Who has been waiting as long we have for this famous Italian eatery to open its li’l sista’s doors? Well after 2+ years in the making, Bar Buca has finally opened and as predicted, it is not disappointing. Opened last Thursday, January 30th, the new hot spot has been packed since, serving Buca lovers from 7am (8am on weekends) until the wee hour of 2am everyday. You won’t hear any complaints from us about these hours of operation!

Located just one block from the original Buca, this is the snack-bar version, offering guests shareable plates, including cicchetti (small bites), spiedini (skewers) and schiacciata (stuffed focaccia sandwiches) all created by Executive Chef Rob Gentile. Instagram has been buzzing for months as he created, tried and tested the items that would make it onto the menu. Good job Chef! If you were trying to make us drool in anticipation… mission accomplished.

Our favourite part about this welcome neighborhood Italian snack bar is that you can literally grab a coffee and bambolone for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and then go back for aperitivo to enjoy a glass of vino and some cicchetti. On weekdays between 4pm and 7pm, they will even treat you to a small aperitivo plate (ham, cheese, olives and small bites of focaccia) to accompany your cocktail. A nice touch we say.

We also hear the weekend brunch is amazeballs with items like scrambled duck, goose and turkey eggs combined with burrata and topped with shaved black truffles (that’s no average omelette!), as well as Italian pancakes layered with cannoli filling and drizzled with maple syrup. Can you say, yum?!

Bar Buca is located at 75 Portland, just south of King Street West. We suggest you visit… ASAP.

Have you tried Bar Buca? Tell us about your experience by commenting below or tweet us at @ViewtheVibe