Amongst the block bordered by Avenue, Wilson, Yonge, and Lawrence there are a lot of Italian restaurants. And they offer similar carb heavy menus filled with pasta and pizza, a few even displaying prominent pizza ovens. And that’s why it took me a while to visit Via Mercanti. At first glance, it didn’t seem unique. Yet, it has a bright and airy laid-back vibe that’s different from others in the neighbourhood.

While their menu consists of similar offerings, their pizza list is more extensive and has exclusive options such as their namesake double layered pizza. For my preliminary visit, I opted for the familiar bufalina pizza ($29), a tomato-based pie topped with fior di latte, buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto slices, and basil.

The well blistered dough was pillowy soft having that requisite chewiness but a delicate flavour. What really shone through was the fresh tomato sauce, a hint of sweet saltiness from the tissue thin pork, and the creamy cheese. Some diners may find it too bland, but I liked the lightness of the pizza, which balanced the heavier pasta dishes.

Ideally, you’ll eat family style so you can order the gnocchi norcina ($32) and Bolognese together as the sauces compliment each other. The finely minced mushroom, crumbled sausage, and black truffle paste covering to the soft potato dumplings was delicious but cloyingly heavy, so a couple spoons were more than enough.

Yet, after trying the blander Bolognese ($25), the simpleness of the slightly acidic sauce made me want another taste of the gnocchi. In fact, grab a dumpling and swirl it into the tomato sauce and the rich rosé-like creation was even better.

On its own the Bolognese was disappointing. Being a meat-based sauce, there wasn’t much meat - some beef but none of the pork and pancetta that gives it a hearty edge. It was also too tomato heavy becoming a tomato and beef ragu than Bolognese. And no, they are not the same thing.

Via Mercanti’s appetizers are also substantial for sharing. There was plenty of calamari, but not many shrimp, in the frittura di pesce ($26), lightly dusted and fried until golden but not overly crispy. It’s a little plain neutral but delicious with the hot tomato dipping sauce.

The tiramisu ($15) was a solid interpretation but needed more lady fingers as there were spots where I had a spoon of the mascarpone cream and nothing else. Perhaps it’s designed to appease children as the espresso flavour was also too light.

Indeed, Via Mercanti is a family friendly restaurant that you can bring a crowd. Their dining room is surprisingly spacious with a few tables accommodating 10+ people. And there’s a laid-back friendliness to the staff, exuding a welcoming attitude but not bothersome, providing you with time to relax and settle in before diving into the next part of the process. All in all, I enjoyed the vibe, even if not all the food.