This summer, Olive Garden opened its first GTA location at Vaughan Mills, and there’s been plenty of buzz. For people who grew up with the breadsticks on American road trips, it’s a bit of nostalgia. We get it.
But Vaughan and Woodbridge have something most places don’t: one of the strongest Italian food communities in Canada. Before you line up at the mall, it’s worth thinking about what you get from a family-owned Italian restaurant that a national chain can’t offer.
A Family Name on the Door, Not a Corporate Logo
That’s Italian Ristorante & Catering has been run by the Lombardo family for more than 50 years. It’s a father-and-son operation, and when you walk in, there’s a good chance the people who own the place are the ones greeting you, checking on your table, and asking how everything tasted.
A chain restaurant is built to be the same in every city. We’re built for our neighbourhood. Many of our guests have been coming for decades, and some of them first came with their parents.
Your Money Stays in Your Community
When you eat at a local, independent restaurant, more of your dollar stays in Vaughan. It pays local staff, supports local suppliers, and keeps a neighbourhood business going. Family-run spots like ours are also the ones sponsoring local teams, hosting fundraisers, and catering the milestones in our community’s lives.
Real Hospitality, Not a Script
We know our regulars by name. We remember who likes their table by the window and who always orders the same dish. That kind of personal service is hard to do in a high-volume chain setting, and it’s the reason families keep coming back to us.
Catering and Private Events Done Personally
Planning a birthday, a shower, a corporate lunch, or a family celebration? Our catering and private event services are planned directly with our family. You’re not a ticket number. You’re working with people who have been feeding Woodbridge celebrations for generations.
Italian Food with Local Roots
Woodbridge has a deep Italian heritage, and our menu reflects the dishes this community grew up with. Browse our menu and you’ll find classic Italian comfort food served the way our guests have enjoyed it for years.
Try Both, and Taste the Difference
We’re not here to tell anyone where they can or can’t eat. New restaurants coming to Vaughan are a sign that the city is growing. But if you want an Italian meal with history, heart, and a family behind it, we’d love to welcome you.
Next time you’re thinking Italian, skip the mall parking lot and come see us in Woodbridge.
Visit That’s Italian Ristorante & Catering
📍 2 Tall Grass Trail, Unit 4, Woodbridge, ON
📞 416.482.5426
✉️ events@thatsitalian.ca🌐 thatsitalian.ca