Sotto Sotto restaurant to reopen near original location after fire

Popular Yorkville restaurant Sotto Sotto will be reopening Friday after its previous location was destroyed in a fire less than two months ago.

“We owe it to our history, our team and our loyal patrons to rebuild and we will come back stronger than ever,” owner Marisa Rocco told CTV Toronto last week.

The new restaurant will be located at 120 Avenue Rd., which is just two doors north of the original location. Rocco said it will only be open on weekends until renovations are complete.

Both Sotto Sotto and Spuntini Ristorante & Bar were destroyed in a Christmas Day fire that caused more than $1 million in damage. Investigators couldn’t determine the cause of the blaze.

“This restaurant is our home,” said Rocco. “While this is experience brought heartbreak and challenges, our love of food and serving people gave us the strength we needed to get back on our feet, faster and stronger.”

Sotto Sotto opened in 1992 and was once considered a hotspot for many celebrities. Famous clientele include Canadian hip-hop singer Drake, and actors Johnny Depp and Bruce Willis.

Rocco is asking diners to help rebuild the restaurant’s customer database as most of it was lost in the fire. She said people can visit the restaurant’s website and add themselves manually.

In the meantime, reservations can be made at 416-962-0011 or at [e-mail]