Gio Rana’s Really Really Really Nice restaurant

Overly confident? Nah – it’s deserving of the really really really long name.

People make such a big deal about going to the East end. Switching gears from Queen and Ossington to Queen and Coxwell can feel like a grand voyage, but essentially it’s a 20 minute street car ride. In a somewhat desolate zone, just east of the hip part of Leslieville Gio's is a vivacious party, the crowd is that of people who dine at nine and continue on the festivities to 4 AM. I recommend for an intimate birthday dinner for people with reasonably well paid jobs who don't mind shouting over each other to be heard. Your dinner with wine will likely be around $60, but boy will it be delicious.

Likely the only place touted for it’s marvelous brussel sprouts. Other dishes to try: tilapia with shrimp, buffalo mozarello appy, scallops and pork belly, ricotta ravioli – and don’t knock the gnocchi!

Owned by the same people as the NOSE restaurant, that shocked the city about ten years ago.

Sassy and loud, it's like an Italian family reunion. No reservations. (That typically means it's really really really busy for a reason)