🕒 5.5 min read

It took an achingly long six years to bring Gusto 501 to life. Leave it to powerhouse Janet Zuccarini, CEO and Owner of Gusto 54 Restaurant Group to make it worth the wait.

Same but different

If you’re a Trattoria Nervosa and Gusto 101 devotee, then you’ll be all over its new Corktown cousin.

Gusto 501 is “taking the roots from Trattoria Nervosa, the innovation from Gusto 101, and using them to propel a transporting dining experience in a very special neighbourhood, all the while delivering the passionate, soulful Italian hospitality we are intrinsically known for,” Zuccarini said in a recent release.

Italian, but make it modern

Gusto 54 Restaurant Group Executive Chef Elio Zannoni and Chef Michael Magliano - formerly of Michelin-starred The French Laundry and Quince, and L.A. resto Felix (awarded top spot on the 2017 “#1 Best New Restaurant in America” by Jeff Gordinier in Esquire Magazine); currently Gusto Green, a healthy plant-powered eatery opening in Los Angeles this spring - have created plates rooted in tradition, with contemporary constructions.

The all-day eatery takes you from early morning coffee to late night dinner and drinks across the striking five “floating levels” structure:

Attico snack bar on the second floor, offers a focused menu of 12 spuntini - from puffed collagen with black truffle and Parmigiano Soffiato ($10) to Risotto Verde ($20) with hen of the woods, chlorophyll and garlic - and six grigliata terracotta, dishes cooked in clay pots as the Romans did ($8-$12), designed to be enjoyed with a selection of amari, cocktails ($17-$19), house wine on tap ($1/oz.), other wines for $3.oz, as well as a variety of wines by the glass and bottle in the cocktail bar above.

Guests can tuck into the Trattoria menu in the Amari lounge on the mezzanine, and main dining room on the ground floor. Notorious dishes from Trattoria Nervosa and Gusto 101 (hello Cavolo Nero $16, Mafalde ai Funghi $23) make an appearance, alongside “contemporary Southern Italian fare” such as Coppa ($28) a trifecta of pork, savoy cabbage, and raisin mostarda: Branzino ($34) with blood orange and fennel pollen; and prime striploin (aka Tagliata $40) with cauliflower mash, arugula and garlic. For brunch, Ricotta Pancake ($14), Eggs in Purgatorio ($15), Smoked Grain Bowl ($15), Gusto ‘Americano’ Burger ($20-$25), and array of Pizzettes ($15-$24).

The caffè, featuring espresso-based drinks and housemade Italian pastries, is also a nod to Zuccarini’s father Giacomo, who imported the first espresso machine to Canada, and later opened The Sidewalk Caffè on College Street.

The rooftop patio is set to debut this spring.

Terrracotta dreams

The industrial edifice nestled between Sumach and Sackville boasts modern design utilizing natural materials by leading Toronto architecture studio, PARTISANS (You’ll recognize their handiwork from hotspots Bar Raval and Quetzal, and colossal spaces such as Union Station and Ontario Place).

The 1400 sq. ft. “Hypergarage” features one of the largest operable glass facades in the world, “undulating walls,” and 50-foot glass roof, delivering unique dining experiences across the multi-tiered space.

The restaurant accommodates 205 guests: 60 in the Trattoria, 35 on the Mezzanine, 25 in the Cocktail Bar, 30 at Attico, and once the warm weather arrives, 55 on the roof.

Destination: Corktown

Like adjacent east end nabe Leslieville, Corktown is quickly evolving into a dining destination thanks to popular haunts like Roselle and Odin, stalwarts such as Morning Glory Café, and newcomers Reyna on King and Bodega Henriette.

The arrival of Gusto 501 simply confirms why your next reservation should be east of Yonge.

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Deets 

Gusto 501
501 King St. E.
416.477.5647

Hours
Mon + Tues - 8am-10pm
Wed  - 8am-11pm
Thurs + Fri  - 8am-1am
Sat - 10:30am - 1am
Sun - 10:30am - 12am

Psst. Stay tuned. Gusto 54 - which includes Chubby’s Jamaican Kitchen, Gusto 54 Catering & Commissary, and partnerships with Pai and Kiin on its roster - is set to launch five more concepts In the coming year: Azhar and two Thai concepts (in partnership with Pai) in Toronto; Gusto Green and Stella in Los Angeles.

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