Gia Restaurant — Restaurant in Toronto

This was our second visit to GIA for the year, we travel from upstate NY to Toronto to get there so that alone should give an indication of the superb experience you will have. The first thing that caught my attention was the cozy and perfectly lit dining room, it feels like you've walked into the private, cooler section of the hottest restaurant in town. There are no uniforms in sight here. The wait staff confidently walk the floor wearing their own choice of fashionable yet sophisticated attire, giving the dining experience less of a Ruby Tuesday, fast casual feel and more of a, I've been invited to a very classy dinner party vibe. The menu has some classic Italian dishes alongside some fresh takes on lesser known ones, the menu did change from the last time we were here which I'm glad to see, it's nice to know they're coming up with new ideas to keep things interesting. We started our meal with the focaccia, baked brie and arancini. The baked brie was out of this world, if this is house made which I think it is then hats off to them because this felt like a product that was refined over years of practice. I also have to mention the pickeled fennel, I did not know I needed that flavor in my life until then. We loved the  focaccia and lemon maple butter, not over done with the rosemary. For the mains we had the lions mane steak, risotto and rigatoni bolognese. I've been craving a good steak replacement since the day I switched diets and nothing has hit the spot until we tried GIAs. The texture was perfect, the sear on the steak was beautifully done. It really brought it to the next level as far as steak flavor goes and the demi glace tied it all together, amazing... The rice in the risotto was cooked to al dente, the crispy artichokes gave the right texture balance and as a whole has great flavor. The bolognese was a nice surprise, I wasn't expecting too much as this is a simple dish at heart but the depth of flavor was very nice, a good umami punch. The buckwheat pasta blend was very toothsome and provided additional flavor compared to most pastas that blend in the background. You can tell from the moment you walk in to the last bite that they really take care and attention to insure you are going to have a good meal and a fun time. Out of the growing list of vegan Italian restaurants we've tried from Italy to California GIA is at the top of my list. Thank you to the staff for a...

Let's be real: when I hear 'vegan restaurant,' I sometimes get a little nervous about the food. I worry I won't have a great culinary experience. But Gia completely shut down that worry! I am so happy I gave this place a shot, because the dishes were genuinely delicious, and I ended up having a fantastic time.

From the moment I stepped inside, the atmosphere was a welcoming hug. The dining room is warm and cozy, and the staff are friendly and genuinely helpful, setting the stage for a great meal.

To start, I tried the Tom Ford mocktail. It was a beautifully crafted drink, featuring an excellent, balanced blend of hibiscus syrup, lemon, vanilla, and sparkling water. It was refreshing and perfectly mixed (9/10).

For my main course, I chose the Rigatoni Bolognese with plant-based ragu and almond Parmesan. The ragu was truly the star—so rich and full of flavour that I honestly wouldn't have known it was a vegan dish if I hadn't been told. It was light and well-made overall. My only minor note is that the pasta itself was slightly tougher than my personal preference, but the incredible taste of the ragu easily made up for it (8/10).

My friend had the Tortelli Di Zucca, and she absolutely loved it. This dish features squash & nutmeg filled tortelli with confit garlic, butter, sage, and Parmesan. She noted that the fillings were incredibly delicious, soft, and moist (9/10).

As someone with a sweet tooth, I made sure we indulge in two desserts.

First was the Chocolate Almond Cake topped with crème chantilly, a cherry, shaved white chocolate, and toasted coconut shavings. While the presentation was just okay (there's a little room for a more striking visual presentation), the taste was fantastic. The cake was moist, slightly sticky, and packed with flavour—a highly satisfying treat (8/10).

But the clear winner was the Coconut Chocolate Gelato. This dessert was presented very well and had a wonderfully executed texture. The soft, delicate flavour of coconut came through beautifully behind the rich chocolate. My friend and I both agreed it’s a solid 10/10 dessert.

My overall experience at Gia was excellent. The combination of friendly staff, great food, and a fantastic environment makes it a memorable spot. It's a place I would absolutely recommend to anyone—vegan or not—and will definitely be bringing my vegan friends...

We visited Gia in February, and I'm a bit late to this review, but I honestly have not stopped thinking about this place! Wow is an understatement to the feeling my partner and I walked away with.

The servers and bartenders both were so incredibly hospitable, and had great recommendations and answers to our questions. Also accommodating of peanut allergy and made us feel so comfortable with the menu. They were also so accommodating for staggering our appetizers and mains to our personal preference, very attentive but we never felt rushed.

For drinks, we had the Picante Panini (so good), unfortunately I don't remember the name for the lime drink (maybe the Smoke Show according to their instagram). The drinks were so good we had to order another! (Bramble On, with the egg whites on top, so yummy!!)

For appetizer, we had the meatballs which were just so crispy and delicious, and the plant-based brie that absolutely stole the show for us! We would come back just to have the brie over and over again.

I got the Gnocchi Genovese as my main, which was so divine and fresh, I even took some home and it was amazing next day as well, honestly a perfect dish. My partner got the risotto, which I believe may have been a seasonal dish called Risotto Milanese, and it was incredible as well, very filling.

We ordered the coconut vanilla affogato for our dessert, but since we were celebrating an anniversary dinner as mentioned on our reservation, the staff so kindly brought out the tiramisu with a cute little candle! That truly made the end of our dinner/night.

As a vegetarian, it is so hard to come by a fine dining experience where the quality and quantity of the food all come together for your hard earned money. The open kitchen lets you see the chefs make your meal in real time, and you can taste it is cooked with love. It makes incredible sense why they are recommended by the Michelin guide, I cannot wait to...