La Vecchia Restaurant Uptown — Restaurant in Toronto

So disappointed in our dining experience today. I used to come to this restaurant regularly in the late 90s and early 2000swhen the two brothers owned it who I don’t think do anymore. Then the food and service were consistently good and it was an authentic Italian restaurant. We moved out of Toronto then moved back here in 2021. We have been to the restaurant 2-3 times since then and found the food is more Canadianized now with brunch menu and dishes not all authentic and the demographics of the restaurant has changed accordingly. Bear in mind that I am Italian born and raised. The food is still relatively good the issue is with the service. Today my husband and I had both Alessandro who we have been served by before and Eddy who was in training. We had a whole set of mistakes and misunderstandings which made us leave the restaurant with a sour taste in our mouths that will probably mean we won’t be returning or recommending it to other people . We received a side salad that we didn’t order that Alessandro clearly stated was on the house but then when our bill came the salad was there and we were blamed for ordering it when we didn’t. My husband ordered a second beer which never came, I asked for sugar with my espresso that also never came and my husband was told his veal and veggie main came with roasted potatoes that were not on his plate either. When asked about this we received a side of breakfast potatoes to make up for it. The food was pretty good the main issue was the service. Eddy is nowhere ready to be serving patrons on his own as he appeared confused and clueless. Alessandro while charming with his spoken Italian and niceties also made several mistakes telling us the salad was on the house then denying it and telling us the potatos were included in the dish when they weren’t. He seemed more concerned in befriending the patrons and acting out the stereotypical role of the chatty Italian waiter than actually providing proper service. Ironically when we left he was nowhere to be found and eddy barley acknowledged us. The manager came out during the meal to ask for our opinion. Unfortunately we couldn’t find her when we left to inform her of everything that happened after we spoke to her especially when we received our bill. I hope she reads this review as we didn’t find it all acceptable all the issues we had to...

The experience we had at La Vecchia technically deserves more stars then we can give. From the initial contact, to the actual day, superb! I'm going to give you a detailed review from start to finish.

The Initial Contact: I contacted Tina, the event coordinator, over the long Thanksgiving weekend, with 1 week until the party date. Even though she was out to dinner, she called me to confirm she received my inquiry and was going to send me information once she got home. She didn't rush me off the phone and she didn't make me feel like I was asking stupid questions. Later that night, she actually followed through with her promise and we spoke late into the night to figure out if this was the place for us. Needless to say, it was!

The Planning: The actual planning of the night was so easy because of Tina. We wanted a prefix menu and she was happy to accommodate menu changes based on what I wanted. She worked with me to make our event everything we wanted. She was a pleasure to work with and someone so warm and inviting!

Arrival & Set Up: The day of the event we arrived to the room already set up beautifully! It was laid out exactly like we asked for. The staff were all so pleasant and welcoming. The servers were all so nice and helpful! The service at La Vecchia was par to none. From the person at the door asking for vaccination records, to the big boss, everyone was great.

COVID Health & Safety: La Vecchia was definitely doing everything they needed to do to make this a safe space. They checked vaccinated records at the door, the staff wore masks (and not beneath the nose). There were hand sanitizers available to us. We totally felt safe.

The Food: There is nothing bad to say about the food. Everything was amazing. We had such a variety of things and they were all great. The one standout piece that I have to rave about is their rack of lamb. It melted in your mouth, cooked just perfectly. The whole dish was great! I highly recommend the rack of lamb! The Tiramisu was also out of this world delicious. I can't stop thinking about it, lol.

Overall: Do yourself a favour and go eat at La Vecchia. You definitely won't be disappointed.

Thank you Tina and thank you to the staff at La Vecchia for making this event everything we wanted at a time of so much...

If you’re going to hang your name on the illusion of old-world charm, you better come correct. La Vecchia talks a big game. The lighting is dim, the wine list seduces, the menu whispers sweet nothings in Italian. But like a Tinder date filtered into oblivion, reality hits somewhere between the soggy focaccia and the goat cheese that tastes like it died for nothing.

The bruschetta arrives on focaccia so limp it feels like it’s been emotionally neglected during its childhood and even though it was a Piano prodigy it wasn’t enough to get any love from its parents. Toppings? About as fresh as an apology from your ex. The salad shows up with goat cheese that tastes suspiciously like something peeled off the plastic film of a Costco multipack.

The bucatini special? A tragic pasta-shaped silence. Bland, beige, and a zucchini cameo so brief it makes me feel like asking for any more would be murder. If you’re vegetarian or just trying to avoid meat, good luck—this menu looks at you the way an Italian grandmother looks at oat milk.

Now, the wine? The wine is great. Which is good, because you’ll need something to soften the blow when the bill comes. This place is overpriced as hell. Not charmingly expensive—shamelessly expensive. It’s a first-date trap: dim lights, European façade, and just enough ambiance to make someone think you’re cultured. But you’re not buying dinner. You’re buying a carefully curated illusion that will most definitely not end up with you getting lucky. Maybe a side-hug at best.

And talking about intimacy—unless you count being close enough to hear three strangers dissect their therapy sessions- that’s all you’re gonna get my friend. Tables are packed tighter than the TTC during rush hour. You’ll leave knowing your neighbors’ secrets, but not what dessert tastes like—because the options were forgettable at best.

La Vecchia isn’t a restaurant. It’s a con with wine pairings.

Take your date somewhere honest. At least then, the disappointment...