The Italian Restaurant Tackling Toronto’s Steakhouse Stomping Grounds

Downtown Toronto is a steakhouse lover’s dream. From Yorkville to Queen’s Quay and everywhere in-between, corporate employees and condo dwellers have their pick of a seemingly endless array of prime rib-peddling dining options. However, while nothing quite impresses a potential client like a seafood tower and T-bone steak, it does sometimes feel like there is a lack of options for those who want the pizzazz (and cuts) of a steakhouse alongside other, less meaty fare served in a more intimate environment. One pioneering Toronto hospitality group noted this dearth, and with its latest opening, it has aimed to fix it.

From Turner Hospitality Group—the minds behind Toronto hot spots such as Mother Tongue and Liquid Courage, as well as numerous bars and restaurants in Simcoe County and Grey County—Florin Trattoria is an Italian restaurant for the steakhouse set. Located at the foot of the art deco Victory Building on Richmond Street West, just off of Bay, Florin’s Financial District location is a part of a larger hospitality renaissance in the area—one that is both much needed and much in need of an Italian option.

Designed by Solid Design Creative—the local firm whose recent hospitality projects includes And/Ore and Parquet—the space continues the understatedly elegant inside. Combining Italian art nouveau and midcentury aesthetics, the 96-seat space feels like a New York steakhouse was dropped in the Piazza della Signoria. Lit by the soft glow of orb pendant lights, the walnut millwork, green-velvet and red-leather seating, and green-and-white-checkered floors shine subtly, letting the hushed clamour of good conversation and impeccable food service unfold seamlessly in the foreground.

The menu consists of heavy-hitting antipasti, insalata, risotto, and pasta dishes, the best of which—such as the smoked guanciale and pepperoncino-laden maccheroni al fumo—are draw enough for downtown’s hungriest office workers. However, in the tradition of the best Florentine restaurants, it is the secondi dishes that set Florin apart. Offering three different beef options, served simply with demi-glace and best paired with Italianized steakhouse sides such as fritte con tartufo (crispy layered potato with truffle mayo) and cime di rapa (rapini, parmigiano crema, black garlic, and guanciale), the menu is about meat as much as it is maccheroni. Unafraid to mix things up, Florin goes beyond beef, and its standout dish is the lombata di maiale Toscano, a hulking Iberico pork chop served with a demi-glace.

The cocktail menu leans toward the classic, featuring expanded selections of Italian classics, including three types of negroni, two martinis, and three spritzes. Seasonal features stray further from tried-and-true templates and non-alcoholic options let dry diners partake in aperitivo alongside their companions. The wine list is understandably focused on big names from Italy but also makes sojourns to France, Napa Valley, and beyond. As with its menu, Florin’s wine list is sure to have something to offer to any type of eater with any type of expense account.

Photos by Paige Thompson.

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