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Toronto Italian spot is getting replaced by 'respectful rival' after 14 years

Phoebe Knight, Dished

created: July 29, 2025, 7:18 p.m. | updated: July 31, 2025, 2:16 p.m.

A Toronto neighbourhood was shocked when a stalwart Italian restaurant suddenly closed down, but something almost identical is moving in. Before you get up in arms about it, though, know that the similarities between the two restaurants are by design. While Ascari Enoteca got its name from famed Italian Formula 1 driver Alberto Ascari, Fangio Trattoria takes inspiration from one of Ascari's greatest rivals, Argentine driver Juan Manual Fangio. At the time of its closure, the restaurant had been operating in the neighbourhood for 14 years. "But legends never really die," the Fangio team writes in their Facebook post.

2 months, 1 week ago: blogTO