Danny’s Pizza Tavern: The Little Italy Spot That Was Meant to Feel Like It’s Always Been There

At 611 College Street, in the heart of Little Italy, Danny’s Pizza Tavern has the look and feel of a place that has been around for decades, though it only opened in 2022. Family photos line the walls, art pulled from childhood homes fills every corner, and the dining room is packed shoulder to shoulder.

That tension between new and nostalgic is exactly what co-owner Daniel Barna had in mind. A journalist by trade who still works full-time at Complex, Danny never planned to be a restaurateur. But years of paying attention to what makes a great room eventually became a concept — one he brought to life alongside co-owners Anna Hopkins, Mark Kupfert, and Daniel Suss. “Places that have been around for 50, 60 years have this ceiling of just history and coziness, and that’s something I felt a little bit lacking in Toronto,” he explains. “I thought it could be cool to open a restaurant that, even though it would be new, kind of has all the trappings of something that’s been around for a while.”

Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza on College Street

The pizza came almost by accident. Danny and his partners found a space that already had a pizza oven in it, which reminded him of a style he had recently tried in New York: Chicago tavern-style. Thin, crispy around the edges, cut into squares. It didn’t exist in Toronto yet, and it fit perfectly with the Midwestern family restaurant feel they were going for.

The clam pizza has slowly become the house signature. “It’s kind of an if-you-know-you-know type thing,” says Danny. Pepperoni remains the bestseller, but the clam pie is what people talk about.

Vinegar Chicken and Overfilled Martinis

Beyond pizza, head chef Jonathan Pde leads a menu that leans into approachable American classics done well. “We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel in any way, just creating food that feels approachable, familiar, but doing it in an elevated way.” The vinegar chicken, inspired by a dish at Bernie’s in New York, is a standout. So are the burger and the steak.

On the drinks side, Danny’s has become known for its oversized Aperol spritz, served in fishbowl glasses the way you would find them in Europe. And then there is Danny’s martini: very, very dirty, almost brown, served with pimento olives and filled all the way to the top. “We believe in serving our drinks all the way to the top.”

Strollers at 6, Jazz Turning to Party by 9

The room shifts with the clock. Early evening, it could pass for a family restaurant. Strollers are parked by the tables, kids are coloring, and soft jazz fills the space. As the night goes on, the crowd and the music change. “The feel of a room is just as important as the food, if not more important,” Danny says.

Danny and his wife Anna, a Montreal native and film director, decorated the space themselves. No interior designer, no assembly line feel. “I find a lot of restaurants use the same designers, the same builders, and it can feel a little detached. We pulled pieces of art from our childhood homes. We put up family photos. It’s meant to feel like a restaurant you’ve been to before.”

The word tavern in the name is intentional. “To me, the tavern represents a space that’s very egalitarian. Anyone can come. The service is elevated, but super casual and friendly.”

For more recommendations, check out our list of Toronto’s best pizzas.

Écrit par Fabie Lubin
Photographié par Scott Usheroff

Updated on 22 September 2026

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