Lunaro Hospitality and executive chef Justin Friedlich have opened Shay Ristorante in Toronto’s Rosedale neighbourhood, marking the first restaurant opening for both the hospitality company and Friedlich.
The Italian restaurant is located at 1055 Yonge St. and is majority-owned by Lunaro Hospitality, a Toronto-based company founded by the Dilawri family and led by managing director Rayana Dilawri. The opening represents Lunaro’s entry into restaurant operations and Friedlich’s first restaurant as executive chef.
Shay Ristorante is named after Friedlich’s daughter and is described as a personal expression of his heritage and story, with a focus on creating a dining experience centred on family and Italian culinary traditions.
“From our earliest conversations with Justin, we knew he had a distinctive vision for Shay Ristorante,” said Rayana Dilawri, Managing Director of Lunaro Hospitality. “We are thrilled to see that vision come to life and we are proud to open our first restaurant with him.”
Friedlich spent close to a decade at Buca Yorkville, where he advanced to Chef de Cuisine, before working as a private chef in the years leading up to Shay Ristorante’s opening. The menu includes Italian dishes such as Tajarin al Pomodoro and Supplì al Tonno, as well as a tableside crudo cart and desserts including Tiramisù Nero, made with house-made chocolate savoiardi.
Family tradition is also reflected in the restaurant’s use of Baglio Rocca olive oil from Palermo, Sicily. Shay Ristorante is described as the exclusive Canadian home of the olive oil, which is used throughout the menu, including in Gelato all’Olio and house-made focaccia.
Lunaro Hospitality oversaw the design and build of the restaurant, working with designer Michael London. The design combines Italian-inspired elements with a Milanese influence, including stone, chestnut-toned millwork and a view of the kitchen line from the dining area.
The dining room seats 89 guests and features a floor-to-ceiling Venetian plaster wall. Its central bar is finished with fluted porcelain tile and marble and is framed by a see-through glass wall.
The restaurant also includes La Sala, a private dining room with a Tuscan-inspired terracotta and burnt amber palette. The room can accommodate up to 16 guests and is available for larger parties.
Artwork throughout the restaurant is provided by Rukaj Gallery, with the restaurant opening with The Gathering, a monumental work by artist Alex Katz. The piece is one of an edition of 40 and is based on a group portrait Katz painted in the 1970s.
Shay Ristorante is Lunaro Hospitality’s first restaurant opening, while the company says it is currently involved in three major restaurant projects in Toronto, Vancouver and Los Angeles.
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