FOOD:
I had come here on a busy Saturday morning at around 10:30 am. I had never been here, and had heard a lot of great things about this place therefore, I had wanted to give it a try. Since it wasn't close to lunch yet, I thought I would get a pastry to satisfy my sweet tooth. Therefore, I had settled on a Sicilian Cannoli (Large), which was $2.50 (I had purchased two; one for myself, and one to bring home to my husband). I liked how delicious they looked, and was impressed at the beautiful box that it came-in. After I had purchased my dessert, I decided to look around the shop, at which point, I loved what I saw. 

They had a hot table, with many lunch items such as pasta, chicken, veal, and other Italian specialities. They also had a coffee bar, with very affordable espressos, and a whole area dedicated to bread, with people lining up to have their bread personally-sliced by two of the store's workers. I loved the freshly-squeezed orange juice, which was completed by a worker right in front of the baked goods section. There was also a deli, which had a worker sampling some cold cuts, and the dessert station was quite large, with a large array of pastries, cookies, and cakes for all occasions. There was also a multitude of Italian products directly from Italy, which spiked my interest as some of the products I was unable to find elsewhere. 

When I had come home to try the cannoli, I was actually a tad disappointed as the shell was soft. I have had many cannolis in my life, and I have had some that had very soft shells. I was hoping that this would have a hard shell however, it was not to be. The ricotta filling on the inside was very delicious though, and I loved eating it, it was good to the last lick! Overall, I really did enjoy the food offerings at this establishment however, would have loved if the shell on the cannoli was crunchy as opposed to soft.

ATMOSPHERE:
Since it was a Saturday morning, I knew that I would be walking into a very busy place. Upon entering, I had to get a buggy as I had my toddler with me so, navigating that buggy was a bit challenging as there were a ton of people. However, I did notice that the ordering system at the various departments was very organized, with customers taking numbers, and being called quickly. 

I noticed there was an older women that worked there, calling out for freshly-cooked ribs, telling us how delicious they were, and urging us to purchase them. It was very noisy though, and the parking was difficult as there were people coming in and out of the shop. When I had paid for my items, the cash register was fast, and I enjoyed that as I found they were effective in helping customers to minimize their wait-time in line.  

SERVICE:
When I had walked-up to the dessert counter, I was served by a kind younger woman, who took my order quickly, then placed it in a box with ease. She was easygoing, and even smiled at my toddler who was trying to climb out of the buggy. I also had the same experience at the cash register, when I had paid for my items, and was greeted by a friendly face at the register, who asked me if I had found everything I was looking for. I have to commend this shop for their wonderful customer service, which made me feel comfortable. 

COST:
2 Sicilian Cannolis - $2.50 Each x 2: $5.00 + Tax = $5.65

WOULD YOU RETURN?
Although I had hoped that the shell on the cannoli were crunchier, I did love the ricotta filling, and also the various products that this shop offered. I would definitely return and purchase something from their hot table or deli in the future!

Great little grocery that also acts as a bakery and deli. Despite it being on the smaller end of grocery stores, everything is well stocked and organized in such a way that makes it easy to get your shopping done. 

The bakery offers up a wide variety of baked goods and sweets. There is also a freshly baked goods section in the back where you can get a wide variety of baked carbs like pies, bagels, breads, etc. The section is rather large and the choices seemed plentiful.

They also have a deli section that offers quite a large amount of deli meats and cheeses. The cafeteria section on the far left offers hot foods that center around European and Italian foods. They have hot sandwiches as well including veal, chicken, meatball, and other specialties. They also have rotisserie and fried chicken as well. 

The place seems to be on the pricier end, similar to that of a Whole Foods mart, but not as large. The service here is quick and super friendly, so it really makes for a great shopping experience. Really wish this place was closer to the East end of Toronto as it would be a welcome addition.