacey, comes across as cold and unwelcoming.
Food is inventive and some of it (corn ravioli) is exceptional. I will never return. Server was abrupt, rude and was telling us, within 15 minutes of sitting down, that our table would be needed for another sitting. Not recommended.
Had a pleasant evening at Gia, the restaurant had an enjoyable atmosphere with comfortable seating and tasty food. We ordered the carciofi, crostini, gnocchi pomodoro, and corn ravioli. Highlight was the crostini and gnocchi. We found the carciofi and corn ravioli good but a little salty for our taste. Portions are on the small side so be prepared to order a number of plates for larger groups. Service was great, the waitress offered solid suggestions (including the crostini and carciofi) and came back frequently. Washrooms were clean and unisex located downstairs.
A little salty but amazing food otherwise
Pretty good for vegetarian food!
We had arancini and peach crostini to start, which were delicious. The corn ravioli were very tasty, too. The truffle pasta was good as well, but we could barely taste the truffles (despite the visible shavings on top). So the $35 for that werent justified in our view. Also, the romanesco as a side was tasty, but the presentation could be a bit nicer. Service was great and friendly. Mocktails and Wine were great. Atmosphere was nice too. Can recommend if you want to treat yourself to some good Italian food!
I ve had Gia before and it was amazing, b it something about this time, it left a bad impression. I brought my partner out for our anniversary and initially it started off already off putting, to be honest it could ve been more welcoming and friendlier - and then the serivce took longer than expected, I understand it can get busy but it didn t feel like it was a rush or it was super busy. It took about 30 minutes after being sat to take our orders, and then maybe perhaps another 20 for our food to come, to be honest it felt like an hour had pass by at the point. Food wise, I had the risotto before and something about this time seems either over cooked or undercooked the rice felt more harder to chew rather than fluffy and soft. The Ravioli was also the same, felt harder and rubbery to eat, my only bone to pick is the Tomato and Peach Salad being $19 I know you can t do much with the price but I felt it can be more than what it came with, it felt like I was robbed from that much for that price. Overall the experience was mediocre, I love this place before but I don t know about this time, one of the servers ask if everything was alright, happy? I don t think that was needed but it definitely left me more personal, it may sound like I m too picky but I feel more upset about the entire service, the food is more likely to be a 6.5/10 and service was 2/10 :/ sorry maybe next time it ll be better
Despite not being vegetarian, I was thoroughly impressed by their flavorful Italian dishes. The ambiance added warmth to an already delightful dining experience. Highly recommended for a memorable meal!
This was not my first visit to Gia, and as a vegan diner, I continue to be disappointed. Apart from a decreasingly vegan-friendly menu, small portions, and increasing prices (which would be fine if it was better), I was extremely unhappy with this experience. The truffle pasta was EXTREMELY, almost unbearably salty (and I admittedly love salt), and the meatballs were very bland. The olives and the olive oil cake were the best things on the menu. Drinks were average, and the waitstaff was not as pleasant or attentive as I would have anticipated. For such a popular restaurant, I really want to enjoy Gia, but time and time again, it comes up short. As I continue to make my way through the menu, I am finding not much that warrants a return visit.
I had a really weird experience here. My server was a handsome guy with a moustashe. tl;dr I think he was really really tired and had already checked out, leaving literally everyone at the table feeling quite disrespected. He started by telling us there isnt really enough room on the table for individual plates, and that we should order this mega sharing plate (also mega expensive) to split. We ended up getting individual plates anyway, and they all fit like plates usually do. weird. Then I told him I was super duper hungry and hoping to get the biggest plate with the most calories possible. He suggested a mushroom dish so I went with it. When it arrived, it was BEAUTIFUL. It was really really nice presentation of like 6 or 7 mushrooms that were dried out to give them a flakiness. They looked SO GOOD as a small gust of wind almost took my meal into the air. It was literally like 15 calories. I think maybe it was supposed to be the garnish on one of the other meals at the table and an inexperienced helper gave them to me as my meal. Everyone else at the table had pasta or other such things and everyone laughed at this, which in truth WAS funny as hell. So I guess in a way the service was actually AWESOME because we got a really great laugh out of it. Life, eh? heh. Anyway, I place the chances of anyone else thinking this is funny when happening to them and paying fairly expensive prices at 1 out of 1,000.
There is a reason GIA has a Michelin rating...its simply excellent. Located on Dundas West along with a number of other restaurants, Gia has a minimal face and can easily be missed if you are not paying attention as you walk by. Inside the ambiance if chill/relaxed but still exuding a sense of style, or even panache. Lets just say it is in keep with the culinary experience to follow. I was not aware of this before visiting but Gia is meat-free (this is not an issue for me but I am just putting it out there), but this did not take anything away for our options. We indulged...starters included the Focaccia (very good), Tomato & Peach salad (excellent...super fresh peaches (they were in season) added to the experience), Soya Meatballs (good but not like real ones), and Broccolini (excellent). For mains we had the Corn Ravioli, Gnocchi Pomodoro and Miatake Mushroom dish (all of which were excellent). For dessert we sampled the Affogato (with coconut milk based ice cream (very good but you can sense the coconut along with the vanilla) and tiramisu (excellent...not a heavy alcohol aroma with extra chocolate flavor...just the way I like it). Service was excellent and highly attentive. We sat adjacent to the kitchen so we were able to feel the experience of being there. We were even comped with a focaccia dish because of a slight delay in serving the main course (even through the apps came out almost immediately after ordering). Highly recommended for either a date night or a social gathering with a group of friends. Enjoy!
Great taste, friendly staff, unique mains
Lovely vegetarian/vegetable forward Italian food. Warm service too!
Delicious vegetarian Italian cuisine. It is over priced like most Italian food is. They could amp up the menu a bit for something a little more interesting. Great service. Food : 4/5 |
Amazing Italian food! The meatballs are great and every pasta I ve tried is flavourful and well prepared. I return often :) happy their menu changes now and then so there is always something new to try!
Incredible plant-based menu with exceptional service to confidently match your taste buds with their menu! A must-try!! Cant wait to go back and try more. Vegetarian options: Plant-based menu Dietary restrictions: Accommodating kitchen
Love the plant-based menu here! My vegan friend absolutely adored the meatballs and I really enjoyed the bolognese. Well be back!
Excellent brunch experience! With your favourite meatballs on the brunch menu you can t go wrong!
I m vegan and ordered the green pea pasta and honestly, my tastebuds have never been the same. Every bite is packed with flavour and it s a high quality experience; I m always looking for an excuse to go here. I also love the olive oil cake.
The Food was absolutely delicious and the service was exceptional! The owner was a absolute gem I Ordered the fried meat balls, the Gnocchi, the squash ravioli, two mock-tails called Tom Ford and getting figg with it and shared the tiramisu! Definitely coming back to try other dishes!! Parking: I went on a Sunday find street parking right in front of the restaurant! I went in for 8pm Dining
Both the food and cocktails were fantastic! My friend and I went for the lunch menu, I had agnolotti and my friend had the gnocchi, and both were exceptional. My new local favourite!
cool and stylish atmosphere. the server was great and the food and drinks arrived quickly. and the best gnocchi and tiramisu
Had a great experience at Gia! The food and service was incredible. We decided to order without looking at the menu and our bartender/server Lauren ordered for us and it was an incredible experience.
Amazing food and service!
I had one of the worst meals Ive had in years at Gia. Im a longtime vegan and now vegetarian so I know what good plant-based food tastes like... and Gia isnt it. Everything was bland if not gross (except for the meatballs - thats all I can recommend from the menu and I tried almost all the items on the menu). The gnocchi was straight up disgusting. Ive never had gnocchi with such terrible texture and they were cold in the middle. The sauce was so bad it made me feel sick. The Polenta dish was just plain bizarre. Someone at the table likened it to what they imagine prison food tasting like. The service was also hot and cold. The space itself is aesthetically pleasing but the food completely missed the mark. I rarely leave negative reviews but my meal was just SO bad. Sorry, Gia! Vegetarian options: Entire menu is vegetarian with many vegan options
Had a really nice dinner here with two friends and my son. Main courses were good, but our best dishes were the appetizers, particularly the fried mushrooms and radish carpaccio. Ambience was hip, and service was relaxed but attentive.
Had come in here a couple of days ago, and I miss the taste of their food already. Pro tip, Book the place up cz this place is popular and worth the wait. Had gone in for dinner with a friend and boy did they turn it into a dining experience rather than just dinner. The waiters asking us our dietary preferences to customise what theyd like us to have. And their suggestions were just topnotch. We had the meatballs , they surely are the bestsellers here for a reason!!!! Pair it up with the focaccia and thank me later . The Arancini and Crostini were amazing as well. As for the mains the Gnocchi Pomodoro was fantastic paired with a lil red wine and Romanesco. By the time we reached the dessers we were so full but still made some way for the Chefs recommendation Tiramisu which is something Ill keep coming back for!!!! ( Thank You Siddharth) for helping me find my Tiramisu spot in Toronto.
I couldnt even know if the food was good I was rushed to finish my dinner because there was a reservation after mine Quick quick quick!
Every dish was amazing, delicious and beautifully presented. We will definitely go back again.
I am not even vegan but everything we ordered were excellent. Will return to try other items on the menu. Food: Polenta (Excellent but the root vegetables were not seasoned and a bit dry 4/5). Vegan Bolognese ( 5/5). Vegan Arancini ( 5/5). Service: Our server was very attentive and really took care of our table. Fairweather IPA ( ) Atmosphere: Great atmosphere with open kitchen. Vegetarian options: Everything on menu Vegan and Vegetarian.
I was very excited to visit Gia. The staff were nice and the restaurant looks very cool but unfortunately the food really wasnt up to the standards I expected, especially when considering similarly priced restaurants. I think their menu is really more for vegetarians, not very vegan forward. I enjoyed their olives but everything else we got was sad. All 3 of the main dishes the staff recommended were the vegetarian, very cheese focused, dishes. Its so easy to go to an Italian restaurant and eat vegetarian... They have a note on their menu that many of the dishes can be made vegan but that doesnt apply to the main dishes. I got the lentil dish which was pretty much 1/3 cup brown lentils and alittle dried mushrooms and 2 small radishes cut in half which was 22 dollars....the olive oil cake was fine but I wouldnt get it again. Overall I wouldnt recommend. Go to La Bartola instead and enjoy their very creative dishes for similar prices.
My colleague and I were tasked of booking our firms holiday party this year. We were looking for a place that fit everyones dietary restrictions, and we landed on Gia. The whole experience (from booking and dining) was amazing from start to finish. Everyone at Gia was super attentive and accommodating. The food and drinks were amazing (especially the gnocchi and the porcini agnolotti). Im already planning to come back to try out more of the menu.
Food was alright but the staff were really nice!