Italian-ish small plates in a beautifully designed room with a massive natural wine list. The kind of restaurant where everything just works. Pasta is made fresh daily.
Neighbourhood: Ossington · Address: 849 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON · Hours: Mon–Wed 5:00 – 10:00 PM | Thu–Fri 5:00 – 11:00 PM | Sat 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM | Sun 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM · Price Range: $$$ · Phone: (416) 368-4567 · Editorial status: Not yet verified
La Palma serves up Italian-inspired small plates in an airy, artful space, backed by an impressive natural wine selection. The handmade pasta and careful attention to detail in every dish set a reliably great scene for a date night.
Unlike many Toronto Italian spots, La Palma goes all-in on natural wines and ‘Italian-ish’ sharing plates rather than strict traditional fare. The airy interior, with its signature spiral staircase and bold terrazzo design, feels as curated as the menu, making it feel more like dining in a creative studio than a restaurant.
La Palma opened on Dundas West in 2016 and immediately became one of those restaurants that Toronto's food community talks about with genuine warmth — not hype, not Instagram noise, but the quiet reverence reserved for places that consistently do things right. The Italian-inspired small plates are generous and technically confident, the room is beautifully designed without being precious about it, and the natural wine list is among the best in the city.
The pasta changes seasonally and is made fresh daily — this is the menu anchor, and the kitchen handles it with Italian-grandmother seriousness. A typical order might include house-made tagliatelle with something unexpected in the ragu, a chicory salad dressed with something acidic and perfect, a plate of burrata that you'll think about later, and perhaps a dessert involving citrus and cream. The cooking is comforting and accomplished without trying to be theatrical about it.
The wine list is the hidden star. La Palma was one of the first Toronto restaurants to commit deeply to natural wine at a time when the city's wine culture was much more conservative, and that early bet has paid off in a cellar that's both deep and interesting. The staff understand the list and will guide you to something that pairs thoughtfully. The by-the-glass options are carefully chosen and consistently surprising.
The room on Dundas West has a terracotta-and-tile warmth that makes it feel like a Mediterranean room that arrived intact in Toronto. Book ahead — the restaurant is deservedly popular and walk-ins are difficult on weekends.
La Palma is known for its Italian-inspired small plates, fresh house-made pasta, and one of Toronto's best natural wine lists. The restaurant on Dundas Street West in the Ossington neighbourhood has been a fixture of Toronto's serious food scene since 2016, praised for consistently high-quality seasonal cooking in a beautifully designed room.
Yes — La Palma takes reservations and they are strongly recommended, particularly for weekend dinners. The restaurant fills up quickly, especially Thursday through Saturday. Book 1–2 weeks in advance for weekend evenings via their website or OpenTable. Walk-ins are possible earlier in the week.
The fresh house-made pasta is the anchor of any meal at La Palma — order at least one pasta course. The burrata and seasonal salads are excellent starters. Ask the server about the wine selection; the natural wine list is extensive and the staff are knowledgeable. The desserts are worth saving room for. Budget approximately $60–90 per person including wine.
La Palma is at 849 Dundas Street West, in the Ossington/Little Portugal neighbourhood. The nearest transit is Ossington Station (Line 2, 10-minute walk north) or the 505 Dundas streetcar (stop at Dundas & Ossington). Street parking is available on Dundas West in the evenings.
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