A new Italian restaurant is about to take over the space that most recently housed a longstanding local Portuguese favourite.
It hasn’t even been a month since Junction Triangle staple Piri Piri Grill closed its doors after a quarter century, but the restaurant’s newest era is already coming in hot.
The family-owned restaurant stirred major neighbourhood outcry in November of 2025 when it suddenly closed permanently, leaving only a since-deleted Instagram post confirming the closure as notice.
Still, though the loss was a palpable one for the community, it wasn’t all bad news at the time: the post also alluded to the fact that, come January of 2026, the location would be home to a brand new concept from the same owners.
Mere weeks after the closure of Piri Piri Grill, we have our answer on what’s coming next: an Italian restaurant called Enoteca Rossio that describes itself as being “inspired by tradition and shared through food, drink and community.”
The finer details on Enoteca Rossio are scant for the time being, with only an Instagram page featuring shots of pasta, cured meats and wine, as well as a shell of a website that implores readers to join the mailing list to go off of.
Luckily, though, eager diners won’t have to wait too long to discover first-hand what Enoteca Rossio is all about.
While the exact opening date for Enoteca Rossio has yet to be revealed, the restaurant’s Instagram page promises that it’s coming in January of 2026, so the wait shouldn’t be much longer.
Though new-age Italian restaurants are all the rage across the city these days (bonus points if they serve sandwiches), it appears as though not everyone is thrilled about the restaurant owners’ decision to leave Portuguese cuisine behind in favour of Italy.
“What a shame… you were a very popular and respected Portuguese restaurant in our city, and there is already so many Italian restaurants… Que vergonha,” one follower comments on an Instagram post on Enoteca Rossio’s page.
Only time will tell whether the choice to switch up the restaurant’s concept proves a worthwhile one.
Enoteca Rossio will be located at 1444 Dupont St.
Dining and Cooking