The team behind Toronto’s Birreria Volo and Bottega Volo is opening a new Roman-style cafe at 606-608 College Street, inside the Royal Cinema building.
The cafe will focus on daytime service with espresso drinks, pastries, Roman-style pizza, and Italian sandwiches, according to YourCityWithin. The new yet-to-be-named concept will also offer cicchetti—small snacks on toast—and a bar menu with spritzes and low-alcohol drinks. Takeout will be available along with options for casual dining. The space will mix traditional Italian cafe culture with a modern Toronto setting. A soft opening is expected in Summer 2025.
This new cafe is the latest project from the Morana family, known for their work in Toronto’s craft beer scene. Ralph Morana and his sons, Tomas and Julian, have built a reputation for combining Italian hospitality with craft beer. The cafe marks a shift from their beer-focused venues to a broader food and drink experience, still focusing on quality and craftsmanship. The new concept will feature Roman cafe influences, offering all-day Italian dining.
The Moranas are well known for Bar Volo, a craft beer bar that started in 1988 and helped grow Toronto’s craft beer scene. In 2016, they opened Birreria Volo, which specializes in sour and farmhouse beers. They also opened Bottega Volo inside the Royal Cinema, which is a bottle shop and tasting bar. The family also runs Keep6 Imports, a beer import company, and co-founded Cask Days, a large cask beer festival in North America.
“We’re excited to honour that history while introducing a new concept that reflects our love for Italian traditions in a modern context,” Volo owner Julian Morana tells YourCityWithIN. “Our aim is to create a space where quality and curiosity meet, where guests can discover something new and uniquely Bottega.”
