Before you go
★★★★☆ 4.6 · 24 Google reviews
Photos by Xiaorui He · Casa Donato · Adam Lorenti · Casa Donato via Google
Very cute cafe!!! Stopped to grab a quick latte and to finish some work and while there’s no wifi, there’s plenty of seating and windows. Will return!
⭐ 1/5 – Extremely Disappointing Food Quality! I recently tried the food at Casa Donato, and honestly, it was a terrible experience. The food quality was extremely poor. It felt…⭐ 1/5 – Extremely Disappointing Food Quality! I recently tried the food at Casa Donato, and honestly, it was a terrible experience. The food quality was extremely poor. It felt like they were using cheap, low-quality ingredients and powdered mixes instead of fresh, quality food. If you just want to fill your stomach, maybe it’s an option, but if you care about food quality, I would not recommend this place. Even worse, I’ve been experiencing stomach pain since yesterday after eating their food. I can’t say for certain what caused it, but the timing is concerning. I seriously question the quality of the food being served here. Customers deserve fresh, properly prepared food, not just something to fill their stomachs. Very disappointed. I definitely won’t be coming back!
Im a math major at u of t and the fact I have such a nice cafe that serves great coffee at a reasonable price and provides a great place…Im a math major at u of t and the fact I have such a nice cafe that serves great coffee at a reasonable price and provides a great place to study is genuinely amazing. It’s also extremely clean which I appreciate
Neighborhood gem. Highly recommend. Great food, great service
I took a bite of my prosciutto sandwich and I said gahhhh damn😩
Reviews shown as returned by Google, sorted by relevance. Unedited.
Montreal’s Italian all day cafe has arrived in Toronto, and it chose Harbord Village for its first step outside Quebec. Casa Donato opened its cafe phase on October 15, 2026, at 660 Spadina Ave, near the University of Toronto, bringing sandwiches, pastries, salads, smoothies, house made gelato, and an extensive coffee program to a neighbourhood that already lives on cafes. It is a soft landing with a bigger plan: a second phase will add a dining room and bar with 150 seats.
What makes it special
Casa Donato comes from the team behind Ristorante Donato in Montreal, which gives the Toronto opening a history to draw on. This is not a first time cafe experiment, it is an established Italian restaurant group opening a new format in a new city. The all day cafe model fits Harbord Village well, because the area mixes students, hospital workers, local residents, and visitors, all of whom need a place that works for breakfast, lunch, a coffee break, and an afternoon gelato without changing venues.
The menu breadth is the other selling point. An all day menu that covers sandwiches, pastries, salads, smoothies, gelato, and coffee is designed for repeat visits, not just a single occasion. A visitor can come for coffee one day, return for a sandwich the next, and bring friends for gelato later in the week, all at the same address. That kind of flexibility is what turns a new cafe into a neighbourhood habit.
What to expect
Expect a bright, all day Italian cafe rather than a formal restaurant, at least in this first phase. The current cafe phase, which opened October 15, focuses on daytime eating and drinking: sandwiches for lunch, pastries for the morning, salads and smoothies for a lighter option, and house made gelato for dessert or an afternoon treat. The coffee program is described as extensive, so coffee lovers should expect more than a basic espresso and filter offering.
Look ahead, and the picture gets bigger. Phase two will bring a dining room and bar with 150 seats, which will turn Casa Donato from a daytime cafe into a full evening destination as well. For now, the smart way to visit is as a cafe: drop in for coffee and a pastry, try a sandwich at lunch, and keep an eye out for news of the dining room opening. The location near the University of Toronto also makes it a natural meeting point for students and for anyone exploring Harbord Village and the Annex.
Practical details
Casa Donato is located at 660 Spadina Ave, Toronto, in Harbord Village, near the University of Toronto. The cafe phase opened October 15, 2026. The team behind it is the group behind Ristorante Donato in Montreal, and this is the group’s first opening outside Quebec. The all day menu includes sandwiches, pastries, salads, smoothies, house made gelato, and an extensive coffee program. Phase two will add a dining room and bar with 150 seats. Donato Trafficante is a co-owner.
Opening hours were not stated in the verified coverage, so check the restaurant’s own listing before visiting for hours and the current menu. As a new cafe in a busy student area, peak times at lunch and on weekends are likely to be busy, so plan accordingly.
Who it is for
This is for Harbord Village locals and University of Toronto students who want a new all day cafe, for coffee lovers who want an extensive program rather than a single roast, and for Italian food fans who want to try a Montreal favourite without leaving Toronto. It is also a good casual meeting spot, for study sessions, coffee catch ups, and a gelato stop on a walk through the neighbourhood. Start with coffee and a pastry, return for a sandwich, and watch for the dining room opening.
