Tuscan Wolf Pizzeria Whitby — Restaurant in Whitby

I had a short review up originally, but Marco — the owner — couldn’t leave it alone. He kept replying, updating, editing, glued to his Google reviews like it’s his personal battleground. If only he poured half that energy into his food, maybe the food would be worth eating.

Normally I don’t bother writing long reviews. But after the bizarre mix of mediocrity in the kitchen and the unhinged replies from Marco himself, it’s worth laying out the whole picture.

The food: The pizza is a mess. Buried under mountains of cheese, smothered in sauce, and finished with toppings straight from cans. Yes — the olives are canned, and you can taste every tinny bite. The crust? Passable, but limp and forgettable, nowhere near the blistered, fragrant foundation of a proper Italian forno.

The pasta was worse. Not Tuscan. Not Italian. Just pasta drowning in sauce until it turned into soup. Any balance or subtlety was gone — replaced by cafeteria-style slop hiding under cream. The tiramisu? An insult. More condensed milk than mascarpone, collapsing into a puddle of sweetness with no structure, no finesse, no care.

The atmosphere: Your menu arrives in a binder. That says it all. Décor is fine, service was fine, but you can’t wallpaper over food this bad.

And then — Marco. Instead of taking feedback, he attacked me. Claimed I “don’t know real Italian food,” because apparently you need his personal blessing to have an opinion. For the record: I’ve been all over Italy, eaten food on the autostrade better than this, and seen firsthand that authentic Tuscan cooking is built on restraint, balance, and respect for ingredients. What he serves here is the opposite: heavy-handed, sloppy, and canned.

When a customer points out canned olives, soupy pasta, or a tiramisu that tastes like condensed milk, a serious chef takes notes. Marco? He puffs up, throws insults, and waves his résumé like a shield. Credentials don’t fix soggy pasta. Insecurity doesn’t turn a can of olives into authenticity.

And that’s the real problem. This isn’t just bad food. It’s wasted opportunity. Whitby deserves a real Italian spot that celebrates Tuscan cooking — not this binder-menu joint with toppings out of a can and an owner more invested in shadowboxing customers on Google than actually cooking.

At the end of the day, good food doesn’t need excuses. A crisp pizza, balanced pasta, or carefully layered tiramisu would speak for themselves. Instead, Marco spends his time refreshing his reviews and fighting strangers on the internet. That tells you everything you need to know about both the food and the culture of this kitchen.

If you want authentic Italian, skip this place. Toronto is full of restaurants that actually honor the tradition. This one isn’t Tuscan, isn’t authentic, and isn’t worth your time — unless you’re curious to watch a chef argue with his own customers while serving...

The Passion of Tuscany in the Heart of Whitby…

If you’re a fan of award winning pizza, excellent service, and a charming atmosphere—this is your place.

Located in the heart of downtown Whitby, we stumbled upon the Tuscan Wolf while looking for alternatives to the big chain pizza joints.

Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the waitress (Linda) and she promptly sat us. Seeing as this was our first time, she was more than happy to explain the menu and answer any questions we had.

We were told everything was either made in-house or imported directly from Italy. There are no freezers on the premises, meaning everything is made FRESH everyday. They also have their own in-house beer and wine (if that’s your thing) along with an array of other beverages.

Onto the menu. Let me start by saying there’s A LOT. It’s almost overwhelming, but it’s great for groups since everyone can get exactly what you want. There’s multiple types of pizza (of course), pillowy calzones, savoury pastas, and sweet desserts etc.

We only did the pizza, calzone, and a few starters (Caesar salad and bruschetta) and everything tasted great. They aren’t pretentious about pizza toppings and allow customers to get exactly what they want (pineapple please!). Also, pizzas come uncut, meaning you have to cut the slices yourself (with a knife). No biggie.

Again, the service was great. Our waitress was very attentive and helpful. We also got a chance to meet the owner, Marco. He came over to check on us and told us a bit of his back story and where he came from. We have a strict intolerance to vegetable oils in our food and he assured us they only use the finest olive oils.

Overall, it was a great experience and we have gotten takeout several times since. Pls note it is more expensive than most pizza places, so keep that in mind. But they offer quality ingredients and offer service you don’t really get at other places.

Highly recommended if you live in Durham region or find yourself in Whitby.

EDIT: Just tried the creamy basil pesto gnocchi. Oh man. This is one of the best pasta dishes I’ve ever had. Simply...

I cannot speak highly enough about Tuscan Wolf. While I respect that other people may have different opinions, if you have been to this issue of Italy before (and I am lucky enough to have been) this place is incredibly authentic and passionate. THIS FOOD CAN TAKE TIME (however I’ve never waited more than a half hour- the staff knows their product and materials and can pop out a perfect pizza just like the best of them on the streets in Italy). I say it takes time because some folks complain pizzas came out at different times etc. If you want your food microwaved in a bag there’s no shortage of chain restaurants where you can all eat at the same time… Anyhow. The wait staff over the years are consistently phenomenal. They are like pizza sommeliers! “What would you order if you were at home? Sweet? Savoury? Saucy? Cheesy? Classic? Adventurous?” While I certainly have my favourites on the menu, after approximately 15-20 visits with my family and friends since they opened, I have never had a dish I didn’t want to order again. Gluten free, pescatarian, vegan, vegetarian? They have you, and they have you with love and every ounce of passion they put into the food for carnivores. I love this place. It’s authentic not just with the food and the atmosphere (you aren’t meant to rush- take your time, savour your conversation, have another drink, enjoy the smells and the sounds and the warmth of the ovens!) We go there for any celebration in our family. When we are happy we celebrate; when we are going through a challenge, this place is the warm hug and the meal your Nonna would make you. I’m no professional food writer, but trust me when I say: this place is about so much more than the phenomenal food. Go there when you aren’t hurried and allow yourself the self-care to notice the details, converse with the staff and other diners, and have a sensory experience. People just don’t open restaurants like this any more. We need to protect this place and love it back! Can’t wait til my next meal with the TW...