Crudo Pizza & Panuozzo — Restaurant in Toronto

Here’s the story…..

We heard many GREAT things about CRUDO Pizza and Panuozzo, on Royal York Road in Etobicoke.

(Almost) ALL of THEM are TRUE!

We arrived at 3:08PM on Thursday, 26June2025.

The restaurant is situated (oddly) in the back of a Caldense bakery location and can only be accessed from the rear parking lot behind the building Caldense is located in. (No big deal)

That being said. There are maybe 12-14 parking spots, all but 2 were empty when we walked in. Remember: it’s only 3:08 PM.

The restaurant was clean and well lit, with the faint aroma of wood-fired ovens. The staff were bustling. There were (at least) 6 people working, (not counting the two who appeared to be on their meal-break).

The menu is “Pizza” and “Panuozzo” (only), as the name implies. “Panuozzo” is Italian…presumably meaning “perfectly made sandwiches”.

They generally sell a “Meatball Panuozzo” (ONLY ON Thursday), which is why I visited with my wife. Unfortunately, they were “sold out”, by the time we arrived.

After a quick review of the menu, and with consultation from their employee at cash position, we settled on a “Crudo” sandwich and a “Fiamma” sandwich.

My 115 pound wife said the portion sizes were excellent, and as a 340 pound man…I would have to agree. The sandwiches are served on freshly baked Italian Crusty type bread, which appeared to be baked in their Wood oven. They are between 10 and 12 inches long, and generously appointed with whatever filling your chosen sandwich includes.

My wife loved her sandwich, (The Crudo).

I really LIKED mine (The Fiamma) also, but found that the (medium-spice level) of the included hot Salami, would have been better balanced if the “sangwich*” included Flor-di-Latte as well. I personally felt the spice of the delicious Salami almost overpowered the amazing roasted peppers, and eggplant.

That’s not to say, “I wouldn’t eat the sandwich again”…because let’s face it…it was very very good, and I’m very very fat. I just wish it had some cheese on it.

The service was excellent, the location was clean, BUT…the music was a bit too loud for the size of the restaurant. This alone, would not deter our return.

By the time we completed our meal (around 3:55PM), the place was rammed with people. EXPECT to wait…the place is GREAT!

I am beyond excited for our next trip to Crudo, which will either be on a Tuesday to try their Veal sangwich, or on Thursday (earlier in the day?) to try their Meatball sangwich.

9.5 / 10 (Will go...

Growing up in an Italian home and eating Italian style sandwiches and all the flavour and taste of an actual Italian sandwich. I Heard of this place obviously over social media this big stink and how they made this place popular I have no idea. Let’s start with me first going there. I get there placed my order I paid and I sat down. it took exactly half an hour for me to get my sandwich to the table. I stated that I was it’s to stay and they put it in a box like just wanted to me out the door.. From the first bite that I’ve been into it right away the taste did not come to me as a true Italian sandwich. The bread is taste like nothing taste like it just flour and water and little east to make it grow. Watching the video, don’t know who that guy in the glasses is who posted the videos he throws in so much meat on the videos but when you actually get your sandwich, I counted deliberately five pieces of prosciutto for 20 bucks.

I strongly recommend you better off, going to your bakery and getting an Italian sandwich than this place this place here don’t even know how they stay in business. I guess that’s why they do so much advertising just to get people to show up.. Would strongly recommend not going to this place if you are a true Italian eater of an Italian sandwich go to a true known Italian bakery that makes sandwich is better than this place. Trust me when I tell you this take a bite of the sandwich and notice that you taste nothing of the bread. The bread is just there to Hold the meat and tomatoes and lettuce in the sandwich together, but no taste. A business such as this are very, very unorganized they got workers behind the counter, running around like A chicken without a head on they have one guy on a slicer, trying to keep up making sandwiches. Not even washing or wiping down the slicer between different meats. Come on really guys you guys gotta get your act together there and second of all it’s way too small crowded. You can’t even move. Can’t say much for all your Canadian people that think that this is Italian food it isn’t there’s nowhere close to...

I've visited this place 5 times since May because the sandwiches are tasty (especially the mortadella and meatball). Unfortunately, after my last visit I will never come back.

I arrived 5 minutes after my scheduled time. My sandwich was not ready - no sweat, I'll go to the bathroom and then wait. When I came back, the cashier asked for the name on my order, went to the cooks looking for the order and then told me it wasn't ready. The moment she walked away, one of the cooks (who was looking at me funny) says the name and gives me a box with what should've had two, fully built sandwiches. When I arrived home (25 mins away), that wasn't the case. My mortadella sandwich was complete, but my roasted turkey sandwich was missing something very important - the roasted turkey! Considering the cashier told me I had to wait and then I immidiately received my sandwich leads me to believe this was done purposely.

I tried following up the next day to let them know - no answer. Sent an email to let them know - no answer. It's been two weeks since the incident and now I realize either this was done purposely or they just don't care and for that reason I can no longer support this place.

As mentioned, I've visited this place 5 times since May, but not once have I had a good customer experience. I'm not Italian, and a lot of the staff there remind you of that just by their dirty looks and side eye glances. Every time I went there I showed respect to everyone in the front, on the side, even the owner with the glasses. Yet every time I left, I felt like they didn't want me in there.

The owner with the glasses portrays himself to be a friendly guy online, but is very unpleasant in-person. When a customer makes direct eye contact and says thank you, with a smile, you should acknowledge them instead of ignoring them and then looking away.

Sorry for the long review, but it felt necessary considering my experiences here. I'm also curious if others felt the same.

Good luck with your business, but I'll only be supporting restaurants that appreciate...