Cucina Buca

What is Cucina Buca? Perched at 2 St. Clair Avenue West right at the corner of Yonge and St. Clair, Cucina Buca brings the King Street Food Company’s celebrated Italian dining pedigree to midtown. The striking two-level space, crafted by Constantino Design Studio, matches soaring floor-to-ceiling windows and curved architecture with pale oak woodwork and a mezzanine overlooking the ground floor. Seating spans comfortable banquettes, elevated dining tables upstairs, and a polished bar suited for solo dining or an aperitivo.

Cucina Buca Menu & What to Order The kitchen leans into regional Italian cooking designed for shared plates, beginning indispensably with warm rosemary nodini and the crisp, molten stracchino-stuffed focaccia di Recco. Handcrafted pastas are a core strength, notably the bronze-die extruded rigatoni all'anatra coated in a savory duck ragù and dolloped with mascarpone. Hearty mains like the whole grilled branzino and 45-day dry-aged bistecca alla fiorentina pair effortlessly with an Italian amarone or classic negroni, rounded out by house-spun soft serve gelato.

Know Before You Go Dinner reservations via OpenTable are highly advisable since the dining room fills quickly with neighbourhood locals and business crowds, though the bar counter remains a reliable option for walk-ins. Transit is seamless with St. Clair subway station located just across the street, backed by underground parking garages off Alvin Avenue. The kitchen runs for dinner service from Tuesday through Saturday, remaining closed on Sundays and Mondays.