A Toronto neighbourhood was shocked when a stalwart Italian restaurant suddenly closed down, but something almost identical is moving in.
Leslieville has been in a state of flux for the past year or so, with scores of beloved local spots, like Leslieville Pumps and Samaira’s Kitchen, to name only two, shutting down and new concepts moving in to breathe new life into the neighbourhood.
In the case of the two restaurants previously mentioned, Ramona’s Kitchen and, rumour has it, Soy Boys, are taking over the respective spaces, but not all of the restaurants in the neighbourhood that have recently closed are going to look quite so different.
In the case of beloved Italian restaurant Ascari Enoteca, which suddenly closed amid debt repayment issues in the late spring of 2025, its replacement, a new restaurant called Fangio Trattoria, is shaping up to be nearly identical to the restaurant that came before it, right down to its logo.
Before you get up in arms about it, though, know that the similarities between the two restaurants are by design.
Where 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.
Fangio and Ascari spent much of the early 1950s — Formula 1’s first years — facing off on the track and, despite being one another’s steepest competition, always maintained a respectful relationship that would have modern-day sports rivals’ jaws on the floor.
As it happens, that very friendly rivalry between Ascari and Fangio is what inspired the whole concept behind Fangio when the new team took over.
In a post made to the restaurant’s Facebook account — the only information about the restaurant currently available — the Fangio team explains why they decided to open a restaurant that is seemingly identical in concept to its predecessor.
Fangio Trattoria explains the restaurant concept in a Facebook post.
“In Formula 1, there was no rivalry quite like Ascari and Fangio. Precision vs. instinct. Art vs. calculation,” the post reads. “Their battles defined an era… until one day, in 1955, Ascari’s life was cut tragically short. But his legacy? Unstoppable.”
The post goes on to liken Ascari’s untimely death to the sudden and unexpected closure of Ascari’s original Queen East location in early June of 2025. At the time of its closure, the restaurant had been operating in the neighbourhood for 14 years. A short-lived King Street West sister location opened and closed within that time frame.
“But legends never really die,” the Fangio team writes in their Facebook post.
While Ascari, as it was, has ceased to be, Fangio, the team writes, emerges as a “respectful rival” to the well-loved restaurant; “A fresh new chapter in the same storied location. Bold, passionate, and driven by the same love for craft that made Ascari unforgettable.”
While Fangio boasts a very familiar retro F1 car logo and, of course, a similar retro F1 theme, it remains to be seen whether the new concept will also be serving Italian-focused cuisine like Ascari did, or whether its menu will take inspiration from Argentine foods in honour of Fangio’s background.
Further details on what people can expect from Fangio Trattoria in terms of food, drinks and vibes are scant as of now, and, at the time of publication, the restaurant has not responded to Dished Toronto’s requests for information, so we may just have to wait until opening day to see
Oh, and speaking of opening day, that’s up in the air as of now, too, but the more to get excited about, the merrier.
Fangio Trattoria
Address: 1111 Queen St. E.
Opening: TBD
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Dining and Cooking