The old-school Italian bakery College Street was built around. Proper espresso, fresh pastries, biscotti. The nonnas who run it have been doing it right for 60 years.
Neighbourhood: Little Italy · Address: 535 College St, Toronto, ON · Hours: Mon–Sat 7am–7pm · Price Range: $ · Phone: (416) 651-7671 · Editorial status: Not yet verified
Commisso Brothers & Racco does Italian bakery classics exactly the way nonnas intended—fresh ricotta cannoli, legit biscotti, and foamy espresso served with zero fuss. This is where you go when you want the real deal and no hipster attitude.
It’s still run by the same family after six decades, with most pastries actually baked on site each morning. Unlike trendier cafes, you’ll see neighbourhood regulars chatting in Italian and get change back from a $5 bill—even for espresso and a pastry. The no-nonsense service and old-school bakery counter add to the charm.
Commisso Brothers & Racco has been on College Street since the 1950s, which makes it older than most of the Toronto restaurants that people call "institutions." The Italian family that founded it brought their baking traditions from Calabria and planted them on College Street in what was then — and in some ways still is — the commercial heart of Toronto's Italian-Canadian community. The result is a pastry shop and café that has survived the wave of artisan coffee culture, the gentrification of Little Italy, and the rise of six competing espresso bars within two blocks, by the simple strategy of continuing to do exactly what it has always done.
The espresso here is made on an old machine, pulled tight and short, with the crema of a properly calibrated grind and not too much heat. Commisso Brothers does not do pour-overs or single-origin. It does espresso, macchiato, and cappuccino, made the Italian-Canadian way that the neighbourhood's original community established.
The cornetti — Italian croissants, less buttery than the French version, filled with pistachio cream or Nutella or marmalade — are baked fresh daily and are genuinely excellent. The biscotti are made in-house. The pastry case includes cassata, sfogliatelle, and seasonal items that follow the Italian baking calendar rather than trending food magazines.
This is not a place for a 90-minute laptop session. It is a place for a 10-minute espresso and a cornetto at the bar, the way it was always designed to be experienced. That design is correct.
Commisso Brothers & Racco is a traditional Italian-Canadian bakery and café on College Street in Little Italy, operating since the 1950s. It serves espresso, cornetti (Italian croissants), biscotti, and Italian pastries made using traditional Calabrian baking methods. It's one of the oldest continuously operating Italian businesses in Toronto.
A properly pulled espresso at the bar is the essential order. Pair it with a cornetto (Italian croissant, filled with pistachio or Nutella), biscotti, or one of the seasonal Italian pastries. The pastry case includes cassata, sfogliatelle, and other traditional Italian items that rotate. Skip the tables and drink your espresso at the bar — that's the correct way.
Commisso Brothers & Racco is at 535 College Street in Little Italy, between Bathurst and Clinton streets. The nearest transit is the 506 Carlton streetcar (College Street) or a short walk from Bathurst Station (Line 2). Little Italy extends along College Street between Bathurst and Shaw.
Yes — Commisso Brothers & Racco continues to operate on College Street. Hours are approximately Monday through Saturday, 7am to 7pm. The bakery is closed Sundays. Verify current hours by calling ahead, as hours may adjust seasonally.
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