Zafferano Ristorante — Restaurant in Vaughan

I have eaten at the restaurant before the pandemic and the food and service was so good that I decided to go back last night with my best friend.

I was stunned at how much everything had changed. Our server seemed to be very angry and abrupt. It felt as if every time he would come to take our order, we were being scolded at.

We ordered Gamberi Diavola (sautéed shrimps in spicy tomato sauce) served with homemade focaccia, as our starter. One of the other servers brought it for us but didn’t bring the homemade focaccia, so we asked her if that would be coming. She apologized and went to the kitchen to bring it. When she did, it was ice cold. It took a bit of time to try and get one of the servers attention. When we finally did, we told them about the bread being cold and they apologized, took it back and the brought it back hot and toasted.

The Gambia Diavola was very delicious, lovely kick of heat and paired perfectly with the warm focaccia. The only dish that was done well.

However, everything just went downhill from here.

For our mains, we ordered the Rigatoni Peperonata (rigatoni pasta with fresh scallions, mushrooms, roasted red peppers and grilled chicken in pesto sauce) and the Bistecca Zafferano (10oz certified black angus striplion, grilled and served with porcini mushrooms risotto topped with a red wine sauce). Both of these dishes were not seasoned and extremely bland. We told one of the other servers and asked if they could at least bring us salt and pepper. The server apologized and came back with salt and pepper. He grind the pepper for me onto my dish and walked away before my best friend could ask him to do the same for her meal.

We tried to season the rest of it with salt, it helped a little but it was still not very good. After a few bites, we just couldn’t eat it anymore. It felt as if we had lost our sense of taste, that’s how badly it wasn’t seasoned. 😅

After we sat there for a while, not touching our food, our own server came by to ask us how everything was tasting and we told him that the food was very bland. He asked if we wanted it remade and at this point we just said no thank you. He took our food, didn’t apologize and made no effort to fix the situation.

He came back asking us if we wanted dessert and we said no, thank you and asked for the bill.

When he brought the bill and placed it on the table. As I was looking over the bill, our server aggressively tells me that the rigatoni is removed and was already standing at my side with the machine, waiting for me to pay. I felt as though he wanted us to pay immediately and leave.

At no point did he make any effort to rectify the situation, and didn’t seem to care at all.

My best friend and I left disappointed as I was looking forward to eating here after so many years but now I wish I never went back. From the lack of care from our server to the flavour of the food,...

Exceptional food matched only by the unparalled service. We celebrated our daughters champagne 13th birthday. From making the reservation with Bobby, to greeting us early the day of to let us set up the room, to the service led by Jorjo the day of and follow up afterwards.....incredible!!! We travel and eat out quite a bit and can confidentily say this was the best experience we have every had. The room was gorgeous - the 'family' at Zafferano (and they really did treat us like family) were generous enough to book us the private room. We had dedicated staff, a coat closet for our guests, separate tables set up for gifts, and for cake and some non-alcholic pink champagne (which my daugheter was trilled about because she really wanted to have a sip of champagne or her special champagne birthday - and the team made it such a special experience for her - beautiful champagne glasses, arranged beautifully and with such care on her cake table). I have never had a more attentive, professional, KIND & ATTENTIVE restaurant staff. Most are tooo attentive, and so professional that there is no genuine care...at Zafferano we really felt like we celebrated with the Zafferano 'family. We weren't rushed out the door (even though we were one of the last to leave), noone rushed us to get the bill or stood over us waiting for payment...Jorgo very discreetly pulled me aside and walked me through it. And we were so 'pampered' that Jorjo even saved one of the few special decorations/macaroons on my daughter's cake to place specifically on her piece of cake and my own - that's how much care he took and the attention he gave. None of our guests had ever been to the restaurant before. They were overly impressed, couldn't stop raving about the food and service....I think you'll be seeing alot more of them. Grazie Zafferano - you gave us full bellies and wonderful memories. You will definitely see us back again soon and we cannot wait to celebrate other special moments with you (our family was already asking about what our plans were for my daughter's birthday next year...hint hint...nudge..nudge)

Un Grande Abbraccio Tracey, Matthew &...

We took our son here last week to celebrate his graduation only because our first choice which has always been Desserts Plus, was booked up. What a huge mistake it turned out to be. We received our appetizers after about 25 minutes and our main course 50 minutes after that. Service was completely non-existent. Our bearded server brought us the wrong food items and insisted that it wasn't him who made a mistake. He actually blamed it on us. A tall bald headed "gentleman"( and I do use the term loosely) literally yelled at my 12 year old for getting up without a mask on. I couldn't believe my eyes as I watched an adult walk right past them without a mask on and he did not dare say a word to him. I then observed three other adults getting up directly in front of him and walked around the patio with out a mask on and still the bald-headed server did not say a word to them. Clearly he is a coward and felt like a big man by choosing to embarrass and raise his voice to my 12 year old son in front of everyone. That was our first time there and I can guarantee you it will be the last time I ever spend $300 at a so called restaurant where food is not even mediocre and servers are bullies but only toward children because they are cowards. I ordered fettuccini Alfredo for my six year old but they brought her penne instead and insisted again that it was I who orderd incorrectly. If you truly value your hard-earned dollars and are looking for a great meal in a restaurant with a great environment that is welcoming to children as well, STAY AWAY FROM ZAFFERANO. I will be sure to advise all my family and friends about the way that bald-headed server treated my son. I plan on telling all my relatives to make sure that they never book any event at Zafferano. We only chose to go there because our first choice, which has always been and will always be Desserts Plus, was fully booked. Never eat at a restaurant where there are very few people eating . Desserts Plus is always booked up and there's a very good...