Cafe Diplomatico Restaurant & Pizzeria

Dissappointed in my recent visit. Had dinner with my wife on Saturday, and the service was poor and food was under cooked.

The atmosphere was enjoyable, however, with the various attitudes of workers I felt uncomfortable and rushed

We had lunch at Cafe Diplomatico on a Thursday and the place was bustling! This is a casual and friendly restaurant in Toronto's Little Italy with two windows facing the street, letting in lots of light. Definitely try the freshly made warm bread that is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. We loved the Cafe Dip Antipasto that comes with mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, olives, spicy string eggplant and artichokes all marinated in oil. Our entrees were the Veal Scallopini and Chicken Parmagiana. We subsituted the side penne for a Greek salad and fries. The veal was exceptionally tender, bathed in a delicious, satiny sauce. The chicken parmagiana was very good, although the chicken could have been a bit more moist. Both portions were very generous! We were too full to try the desserts! We'll definitely return!

Great food and not too busy for a Saturday morning 11am brunch! $9 classic breakfast was great and service was great as well. Get some gelato as well, you won’t regret it. Overall, GREAT!

In this expensive market feel-good to get a good restaurant with good food and service that don't rip you off with price tags

DELICIOUS!

My boyfriend and I came here after the Blood in the Snow film festival, which ended quite late at night and was happy to have found this place open with dine in.

They were quite hopping as the fellow film patrons had also went to this location and despite this we were able to get a seat right away and immediately was served with our beverages. The server came back just in perfect time for us to decide on our orders, which came out at a good time.

Appetizers were good, really nice bruschetta. And the entree's were also delicious. My boyfriend ordered the chicken parm and I ordered the carbonara (would have provided more photos but we were too hungry and too excited to wait). Both really good and good portion sizes. It's a bit on casual pricey side, but hey it's Toronto and considering we ordered apps, entrees and dessert, it was a great experience and worth the price.

Really cozy atmosphere while also having enough room to feel more secluded while you ate. Would def be dining here again!

I know they are busy and serving quite good dishes but they don’t really care pick up customers.

Went there a few weeks ago and it seems they changed the management, service is extremely slow. I ordered a carrot cake and they come and hand me a slice of cake with a long brown hair wrapped around it, even have a photo. Horrible change of management, won't be going there for a LONG time, and I USED to be a frequent customer.

6/5 service: attentive, friendly, personable, not too overbearing.
5/5 Affogato: served in two parts so you can experience all of the joy of pouring over.
4/5 Setup and food could have been tightened up, but it was a busy night, and handling restrictions, so understandable.

Server was awkward and they got our order wrong. Obnoxious bar tender. Food was expensive and low quality

I decided to treat myself to some breakfast today. The resturant had good food however the server told me to pay for my meal before getting it, appearently the system wasnt working at the time. What a coincidence. It made me feel extremly uncomfortable as I notice other customers paid for their meal after they finished eating.
Sincerly a person of colour?

Cafe Diplomatico is more than a diplomat, it's a staple for Italian cuisine near and far, probably the only long standing restaurant that can live up to it's name - good quality, fresh tasting and simple in style, there's not much simple about it at all - if you'd blend any more "fusion" or "hipster" food into it, it'd just be what everyone else has to offer - nothing - to the simplistic everything on a plate - pizza to die for, pasta worth living a little bigger belted in and drinks that are classic, that would bring the "real Italians" running, it might please the whole rounded off Italian citizen, of every region, who get the "classic european lunch break" it's as good as the piazza menu, - whether you're diplomatic or not - I'd agree for a reason, Italians are more pleasant fed, and probably won't spite your hand for the other one taking my roll, if you leave their menu in style, this one is something to agree about!

Pizza of every topping, fresh and well made, european inspired, with goat cheese, arugula, and prosciutto I'd probably try together, not greasy or "cardboard tasting" like most take-out, it's the perfect cook, great sizes and well priced, as is everything on the menu when you blend quality for fresh taste - panzerotti just same and pasta plates that would make any mother proud - full size and portioned for eating not "on a diet" in everything classic you'd want and need - gnocchi perfectly placed and lasagna well stacked, great sauces if you want to try something new or a perfect red and rose! While you're eating rose you may as well pair with a good wine, red for a base or classic Italian drinks - orangina or a bitter if you want a spritz! - it's all great style and taste - good service and atmosphere with quaint dining - it's perfect for any eating or any occasion!

it's worth indulging in - whether you're a classic Italian or european and need fresh carbs in your daily meal or just a regular person looking to bulk up your meal, it's a carb worth spending!

TO the owner - I wanted to wait for the full review, thanks for the reply!

Julia

The patio was nice, but the waiter came back to ask me for a higher tip. It wasn’t even our original waitress who asked me for a higher tip. Embarrassing because I did tip the minimum but he handed me the machine again to give more. I’ve never had this happen to me before anywhere.

Don’t order delivery on this
I paid $50 for a bunch of noodles
I added chicken and sausage and got barley any and almost no Alfredo sauce
Also tasted yuck

Food is great and the patio is really spacious but looses 2 stars because of the rude blonde waitress who works here. She comes off standoffish and very unwelcoming when you meet her at the door, gives off a bit of an attitude even. My suggestion would be hiring servers who have personalities that are a little bit more service oriented. Even when the food is great, if the service falls flat, so does the entire experience.

Food and drinks were great. Only reason why I'm giving this a 3 out of 5 was because our server was asking my friend for more tips. That just gave us a bad vibe

It was my first time yesterday, ordered pizza, linguine with Alfredo sauce, beer, and some desserts at the end, and overall, it is an amazing place with friendly customer service! Very delicious and yummy!

WOW ok this is my new favourite neighbourhood spot.

The second we walked in our server Pony made us feel like VIP, suggesting great dishes and asking what we loved. She was super attentive and took the time to make sure every little detail was taken care of.

The food is absolutely fantastic, hot and fresh, we suggest the pizza with prosciutto! Can't wait to come back to try more great items on the menu.

Enjoyed a fantastic dinner. Satisfied my Linguine Carbonara craving and their pizza is one if the best I've had in Toronto! Thank you Pony for the great sevice.

Place was pretty busy on a sunny Sat afternoon. Service was incredibly slow. We waited for 10-15 mins for water to be brought and had to ask 3 times to order food. We ordered a panini sandwich and the gourmet burger. The panini arrived and was the wrong order. My burger arrived cooked more than I'd asked for and was even a little burnt. It also arrived on a saucer with no sides as I assumed it would arrive with fries but wasn't told this by the server.
Our waitress then disappeared. We waited 30mins and finally I asked for the manager.
Really nice guy and apologetic, saying how difficult it was to get good staff.
Shame about this place but I'd think twice before eating here again.
One point of note was a server who, the whole time we were there was delivering food to tables with his mask under his chin.

"Come to our pick-up window! Where we'll ignore you for 20 minutes, then get rude and indignant when you ask for service! "

We have been here a few times before. Always a good breakfast and very reasonably priced. Unfortunately service was a little slow and we were not attended to very often. I really can't blame them since it comes down to the inability to get staff to work or even show up. A big problem for a lot of places.

Our server Tricia, was extremely unprofessional and rude! She made a comment about us being vaccinated and told us it was “our choice”, and then told us that Doug Ford was forcing us to take drugs. We felt extremely uncomfortable in the restaurant the entire time we were there. Then she brought out the food and was sneezing and coughing in our food. This server should not be legally allowed to make those comments.

We will never be back to this restaurant again!

Definitely one of THE best place for having much variety of experiences! Great experiences! Very nice staff! Good food!

I always wanted to try out this restaurant because of its brand name. But the whole experience was a bit overrated. The food was great but customer service could really do with some improvements. I ordered 5 items. The waitress only punched in 3. Also made me wait too long to get my order and serve the food. Coffee cups came out without a plate, spilling all over the place. Basic stuff like cream, sugar, teaspoon was not provided if I didn't insist.

Food is good and menu has lots of items to choose from. Wait staff is pretty mediocre and sometimes rude. Would recommend to go here if you just want a quick meal.

"Would you like the check" means "get up". I cannot accept such rudeness in a restaurant. We ate dinner, we drinks something, and he ask do you want to bill! It's a restaurant we go to a few times a month, but I don't go anymore! I'm sure you wouldn't do this to everyone!

Great prices and portion if you are craving comfort Italian food! The atmosphere of the restaurant is great and friendly servers!

Dined on their patio (my first experience dining out since Covid started) and the service was not great. I've always had such positive experiences at Cafe Diplomatico, and I think this one negative experience can be chalked up to just having recently reopened since lockdown.
The food was decent, we had steak, shrimp, fish+chips. The diet coke was seriously watered down. Our waitress dissapeared for over 40 minutes, and no one else seemed to have been assigned to us in her absence, so we had to flag down other wait staff in order to get any service.

The menu is quite extensive so there are lots of selections to pick from.
I had the baked white fish filet with cherry tomatoes, olives and capers. Since I like my food a little on the spicier side, this felt a little bland even though the flavours were great. I also had a carrot cake which I inhaled without any regrets.
My friend had a personal pizza from the "build your own pizza" section. This is a great touch to the menu I think.
The wait staff are really and nice and friendly. Will definitely go back again to try something else from their menu.

This place has a lovely patio. The pizza and soup I ordered were quite tasty. The wait staff are very friendly. My waitress helped us take photos. Another waiter, though not on my table, brought us takeaway boxes.

Would give it 0 stars. Waitress was nice but really guys pasta Alfredo? The person who cooked it just boiled some fettuccine and poured cream on it, it was watery and they cut 6 small chicken cubes on the side. What a shame. Never going back there.

If you happen to find yourself in Little Italy, Toronto and wish to experience some humble Italian cuisine, look no further than Cafe Diplomatico. This family restaurant at the corner of College & Clinton has been a bastion for Italian culture in the community for the past fifty plus years and hopefully many more to come. The food and drink menu won’t put a dent in your wallet and every item is reasonably portioned so you can share with as many people as you’d like. Looking forward to always going back.

Love the outdoor dining space. Very relaxed environment. No wifi though and some servers are obviously less attentive than others.

My wife and I go to Cafe Diplomatico at least once a week and my wife celebrated her 40th birthday there in the little back room near the bar. I love the casual vibe and the Italian comfort food. The staff and ownership are great and we always enjoy our visit. Highly recommended.

Iconic Toronto eatery. The food was OK. The service was exceptional. Definitely not a high end experience. Good value for price.

This one star is for poor quality and lack of order accuracy. The food was ordered thru a food app and arrived with no safety seal on the bag and items missing. There was no evidence of ever being a safety seal on the bag as well. Further more, the food itself was lacking of quality. I've eaten at the establishment before and in house quality was better however they did not provide any quality of service for this order and delivery.

The nostalgia of this place is great. Reminds me of when I was a kid down in Little Italy. Food is traditional but unfortunately, quality has been getting worse over the years.

Loved the soup with the beet and goat cheese tortellini. Very disappointed in the pannini. I asked for focascia and got a bun. It had a piece of ham so thin you could see thru it and it didn't cover half the bun and the cheese was no where to be seen.
Service was friendly.

Pretty good food and amazing service. Staff put the huge tv to my Steelers game and the whole night was a pleasure thanks guys!

Amazing service, simple food done exceedingly well. And the cocktails are fantastic. I would go back just for the service.

Enjoyed a very pleasant family meal at this historic cafe in Little Italy. Our server was fantastic, friendly and prompt. The appetizer of truffles and portabello mushrooms was by far the highlight of our meal, the pizzas were good but not a stand out for us.

Dessert for our table was a tad disappointing, the ice cream crepes were phenomenal but the cannelloni and creme brulee were ok at best.

Cafe Diplimatico is still an experience I would recommend. It is a perfect place for a get together with friends or family if you want good italian food but a more casual dining experience.

Their pizza is out of this world. Service is efficient and friendly, prices are reasonable and it’s a lovely environment

Love this place. Weekend brunch prices are super fair for the neighbourhood. Friendly staff, good beers, tvs always play soccer

T’was my first time visiting and eating at “The Dip” in Little Italy, and I was happy I did. The patio service was excellent. I wish I could remember our server’s name, as her service was so friendly and prompt. Servers have the ability to make or break an experience, but she was absolutely wonderful. The scenic views from the patio are serene; very enjoyable. We had a medium personal pizza with Merlot, and I hate to be repetitive but again, the quality of our food was phenomenal. I appreciate the spicy olive oil that accompanied our pizza on the side. I would also like to add that the washrooms were maintained well. I will be returning in the future. Thanks for the excellent experience.

We love this place. Hadn’t been in a while but still never disappoints. Roman served us. He was prompt and thorough. Great job! See you again soon!

We watched final 2018 world cup match! Was kind of busy but great atmosphere and an outstanding customer service. Prices are decent as well. Highly recommended.

Extremely dissatisfied with the service. Server forgot the pizza that was ordered. Basa fish clearly had worms in it and when brought to their attention told me it was mozzarella strands from the puttanesca sauce? No apology or compensation whatsoever and made us feel that we were the idiots for not knowing that it was cheese? That is worm shaped with an obvious taper? Furthermore it took 3 tries to split the bill properly. I have never been treated that way and would actively advise anyone to avoid this place.

Delicious Italian food in the heart of Toronto's trendy Little Italy on College Street. A must for those looking for an authentic experience in North America.

Wonderful staff and great patio! We like to come on Sundays for brunch, food is affordable and the people watching is second to none! A true little Italy institution.

Visited Little Italy in Toronto last week - a lovely area with lots of charm. Dinner at "The Dip" was very good. We were seated outside and enjoyed our dinner al fresco. Host was right there with everything we needed, always smiling and pleasant. Salads were excellent, a great start to the meal. Portion sizes were perfectly adequate. Food was very good-only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that the meals didn't WOW us. But would certainly come back and eat here again.

Don't order using their online system. Ordered and was told to pickup the order in half hour. Almost two hours later and lost the order twice still not ready.

I hadn't been to "the Dip" in many years and was very happy to see its the great place for good food as it's always been!

I ate pizza and I can only say that it was one of the best pizzas I had for a long time. It was a surprise for me to find such an amazing pizza in Washington. An excellent relaxed restaurant for a family meal

Picked a day of soccer match between Belgium and Brazil. Place was full. Long wait for food. Food was good. Will come another day when not so busy.

Great place. I went there because they were showing the world cup. I ended up going again for their pizza. If you go to diplomatico make sure you order one of their pizzas. If you are a foodie maybe you should order the medium sized pizza. You won't regret it. The service could improve a little but you'll leave with your stomach full.

Great patio! The staff are very friendly! I found they have the best breakfast value in Little Italy at approx. $8 including coffee. They could use a few more healthier options to balance out the menu.

Perfect place for pizza and sangria in a hot day of summer. Always open and prices are good as well. One of my favourites places inTO

Long time T. O resident, and I thought of The Dip when a visiting relative asked for Italian. Always thought of this place as a good kitchen, but our meal was pretty disappointing. I had Veal Parmigiana with penne and upgraded to Bolognese sauce. Penne was cooked right but the sauce had literally 2 or 3 small lumps of meat. The veal was about the size of a Big Mac patty, smothered (as in swimming) in the same sauce as the Bolognese base. For some reason the kitchen feels that sugar should be the primary ingredient in this sauce. We were served bread to start. This was the biggest surprise. What we got was the type of bun I would expect in a high school cafeteria. Definitely day old and surprisingly low quality.

My relative got the chicken parm and had basically the same review.

Our server was excellent.

The place is usually busy. Not sure what happened, maybe we just ordered the wrong thing. I’ll try another Little Italy spot next time.