As owner of Yorkville’s busy Trattoria Nervosa – and now Gusto 101 (101 Portland, at Adelaide West, 416-504-9669, gusto101.com) – Janet Zuccarini knows the value of primo people-watching real estate. Those patio smarts drove her to a dilapidated chop-shop on Portland.
“When I walked up on that roof for the first time, I knew it would make a great patio,” says Zuccarini. “I had a pretty clear vision right away.”
That dream became Gusto, a stylish Italian resto with a 100-seat aerie on top. Designers Munge Leung cleverly wrapped the deck in glass to block the wind but allow spectacular optics. Come next winter, they’re installing a retractable glass roof so the space can be used year-round.
“I love the old cinder blocks with chipped paint, the rusted steel beams and skylights,” she says. “It’s a good fit for the neighbourhood.”
The mostly no-reservations resto has been an instant hit with the local glitterati since it opened in February. Try waltzing in on a Friday night at around 8 and you’ll end up at the back of the queue with Ben Mulroney and Ed the Sock. With so much media frenzy, surely Zuccarini’s already planning Gusto 102?
“Never say never.”
