Donatello

What is Donatello? Operating on Elm Street just west of Yonge since 1990, Donatello is an enduring Italian white-tablecloth fixture founded by veteran restaurateur Giacomo. The multi-level townhouse layout features warm amber lighting, classic linen-dressed tables, a cozy bar, and both a street-level terrace and a secluded rooftop patio during the warmer months. It offers unhurried, vintage downtown hospitality frequented by pre-theatre diners, nearby hospital staff, and regulars seeking time-tested Italian dining.

Donatello Menu & What to Order Traditional handmade pastas and hearty meat mains anchor the extensive menu, highlighted by the house-favourite Gnocchi Donatello and retro Spaghetti 2000 tossed with fresh basil and crushed nuts in a tomato cream sauce. For mains, the kitchen excels at classic pan work like the Pollo Valdostana—smothered in prosciutto and melted mozzarella—alongside crisp Vitello Piccata and charcoal-grilled calamari. Match the meal with a bold Tuscan red from the extensive Italian-heavy cellar list and finish with a slice of rich, espresso-soaked homemade tiramisu.

Know Before You Go Advance reservations through their website or by phone are highly recommended, especially around 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on theatre nights and weekends. The restaurant is a brief three-minute stroll from Dundas subway station, with multiple commercial parking garages dotted along Elm and Bay streets. The dining room serves weekday lunch and evening dinner Monday through Friday, switches to dinner-only on Saturdays, and is fully closed on Sundays.