ARDO

In chef Roberto Marotta’s kitchen, Sicilian ingredients are king. Having been raised in Milazzo, a coastal town in the northeastern region of Sicily, the culinary connoisseur never allows the inspiration for his dishes to stray too far from home. All of Roberto’s carefully crafted plates are distinctly Sicilian – which, for a discerning palate, is a far cry from standard Italian fare.

Drawing on over 20 years of experience spent honing his craft – both in Europe and now in his home base of Toronto – Roberto’s latest venture in food comes in the form of Ardo, a minimalist eatery that oozes with Sicilian influences on Toronto's King East stretch.

Designed by Travis Farncombe, a good friend of Roberto’s, the space is inviting and unassuming, showcasing the chef’s European roots. The name, on the other hand, is affectionately inspired by Roberto's son, Leonardo. The result is an intimate extension of Roberto himself: Ardo is family-friendly, worldly and celebrates a love for all things food.

“My idea is to try and be as authentic as possible; I try to import my key ingredients straight from Sicily," says Roberto. "At the same time, I believe Canada and Ontario have a large amount of fantastic produce. My idea was to do a restaurant that was not going to be recognized as another Italian restaurant.”