A beloved Toronto pasta destination that has drawn endless lunchtime crowds for a decade is officially preparing to wrap up its lunch service and takeout counter.
Widely considered as having some of the best pasta in the city, Famiglia Baldassarre has been a cherished culinary staple in the city since opening its doors to the public in 2017, and prior to that, producing and supplying handmade fresh pastas to select Toronto restaurants since 2010.
Founder Leandro Baldassarre recently announced via Instagram that the shop’s Michelin-recommended lunch operation will soon be coming to an end. While the Geary Avenue haunt typically pauses operations each summer for its annual Ferragosto holiday, this year marks a permanent transition for their public dining counter.
The decision comes as the business shifts its focus back toward expanding its wholesale production. Instead of slinging daily lunch specials, the team will devote its energy to getting their fresh, hand-crafted pasta onto grocery store shelves and into specialty markets across Toronto.
While daily lunch service is coming to a close, it may not be goodbye for good. Baldassarre reassured fans that he will still be cooking in various forms, hinting at potential future pop-ups and collaborations with other local chefs. Until then, pasta lovers have just a short window left to queue up for one last plate of fresh ravioli or classic carbonara.
Famiglia Baldassarre will serve its final public lunch on August 14 at 122 Geary Ave. If you’d like to stop by before then, be prepared for a line!
You can find updates on where to pick up their retail fresh pasta on the Famiglia Baldassarre Instagram page.
