The Good Son is a dream come true for Top Chef Canada contestant Vittorio Colacitti. A project I’ve heard murmurs about for the past few months, I enjoyed a tasting at the new Queen West eatery recently, and all I can say is, “Well done, Vittorio. Well done!” Taking over the space that used to house Nyood, The Good Son seems to be the polar opposite of its predecessor. Its homey ambiance is due to the gentlemen’s club-like décor with an antique library feel. Once you walk into the restaurant all you want to do is sit in one of the booths, munch on delicious fare, and sip on tasty cocktails until the wee hours of the morning.

Colacitti has themed the restaurant around what Toronto is best known for: multi-culturalism. While in theory a good Italian boy, as the name of his restaurant suggests, his culinary heart wears many hats. Having studied overseas at the Thai & International Food Academy as well as staging in Italy, France and at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon, his wide array of experience is highlighted in his style of food.

The cocktail and wine program should also be noted, with head bartender Taylor Johnson creating cocktails that will have you leaving happy and looking forward to heading back for more. The outstanding wine program is due to Sommelier/GM Taryn Tait, who happens to have a few spectacular Bordeaux wines on-hand which can be served at their optimum state using an enomatic wine serving system. For wine lovers, this destination should be added to your go-to list.

We were fortunate to taste a few wines and a few items on the menu at The Good Son. Some stand-out dishes included the Jerk Shrimp and the Digby Scallop, but while these caught our taste buds’ attention we loved the whole experience and will be back very soon. Check out the dishes in our gallery.

Photos by Adam Mazerall.