Casa Toscana — Restaurant in Grimsby

A little bit of an odd experience at Casa Toscana this weekend. Food was fine, but tiny portions and our server experience was a little strange.

When we arrived, the entire patio was empty, except for 1 couple and the entire inside was completely empty. We were sat in a tiny tight table in the corner. So tight, that when you stood up, your chair hit the wall and, almost knocked you over. We asked to move to the patio instead, and we were sat right beside the only other couple out there – that is so strange. What an invasion to those poor other folks to have our group of 4 girls sat beside them.

Our server seemed a bit confused about most things. When we asked for a Virgin Caeser, we were told that she had to check if that was possible. She said she wasn’t sure if we would have to pay the full price for it, even without alcohol. We had to politely let her know that she needed to find a way to make that happen. Then when a vegetarian in our group asked for the eggs benedict without 'Speck' on it, the server again had to ask if that was possible. It was very strange behaviour. And it made our group feel a little bit uncomfortable. I had to wait about 5-7 minutes for a sweetener package to use in my coffee. We waited 10-15 minutes in between bottles of water too, even though we asked for them a couple of times.

Two of us ordered the Uovo Purgatoria – delicious, but not nearly enough bread to soak up the delicious sauce, and also, it came with a side salad, which is a bit strange. The salad was in its own bowl too, so it made it difficult to eat and the dressing didn’t have much flavour. The Eggs Benedict also came with a salad – again, a strange choice for breakfast/brunch option.

All – in – all, we enjoyed the food, we just wished there was more. I don’t think I will be rushing back...

I have been to Casa Toscana twice in the past 6 months or so. Both times I went, I received exemplary service, the food was to die for, and the atmosphere was a dream. The first time I went, my boyfriend and I were running errands and decided to stop for lunch. We ended up staying over 2 hours. I got the warm marinated olives, the pasta with arugula and guanciale, he got the ragu, and we both had tiramisu and cappuccino for dessert. The food was incredible, and our server was friendly, knowledgeable with his wine pairing recommendations, and never too eager (a pet peeve of mine is when servers pop up every 5 minutes!). We sat on the patio, right in the middle of the herb garden that surrounds the path. When we found the afternoon sun to be a bit too hot, our server noticed and offered us another table in the shade before we even had to ask! The second time, I met a friend for lunch, and the experience was just as amazing as the first time. We had the fresh peaches and burrata as an app, I had the lasagna on special and she had the risotto. We sat on the porch, with a lovely view of the patio and Main Street. This restaurant is an absolute gem. The food is truly high caliber. Their staff is clearly passionate about their jobs and well-trained on the cuisine. They are meticulous about respecting COVID restrictions and requirements, which makes me feel very safe about eating there - and whether you agree with the restrictions or not, it shows integrity for a business to continue to fulfill the ever-changing regulations. Their involvement in the community is incredible. Grimsby is lucky to have this wonderful local business. I'm very much looking forward to eating...

Tuesday August 11th was my birthday and I was looking for a new place to take my family. My wife, step daughter and mother all came to this restaurant for the first time. I have worked in and around the restaurant industry all over North America for over 30 years. My mother and wife are both from Italian decent. When we arrived we were promptly sat on the patio which had a nice ambiance. Service was fine throughout our evening but nothing special. We started with their version of a charcuterie board that was over priced at $34 and very skimpy. We had to ask for more bread. When asked for some oil and vinegar to dip our bread in, the server brought over one plate for us to share...very skimpy. When our entrees came, my steak that was requested medium rare came out almost well done and was sent back. The second one came out also overcooked but instead of waiting again, I decided to eat it. Was not a good cut of meat and not flavorful at all. My wife ordered the rabbit pasta entree feature and took a few bites and left the rest. I tried it as well and was also very bland. When asked by our server if she enjoyed it she said no and did not want to take it home. As you can see, it is still on the bill!. Lastly, my mother, who is a dietitian and taught cooking classes for over 10 years, ordered a risotto dish feature also said it was bland but did take it home and fixed it up the next day for lunch. Overall our experience was less that desirable and we will not be recommending this restaurant to our friends and family. Very disappointing for...