Lano

What is Lano? Set inside the lobby of The Ritz-Carlton at 181 Wellington Street West, Lano (a moniker derived from Milano) transforms the hotel's ground floor into a sleek Northern Italian café and wine bar. Styled by Toronto's Chapi Chapo Design, the sunlit room is appointed with white oak millwork, ribbed glass wine cabinets, quartzite counters, and curved, leather-clad banquettes. Overseen by chefs Alessandro Panattoni and Ignatius Prinsloo, it delivers an understated Milanese sensibility where guests can transition effortlessly from morning espresso to evening aperitivo.

Lano Menu & What to Order Every pastry and loaf of bread is baked in-house daily, starting with golden cornetti and cream-filled bombolini paired with pulling Italian espresso. Midday brings crusty panini loaded with Prosciutto di San Daniele and aged Asiago, while late afternoons lean into customizable antipasti boards featuring Montasio, Gorgonzola, thinly shaved mortadella, and Sicilian olives. Pair your spread with a classic Aperol or Campari spritz during the signature Spritz at the Ritz service, or choose from a cellar list stocked with boutique Piedmont and Veneto labels.

Know Before You Go Lano operates on a relaxed, hybrid model where daytime counter service and café seating welcome quick drop-ins, while afternoon and evening tables accommodate both walk-ins and direct reservations. It gets lively right before shows at nearby Roy Thomson Hall and the Princess of Wales Theatre, making it an ideal pre-curtain perch. Valet parking is available via the hotel driveway, and St. Andrew subway station is less than a five-minute walk east.