Don Alfonso 1890 — Restaurant in Toronto

This is an updated review from Jan 08, 2025. I would not categorize this as a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Being named the Best Italian Restaurant in the World outside of Italy by the Italian magazine 50 Top Italy in 2022 and achieving a Michelin Star rating, Don Alfonso 1890 presents itself as a destination that promises a culinary journey of extraordinary proportions. I had previously reviewed Don Alfonso and given it a raving review, but I had only been in the lounge area not the dining area.

My girlfriend and I, both passionate food enthusiasts, decided to indulge in the Michelin-starred dining experience, eager for a night filled with exquisite flavours and impeccable service.

While we have dined at several Michelin-starred restaurants before, our experience at Don Alfonso 1890 did not quite meet those elevated expectations. Allow me to take you on our journey.

Upon our arrival, we were warmly greeted by a charming young lady at the entrance, who graciously took our coats to the cloakroom. We were then taken, by a male attendant, to our table. Our server was standing nearby. I couldn’t help but admire the beautiful and comfortable chairs—though I must admit, they were quite heavy to pull out. While I received assistance in settling into my seat, my girlfriend navigated the challenge on her own while the other male attendant watched.

Once seated, our waiter introduced himself. He presented us with the enticing choice of the à la carte menu or the main tasting menu. We chose the A-la-Carte. Eager to kick off our culinary adventure, I opted for a cocktail called “Thyme is Money.” This refreshing concoction arrived adorned with a delicate purple flower and slices of fresh strawberry, offering a delightful balance of flavours that danced on my palate.

Next up: Warm Bread and Olive Oil We began our evening with a delightful selection of warm, freshly baked artisan breads accompanied by vibrant olive oil infused with rosemary and rich truffle butter. Each bite was a heavenly prelude to the meal ahead, setting the stage for the gastronomic adventure we were about to embark on.

Appetizer: Il Carpaccio For my starter, I chose the Il Carpaccio, featuring Ontario Wagyu beef tenderloin drizzled with a zesty Dijon mustard sauce, adorned with balsamic vinegar caviar, crunchy Piedmont hazelnuts, and a medley of fresh wild herbs. The wagyu tenderness melted in my mouth, while the contrasting textures of the caviar and nuts were interesting but not extraordinary.

Pasta Course: Ravioli Next came the Ravioli Stuffed with Pheasant, prepared in a Genovese style and complemented by king oyster mushrooms, Grana Padano foam, and aromatic black truffle. While the ravioli itself was deliciously crafted, I hardly tasted the pheasant and found the foam somewhat overwhelming, overshadowing the delicate flavours of the filling.

Main Course: Veal Shank I opted for the Madeira Glazed Organic Veal Shank, served with Roman-style artichokes, pickled red onion, fermented black garlic, and purple potato chips. Unfortunately, this dish fell short of expectations; it lacked the depth of flavour one would anticipate from a Michelin-starred establishment. It reminded me more of a pre-packaged meal from a grocery store rather than an artisanal creation.

In conclusion, Don Alfonso 1890 dazzles with its ambiance and some standout dishes. However, I was left yearning for more flavour, complexity, and authenticity.

Overall, I would not categorize this as a Michelin-starred restaurant.

To find out my girlfriend's take on our outing please check out her Google review at Jo Go.

This place is just THE BEST RESTAURANT in Toronto hands up!! I give it a 20/10!🥇🍽

From the friendly reception, engaging bartenders, (S/O Steve and Steven!) scrumptious food, great servers, and amazing ambience!

But there’s more! The glorious views of the Toronto skyline, beautiful sunsets and sparkling lake will not disappoint! You won’t go wrong by going here to eat, enjoy, and be treated like a...

UPDATE:

A Mixed Experience at Don Alfonso 1890

We dined at Don Alfonso for the second time on January 8, 2025, with high expectations, given its Michelin one-star status and strong reputation. During our previous visit, we had enjoyed the food and drinks while seated at the bar. However, this time, while there were a few highlights, the overall experience fell short, particularly at this price point.

Highlights • The cocktails were exceptional. “Thyme is Money” and the “Bellwoods Manhattan” stood out for their creativity and perfectly balanced flavors. • The three types of fresh bread, accompanied by truffle butter and high-quality olive oil, were delightful and set a promising tone at the start of the meal.

Disappointments Antipasti: • The “L’Anatra” Muscovy Duck Breast was disappointing. Sliced into small, bland pieces, the dish lacked depth, with no discernible anise flavor in the demi-glaze. A simple red wine reduction would have been far more flavorful. • The Wagyu beef fared slightly better, with a well-executed sauce and complementary hazelnuts, but it failed to wow us. Primi: • The “Paccheri” Pasta was a significant letdown. Overly al dente, it lacked the advertised braised lamb shank, instead featuring unidentifiable chunks of meat that resembled ground turkey or sausage. The overall taste was unimpressive and forgettable. • My partner’s ravioli had better flavor, but the filling, purportedly “pheasant Genovese,” was indistinguishable. She did enjoy the black truffle shavings and caviar, but the dish failed to deliver on substance. Secondi: • My Nova Scotia Lobster tasted like previously frozen lobster, paired with an uninspired mushroom and trout roe sauce. It lacked the freshness and flair expected at this level. • My partner’s “Madeira Glazed Organic Veal Shank” was puzzlingly bone-free and had the texture of processed meat. It resembled something mass-produced rather than a high-quality cut of veal. Dessert: We declined dessert due to our dissatisfaction with the meal. Despite attempts to pacify us with complimentary options, the gesture fell flat given the lackluster quality of the main courses.

Final Thoughts

As a Michelin-starred restaurant, we expect fresh, flavorful, and thoughtfully prepared dishes. Unfortunately, many aspects of this meal felt rushed, uninspired, or poorly executed, more akin to the work of culinary school graduates than an acclaimed establishment. All the food came out to our table warm, not hot! While the cocktails and bread were great, they could not compensate for the disappointing antipasti, primi, and secondi courses.

While I’m at it, the host could learn to pull out the heavy chairs for female guests, rather than stopping short at the table and watching them struggle with the furniture. Additionally, it would be appreciated if any of the many servers and helpers who came to the table actually cleaned or wiped off the tablecloth, as is customary at fine dining establishments.

The Don Alfonso 1890 at this price point leaves much to be desired. People are dining out at these types of restaurants to have an experience; a good one hopefully. The food should leave no room for doubt about the quality of the ingredients or the chef’s (Davide Ciavattella) mastery. Sadly, this experience did not live up to Don Alfonso’s Michelin one-starred reputation.

——— Visited Oct 2022 on a Friday:

Toronto's best kept drinking and dining experience is at the Don Alfonso 1890 restaurant now relocated in the Westin Harbour Castle hotel. Go for the delicious and amazing a la carte food menu by chef Daniele Corona, the "Ango Foster" and "Affumicato" cocktails, the service, and the beautiful (sunset) view from the 38th floor. The bartenders aka "drink psychiatrists" are a lot of fun too.

Reservations recommended, or sit at the bar and have a great...

My experience at Don Alfonso left much to be desired. My girlfriend and I decided a few months ago to tour all of the Michelin star restaurants in Toronto for fun. Don Alfonso being the fourth one on our list and coinciding with our anniversary. I have to say after experiencing incredible dishes that were like art work and experiences at Aburi Hana, Da Nico, and Sushi Masaki Saito, Don Alfonso left me wondering how they got their Michelin Star to begin with. Without writing too much detail I will review each course:

Course one: Truffle butter, Sicilian Olive Oil, and Bread. Bread should really never be a course but it was decent

Course two: Four crackers. literally four fancy crackers and cheese. bite size and unmemorable

Course three: Amberjack fish which genuinely tasted so fishy it was almost inedible. As I'm sure everyone is aware, Fish should never taste fishy and this honestly was so bad I thought it was expired

Course four: duck breast with a raspberry compote. Duck was far too salty and the compote was far too sweet. Very odd pairing and although it wasn't terrible it certainly was odd and unremarkable.

Course Five: Italian Beef Wellington? Beef was ok the pastry was deep fried and way too oily. Made it through about four bites and didn't finish

Course Six: Homemade Angel hair Pasta dish. Probably the best dish served. Can't remember the pairing or sauce, once again so forgettable I can't even list it.

Course Seven: Homemade Tiramisu dessert. Fun design with white chocolate butterflies. The inside espresso tasted the same as when I leave the pot on the stove for too long. So bitter I was barley able to finish it

Course Eight: Selection of Five bite sized truffle style desserts. This was decent. The raspberry one was not good, very artificial tasting. The ferrero one seemed to be the best. Im very confident they bought these from Pusateri's at Avenue and Lawerence. I would be shocked to learn that these were made in house.

Overall I was very disappointed by the end of the meal. I paid my tab and tipped handsomely as service was not bad but did take almost two hours from start to finish. The bill of almost $700 seemed like highway robbery for what was provided. I didn't want to make it look like I was in for a free meal so I first paid my tab and then asked to speak with the manager. I listed everything above and was upset to learn that the manager seemed to have no desire to assist in anyway given the subpar meal we received. Maybe even a free drink or something to compensate for the lacklustre meal as I would have received even at a chain restaurant like "The Keg". Instead I was essentially scolded and informed that the Chef is from one of only three families (Only 3?) who have a restaurant on the Amalfi coast and the recipes come from a long lineage of Chef's etc etc. and how essentially I was ill informed with my opinion.

I left feeling like I overpaid, still hungry, and completely unsatisfied.

Would not recommend Don Alfonso to anyone unless they want to see a good look of lake Ontario. Even then you're probably better just going to...