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Outside John Dawson and Todd Vestby’s new Cabbagetown Italian restaurant
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F’Amelia’s butcher board–topped bar
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The bright atrium dining room is sandwiched between the heated patio and private dining space
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A four-top in F’Amelia’s sunlight-flooded dining room
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A view from the dining room into the private cellar dining space
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The “cellar” holds up to 24 guests, as well as the restaurant’s wine collection
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The Mugnaini pizza oven imported from Naples came in three crates and took five days to assemble, before being cured for over a week. The restaurant burns local maple and applewood and can turn out a pizza in 90 seconds.
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The proud F’Amelia crew: back row, from left: Todd Vestby and John Dawson (owners), Maurizio Verga (Executive chef), James Harrison (sous-chef), Andrea Monacelli and Lorenzo Falcini (Pizzaioli). Front row: Paolo Gonzales (prep cook) and Michael Angeloni (chef)
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Executive chef Maurizio Verga plating a family recipe, pappardelle with braised rabbit
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Sous-chef Michael Angeloni—the creator of Mike’s Pasta at The Black Hoof and Hoof Café— learned his pasta-making skills from executive chef Maurizio Verga when they worked together at Splendido.
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Pizzaioli Andrea Monacelli and Lorenzo Falcini at work
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Pizzaiolo Lorenzo Falcini behind the prep station in the heart of F’Amelia’s long inner room
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Andrea Monacelli is one of only two Neapolitan-trained pizzaioli in Canada.
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The pizza station and kitchen are located right in the middle of F’Amelia’s long dining room.
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Vickie’s heirloom tomato panzanella ($12): the Tuscan-style tomato and bread salad is made with Prince Edward County heirloom tomatoes, house-made lemon zest-focaccia croutons and a shaving of three-year-old parmigiano reggiano, with aged balsamic and olive oil
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The calamari is cooked sous-vide before being grilled; it’s served with arugula, roasted peppers, shaved fennel, tomatoes and olive salad ($16)
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Antipasto misto ($18): a selection of five house-made salumi (Bergamo-style sausage, spicy sausage, prosciutto, pancetta and testina), preserves (apple mostarda), pickles (chanterelles, beets and string beans), olives and crackers (grissini, Sardinia-style flatbreads)
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The signature F’Amelia pizza, with fior di latte, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, homemade lardo, fresh-picked thyme and extra-virgin olive oil ($22)
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Bufalina pizza ($19): mozzarella di bufala, cherry tomatoes, basil, black pepper and extra-virgin olive oil
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Gnocchi ($16 pictured; full serving $21): homemade with potatoes and a little flour, served with Italian porcini mushrooms and house-cured pancetta
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Pappardelle with braised rabbit ($15 pictured; full serving $19): with Ontario globe artichokes, fava beans and parsley. Executive Chef Verga’s family recipe for the rabbit involves a 24-hour marinade before the meat is braised for three hours in roasted vegetables and marsala wine.
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Green tagliolini ($13 pictured; full serving $18): with Vickie’s heirloom tomatoes, basil and extra-virgin olive oil from Cologne
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Bruléed lemon tart with macerated berries in limoncello ($8)
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Strudel ($8): a Northern Italian recipe with cinnamon-laced apples, sultanas, walnuts, hazelnuts and amaretti, served with vanilla ice cream and honeybee pollen