Ascari Enoteca has alway been a neighbourhood locale in Leslieville named after the famous Formula 1 race car driver, Alberto Ascari. Alberto’s love for food, wine and racing transcends into the 38-seat restaurant where people come to linger over a simple, delicious meal washed down by a superb bottle of wine (or two).

7 years later, it’s travelled its way to the west end of Toronto on the corner of King & Portland with high ceilings, 16-foot windows, and distinct enclaves for semi-private parties, whilst maintaining its familial charm.

Rooted in simplicity and quality of ingredients, Ascari menus are designed as if Ontario is an extended village of Italy.

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ALBERTO ASCARI

was an Italian racing driver and twice Formula One World Champion. Ascari won consecutive world titles in 1952 and 1953 for Scuderia Ferrari. He was the team's first World Champion and the last Italian to date to win the title. This was sandwiched an appearance in the Indianapolis 500 in 1952. Ascari also won the Mille Miglia in 1954. Ascari was noted for the careful precision and finely-judged accuracy that made him one of the safest drivers in a most dangerous era..

When Alberto was a young child, his father, Antonio, who was also a famous racing driver, died in an accident at the 1925 French Grand Prix. Alberto once admitted that he warned his children not to become extremely close to him because of the risk involved in his profession. So this proved when he was killed during a test session for Scuderia Ferrari at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Ascari was notoriously superstitious and took great pains to avoid tempting fate. His unexplained fatal accident – at the same age as his father's, on the same day of the month and in eerily similar circumstances – remains one of Formula One racing's great tragic coincidences.