Review Carisma - Toronto

Fine dining and exquisite Italian experience as part of our social which was made memorable by John and his support staff. We were a group of 10 people and tried different specials ( Please see pics for illustration) from their menu and everyone found their pallate regardless of dietary restrictions. Great place to spend a nice evening with friends and family. Do make the reservation in advance to make your experience delightful.

Absolutely loved this place! I made a reservation for a friend's birthday and the owner (Michael) met us a the door and personal walked us to our table. He then ordered for us a fabulous 5 course meal that was incredibly delicious. The staff delightful and very attentive. I would highly recommend this place for a date night or a special occasion. I'll definitely go back to see Michael and have some delicious food & wine! 👏👏

This restaurant is WOW!! If you have special occasions if may take them here, you will not be disappointed! It’s a bit pricy but worth it!! The food was amazing, all of them were yummy. We ordered calamari as appetizers, the calamari was tender with burnt fire taste!!! Our main was seafood risotto and gnocchi. No comments, you need to try it by yourself! It was delicious!!

Great service, delicious food and very filling. The starter bread was surprisingly delicious as well with a generous olive oil drizzle. Our favourite was the shrimp spaghettini and the zucchini flower app. Would highly recommend for special occasions!

AMAZING FOOD! BETTER SERVICE. Armando and Sylvia were exceptional. The lasagna was better than mom's and please save room for dessert!

Fantastic little Italian Restaurant. Owners Marji and Michael are gracious hosts...you feel like family when you leave. The chef will create anything for you. The food is outstanding. Service is impeccable, extensive wine list. Make reservations because it is always busy. Close to Scotiabank Arena and Financial District. Separate private dining room.

Really enjoyed dining at Carisma. The mojito was fresh with the right amount of liquor, the Calamarata had a healthy seafood mix, and I’m glad I had enough room to have some of the New York cheesecake. If you’re looking for a lovely Italian restaurant, check them out.

Great place, calamari is incredible, buratta, raviolini delicious, real Italian family atmosphere, with an elegant feel. Birthday presentation of desserts was beautiful.

Excellent meal, superb service. I knew we picked the right place to have our final meal in Toronto on our vacation when we walked in in jeans and sweatshirts after a long day of sightseeing with our 2 young kids... we were instantly greeted cheerfully and at no point did we feel unwelcome or unwanted. Our waiter was on point, my veal osso buco was immaculate, and I'm happy to give this restaurant a top rating... as I told my husband, I only write reviews if I have a really bad experience or a really really good one!

The girlfriend and I just left this place for our valentines dinner, probably the best place I’ve ever eaten out and the staff was phenomenal! This could be our spot for our date nights in Toronto when we visit! Would 100% recommend!

Carisma is one of the best restaurants in downtown Toronto, food is fabulous, the service is out of this world! I will continue to recommend everyone there.

Had an 8 hour lay over in Toronto. I asked the folks at The Royal York where I could Great A good Italian pasta dish and they recommended Carisma. Best Italian food and wine. Pasta was just steaming... Excellent !!!! Have to get back there. Service, was top notch. You have to go . Thanks Mike for everything ! Note: from Person simpler hop on UP get off at Union Station and take Urber (5 min drive at most). It call to make reservations ( we eat at the bar my favourite spot)

Retirement celebration...six of us. Food was incredible. My second time there and will keep coming back to the four cheese gnocchi and veal al Limone and creme Brule. An amazing reasonable wine list. My fave restaurant in Toronto.

It's always the best food and service! � 10/10, veal parmigiana is delicious! Wine is excellent and lots of Italian flare. Hot guests too �

This truly one of the best restaurants I have eaten at in Toronto. I sincerely loved every single bite. I had the Warm mushroom salad and the risotto and will be dreaming of the next time I visit Toronto and Carisma.

Best Italian restaurant in Toronto! Great food, great service and great environment. Michael and Margy make sure everyone feels at home and is treated like friends. Truly a jewel in Toronto and best place for us to have our anniversary dinner!

Such a great little restaurant with amazing food a wine. A little pricey but well worth it.

Great Italian food, service in Toronto. Great place for both personal and business diner. Owner Mike and staff are simply fabulous...

If your looking for great food and great service look no further! This place is hands down the best Italian restaurant downtown Toronto, a must try!!!

I had the tiger shrimp on spaghettini! Was the best pasta ever! Great service as well!

The food was exquisite. Service was wonderful, and all staff was very attentive. The owner came to the table and we bantered back and forth with silly stories about our travels. It's not often you find somewhere with excellent cuisine AND you feel like everybody knows your name �

Best Italian Restaurant in Toronto...from the owner Margi to all the waitstaff...food is absolutely amazing...ambience transforms you to a little Cafe in Italy. Love it...�����

Awesome atmosphere. Incredibly nice staff. Delicious wine and food. Loved it!

I love this place very very good they owners are there all the time and are great people. The food is the best, I try to go there every time I visit Toronto, my wife loves it too

Celebrating a friend promotion. Great food I had the venison and lovely wine. Attentive service. Wonderful pasta too!

Oh! Words cannot describe the tastes!! But the service is explained easily as "comforting, attentive and effortless" Thanks for a great dining experience!

I end up going there because our reservation at Sotto Sotto was backed up with 40 min and I am so happy that that happened!!! So much more space,food is better and the service outstanding! Starting with the crusty bread...

Great service, fantastic food my wife and I had a great time...this was our first time there and we highly recomend Carisma

Les glaces son très bonne Ont a bien rigolait entre mr mugsy et bambam vraiment top 🖒 ont reviendra avant de quitté toronto

Scallops were excellent and pasta superb. Excellent customer service with my waiter nicola/ cy, like a doting grandfather ...would highly recommend. They made my first jet lagged dinner alone, a pleasant experience!

Food is excellent, service is perfect. One of the best Italian restaurants we've been to in Toronto.

Fabulous fresh amazing service ... not enough words to describe! ❤️

I’m 50 years old. After eating the lamb chops at Carisma last nite, I wish I was 20 again, so I get another 30+ years to eat more chops there. Outstanding meal. Thank you.

Thank you for a very nice and joyful evening � Food was superb and staff really nice!

Great restaurant......staff & food was amazing. They made my husbands birthday dinner a night to remember. Looking forward to another visit. Cheers.

Great food. Great service. Smallish quiet space. Good times were had.

Awesome food and great service. Very personal and always eager to help. Restaurant has great ambiance and romantic. Loved it!

Great service and good Italian food. Highly recommended.

Food is excellent! Staff were all friendly. We really enjoyed everything about Carisma.

Excellent service! Excellent Food! Would go back in a heart beat! Great atmosphere too!

Best Italian restaurant, hands down! From the moment you walk in the door you are made to feel like you are in their home. Our food was outstanding, my husband had the Herb Crusted Lamb Chop and I had the Veal Scaloppine Porcini. My husband loved it so much he is still talking about it today. We will definitely be back.

I have been wanting to try Carisma for awhile now. Today was that day. Everyone was soooo nice. I am not sure however, if this was because I know the Executive Chef. :) He came out to say hi and helped us out with our choices. He prepared an appetizer and dessert samplers for us. My main course was veal with some exotic mushroom and some form of mozzarella cheese. Both the appetizer and main course plates were cleaned out. No morsel of food was left. One of my lunch companions is not a big eater, but she finished every bit of food on her plate. We were so stuffed that we could not finish the dessert although we all wanted to. The food was fresh. It brought memories of my Italy trip exactly a year ago. No heavy sauces. The service was excellent; staff was friendly and very efficient. The table was cleared as soon as we finished a course. The chef came out at least three times to check up on us. I will certainly go back!

Had an amazing evening at Carisma. Every dish was mouth watering, the service was exquisite. It's such a nice place, high quality, no pretension! Looking forward to going back.

Homemade pasta, truffle oil, barrata, and ragu... who could ask for any more? The food and service was fabulous. We'll be back.

Terrific Food and atmosphere<br/><br/>We received a warm welcome when we arrived. Had a great server. The pasta is excellent and there are a variety of choices. The warm mushroom salad was also excellent. Service was very good. Thoroughly enjoyed our experience at this restaurant.

Wow! I have been to many restaurants in my life but this one takes the cake! As soon as we walked in it was so friendly and warm! I was greeted in Italian and it made me feeL like I was in Italy! Amardo was our waiter and he was beyond brilliant, funny and attentive! I highly recommend going to this place! You will not regret! So what are you waiting for....??? Taste the delicious food!!

I have frequently gone by this restaurant, and was curious to try it out. I dined here for a business meeting with several of my colleagues.<br/><br/>The ambiance and decor is elegant and romantic overall, and the staff are very welcoming and hospitable.<br/><br/>Carisma has been an establishment in Toronto for years, and I was eager to try it out based on recommendations.<br/><br/>Upon entering, I was greeted by very hospitable staff. The restaurant was entirely empty upon my arrival, which I found to be unusual given that it was peak dinner time.<br/><br/>Our server was attentive and knowledgeable and had great recommendations about specials that evening and the menu. <br/><br/>My colleague and I decided to share the Grilled Calamari appetizer, which was quite flavorful in nature with the addition of olives and herbs. Although I didn't partake in the bread, my colleague mentioned that it was quite soft and delicious overall!<br/><br/>For our entrees, we ordered the SeaBass Filet which according to my companion was well-seasoned and delicious overall; another colleague asked for a 'surprise' entree and was presented with a combined dish of the gnocchi and agnolotti, which she enjoyed. My entree was the ahi tuna dish which I was excited about; however, I must admit that this was overdone. It was presented as an entire tuna steak, which was likely the issue in the cook overall, as had it been sliced tuna, there may have been more control over the cook. I had asked for it to be rare, and it was far more than well-done, and even charred on one side. <br/><br/>Overall, I am glad that I tried this establishment. I commend the staff and service for their efforts.

I found this gem of a restaurant on google and booked on a whim. It certainly lived up to all the amazing reviews and will return when next I am in town. Excellent service, fantastic menu, authentic and delicious food.. Could not ask for anything more!!

One of my favourite restaurants in Toronto and of course it's Italian fare :)<br/><br/>Anytime I want a good dinner, this is where I go because the food never fails to impress.<br/><br/>Where to begin...the latest experience was of a celebratory nature so the Dom Perignon was on ice for the night. Let me just say that the warm rosemary and olive oil they bring to the table is one of my favorites anywhere. I could eat endless loaves of it, seriously. <br/><br/>The burrata was melt in your mouth freshness and was 100% as delicious as what I've had in Italy. The bufala mozarella with tomatoes also very creamy and delicious. The ricotta stuffed zucchini flower fritters were divine and the beef carpaccio is a staple. By the time the mains arrived I was already in heaven.<br/><br/>I enjoyed a whole branzino which was heavenly while my friends thoroughly enjoyed the boar ragu papardelle, truffle oil ravioli and gnocchi all of which are delicious.<br/><br/>To cap off the night, leave a little room to tantalize your sweet tooth with the chocolate cake or enjoy the warm apple and pear strudel with vanilla gelato.<br/><br/>It's the stuff of my dreams *sigh*. I would eat here weekly if carbs didn't have a habit of viciously attacking defenseless waistlines.

The ambiance, staff, service, food and wine all amazing. Hidden Italian gem, grossly underrated on the Toronto food scene......::::::::::...

Wonderful Italian meal, felt like I was almost brought back to Italy.<br/><br/>The tomato and mozzarella antipasti was amazing. <br/><br/>Grilled scallop was very appropriately seared, with the right amount of seasoning, leaving it crispy, savoury and juicy.

Carisma is an authentic Italian restaurant that is just fantastic. The pasta was perfectly cooked- I had a pasta dish with fresh ricotta and it was incredible. The calamari starter is recommended. The mozarella di Buffalo salad was not as good as the rest of the meal, a bit flavourless.

Carisma is an authentic Italian spot on King Street, just west of Yonge, and it is definitely not one to just walk by.<br/><br/>I love restaurants that have a one page menu. It helps with my decision on what to eat when all I want is to order the whole menu.<br/>...Which is what we did in terms of the appetizers :D<br/><br/>In addition to the antipesto platters we each had, Carisma's complimentary bread was a huge hit.<br/><br/>I ordered the Pappardelle al Cinghiale (pappardelle pasta with wild boar ragu). The pappardelle was thick and the sauce was a little spicy - so good!<br/>This bolognese penne wasn't on the menu, but our server was awesome and accommodated D's request! It was so nice of them, but D told me that they did this the last time he went there as well. Consistent good service? Love it!<br/>A table favourite was the Gnocchi with a four cheese sauce. Although I didn't taste it, everyone that ordered this pasta cleaned their plates!<br/><br/>I've recommended a couple individuals to dine here and have only heard positive feedback! So I'm recommending this spot to you too. Carisma is very close to the financial district and it will definitely fulfill any Italian cuisine cravings you have.

Food is so good that I will stay another day. Lamb was perfect, cream Brule awesome. Wine top of the line. <br/>Service very discreet and professional. <br/> <br/>

Overpriced,mediocre food, and arrogant service. Will not be back! So many great choices in the city for the price point and taste. Would not recommend the gnocchi!<br/>

Excellent Food & Service - If you have not checked out Carisma, you need to! The food is appetizing and very filling. The service is amazing as the staff will cater to your every whim. This restaurant is a GEM!!!

I’m searching for something to find fault with at Carisma, but I just can’t seem to think of anything. The closest thing I can come up with is that they’re quite busy, but that’s an easy problem to solve with a simple reservation. That said, I suppose my final verdict has to be a gushing one, so here it is...

Excellent restaurant. Dinner for two. Food was superb, service was polite, timely, courteous. Easy recommendation.

Excellent Italian. I was staying at the King Edward Hotel on Saturday, May 3, 2014. Carisma was right beside the hotel. We were quickly seated (with no reservation) at a cozy table for two. The waiter brought our drinks right away. The bread man brought us a freshly baked Italian loaf dizzled with extra virgin olive oil and rosemary. We had carpaccio, and pan-seared sea scallops for our antipasti, herb crusted lamb chop, and osso buco for our main course, and chocolate lava cake, and crème brulee for dessert. Everything was absolutely perfect from the bread to the half bottle of wine we ordered. The service was attentive and polite. This was an excellent dinner.

TERRIBLE SERVICE, INSULTING. This was a humiliating experience. I went to the restaurant for lunch with a business acquaintance as his guest. I arrived earlier and I was shown our table. The restaurant was empty. Upon seating in the long bench along the wall, which was very uncomfortable, I asked to move tables. Grudgingly, I was moved even though there was no one at the place. When the food arrived, my fish was not great, so the waiter offered to change it. Shortly after, a person who seemed to be the manager or the owner came to the table and asked me " Excuse me, what was wrong with the fish? " I replied:" It was too chewy, not great". He answered:" The fish is perfect, very fresh, you have been complained since you arrived", I was SHOCKED. When was the last time that you went to a restaurant and the owner or manager comes to insult you AFTER they agreed to change your dish? Is this person insane? My acquaintance was incredibly embarrassed because he picked the place. Don't go. There are plenty of much better places around, let them be rude and mean to others unsuspecting, not to you.

Very Impressed. I have walked by Carisma for years but decided to give it a try only yesterday. I didn't know what to expect but from the very moment we entered the restaurant, it was amazing! Great Italian food, top notch service, and beautiful decor. I will definitely dine here again and I've already recommended it to some friends.

Great date night. Ambiance: Romantic<br/>Service: Great<br/>Food: Hits and some misses<br/>Suggestions: Tuna Tartare, Ravioli All'anatra

Excellent Recommendation. The concierge from the King Edward suggested this restaurant to us for a pleasant dinner. An understatement. The entire staff worked in concert to accommodate our desires. Actually, they exceeded our desires. We ordered food beyond our capacity to consume. But we did! Grilled Sea Bass, perfect vegetables and tasty deserts makes for a perfect meal! <br/><br/>I would highly recommend this location.

Terrible experience. Just had an extremely disappointing experience at Carisma...not sure which was worse, the food or the service. My husband and I started with the burrata and the carpaccio. Only the outer rind of the burrata was served. My carpaccio was still frozen. Pappardalle cinghale lacked flavour. Veal scallopine was ok, but the vegetables that accompanied were stone cold. Service was disorganized, inconsistent, rushed and unfriendly. We tried to speak to the older couple who manage the restaurant as we left, but he seem disinterested in our experience and she tried to defend the cold food!! Will not be returning.

Amazing Service!. One of the most friendly restaurants I've been to in Toronto. Incredible food but the best part was how family oriented the staff were.<br/><br/>You felt at home from the minute you walked in and were taken care of like you were family! <br/><br/>Had the Pappardelle al Cinghiale and Tagliolini All’Anatra which were both fantastic!

Fantastic pastas. The ravioli was spectacular. The scaloppine was underwhelming but the steak was fine. The dining room has a sedate quality while the bar area can get loud. Enjoyable. And superb professional service from Adriano.

As a customer of the original Il Mulino on Eglinton I had high expectations. Totally nailed it. The family that owns the restaurant works the room with warmth and an eye for customer service. We weren't disappointed. Char grilled fish was perfect. Great wine list Also, it's truly a beautiful room.

Excellent service and exceptional food. I can't wait to go back. Lamb ravioli was lick-the-plate worthy. The antipasto quartet was unbelievable. Rack of lamb cooked to perfection and so incredibly tender and juicy. The atmosphere was dark and elegant but not at all pretentious. Oh, and we adored our waiter and everyone else there who all went out of their way to make sure we had the perfect Friday night dining experience. And we did! Will be back.

Don't Believe The Hype!. Valentines Day at one of the city's hottest Italian restaurants 'Carisma" Dine.to "Best Fine Dining Restaurant 2011" would be perfect spot to bring a new girl you just met, right? I was very disappointed after the experience I had there.<br/><br/>I made reservations a week in advance, and they squeezed us in for Valentines Dinner at 5:30PM, mentioning they were fully booked and they were fitting us in on a 'exception basis'. We arrived at the restaurant (which was 3/4 empty) at 5:35 PM and was seated. I was wearing a suit jacket and a winter jacket, and my date had a winter jacket. She took hers off and left it next to her on the chair and I was in the middle of taking mine off when the waiter approached us and asked what I would like to drink. I didn't even have my winter jacket off! From then on I had a bad feeling that we would be rushed. I wanted to enjoy the company of this great girl, and décor of the restaurant (which was one wall at the back of roses - besides that nothing special) and have a relaxing evening.<br/><br/>I sat down and looked at the menu, and our waiter came to explain the specials. I told him to come back after we look at the wine menu. He went behind us with two other colleagues and stood there waiting. I could see him in the corner of my eye behind us waiting. I understand it was empty, but I didn't think too much at this point. He came back and we ordered wine, and asked us to get appetizers. We were only there for five minutes and didn't have a chance to look at the menu. So he walked away - back to his same spot. Then another gentleman came and asked us what we wanted to eat (found out later it was the manager). Told him we just started looking and asked him what he recommends. My date and I picked one each, and he convinced us to go with the special that wasn't on the menu - no big deal. Wine came fast, and the restaurant was starting to get busier (two more couples came in - but many empty tables). The appetizer came and it looked good, however a small portion (which was expected). We had about two bites and he asked us if we were ready to order dinner. I told the waiter, that we were in no rush and we wanted to enjoy the evening. Again he went behind me and stood there staring. My date felt uncomfortable and so did I. We looked at the menu and decided to order the rest of the food because we were starting to get annoyed. It wasn't that the restaurant was completely packed out; there were many empty tables around us. We ordered our food and continued to eat our appetizer. As soon as I finished the appetizer and put the plate to the side it was gone in literally 2 seconds. As soon as I finished the wine and moved it to the side the glass was gone in 2 seconds. I guess that's good service, but also encourages the feeling of being rushed - when the restaurant didn't seem so busy for Valentines Day dinner. Food came -décor was nice, taste was good - small portions. After our meal I decided to give my gift as we were finally left alone. Literally as I pulled out this big red bag (which to any human eye could understand it was a gift)- I think I was interrupted 2 times for desert menu by two gentleman - when clearly we were not focusing on desert at that time - it didn't take a blind man to see that. This is when I became really annoyed with the restaurant - and to be honest we both wanted to get out of there ASAP. She opened the rest of the gift and I asked for the bill and he arrived with the machine and 2 Hersey Kisses chocolate. I didn't want to leave a tip at all - but out of generosity I decided to leave something because it's Valentines Day. As soon as he saw the amount his face changed and asked if something was wrong. I told him obviously there was and you rushed us the whole night, interrupted us many times and I'm very disappointed. He ran right to his manager and starting making a scene. The manager came and talked to me. I told him what had happened. He said he wanted to make sure dinner was quick just in case we had plans. I told him that wrong because we told him earlier we weren't in a rush. He said we are Dine.to best restaurant - everybody gives us amazing reviews - one negative experience doesn't make a difference - which I found very unprofessional. He then said, you might as well not give him a tip then. I told him out of appreciation that I did, but if you're going to be rude about this you can give it back. He opens his wallet and gives it back. We left the restaurant and I promise I'm NEVER going back. The food was okay - the décor wasn't anything great. I swear if it wasn't for the girl I was with - that would have ruined Valentines Day.

Perfect timing. Came in for a quick dinner before the theater tonight and could not have hoped for a more perfect meal. Timing was excellent,service was bang on and the food was terrific. Between the two of us we had lobster risotto, a salad of grilled mushrooms with goat cheese, red pepper puree soup and grilled scallops. We were very satisfied and will definitely return.

41st b-day dinner was exceptional. Ok.. here it goes - an honest to goodness factual restaurant review.. TORONTO's best restaurant! I eat out daily with clients in the best of the best (Canoe, Jump, North 44, One, Bymark, etc etc).. NONE of them.. NOT one of them compare to Charisma. The service, meal and experience was flawless. Starters, main and dessert were all outstanding. Best roasted cherry tomato and one above buffalo mozz salad, pasta was beautiful presented and prepared and the desserts were .. well, unreal. I met the owner's daughter who was very professional and genunie and overall, loved every minute of this place. I am so sick of Toronto and the bad food here that Charisma has given me hope! Try it.. you will NOT be disappointed. Worth every penny! And that bread to start.. wow! Give me more!

Pompous waiter was best part of dinner. This place ruined my friend's birthday! our waiter was rude and seemed very annoyed with us. The food was really expensive for very little portions. I paid 24 dollars for 16 ravioli! and they weren't that great. When the bill came, all our drinks were doubled and he felt that it was fair that we give him a $75.00 tip. I do not recommend this place and will never go back!

Great Service and Atmosphere. If you are looking for great service and atmosphere, Carisma is the place. However, if great food is what you're after, expect an average experience. Their professional waitstaff are friendly and efficient. Our drink requests were filled promptly and a hot bread appetizer brushed with fresh rosemary was brought to us right away. Unfortunately, the grilled calamari appetizer was tough and my pasta main course with chicken, peas, olives, and fresh cheese, was just ok. My husband ordered the beef tenderloin which proved average, and served with asparagus that was mushy and overcooked. Their wine selection is extensive. However, if you are in the mood for a quality brew their beer selection is disappointingly pedestrian and domestic.

Breathless. We were able to try Carisma this past Saturday night and couldn't have been happier with the food, service and ambiance. <br/><br/>I couldn't decide between the Bresaola (Italian air cured beef) and the Grilled Calamari, and asked the waiter to surprise me. Surprise me he did, by giving me both on the same plate (and only charging for one) at that moment, I knew we were in for a great night. My wife had the Caprese salad with Burrata imported from Italy that was as good as we had in Rome or Venice. <br/><br/>My Entree was Papradelle with wild boar ragu and when paired with the wine seriously left me breathless. It was as good as anything I have had in my life. It was a few simple ingredients, made with obvious love, and simply the thought of it is making me salivate a day and a half later. My wife got the special, a risotto made with Alaskan King Crab legs, peas and a touch of Chardonnay. Again, fantastic. <br/><br/>Our server was top notch, and could not have been better. He was able to chat a bit, and made a great dining experience even better. The wine list is extensive and though they don't list anything by the glass, they are willing to open any bottle and sell just a glass. The other bonus is that they have many half bottles and we had a delicious Amarone della Valpolicella. That couldn't have been more perfect with my meal. <br/><br/>The decor of the place is great. It features one of the neatest bars I have ever seen a HUGE round job with a marble top, and overhead is one of the most beautiful Murano glass chandelier's that you will see outside of Italy. Besides that, in the stairwell to the restroom is what looks like a framed original architectural drawing of the Chrysler building in NYC. How cool is that? <br/><br/>In what could be our last fine dining experience for a few months (due to the due date of a baby) this was just what the Dr. ordered. I would not only go back in a second, I would strongly suggest this to even people I don't like. <br/><br/>Simply put, if you find yourself in Toronto, and you like Italian food, you owe it to yourself to try it.

Tried Carisma for the first time last night with the family and absolutely loved it. Excellent service, food and atmosphere. <br/>I would recommend the Fois Gras to start, by far the best in town.

Loved it. Passed by this restaurant a couple of times while it was still under renovation, curiosity finally got the best of me when the next time I passed it was open for business. Simply put, Carisma is a great place. <br/><br/>The wine list is huuuuuge. It was intimidating at first, so I left it to the hostess to pick something for us and she didn't disappoint. <br/><br/>The menu is modern Italian food. Antipasti platter to share for starters, I had a wild mushroom risotto, followed by a desert platter to share that included an amazing lemon creme brulee...capped the meal off perfectly. Portion sizes were ideal. Not so much that you'd struggle to finish it off and not so little it left you wanting.<br/><br/>The decor is very upscale. Great if you're bringing someone for a date. Dark rich colours, intimate setting, a huge bar at the back. The staff and owners greeted us warmly....Very knowledgeable waiter. It's always great when you have a server who loves what they do and they're great at it.<br/><br/>There's a very strong attention attention to detail. You see it in the decor, the quality of the food, and how the plates are presented. A focus on great food and great service is enough to keep me coming back.

Carisma on King & Church is a dark abode where time passes more slowly than its hectic surroundings. There is a solemn yet fantastical element respected by quietly whispering patrons.

An Italian friend told me, a good way to judge an Italian place is to order something unusual sounding (aka you have not tried a making it, proving to be a chef) yet still pasta based since a good place would make their own pasts and you'd notice.

When my friend first told me her birthday dinner was being held at Carisma  ( @Carisma_73KingE ) , my initial reaction was something along the lines of “what?! where is this place…?!” This dinner was pretty interesting in the sense that our party of 12 (mainly consisted of foodies)  did not have a single person that had ever heard of Carisma. So I guess my friend successfully accomplished her goal in getting  a group of foodies in trying a restaurant that no one has been to – or heard of. So the evening arrived, the restaurant isn’t difficult to spot – but it’s definitely a place you’ll most likely pass by but forget all about it. Carisma is located on King St. E, steps away from King Edward Hotel. The restaurant itself is dimly lit with a plush furnishing. Its quite a romantic spot. Photo:  http://www.carismarestaurant.com/gallery.html Originally, I wasn’t planning on taking pictures. I purposely left my DSLR at home but soon realized that this fine dining Italian restaurant was reall

... other pastas including the raviolini stuffed with veal, roasted pistachios and truffle oil, the fusilloni with smoked chicken, and pappardelle with wild boar ragu. We were all pretty happy with the meal and the service here. Look at the happy bunch!