Via Cibo

Ambience & décor: contemporary (3.5 stars)
Food: mediocre, overpriced (2 stars), vegetarian unfriendly.
I ordered a pizza margherita & it probably was the worst margherita pizza I’ve had in my life. Underdone & tasteless. They covered it up by drizzling copious amounts of olive oil!
The other dishes at the table were a pesto pasta, tuscan fries, &, portobello piadini. The pasta was aldente but the pesto sauce was so-​so. The piadini was good. The tuscan fries were okay — nothing to rave about.
This is a self service place with limited bottles of seasonings. The service is poor. Scowling or unfriendly servers. They did not have fresh pepper mills & when I asked the server reluctantly got a pepper mill from another table & rushed us to take it back!
I reluctantly ordered a cappuccino which was surprisingly good.
There must be a dearth of good Italian restaurants in this area since it was crowded.
Their brunch menu on weekends looks interesting but will I go back? Not sure if I want to try it a second time.
We did go back a second time for brunch. The serving staff who took our order was nice but the lady at the checkout couldn’t be bothered to tell us the flavors of italian ices!
The tiramisu french toast & goat cheese frittata were very good unlike the dinner entrees the previous time, with adequate portion sizes. The cranberry pecan french toast was priced as a brunch entrée but served as a small dessert item.
This restaurant is the classic case of having the right food but failing at management & operations.

Food is great, but service leaves much to be desired for the cost.
The layout of confusing. In that you order and pay at stations and are expected to carry your own drinks to the table, even if it requires returning to the bar several times.
They do bring your food to your table after a few minutes which is normal, yet when we asked for our dessert we were told to go back to the bar and inform them. Seems the staff is too lazy to even commutate with each other.
I wouldn’t have a problem with either and all take out or all sit down style. But this mixture of methods, changing it seems during the meal, is annoying as well as leads to long delays and confusion between customers and staff.
It’s too bad this place can’t find a rhythm, the food is incredible but the overall rushed feeling combined with delayed service is not worth the price.

Came here for lunch. The concept of the restaurant is pretty unique. You order and pay first and then you go sit down and wait for your food to come.
My party ordered the lemon italian soda, tuscan fries, piccante pizza and carbonara with linguine noodles.
The good: The tuscan fries were really delicious. The fries came out hot and fresh and it blends really well with the shaved grana padano cheese. This is definitely a must try when you come here. The carbonara was very good as well. The noodles were al dente and it wasn’t as saucy which I liked.
The bad: The crostino that came with the pasta was very bland and very hard. The biggest disappointment was the piccante pizza. The dough was soggy when it arrived and it really destroys the texture of the pizza. You would think the dough would be crispy since it comes out of a wooden oven but it was an utter disaster. Definitely avoid having pizza here.
Avoid eating the pizza and get pasta and definitely the tuscan fries!

This place would get 4 stars if the service was a bit better and they had more veg options. The food is reasonably good — we as a family of three had the Tuscan fries, a pesto pasta, margarita pizza and a piadina sandwich with Portobello and goat cheese. The last named was very good, the pasta good and the pizza disappointing. For the price of sit down dining, the ambience is sparse and service pedestrian. We wanted some fresh pepper but were told that another table has the pepper grinder but we could borrow it for 10 seconds. I mean I they are limited then they should not on anyone’s table. The redeeming feature was the cappuccino and the French press coffee both of which were excellent.
The brunch menu looks great and we will try it sometime. But no return trip for dinner.

Food: 3
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 2
My aunt and uncle have been raving about this place and excited to take my sister and I here and we’ve had our expectations set high! Unfortunately Via Cibo disappointed in almost every aspect.
The first member of the staff who took our order was curt, cold and unfriendly and rushed us through without any warmth or a smile of any kind. To be fair he warmed up a little bit more throughout our meal but not by much.
Speaking of cold, the place itself was freezing! We thought it was because they just opened their doors at 3 when we came and that it would warm up, but nope it stayed cold and we could feel the cold air blowing. The layout of the place was nice but when it’s that cold it’s hard to enjoy it.
We ordered the arugula salad with shrimp, the pollo a pesto pizza, gnocchi and Tuscan fries. The Tuscan fries were the most mediocre, and I was expecting them to be amazing after all the reviews rated them quite highly. They were served cold and tasteless unfortunately! The salad was good and the shrimp were delicious. The pizza was okay, nothing special, and the gnocchi was tasty but again nothing to write home about.
We decided to get some coffee and dessert and ordered the Nutella dessert (I forget the full name, Stella di something). They warned us it would take 15 minutes and it took 20 to come out which I knew would take long since they warned us but cmon.
Then in the middle of waiting for our dessert, the dude who took our order comes and tells us that they forgot to charge us for the shrimp and asked us to pay for the difference. Again he wasn’t rude at all, but when YOU make the mistake and forget to put it on the bill, shouldn’t it be you that takes responsibility for it? I’m not upset about the $ 6 but to come and ask us to settle almost 40 minutes after we order is ridiculous.
The coffees and desserts were fine but I was so turned off from the experience that I was supposed to meet friends here right after and changed the location to second cup so that I wouldn’t have to give them any more of my business.

Very clean/​fresh Italian food at affordable prices. Try their pastas and paninos! Wasn’t really feeling their Italian Sodas

Had a very unique and tasty sausage and egg dish called Eggs Al Forno. I’ve never had anything like that for breakfast/​brunch. It had spicy Italian sausage all throughout with grilled veggies and two eggs baked on top. I also tried a bite of my boyfriend’s Tiramisu French Toast that was as thick as about 5 slices of normal bread and pumped full of tiramisu filling. Very fluffy.
Via Cibo would have received a higher review if I were not factoring in the service and operation of the establishment.
The set-​up of the restaurant is strange, you order food and pay for it at one counter and then you order drinks at a separate counter and pay again. Then you kind of just stand there and look around for a seat, many of which have a super tiny reserved sign on them that you can barely see and if you accidentally sit down at one such table, be prepared to be snapped at by a waitress that you CAN NOT SIT THERE.
I’m hoping my next visit will be better.

Braised Ragu Penne Pasta ($ 15)
Off the Bone Braised Veal Ragu pasta mixed with Broccolini, Slow Roasted Tomatoes and topped with shaved Grana Padano Cheese. The beef was braised nicely, the meat was tenderly split apart and not tough at all.
Carbonara ($ 13)
The pasta was cooked just right, not too soft and not too chewy. This dish was flavorful and had its creamy touch. It did have a slight burnt taste mixed in the sauce, I think it came from the pancetta. I like how the pancetta was cooked really crispy though, adds a nice crunch to the pasta.
I think Levetto still does it better though, and cheaper too.

Only got to try this place once but it was awesome
Menu looks quite tasty
Had to take some time to peruse through
Finally had the Calabrese piadina
Quite yummy
Had a nice kick to it too with the spicy sausage
Wanted to try the fries but the piadina was filling enough
Would def go back again

This is a really neat & busy restaurant. The food is amazing & delicious. I’ve eaten here 3 – 4 times & have not been disappointed. I had a chicken wrap (not called a wrap) & it was delicious. What was nice was I also ordered an espresso & the staff waited till lunch was eaten & then delivering my espresso. Nicely done. This is a recommend from me.

The whole ordering process is very unique! I loved the feel of the place and how everything is set up!
The menu is pretty diverse (in terms of only Italian food! haha). You can order anything from Pasta, Pizza, Insalate and much more! I ended up ordering the Pasta Al Pesto! It was alright. The speed of it was good however, I found it super oily! Like my pasta was legit swimming in a big ol’ pool of oil. So that kind of turned me off of it. Now I’m aware pesto has olive oil but like this was way over on the oil front. The flavour was good though! Would I order it again? Probably would try something else!
Verdict? I would try this place again for sure– just not that pasta haha.

Looking for an Italian restaurant in the area Via Cibo seemed to have some great reviews. Hence I decided to take a date here since we’ve both never been to this venue.
Upon entering its not your usual dining experience, first you’d have to follow a path where you’d be advised to choose what to eat… then a few yards down is where you order drinks.
For food we both ordered two types of pizza; Pollo al pesto and their Casaglina, along with two glasses of red wine.
Both gourmet pizzas were well prepared and presentation was quite impressive. What I liked most about this place, aside from the food was the open concept!
The only downside to this place is the limited seating, and if there aren’t any seats then you are out of luck…
would I come back, I would if I’m in the area, but would not go out of my way to come here just because of the set up of how the restaurant has its set up. Food is awesome though! so kudos to that!

Good not great for overall food on the menu. Very pricey for what you get in my opinion. Truffle fries were amazing the first visit but not so great after you’ve tried them a couple times. Pizza is a bit dry and pastas are a bit bland. It’s the only Italian place around my area so I come here only when I’m really craving Italian and I don’t want to go too far for food.

Affordably priced mid-​range fast food Italian food place that makes homemade pasta and pizzas. Quick fast food style order system (you order when you come into the restaurant, before you sit down) but they’ll deliver your order to your table by locating your table with the order number indicator they give you. Spacious and comfortable aesthetic, felt like a diner in some ways but more upscale and vamped up. Came here recently for a friends birthday. Great for brunch!

Had the Lasagna Bolognese
— Layered with Bolognese Sauce, Béchamel, Grana Padano, Pomodoro and Basil
I was not impressed, and was actually disappointed considering the 4-​star rating.
The lasagna was very soft and the sauce was irremarkable.
Considering the price, this is definitely a no-​go-​no-​return on my list.

Via Cibo is a favourite among my coworkers and I as a lunch spot for it’s fast service and reasonably priced but very delicious Italian food.
My usual order is the Calabrese Sausage Piadina, which is like a sausage wrap (it’s wrapped in the flatbread because the filings are wet and would fall out otherwise — I was told by one of the workers). The sausage and even flatbread is all made in house so it’s very fresh. It comes with a tiny side salad. I would also say the wrap is about a medium level of spicyness so I like to add extra hot sauce, albeit I am a hot sauce fiend.
I’ve also tried the Piccante and Margarita pizzas, both delicious and very filling! My coworkers also rave about the Pomodoro pasta and the Cavolo salad (kale salad).
The italian fruit soda is a must! It’s very refreshing and just the right amount of fizzyness. They also come in various flavours that you wouldn’t expect. I don’t usually get dessert so I’ve only had it once as it was complimentary. I can’t remember the name but they were like these deep fried dough balls that had brown sugar on them. They were made in-​house and so delicious.
The service is usually pleasant although not very attentive once you’re seated, which makes sense as they are not a conventional sit-​down restaurant. However I was easily able to wave someone down if I required something.
This plaza gets insanely busy during the lunch rush so I would recommend going right before or after (11:30am or 1:00pm) lunch.

Italian street food! Nom! Via Cibo serves comforting Italian meals at a somewhat affordable price. It’s similar to Chipotle with an Italian flare.
Via = Street | Cibo = Food
We ordered three items from the «all-​day» menu.
Cavolo ($ 5 as a side)
The highlight of our meal was the insalate! Bright Tuscan Kale, with Lemon Ricotta, Olives, Fennel, sweet Cipollini Onions, acidic White Balsamic Citrus Vinaigrette! It was a perfectly balanced dish!
Pasta Al Pesto ($ 12.00)
Your choice of linguine or penne with Basil Pesto, tossed with Arugula, Sundried Tomatoes with Shaved Grana Padano Cheese! The flavor profile of this dish was great — a hint of bitterness from the arugula, freshness from the basil pesto and sweetness from the sundried tomatoes. It was delightful dish. My only concern was the amount of oil in the dish as the pasta was drenching in oil.
Via Casalinga ($ 14.00)
The Via Caslinga pizza consists of Tomato, Casalinga Salami, Sausage, Fior Di Latte and Ricotta Cheese. Another delicious dish from Via Cibo! Again, a very composed dish but slightly on the heavier side. I was full after half a slice. The crust did not hold up well. Perhaps it was steam from the plate restricting it from escaping. The pizza lost the crispness it had. A light char may have enhanced the flavor and texture to the dish.
Overall, we were content with Via Cibo!
Via Cibo + Pancia = Felice = Happy belly!

Been a little curious about this place for a while and after today’s visit, I truly hope that they break whatever bad karma this particular spot has as all the previous restaurants didn’t last very long.
Place was a little like a cafeteria like setting however your order is brought to you. So basically you walk in, read the menu, drool, place your order then walk down to the cashier with the number for your table. Waiting time didn’t seem long either but we were also the only other small group there. I can only imagine how it is during its peak time.
[Sides]
Tuscan Fries — Only other place where I’ve tried fries cooked in truffle oil was at Four Seasons Hotel New York and those are still one of the best fries I’ve ever had. Definitely will be one and last things I’ll have when I go back there.
The potato selection itself could’ve been better, in my opinion. This was a little on the starchier side so it was pretty dry. Ever have frozen Mccain fries? Well, it’s kind of like that but a little better of course. Was perfectly seasoned with sea salt, fresh rosemary and had shavings of grana padano cheese which was very sharp. Went very well with their, what I’m guessing was a type of aioli. This would go very well with a sandwich or if you’re feeling peckish. 4.5÷5.
Polpette — This was quite perfection. The meat was lean but had enough of its natural fat to keep it very moist and juicy. Was perfectly cooked and the sauce was great! Would’ve been great if you go at least some garlic bread to go with it as it was just served on its own. But then that may also be a good thing as you get to really just indulge in all its flavour. ⁵⁄₅.
[Main]
Pollo Balsamico — A very generous serving of piadina (flat bread) with grilled chicken cooked in a balsamic reduction and was garnished with baby spinach, caramelized onions, goat cheese, sundries tomatoes. Seemed like the chicken was slowly grilled or was at least marinating in the balsamic because just one bite had a burst of flavour. Would definitely get this one again. ⁵⁄₅.
Prosciutto E Arugula Pizza — Usually when you go to new restaurants, it takes you a while to select something from the menu. But as soon as I saw this on the menu, I just HAD to get it and I must say that I was very pleased with my selection. The crust itself I would’ve preferred to be on the crispier side rather than the doughy side. Regardless, it was still nice. I basically ended up dipping the (doughy) crust in what was left from the polpette’s sauce.
If God were Italian, I think the prosciutto would’ve been personally cured and dried by His own hands. In other words, the prosciutto was
. The slices weren’t overly thin and it seemed far from what you would normally have on any or all other proscuitto pizzas. I wouldn’t be surprised if the ham itself was imported directly from Italy. What I also loved about the pizza was that they were very generous with the arugula. So for $ 15, you got more than your money’s worth. The serving was huge and again, very generous with the toppings. The balsamic drizzle was also a nice touch. I definitely would go back for this again. ⁵⁄₅.
Via Casalinga — If you like Sicilian type pizza then you definitely need to try this. The salami wasn’t overly salty and you get a generous amount of it. The ricotta cheese was also very nice and creamy. Definitely the toppings (also had sausage) complimented each other. Because I was expecting it to be on the spicier side, I personally would’ve loved some hot pepper flakes on it, however it was still great the way it was. Another item I’d get again. ⁵⁄₅.
[Dessert]
Not exactly sure what it was called but for dessert we had some type of rolled up baked dough stuffed with Nutella and served with caramel gelato. Because it was baked, it was nice and warm and gooey. Definitely on the richer side but c’mon, it’s Nutella. You can’t exactly go wrong either. ⁵⁄₅.

Via Cibo is like gourmet fast food. The food comes out quick but it actually tastes good and is a lot healthier than your McDonald’s/Wendy’s/Burger King, etc. The interior design is also a lot nicer and the chairs are very comfortable. Once you enter, you put in your order, then pass through their open kitchen. You can see how they cook the food. At the end of the line is where you pay. You then get your number and go find a place to sit. When your food is ready, they will bring it to your table. I really liked their Pasta Al Ragu Di Ossobuco. Their pizza’s are also unique and very filling for one person. They have a brick oven which makes the pizza even better. My personal favorite is the prosciutto e arugula which has a drizzle of fig infused balsamic vinaigrette. The hit of the fig is unique and makes the pizza even better.
Overall, a very good place to get your Italian fix if you’re in a hurry.

I’m surprised that this place doesn’t have more 5 stars. I think this place is awesome! I
it’s authentic and the décor is a cross between romantic eat-​in and retro fast food… With an Italian twist. If that makes sense?
In terms of cleanliness, on par. The washrooms are always clean and that’s how I rate a restaurants overall cleanliness. The the tables are cleaned and always have utensil bundles (do they have an actual name for those?).
I feel that I need to mention the fact that their napkins are super high quality and can compete with bounty extra ply paper napkins and win easily.
Their service has been quick all 3 times I’ve been. Somewhere between 5 – 10 minutes which is great. Consistency in service and food quality is key to a successful business.
Finally, the best for last… that portobello and goat cheese piadina is to DIE FOR!!! Their Tuscan fries are also delicious… but that piadina oh man! I come here just for that. (I cannot comment on their pizzas because I’ve never had them)
It loses 1 star for 2 reasons, they are slightly overpriced (11 for a piadina) but I am willing to overlook it and pay for delicious quality food. Next, the wrap wasn’t warm to my liking, there was inconsistency in that. Otherwise definitely come try the piadina.