#FOOD: CONTRADA NAMED ONE OF TORONTO LIFE’S BEST NEW RESTAURANTS

Contrada, ranked eighth in Toronto Life’s Best New Restaurants list for 2024, is celebrating by launching a new brunch menu and opening its patio doors in time for the summer season.

Last night, Contrada participated in Toronto Life’s Best Restaurants 2024 event alongside the other winning restaurants across the city. Partners Patrick Groves, Jessie Mak and Chef de Cuisine Mike Vieira served their mouth-watering Ricotta Gnocchi with fresh pesto and Calabrian chili to the 1,000 guests at Evergreen Brick Works.

“Contrada was brought to life by industry veterans and trusted friends coming together to make our dream a reality,” said Vieira. “We are incredibly thankful to have been recognized by Toronto Life as one of the best new restaurants in the city and we had an incredible night celebrating.”

To welcome the warmer weather, Contrada has begun seating guests in the restaurant’s two semi-enclosed patios. The patios accommodate up to 50 guests cocktail style and are comfortably heated during cooler evenings. Located on the corner of College St. and Euclid Ave., patrons dine against the lively backdrop of Little Italy while delighting in unique flavours such as their popular Agnolotti ($27) made with smooth chicken liver, rich mascarpone, aged balsamic, cippolini onion, and squash and apple for a touch of sweetness; or their best-selling Cod ($41) served on white beans alongside juicy scallops, fresh artichokes and Tuscan kale.

Contrada’s extensive beverage menu features the perfect summer cocktails including the Contrada Spritz ($17), a perfectly balanced drink made with a base of skin contact wine, prosecco, Cocchi Rosa, akvavit, and tart sumac with tangy pomegranate. The Army Brat ($21) crafted with Tanqueray gin, Teremana tequila, Cocchi Bianco, IPA Orgeat, Nepeta Majora, vincotto and lemon is the drink that will be on repeat all season. Each wine at Contrada has been selected by Patrick Groves, general manager and sommelier at Contrada, for both quality and flavour, from Italian classics to rosés, orange wines, and a variety of sparkling options, making a robust wine list of mostly Italian wines with a focus on sustainably produced wines.

Contrada has also released a newly curated brunch menu featuring breakfast dishes finished with an Italian kiss such as the creamy Breakfast Carbonara ($17), a reinvented classic pasta dish topped with crispy bacon and a poached egg. Guests can also enjoy the decadent Croque Contrada ($22) layered with roasted pork shoulder, prosciutto, mustard, provolone, fonduta and finished with a perfectly fried egg; or their French Toast But Italian ($19), made for those with a sweet tooth, served with Nutella, whipped ricotta, figs, and a drizzle of 100 per cent Canadian maple syrup.

The brunch menu also features brand new signature cocktails such as the Italian Coffee ($18) with Montenegro, Bocale Grappa, Branca Menta, sweet vanilla and cream; or the Contrada Caesar ($18), crafted with vodka, Clamato, colatura di alici, and a blend of pepperoncini, Calabrian chili and lime. Guests looking to enjoy a non-alcoholic drink can sip on Star Witness ($12), a juicy combination of basil, olive oil, cinnamon, lime and grapefruit; or Imposter Syndrome ($13), a fresh blend of cranberry, beet, peach, ginger and tonic for a delicious mocktail.

To learn more about Contrada or book a reservation, visit contradarestaurant.com or connect on Instagram: @contrada.to

Additional imagery of Contrada’s patios and brunch dishes can be found: HERE

Hours of Operation:
Tuesday – Saturday: 5 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Monday: Closed

More about Contrada
Contrada is a new Italian-inspired restaurant in Toronto’s Little Italy neighbourhood located at 537 College St. The name Contrada, Italian for district or ward, is a homage to the Contrada team proudly representing the Little Italy neighbourhood and a place where good food and wine can be found. Patrick Groves serves as General Manager and Sommelier, Jessie Mak holds the position of Assistant General Manager and Lead Designer and Mike Vieira heads the kitchen as Chef de Cuisine. Together, they bring an impressive resume full of experience at some of Toronto’s most prominent establishments including Alo and alobar Yorkville, Lee Restaurant, Brothers Food & Wine, Giuletta, Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie and Aburi Hana.

About Chef Mike Viera
After pursuing culinary education at George Brown College, Mike Viera began his career at some of the most prominent dining establishments in Toronto, working as Garde Manger and Expediter at Susur Lee’s eponymous Lee restaurant, followed by a formative role as Saucier at Susur’s Bent. Viera has opened three restaurants with Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants as Executive Sous Chef simultaneously in North York’s Bayview Village: Beauty Barbecue & Smokehouse, where he brined, cured, and smoked his way through the intricacies of Southern American BBQ; and Parcheggio and Village Loft. Currently at Contrada as Chef de Cuisine, Viera returns to his first love – Italian food – interpreting this most essential of cuisines for the modern North American guest, and incorporating all the love, the technique, and the confident playfulness he’s developed in his already long and storied career in gastronomy.

#FOOD: CONTRADA LAUNCHES OCTOBER 24, 2023

Today, partners Patrick Groves, Jessie Mak and Mike Vieira announce the opening of Contrada, a new Italian-inspired restaurant offering a thoughtfully crafted menu made with local and seasonal ingredients. Contrada will open its doors in the heart of Little Italy at 537 College Street on Oct. 24, 2023.

The restaurant has emerged as the result of three friends, young but already veterans in the industry, as they unite over a shared vision to combine their talents and wealth of experience to create a local destination for great food and great wine. Patrick Groves will serve as General Manager and Sommelier, Jessie Mak holds the position of Assistant General Manager and Lead Designer and Mike Vieira will head the kitchen as Chef de Cuisine. Together, they bring an impressive resume full of experience at some of Toronto’s most prominent establishments including Alo and alobar Yorkville, Lee Restaurant, Brothers Food & Wine, Giuletta, Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie and Aburi Hana. 

The name Contrada, Italian for “district” or “ward”, embodies rich Italian traditions. It draws inspiration from two sources, the first being the Palio di Siena– an annual summer festival and bareback horse race through the piazza wherein each Contrada shows up to represent its district. Like the Contradas of Siena, the Contrada team wishes to proudly represent the neighbourhood of Little Italy. The second refers to the region of Mount Etna, in Sicily, where wine sourced from a single contrada, akin to a single vineyard, is considered wine of an elevated quality. In this sense, Contrada aims to be a place where similarly exceptional wines can be enjoyed. 

Jessie Mak’s vision for the space was to upcycle and repurpose the existing interior design to transform what was formerly the Dog and Tiger pub into an atmosphere that exudes elegance and class with a touch of femininity. Furniture and artwork were thoughtfully chosen from vintage sources. Existing fixtures and textures were preserved to achieve the effect of age and natural patina. The combination of modern finishes with vintage pieces breathes a new life into the space that is both sophisticated and refined.

Contrada’s kitchen will be helmed by Chef de Cuisine Mike Vieira, who has created a menu that is an organic expression of his love and nostalgia for Italian cuisine, combined with inspiration from his favourite restaurants in Toronto. 

“The intention is not to echo classical Italian culinary traditions, but to create a menu of authentically Toronto elevated-casual fare,” says Vieira, “Using Italian techniques and ingredients inspired by both classical Italian and Italian-North American sources, combined with the use of Ontario’s bounty of beautiful local ingredients has allowed us to create a menu we’re really proud of.” 

Joining Vieira in the kitchen as Sous Chef will be Lif Kalikutty, a talented young chef fresh from stints at Toronto’s beloved Giulietta and the internationally acclaimed Osteria Giulia. Kalikutty’s pasta making skills and extensive experience with modern Italian cuisine round out an already impressive team.

Guests can enjoy a glass of wine and some crostini, marinated olives and a tuna crudo at the bar, or be welcomed in the dining room over bowls of house-made pasta, seasonal salads, thoughtful vegetable sides and indulgent proteins, such as Veal Sweetbreads Marsala with seasonal foraged Ontario mushrooms and Ontario pasture-raised pork alla Milanese. 

 
Left: Chicken liver mousse-filled agnolotti with squash puree, sauteed apple, aged balsamic and sage.
Right: Focaccia Crostini with mortadella, homemade stracciatella and pistachio pesto.


Left: Contrada’s iceberg wedge salad with a creamy anchovy dressing, confit tomatoes, shaved fennel and melted nduja.
Right: Veal sweetbreads Marsala with seasonal foraged Ontario mushrooms.

The wine list will feature almost exclusively Italian wines, each one hand picked not only for its quality and flavour, but also with attention to the viticultural and winemaking philosophies of its makers. For Contrada, sustainability in the vineyard is non-negotiable, and producers are given additional points for exhibiting a restrained, hands-off approach in the winery. Guests can expect elegant expressions of Italy’s classics (Chianti Classico, Barolo, etc.) as well as full-flavoured, savoury rosati (Italian rosés), elegant macerati (orange wines), and a range of sparkling options beyond the standard Prosecco, including lambrusco and other sparkling reds, Italian pet-nats and Franciacorta (Italy’s answer to Champagne). 

Beyond Contrada’s impressive wine list, Bar Manager Kevin Nitcheu has developed an exceptional beverage program that features thoughtful expressions of Italian classics along with a menu of imaginative and seasonally inspired originals. An early standout on the menu, Nitcheu expects the Nitro Garibaldi to become a signature cocktail for Contrada as he takes the classic beverage into the future: the classic formula of Campari and fresh orange juice is bolstered by Bonal, vanilla, lactic acid, toasted coriander seed, and a healthy dose of natural orange oils. The cocktail is then clarified and served via a nitro tap, bringing a creamy, Guinness-like texture to the drink.  

Contrada’s Nitro Garibaldi: creamy yet clear, and indulgent yet refreshing. An impressive modern take on the Italian classic.

Contrada’s origins are deeply rooted in collaboration, where every facet and feature of the restaurant was designed in-house, with input from trusted friends and former colleagues within Toronto’s restaurant community. The story undoubtedly stands as a testament to the continued dedication of seasoned industry professionals like Patrick, Jessie and Mike, while also serving as a source of inspiration for the emerging generation that dreams of one day owning a restaurant. 

Contrada will open its doors to the Toronto community on Oct. 24. To make a reservation please e-mail info@contradarestaurant.com.

About Contrada
Contrada is a new Italian-inspired restaurant in Toronto’s Little Italy neighbourhood located at 537 College St. The name Contrada, Italian for district or ward, is a homage to the Contrada team proudly representing the Little Italy neighbourhood and a place where good food and wine can be found. Chef Mike Vieira developed a menu of authentically Toronto elevated-casual fare using Italian techniques and inspirations and locally a