Maple and cherrywood tables, grey stonework, high banquettes, sandy-coloured walls and glass pendants cast a warm, contemporary feel at this revamped North York strip mall restaurant. A grilled-then-chilled bosc pear salad showcases three wedges of sweet and crunchy fruit, cubes of mild gorgonzola and candied pecans on a bed of mostly bitter frisée; the subtle dressing bows to the ingredients. A stunning carousel of grilled but unfortunately chewy calamari arrives on a mound of sautéed spinach with gaeta olives, and both fresh and sun-dried tomatoes strewn about. Its brown butter sauce adds nutty richness, while garlic and a squeeze of lemon prevent it from going too far. Mains focus mostly on pastas and pizzas, with proteins—perhaps scaloppine, lamb and salmon—listed as daily specials. Five succulent toasted garlic shrimp save a bowl of boring olive oil–dressed spaghetti; tomato concassée and crunchy snow peas add colour but little zing. Hand-tossed pizzas set a new standard. A thin yet fluffy, crispy and chewy base holds everything from thin potato slices and truffle oil to Kristapsons’ smoked salmon. Doggy bag half your entrée to save room for pastry chef Randi Kates’s petite confections and a cup of the best French press coffee in town. The dense, bittersweet chocolate marquise on a crackling cookie base is a true highlight in a city where factory desserts reign. Attention to detail (Demerara sugar, Sicilian olive oil and miniature pepper mills on the tables) sets Paese apart. The comprehensive wine list features many by-the-glass and half- bottle options. Doting servers. Mains $15–$32.