Cafe Diplomatico was first opened in 1968 by Rocco Mastrangelo Sr., shortly thereafter younger brother Paul came on board. The brothers envisioned having a typical Italian bar where Italian nationals could gather in the morning over coffee. At a time in Toronto when outdoor dining was almost unheard of, the sunny patio quickly caught on and now almost 4 decades later what started out as an innovation in the neighborhood has now set the standard.
Over the years the popularity of the Diplomatico has caused the bar to expand into a full restaurant eventually taking over the store next door as well. The dip (as it is affectionately referred to by it's many regulars) has had staying power due to it's versatile & reasonably priced menu paired with it's comfortable & unpretentious atmosphere.
Approaching 5 decades the restaurant is still owned by the Mastrangelo family, younger brother Paul now runs it with Rocco Mastrangelo Jr.more...See more text
Making Italian food at home is fun with all the creativity you can put into it. You can mix practically anything into a pasta sauce so long as it tastes good to you. Even better than doing this at home is giving your executive orders to kitchen staff while eating out. You can sit back and sip your wine while you wait for your customised pizza or dish of pasta to arrive piping hot in front of you. “We call it the three P's menu,” says Café Diplomatico owner Rocco Mastrangelo Jr. “You get to pick your own noodle and sauce, your own pizza toppings and your own panini filling down to the last onion.”
Rocco’s dad and Uncle Paul started this three-generation family business when they opened in the spring of 1968. Rocco stepped in after university when he figured that it was a good fit. “I love working with people, I’ve always been a foodie and College Street was just starting to become trendy then.”
The brothers named the spot CaféDiplomatico to welcome homesick Italians who were looking for a political debate over coffee as well as to show non-Italians that they were welcome.
Saturday & Sunday until 5pm: $5 Mimosa (choice of juices); $20 Make Your Own Mimosa (Includes 750ml bottle of Prosecco & choice of juices); $7 Spicy Caesars
Mimosa
$5.00Make Your Own
$20.00Spicy Caesar
$7.00
DAILY SPECIALS
MONDAY - Pasta Primavera w/ fresh salad
Rigatoni topped w/ mixed vegetables in a cream sauce
$13.00
TUESDAY - Fettina w/ fresh salad or pasta
(grilled marinated veal)
$13.00
WEDNESDAY - Chicken Parmigiana w/ fresh salad or pasta
$13.00
THURSDAY - Lentil Soup w/ fresh salad
$9.00
THURSDAY - Fusilli in a sundried tomato pesto cream sauce
$13.00
FRIDAY - Frittura di Pesce (fried calamari & shrimp)
$16.00
FRIDAY - Pasta alla Pescatora
(spaghetti with mixed seafood in a white wine or tomato sauce)
$17.00
SATURDAY - Veal Parmigiana w/ house fresh salad or pasta
$14.50
SUNDAY - Pasta al Forno
(rigatoni rose baked w/ prosciutto cotto, mushrooms, hot peppers and melted mozzarella)
$17.00
Weekday Lunch Special
Panini + Soup or Salad
$12.00
PIZZA & BEER TAKEOUT COMBO/SPECIAL
Large pizza plus 2 toppings and a 6pack of Moosehead (473ml cans)
$40.00
PANZEROTTO/CALZONE/BEER TAKEOUT SPECIAL
2 Panzerotto or Calzone and a 6 pack of Moosehead (473ml cans)
$40.00
Steak w/ Fries or Caesar Salad
8oz AAA New York Strip with your choice of fries or salad and Garlic Bread
$16.00
2 for 1 Large Pizza
comes wth 2 toppings
$16.00
⠀ MENU - Cafe Diplomatico
⠀
Antipasto | Appetizers MENU - Cafe Diplomatico
Small Tray serves up to 15 people / Large Tray serves up to 30 people
A1 Mini Arancini
Deep fried risotto balls with tomato sauce mild or hot
S
$70.00 (60 pcs.)L
$140.00 (120 pcs.)
A2 Antipasto di Casa
Hot Cacciatore sausage, Paisanella salami, padano cheese, assorted olives, sweet balsamic glaze and crostini
S
$100.00L
$190.00
A3 Antipasto Misto
Assorted cured meats, provolone cheese, pickled vegetables and assorted olives
Served with spicy cherry tomato sauce and crostinis
S
$120.00 (70 pcs.)L
$230.00 (140 pcs.)
A9 Spicy Mussels
Served in a white wine or tomato sauce
S
$70.00L
$130.00
A10 Beef Carpaccio
Tender, seared thinly sliced pieces of rare beef, served on a bed of arugula with shaved Padano cheese
S
$80.00L
$150.00
Zuppa | Soup
S Small serves up to 15 people / L Large serves up to 30 people
Z1 Pasta e Fagioli
Romano beans, tomatoes and pasta in a vegetable broth
S
$60.00L
$110.00
Z2 Minestrone
A blend of fresh vegetables with tubetini pasta in a vegetable broth
S
$70.00L
$130.00
Z3 Cheese Tortellini al Brodo
Vegetable broth
S
$65.00L
$120.00
Z4 Beet & Goat Cheese Pacchetti
Vegetable broth
S
$75.00L
$140.00
Insalata | Salads
S Small serves up to 15 people / L Large serves up to 30 people
I1 Fresh Salad
Romaine lettuce, kalamata olives, tomato, cucumber and onion
S
$35.00L
$60.00
I2 Caprese Salad
Sliced tomatoes, bocconcino cheese, basil and drizzled with olive oil
S
$55.00L
$100.00
I3 Caesar Salad
Romaine lettuce, caesar dressing, croutons, and grated parmesan cheese
S
$45.00L
$80.00
I4 Greek Salad
Feta cheese, romaine lettuce, kalamata olives, tomato, cucumber and onion
S
$55.00L
$100.00
I5 Tuscany Bean Salad
Chickpeas, black beans, black eyed peas, red kidney beans, red peppers, and celery, lightly tossed with parsley in a garlic dressing
S
$55.00L
$100.00
I6 Seven Grain Salad
Mixed medley of lentils, wheat berry, rice, couscous, mung beans, pearl barley, navy beans, fresh green onion, crisp red pepper, tossed in a light vinaigrette
S
$55.00L
$100.00
Sandwiches | Panini
Sandwiches come on a fresh, traditional Italian panini bun or focaccia.
Sandwich | Panini Platters
Assorted Platter available (your choice of threeselections) Small Platter = 15 panini/sandwiches | Large Platter = 30 panini/sandwiches
S
$150.00L
$290.00
SP1 Veal Parmigiana
Breaded veal topped with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese
S
$120.00L
$240.00
SP2 Chicken Parmigiana
Breaded chicken topped with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese
S
$115.00L
$230.00
SP3 Eggplant Parmigiana
Breaded and fried eggplant topped with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese
S
$115.00L
$230.00
SP4 Steak Sandwich
Grilled marinated top sirloin * Toppings available
S
$140.00L
$280.00
SP5 Meatball Sandwich
House made tender meatballs topped in tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese
S
$100.00L
$220.00
SP6 Sausage on a Bun
Grilled spicy Italian pork sausage * Toppings available
S
$110.00L
$220.00
SP7 Tuna Sandwich
Albacore tuna, with mayo and melted havarti
S
$100.00L
$200.00
SP8 Dip Sandwich
Salami, capicollo, provolone cheese, lettuce and tomato
S
$100.00L
$200.00
Create your own Party Sandwich | Panini
PS Party Sandwich
Choose any 3 items to build your own party-sized panini, served on a traditional round Calabrese loaf!
Choose your own pasta sauce for items below (P6-P9) are not available.
P1 Spaghetti
S
$90.00L
$155.00
P2 Penne
S
$90.00L
$155.00
P3 Linguine
S
$90.00L
$155.00
P4 Rigatoni
S
$90.00L
$155.00
P5 Fusilli
S
$90.00L
$155.00
P6 Meat Lasagna (serves 10)
$70.00 (Tray)
P7 Eggplant Parmigiana (serves 10)
$70.00 (Tray)
P8 Pasta al Forno
igatoni baked with prosciutto-cotto, mushrooms, hot peppers and mozzarella in a rosé sauce
S
$120.00L
$215.00
P9 Pasta alla Pescatora
Spaghetti with mixed seafood in a white wine or tomato sauce
S
$150.00L
$275.00
Fresh Pasta
NEW! Fresh pasta now available from Cafe Diplomatico. PLEASE CHOOSE your preferred pasta sauce below.
FP1 Meat Ravioli
S
$90.00L
$155.00
FP2 Cannelloni (Cheese or Meat) (15 pcs. / 30 pcs.)
S
$90.00L
$155.00
FP3
Cheese Tortellini
S
$110.00L
$190.00
FP4 Beet & Goat Cheese Pacchetti
S
$120.00L
$210.00
FP5 Gnocchi
S
$100.00L
$175.00
Pasta Sauces
Our pasta is served wtih your choice of the following sauces:
Pomodoro
Tomato sauce
Matriciana
Tomato sauce with bacon and hot peppers
Arrabbiata
Tomato sauce with mushrooms
Alfredo
Cream sauce
Rosé
Tomato cream sauce
Bolognese
Tomato meat sauce
Carbonara
Cream sauce with bacon and mushrooms
Add
$12.00 (Small Tray)Add
$22.00 (Large Tray)
Alla Vodka
Vodka tomato cream sauce
Add
$12.00 (Small Tray)Add
$22.00 (Large Tray)
Create your own Pizza
PP Party Sized Pizza
Create your own pizza on a traditional thin crust with tomato sauce and cheese. Includes 2 toppings! Choose your favourite toppings! (Gluten-Free and Whole Wheat crust available)
Always a great experience coming to the Diplomatico. you'd think that Nonna was in the kitchen the food is so delicious and authentic but close enough the chef their Malic serves up his own signature style on a plate each and every time we come in.
We went here after hearing so much about it as its promoted everywhere when it comes to television and newspapers during sports seasons when everyone comes to here to celebrate and watch eagerly. However I did not find anything special about this place. In fact we had a very uncomfortable stay here for our coffee's that we wanted to get out as soon as possible. Although nothing in terms of service or food was neglectful the atmosphere was not very accommodating.
It just gives me great pleasure to be in little Italy. I love their deep fried calzone. I know it is deep fried, but I am doing my best to gain some weight because I am very thin. The service is great here.
We've gone to Little Italy quite a few times, this time, we decided to try Cafe Diplomatico. We chose to go here because the atmosphere looked very relaxed and it was busy on Friday night. The portion sizes that we saw seemed to be pretty reasonable too.
We were seated by the kitchen and in clear view of the Leafs/Sabres hockey game! Terrific. However, the light above us was out making it a little more difficult for us to see.
Our server was pretty attentive throughout the rush which was pretty great. FYI - Pop is reasonably priced but there are no refills. We ordered Bruschetta bread for two of us, and garlic bread with cheese, the bruschetta bread had a lot of mozzarella melted over the lot of it - something I don't mind, but it did over power the taste of tomatoes. The garlic bread was nicely done, with a nice presence of garlic.
Two of us ordered veal parmigiana one with spaghetti and bolognese (50cent charge for the upgrade to bolognese from the house tomato sauce) the other with fettuccine alfredo (75cent charge). The other ordered penne alfredo.
We're not sure why, but it seemed that every other table was served bread with their pasta or main dishes however we did not receive any. The veal was well seasoned and for the price ($13), it was well worth the try. The bolognese sauce was great, lots of meat and well seasoned sauce. It didn't over power the noodles, but there was a good serving in it. There were no complaints with the fettuccine alfredo either.
However the penne alfredo left much to be desired. It tasted okay, however there was a lot of runny sauce in the bowl. It seemed to be more sauce than pasta water, but we just weren't too sure. It would have been great if we were able to get some bread, but again - we are not sure if we were supposed to get bread or not and we didn't ask either.
All in all, we would definitely try the place again with different meals (although, I could go for some more of that bolognese sauce!). The prices very reasonable, especially for Little Italy!
FYI - They don't take debit but they do have an atm downstairs. Luckily our server told us that our bank was close by so we avoided those fees! :-D
Service is alright but the food is horrible. Probably the one of the worst "italian" restaurants i have been to. decent place for drinks and cheap appretizers on a nice summer day to eat outside on their patio.
Always the best place for friends and family. I have to order the pizza or have "pizza envy" for a week. Lovely servers, great food and great chat.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Johanne
December 23, 2019
Music was ridiculously loud, for ALL of us from 4 years old to 74 and ages in between. Is not dining about talking together and sharing good conversation? But I am sure you have heard this before and your servers win ... They like the music so ... damn the customers! We have been going for decades, but last night may be the last for a long time.
Ambiance:2/5
Cuisine:3/5
Service:4/5
By Dalia
December 9, 2019
Great communication by staff before and during the event. The food was great and the portions were generous. We went with the family-style pre-set menu for a holiday party for 30 people. It was amazing. Highly recommended
Ambiance:4/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Eric
October 27, 2019
Vacation weekend in Toronto. Found this place in Little Italy neighborhood. Had a great dinner with a great bowl of steaming hot pasta, good bread, and a couple glasses of wine. Went back for lunch two days later. 😀
Ambiance:4/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Tanja
October 25, 2019
We had a special event -- celebrating the memory of my Dad -- and even though quite a few more people came than I had accounted for, the staff were helpful and warm to everyone. I wished the cafe had been a little less noisy but it is a very friendly family business and I am very happy we chose to bring all the different aspects of our family's social lives together for an informal night at The Dip. My father would have enjoyed it very much. I'm grateful to Tina and the staff for a special night.
Ambiance:4/5
Cuisine:4/5
Service:4/5
By Dan
October 15, 2019
Amazing experience as always. I drive a long way to eat at the Dip. Friendly service, delicious food and great value.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Anna
August 18, 2019
Great food and restaurant.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Lucy
August 6, 2019
The staff were very welcoming to our family. We really enjoyed our visit.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Claudia
August 5, 2019
Always enjoy going to the Dip. Great value.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:4/5
Service:5/5
By Antoniette
July 26, 2019
Understand it’s busy at lunch. But service needed improvement We were I ignored upon arrival never asked if we made a reservation and we were told to just find a seat.
Food was delicious. !!!
Ambiance:4/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:3/5
By Franca
July 26, 2019
Came in for birthday dinner with the family. Received dessert on the house. So sweet.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Bettina
July 14, 2019
Wonderful evening with fantastic service from both the manager and the waitress.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Francine
June 9, 2019
Great gnocchi. Veal just ok and small portion
Ambiance:4/5
Cuisine:3/5
Service:3/5
By Brooke
May 5, 2019
Pizza was amazing! They handled our large group with easy!
Ambiance:4/5
Cuisine:4/5
Service:4/5
By Kelly
April 21, 2019
Always great service, and you can't beat the price. Love that they serve tatertots.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Fariya
March 26, 2019
Amazing! Great experience, food was light and flavorful
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Brenda
March 17, 2019
was a fabulous birthday celebration for my friend's 88th birthday! Food is always good, service very friendly. Was so crowded at one point it got very loud.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Jaimie
March 8, 2019
It was a pleasure to have a causal dining experience at Café Diplomatico. I have enjoyed sharing the warm dining atmosphere with family and friends. My most recent visit was to catch-up with a former colleague, share life experiences and warm wishes for the future. I consider Café Diplomatico, a family restaurant, located in the heart of little Italy. A place where everyone knows your name and where you can take in a leafs game or watch a summer movie on the patio.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Peter
February 21, 2019
great service & food as usual.....
Ambiance:4/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Michael
February 11, 2019
Always great value
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Doron
February 11, 2019
Terrific February menu and excellent service
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Pratham
May 25, 2018
Really good vibe around the whole restaurant. Really nice patio. Good experience all together. Must go!
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:4/5
Service:5/5
By Carla
May 14, 2018
We were there for Mother’s Day. The restaurant was very busy. The staff was amazing and attentive... super friendly and very accommodating to our large group of 12. We all had a variety of foods from the menu and everyone loved their dishes. First time there and would absolutely go back again.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Doron
March 16, 2018
Terrific pizza, an excellent house wine (Rioja) and great service (Kyle).
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Sandra
February 15, 2018
Service was great. Coffee was delicious! Food was good except for tater tots on my plate. So not nice with an adult breakfast! Tater tots are for kids. Come on Cafe Diplomatico, how about home fries or even fruit. The bacon was not good either. Cheaping out with frozen and half fake bacon.....would not return for breakfast.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:2/5
Service:5/5
By Doug
January 7, 2018
Great as always.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Peter
November 15, 2017
like the atmosphere, great prices, have visited here a few times in past 30 years....
Ambiance:4/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Scott
August 31, 2017
Great patio and atmosphere but nothing spectacular about the food.
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:3/5
Service:3/5
By Claire
August 17, 2017
We had a great meal at Cafe Diplomatico with my family for the last night of their trip over here. Our server was super attentive to the children and really knowledgable about all we asked him
There was a lovely atmosphere on the patio and the food was excellent. Nothing fancy but good honest Italian cooking. I look forward to the next time!
Ambiance:5/5
Cuisine:5/5
Service:5/5
By Joy
July 7, 2017
Excellent evening- food and drinks- celebrated my husbands 60th Birthday. A annual birthday tradition- always Fantastic!
Café Diplomatico is celebrating the World Cup big time.
Kicking off the games on June 12th, Sportsnet 590 The Fan will be live on location with Norm Rumack from 11 am-3 pm.
Then from June 13-17, they’re extending their patio by 250 seats!
In between, they’ve got two Sony 4K 80” TVs with a chance to win a Sony 4K 40” TV, celebrations for Puma Day, Amsterdam Day & Sony Day, and a Final Game Street Party on Sunday July 13 from noon to midnight.
Once patio season hits, you don’t always want to be squirrelled away from the action. And truly there is no better people-watching spot and feeling like you’re a part of an event, than Café Diplimatico.
It’s busy and kind of crowded, but in a fun, festive way. You might go with one or two friends, but by the end of your stay, you’ll have talked to all the tables around you. It’s just that kind of place.
Die-hard soccer fans flock to this Little Italy café and bar for the big weekend game, the spot being steeped in its reputation as one of the primo places to catch the action in the city. The patio is always buzzing and it’s heated! The menu has some of your sports bar favourites and all kinds of pizza (it is, after all, a pizzeria). An unpretentious atmosphere and family-oriented ownership have made this place a go-to café since 1968.
