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.
I don’t really like leaving my apartment in Toronto, but my partner and I decided we wanted to do something special for our one year anniversary and opted to try out Sotto Sotto, which both Drake and DJ Khaled have given rave reviews of.
The much-loved spot is located in the heart of Yorkville and while it’s a tad on the pricey side, it’s honestly on par with the other fancy restaurants in the city, which was a pleasant surprise.
Here’s what my experience was like dining at Sotto, from what the food and vibes were like to why I’ll be going again.
The food
Antipasto gordonia. Right: L’amatriciana.
We decided to order the antipasto gordonia ($31.95) and the beef carpaccio ($29.95) to start, and while I enjoyed both, the antipasto was by far the star of our appetizers.
It came with a deliciously smokey grilled tiger shrimp, calamari, Caprese salad, grilled eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms and Asiago cheese.
This might sound like a weird thing to say, but the zucchini was my favourite thing we ate all night! Prior to this experience, I was pretty ambivalent about the vegetable, but something about how they cooked it made it sing. It was bright, acidic, well-seasoned and truly an experience.
For our mains, we got two pasta dishes — the pennete via frattina ($30.95), which is penne in a rose sauce with asparagus and vodka-infused salmon, and l’amatriciana ($29.95), which is bucatini pasta in a tomato sauce with crispy pork cheek.
Both dishes were delicious and came in pretty hefty portion sizes. Since the restaurant is fancy, I low-key expected the smaller plates that are typical of high-end establishments where you only get like five bites, but my meal was so generous I couldn’t finish it.
The drinks
A lemon soda, a cocktail and my Stegosaurus purse named Genevive.
My boyfriend ordered a “French 75” gin-based cocktail that cost about $20, and the presentation was very nicely done as it included a dehydrated citrus round as an extra little fun garnish.
I wasn’t in the mood for alcohol, so I opted for a limonata, which is a lemon soda. It was pleasantly zingy and definitely something I could see myself ordering again as a non-alcoholic option.
The wine menu is incredibly extensive, and while you can pick up a bottle for around $60, which is very reasonable, I also saw a listing for a bottle that costs almost $3,000!
Maybe that can fit Drake’s budget, but I’ll stick to my $6 soda for now!
The vibes
The restaurant bar under a chandelier.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, there was a Porsche parked out front in the valet area, so the fancy vibes were there from the start.
The hostess area is beautifully decorated and we were greeted right away by a very friendly employee. Before being seated, we had a chance to peek at the bar where it appeared that solo diners could have a seat, which is a great option if you’re having a date night with yourself.
The seating area had romantic lighting — dim but not so dark that it was a struggle to see — and fairy lights that added a lil’ whimsy to the whole feel.
The dining area didn’t have a ton of seats, so it also had a rather intimate ambience which I enjoyed.
The service
Our waiter Zeno was an absolute gem and made our experience at the restaurant so lovely. His eye for detail and his passion for what he does is readily apparent and I can’t speak more highly of just how darn nice to us he was.
From making sure our water was filled to trying to tempt us into getting a tiramisu (we were too full, but next time!), I hope to see him again when we go back for another special occasion.
Everyone we interacted with was very kind, but shoutout to Zeno for being the best!
Overall experience
I thoroughly enjoyed our anniversary dinner at Sotto Sotto and I’ve already nailed down what I want to try next time.
For our next visit, I’m thinking we’re going to split the charcuterie board, split the cacio e pepe, and, of course, try the tiramisu that Zeno so highly recommended.
As well, we’ll have to get the shrimp as DJ Khaled spoke highly of it during one of his visits, calling it the best shrimp he’s ever had in his life.
“This is one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to in my life,” he also said. “After I’m done, could I please hug the chef?”
All in all, I totally see why it’s a hotspot for celebs — who knows, maybe we’ll run into Drake next time we’re there!
In total, before the tip, our bill came to around $150 for two drinks, two starters and two pasta dishes. It’s a little on the pricier side of what we’d usually spend on date night, but given the quality of the food and the experience, it was absolutely worth it.
Sotto Sotto
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Italian
Address: 120 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON
Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible
If you’re interested in trying out other Toronto restaurants that the celebs have dined at, there are plenty of delicious options to choose from, and some of them aren’t very pricey!
Elton John has said the burger at The Senator is the best in the world, so at $24, that seems like a steal! If you’re in the mood for Thai, celebs like Simu Liu, Finn Wolfhard, Alexander Skarsgard and Oscar Issac have all dined at Pai where entrees typically cost around $25.
In an interview with Narcity, the restaurant shared that James Harden always orders the Khao Soi and that Jason Momoa and J.Cole loves the Pad Gra Prow ($22.25 to $24.25).
If you do want to try something fancier that’s celeb-endorsed, you can always order the lobster and crab towers at Fishman Lobster Clubhouse which will cost you about $699 — Simu Liu thinks it’s worth it, budget-allowing!
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.
This article has been updated since its original publication date of August 1, 2022.
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