Piano Piano Colborne
Piano Piano on Colborne Street is the St. Lawrence location of one of Toronto's favourite Italian restaurants, featuring its boldest and most whimsical design to date.
Known for its comforting New Jersey-style dishes, the location quietly opened back in December, becoming its fourth in addition to the others in Harbord Village, Oakville, and Mount Pleasant.
Located at 55 Colborne Street near Wellington and Church, Piano Piano is serving its tried-and-true signature pastas and pizzas in an enchanting multi-level space reminiscent of a circus.
While the gorgeous painted floral mural on the building's exterior is becoming synonymous with its identity, Piano Piano's interior designs vary from location to location.
The aesthetic at Colborne, dreamt up by partners Victor Barry, Nikki Leigh McKean and Brendan Piunno in partnership with Future Studio led by Ali McQuaid, is what they call "Narnia meets the circus," with two very distinct designs on the main floor versus the downstairs lower-level bar.
"We we able to do two different designs in two different spaces; upstairs is this luxurious [space with] felts and really textured rooms, and downstairs we wanted to really create a vibe," Piunno tells blogTO.
Bathed in warm hues of red walls, golden lampshades, and rich tapestries, the main floor is a cozy, inviting space with plush booth seating around marble tables.
Head down the stairs, and you'll be in for a completely new experience. There are eccentric details to catch your eye everywhere you turn from the mirrored ceilings to the funky animal print wallpaper and full-sized carousel horse.
The Insalata Della Casa ($12) arrives piled high with fresh Bibb lettuce, fresh herbs, red onions, and Grana Padano. It's tossed in a tangy olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing.
Burrata Con Funghi ($19) comes with king oyster and cremini mushroom sott'olio (marinated mushrooms) and garlic, roasted hazelnuts, and a thick piece of toasted focaccia bread.
The mix of textures from the creamy cheese to the crunch of hazelnuts was a definite favourite. While the burrata is always on the menu, Barry notes the garnish accompaniment will change seasonally.
Another crowd pleaser was the Sweet Hornet ($24), Piano Piano's most-ordered pizza. The sweet and spicy pie is made with fior de latte, spicy soppressata, black olives, and is drizzled with hot honey on top.
It comes with a pair of pizza scissors to cut your own slices with.
Egg Yolk Ravioli ($26) is an OG dish since day one, and what Barry calls "pure luxury." When sliced open, the beautiful golden pockets ooze out the filling of spinach, ricotta, and brown butter. The pasta is topped with a light dusting of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Request an extra spoon or two and split the Colossal Cream Puff ($12) for dessert. Here, soft serve ice cream is sandwiched between a giant choux pastry, layered generously in chocolate sauce with chopped hazelnuts on top.
From the airiness of the pastry to the soft serve that melts in your mouth, it's incredibly light despite its size.
To drink, the Piano Piano Spritz ($16) is a bright and refreshing take on your traditional Aperol Spritz, but instead made with peach schnapps, Select Apertivo, prosecco, St. Germain, and Brio limonata.
Another choice for citrus fans is the Last Flight to Venice ($20). Thyme-infused vodka, Amaro Nonino, Cocchi Americano, green chartreuse, lemon juice, and a prosecco-lavender syrup come together in the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
For those who prefer a bitter cocktail, try the Rosemary Negroni ($16). The traditional Italian drink is made here with rosemary-infused Dillon's dry gin and garnished with a sprig of rosemary.
The notes of herb and licorice root are balanced with the sweetness from the Cocchi Rosa and orange peel.
You'll find Piano Piano's newest location at 55 Colborne Street. They are currently open daily for lunch from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and reopen for dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Fareen Karim
