IL FORNELLO Restaurants partners with

LFP to Launch Local Food Menu

For immediate Release
June 11, 2026

IL FORNELLO RESTAURANTS TO LAUNCH LOCAL FOODS MENU
IL FORNELLO the first restaurant group in Ontario to feature locally sourced
menu items at eight locations

Toronto -- IL FORNELLO Restaurants is very excited to announce the official launch of their new Local Foods Menu, available at eight* IL FORNELLO locations beginning June 14th. All of the menu items on the Local Foods Menu feature Ontario grown and processed ingredients, including produce, fish, meat, poultry, dairy and grains. To celebrate this ambitious culinary undertaking, IL FORNELLO will host a cocktail reception at its 491 Church St. location on Thursday, June 14th from 11:30am-1pm. The Honourable Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, an active supporter of this venture since its inception, is scheduled to attend. "Ontario's food producers grow, raise and produce high quality food products that are among the best in the world," said the Minister. “I'm delighted that IL FORNELLO wants to showcase the fine quality food that is produced in Ontario on their menu."

IL FORNELLO Executive Chef Owen Steinberg has worked closely with local farmers, producers and Local Flavour Plus, a non-profit certifier of local, sustainable farms and processors, to create delicious and original dishes that reflect the best of this month’s harvest. Select items from the Local Foods Menu will be sampled at the cocktail reception, including chilled sweet potato soup with fresh herb infused yogurt, grilled beef ribeye with baco noir jus, crepes stuffed with smoked trout, arugula and chèvre, grilled lamb rib with sweet n’ sour apricot chutney, and strawberry shortcake. The IL FORNELLO Local Foods Menu will change every two or three weeks to incorporate seasonal offerings; the first of the menus will be unveiled at the reception. Chef Owen will be on hand to discuss the menu and provide detailed information on all of the Ontario suppliers featured.

Although IL FORNELLO has always offered bi-weekly menu additions which incorporate fresh, seasonal produce, this is the first time that the Toronto based chain has endeavoured to create daily specials with at least 95% Ontario farmed and/or locally produced ingredients. IL FORNELLO is committed to continuing the Local Foods Menu Additions throughout the year, and plans to add as many ingredients from Ontario suppliers to its regular lunch and dinner menus whenever possible.

“Although it has taken a good deal of time, effort and planning to coordinate a strictly local foods menu for eight of our locations, we believe it to be a worthwhile and an important step in not only supporting Ontario food producers, but also in helping to create awareness of and demand for their products.” says Ian Sorbie, President of IL FORNELLO Restaurants. “In addition to providing delicious menu items made exclusively from Ontario products, we will be listing the names of all of our suppliers on the menu. Once our customers have experienced the freshness, diversity and quality of local products, we hope they will be encouraged to support these suppliers by buying and enjoying their products whenever possible. As restaurant customers and grocery store shoppers, ultimately we all receive even more value for our money when we chose locally sourced food items, not to mention the environmental benefits of less carbon dioxide emissions, packaging and packing materials and supporting our local economy.”

*Local foods menu additions not currently available at IL FORNELLO, 207 Queen’s Quay W.

For twenty years, IL FORNELLO has been serving up its brand of innovative Italian dishes to Toronto diners. In 2006, IL FORNELLO was honoured as one of the Top Ten Toronto Restaurants by Zagat Guide and the IL FORNELLO on Church was nominated for a prestigious James Beard Award for Best Restaurant Design. With nine locations and a stylish sister waterfront restaurant Lusso, IL FORNELLO is definitely a ‘must do’ dining destination. Visit www.ilfornello.com and www.lussorestaurant.com for menu and location information.

For more information on the IL FORNELLO Local Foods Menu, please contact:
Megan MacMillan
Marketing & Communications
IL FORNELLO Restaurants
Tel: 416-920-9410

For more information on Local Flavour Plus, please contact:
Lori Stahlbrand
Local Flavour Plus
Tel: 416-699-6070