La Veranda Osteria

I came here with my Grandma and Aunt and I was immediately shocked at the beautiful décor and sheer size of the restaurant when I walked in. For my whole life pretty much, I have driven past this restaurant coming down Royal York and only really noticed it in the summer time with it’s front patio jam packed with flowers and foliage. I thought it was a little café, but I was so very wrong!
Once I got over the looks, it now came down to the food. That’s really what it’s about, right? I had the veal parmesan. It was pretty flavourful coating on the veal, but I did find the sauce to be a tad bit on the bland side. Mind you, I have been spoiled my whole life with my Grandma’s sauce, so I may be slightly biased!
Others in my party had the sea bass, pizza, and fettucine alfredo and there wasn’t a sad face in the bunch.
I would come back but probably only for special occasions as it was a tad on the pricier side. I definitely would sit inside though, no matter what time of year. A few too many flowers outside on the patio for me!

Visited the restaurant Friday December 4^th had a wonderful time. Ordered the grilled Calamari and Pesto Gnocchi as well as the cheesecake. It was definitely very delicious the food was out of this world. The only thing I was to fond of was the waiters they were a bit pushy and didn’t really give me and my date time to talk. Other than that everything was awesome!

This is a nice cozy resto right across from the Royal York subway. It has cozy corners as well as larger open tables for larger groups. The décor is open and the service is the best part of the entire experience.
We ordered bruschetta and grilled calamari to start. The bruschetta was serviced on dough white bread as opposed to a good crusty chewy italian bread with sad tasteless tomatoes that are prevalent in supermarkets. The grilled calamari was tasty in a lemony sauce.
We ordered pasta stuffed with lobster, veal rolled around prosciutto with risotto, and linguine pescatore mains. The veal and risotto was very good as was the stuffed pasta. The seafood pasta had nice fresh perfectly cooked shrimp and mussels but the crab leg and scallops were over cooked and rubbery.
Dessert was chocolate truffle cake, cheesecake, and crème brule. All delish. The resto was very accommodating and let us girls sit and catch up for an hour after we finished our meals. They even refilled our water glasses.
Definitely coming back!

the food is not good. considering you have to wait almost 45−50min+ for Take-​Out. Are they harvesting the crops there or waiting for the chicken to hatch its eggs on as needed basis? Why do they take so damn long!!! I will never go there unless I have 3 hours to spare for a take-​out lunch!

Enjoyed dinner at this place on April ²⁄₁₅ with some friends. We had the full Monty. appetizers, drinks, dessert & main. The menu was large & varied. I had the Chicken Gorgonzola which was beyond creamy & wife had Chicken Parmesan. Both very tasty dishes & fair size. Nothing to really complain about. Waite staff was polite & patient & served us at our pace. I always find Pasta WAY to pricy for what you’re getting anyway. One thing did stick in my mind… the menu as very commanding. What I mean is «we won’t do this or we won’t do that»!! They may have forgotten who’s in charge here of this relationship.

We met friends for dinner on a snowy night and decide to give it a try.
My first impression walking into the place was negative — because there is a bold message as you walk in, «we do not provide separate bills, we will split across 2 separate credit cards» or something to that effect.
There was plenty of wait staff, but 3 different people were tending to our table. So we were not sure who to talk to about questions.
The menu is very large (unnecessarily large) too many options. And there were pictures of the food — like we don’t know what a bowl of pasta looks like or a pizza.
Our reservation was for 7:00 pm. And while the restaurant wasn’t too busy because of the snowy conditions, service was slow.
We had the Caesar Salad as an appetizer — and it was good.
My wife had a pasta carbonara and I had the chicken parm. Both were good.
We had dessert, which was a purchased cake — I think La Rocca — and it was very good.
All in all, I would say the meal was nothing special. Though, I am not a fan of when the server clears plates while others are still dining.
There are much better options around.
The first thing you see about separate checks, the inattentive service, the dated presentation and lack of focus on the menu (with that many options, you begin to suspect items may not be fresh) though our food was good.
I wouldn’t go back and I wouldn’t recommend.

I was extremely disappointed with my visit to this restaurant last Saturday. The service was incredibly poor. We were greeted by a wine server and he delivered our choices quickly. All down hill after that. He never did come back to offer us more wine, water etc… Our server asked for our orders and never told us of the specials (I heard her tell another table later). After taking our order she NEVER spoke to us again. Everything dropped at our table was said without a word and then she would bolt. NO one ever asked us how our meal was (which was terrible) and when I ate barely any of my meal the wine server returned to clear the plates again without a word. There was tons of food on the plate and yet he dumped all the napkins, utensil etc… in the bowl without asking if it should be bagged up. Luckily I never would have been taken it home. Ordered mussels that lacked any flavour at all, and there was no broth in the bowl. I ordered clam linguine. It was dull, watery, and looked and tasted like they dumped a can of flavourless clams on top. My husband didn’t mind his veal parm, but it certainly wasn’t anything to write home about. For a $ 110 meal I expect MUCH better. Avoid this place, there are tons of nicer Italian restaurants in the area.

My husband and I went to La Veranda last night for dinner to celebrate Valentines a day early. The dinner started off ok — our servers were attentive and friendly. Nice bottle of wine, ok appetizers. My husband ordered veal marsala for his main, and I ordered the Gnoochi Gargonzolo. The veal was completely tasteless, to the point where he sent it back. Having worked in kitchens, he rarely does that. My gnocchi was ok, but not great and really salty. What completely killed our experience is that someone (manager, host, who knows) came over after the veal had been taken back, sat ON the table beside us, and proceeded to tell us that the veal was fine. And that we don’t know what marsala tastes like (we’ve made it ourselves and had it at many Italian restaurants) And maybe it’s just not matching well with our Amarone. Red wine and Marsala don’t mix? Interesting. He was extremely rude, and after that we couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
We had high hopes for this little restaurant, but were very disappointed. We won’t be returning.

Like many other reviewers mentioned, La Veranda was OK when it opened apart from the ridiculous «don’t do this», «no sharing», «please don’t» signs and menu comments. Now it’s a total waste of time. They have a system of serving where four or five people work various stages of your meal that seems to cause a total lack of accountability and professionalism. At one point during a visit I looked up to see a waitress with her hand extended towards me as to insinuate I was to pass her my plate. She wasn’t even looking me in the eyes. There was food on my plate and my cutlery gave no indication I was ready to have my dinner removed — I think someone else at the table had finished eating so it was time for us to meet the I offer you dessert person. I guess she was the plate remover person. It certainly took a long time to track down the bring your bill person and the bring the credit card machine person. I only saw the I bring your glass of water person once and couldn’t order another drink because the I bring your alcoholic beverages person had moved on in the assembly line if tables. On top of the bizarre system of service the food has slowly declined in quality relative to price. Most pastas are heavy handed on the oil, salt and cream. The Caesar salad used to be amazing now it’s total crap. Veal twice tasted livery. If you are looking for good Italian food at a high price point go to Vibo instead — they have exceptional service and good quality.

Very good for groups as the will accommodate within short time. Food was good quality, generous and tasted like they were cared after not your typical

Ah, I don’t know… on a recent visit, it just didn’t impress me like the last time I ate there.
$ 26 for penne pasta? Are you kidding me? It was always expensive, but lately excessively so.
And while I do greatly appreciate attentive service, I also appreciate some privacy while I eat my meal… WAY too much hovering.
Here’s what really got me — this time we dined with our 1.5-year-old (we went early, long before most people would have dinner, so it was mostly empty at that point. Also, we know the etiquette of dining with a toddler, and we do our best to keep her quiet, respectful, and neat… and we would take her for a walk if we needed to… I think MOST parents know that too). What rubbed me the wrong way, was the sign on the wall that professes that they are a family restaurant, but please keep your kids quiet. Really? Don’t you think most parents are trying to do that anyway? Doesn’t it go without saying? It just seems a bit tacky to put it in writing on the wall. While my kiddo was very well behaved for the whole visit, I felt extremely on edge for the whole meal, nervous that one wrong move might have us shunned.
Won’t rush back I’m afraid.

Nice Italian restaurant in the Kingsway. They have a great summer patio with an abundance of flowers. The food was good and service attentive. Great place for a date.

I have been coming to La Veranda since it first opened. The last few years the service and food have gone so downhill. Last year a friend did a large birthday party there (10 people) and they screwed up our food, would not alter any dishes (ie leave out red peppers for someone with allergies) They told that person to choose another dish etc.
My mother in law loves the place and insisted on Mothers Day dinner. Disaster from start to finish. We had 4 waiters serving us which was annoying for consistence. Then they forgot my appetizer and everyone at the table felt bad. Also I order the buttered pasta for my daughter and said no cheese. Still came with cheese, and she would not eat it. I mentioned it and the waiter shrugged his shoulders, said sorry and charged us anyhow. We waited over an hour for the main course. Then the clincher was when the soup that never arrived show up on the bill still. ARE YOU KIDDING ME! I am never returning to this spot. My pasta was average at best with overcooked shrimp (only 3?!!) for $ 25.
I would much rather go to Pulcinella’s on Lakeshore– WAY better Italian, great service etc.

To massive of a menu and it felt like it system overload. Staff was attentive and quick. Food was good and they had everyone’s Italian favourites.

I love this place! I go there often since i have to eat gluten free. They offer a large selection of gluten free and regular items. Doesnt hurt that the atmosphere is beautiful and the price reasonable.

This place is always a winner when it comes to choosing restaurants.
The atmosphere is very good, the service is great and the food is even better.
The garlic pizza (I believe thats what it is called) is really good.
the soups are very good.
their version of a fettuccini alfredo is amazing!

When you first go into this restaurant, you will notice that it is rather strange… there are a ton of signs on the walls that have various messages telling you that it is a family run restaurant… not to ask for things… be a nice customer… etc etc… which seems rather rude. But, when you get to know the wait staff, you realize that it is a lovely venue with really nice people who run the joint!!!
The menu is HUGE… they have a really good selection of italian food. Their home-​made pastas (egg noodles) are some of the best that I have tasted in Toronto — which is amazing for such a random place in Etobicoke.
Try the lunch menu — value for money, it is excellent!!! The salad is large and the main course is also very big!!! It is served quickly and piping hot!!! In the summertime, the patio is beautiful, with a ton of flowers outside that create a very private atmosphere (even though you are eating on Royal York Rd!).
Make sure to indulge in a glass of wine. For a restaurant in Etobicoke, La Veranda Osteria has a great wine list! We were very impressed with the selection of non-​Ontario wines!!!
All in all, good food, good prices, good service!!!

Sunday night, Labour Day weekend, 2011. we were headed down to Little Italy after an afternoon movie but the traffic was bad. My wife had often seen the ouside of this place with its very welcoming gardenlike patio, so we figured «what the heck»? The patio was closed due to inclement weather. No worries, we went inside.
It has a very nice warm, welcoming atmosphere. It was very busy with families, a good sign! The wait staff was very fast and attentive.
The menu was a bit daunting, in that it is a book of pictures of Italy and menu items. There seemed to be WAY too many choices. They really should limit it a bit.
We ordered some drinks. Kudos for having something for kids. Our daughter is 13 and we always order a chocolate milk, which they had. My wife ordered the Ministroni soup, My daughter had the Child’s menu pizza (the child’s menu is for kids up to only 10 years of age! The waitress asked her age and I said 10. My daughter is 13 going on 15. The waitress laughed and said OK. I’m not trying to be cheap, but my daughter doesn’t even finish the kids meal at ANY restaurant. Plus, 10 does seem a tad young for a Kid’s meal cut-​off age. .) I ordered the Pasta Carbonara.
My wife’s Ministroni was a bit of an over-​boiled, gloupy mess. Once the celery turns grey, it’s time to make a fresh batch! I’m glad it was only an appetizer. My pasta was overly rich. There was way more sauce than pasta, which with a carbonara, is NOT a good thing. Very salty as well. Sorry to be nit-​picky, but the carbonara should be creamy… i. e, not scrambled eggs and cream and cheese. If i am going to pay 19 bucks for a pasta I can make at home for a couple of bucks, I would think it would be made properly. My Daughter’s pizza was OK. Very thin crust. A tad skimpy on the sauce but plenty of cheese, which kids like. Kudos, once again for them only charging us for the kid’s meal pizza… liar that I am. :-P
The atmosphere is very friendly and family oriented, which is what I like. The staff is very attentive as well. Nice ambience, although, since it’s a family friendly place, a tad loud.
My main beef with this place is that it is over-​priced for what you are getting. I would give it 3 stars if the mains were 7– 10 bucks cheaper. It’s just not worth the money for the linen napkins and tablecloths. This is what you are paying for. If you want a good, decent family Italian restaurant for half the price in the area, try Vesuvios on Dundas West or go all the way to little Italy and try Café Diplimatico or Gato Nero on College St.
Bottom line: They are very nice but the fine linen isn’t worth the extra 20+ bucks on the bill.

We choose La Veranda Osteria for a be-​lated birthday get together. I had eyed this place a few times because of its lovely flower filled front patio. I had also eaten at this restaurant when it was called Cru but had not been back since it became La Veranda.
Came in around 7pm on a Monday night. Restaurant was pretty busy… a good sign. We had made reservations via Open Table but it probably wasn’t necessary. We were assigned a table for two inside in the corner that backed onto a circular booth. It was fine but the table beside us remained empty throughout our entire meal so for the sake of personal space, I would have preferred to sit there than to be so close to the booth next to us. It’s like being on the TTC, having empty seats all around and the next person who gets on needs to sit immediately right beside you. Grrr.
The menu at Le Veranda is thick… so thick in fact that it comes in a hardcover bound book. There are so many menu choices that I could literally hear Gordon Ramsey screaming on Kitchen Nightmares about the dangers of having of a massive menu. Nevertheless, a few pages of the menu book was dedicated to a gluten-​free section, which was fantastic for my friend with a gluten allergy.
We ordered the grilled calamari to start ($ 12.95), mains — grilled salmon salad (gluten free — $ 21.95) and tagliatelle ala veranda ($ 18.95) and a half litre of white wine ($ 18.95).
The wine list had a few red/​white choices with bottles priced between $ 29-​$ 40 which I thought was quite fair but being that it was a school night, we decided to take it easy and go with the half litre. There was also a secondary wine list on the table that had many selections stroked off using a metallic marker so not sure if that list was the most recent.
Our server was an older gentleman… neither friendly or surly — just present. He brought us over a bread basket that contained 2 white rolls and a whole wheat one, but no gluten-​free bread. You would think it would just make sense to bring gluten-​free bread for someone that just ordered from the gluten-​free menu.
The calamari came next… generous portion of grilled squid topped with rosemary and I think an exotic spice called salt.
Next came the mains. The salmon a top my friend’s salad looked like it had been hacked to bits with a knife. It was not in a filet form… just hunks of salmon on top of a bed of spinach (dressing on the side but no other veggies in the salad). My pasta was quite good. The tagliatelle came with pieces of roasted red pepper, asparagus and cherry tomatoes tossed in olive oil and garlic.
We decided to skip on dessert since we were both pretty stuffed. When paying the bill, they put my credit card into one of those machines but the part for tipping was not clear. I hit okay and it processed the final amount and I didn’t have a chance to type in the tip so I left cash.
Le Veranda is a decent pasta joint, would have liked service to be a little more lively.
Just a word of warning, the meal lasted close to 2 hrs. There is fine print in the menu that says the pastas can take up to 50 min. to prepare so not a place for those look for a quickie out-​the-​door meal.

We dropped in for dinner on a Wednesday night. It was busier than expected and there was a few families in the restaurant. I was impressed by the décor of the restaurant and that this restaurant is run by a family!
The menu is well done except for the fact that any corrections are written in with a sharpie. The problems started after we were seated. We had about 5 different servers. I know that one was a bus boy but we had 4 waiters/​waitresses.
When our food arrived it was sub par. I had the lemon chicken with veg. My veg was a giant pile of mushy crap. The chicken was okay but nothing to pay $ 20 for. My Fiancée ordered Agnolotti and it was okay. It had a store bought quality to it and something we could of made at home.
Once we finished eating we waited 15 mins for our bill and this was after we asked for it from one of our four servers. A fifth server came with the credit card machine.
As we were leaving my Fiancée mentioned that she felt like we were in one of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and that about summed up our experience. I don’t think we’ll be heading back anytime soon.