New Italian restaurants in Toronto take the simple pleasures of pizza, pasta and wine to the next level. Whether they adhere strictly to the Italian food rulebook or throw it out the window, lovers of the cuisine will want to find themselves at these newly opened spots.

Here are my picks for the top new Italian restaurants in Toronto.

Eataly Toronto

This Italian destination at Bay and Bloor actually contains multitudes, as there are seafood, pizza and pasta restaurants as well as cafes and bars inside of it.

Bar Vendetta

Taking over the Black Hoof space on Dundas West, this place isn't so much an Italian restaurant as a wine bar, but it would just be inaccurate not to call it one of the top new spots in town for great pasta.

Lucia

The Junction Triangle recently welcomed this cozy restaurant for lunch and dinner from the people behind Local Kitchen & Wine Bar onto the scene.

Buono

Stelvio at Queen and Spadina relocated to Dundas West and turned into this fast casual pasta and piadina bar this year.

Ascari

King West now has its very own location of this reputed Leslieville restaurant serving upscale plates of pasta in a beautiful space.