Highly anticipated Italian restaurant opening in Mississauga

Italian restaurant Lago Pizza & Pasta Bar is celebrating its grand opening as one of the newest spots in Mississauga to enjoy food, drinks, and entertainment.

Located at 167 Lakeshore Rd W in Port Credit, the restaurant is a collaboration with local Mississauga Chef Lino Di Cecca, known for his authentic Italian cuisine.

The restaurant’s grand opening on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 7 PM invites everyone to check out the restaurant, enjoy some Prosecco to kick off the night, hors d’œuvres, and sample the signature dishes at the live chef stations.

Guests will also be invited to go on a private tour through the back halls of the restaurant, into the lower level which features a commercial freezer door entrance that is reminiscent of the speakeasies of the prohibition era and opens up to a large private space affectionately called La Cantina.

Local Mississauga Chef Lino Di Cecca and Chef Guillermo are the team behind the authentic Italian menu. Both hailing from the city of Naples in southern Italy, they have a love for cooking authentic Italian cuisine just like the kind they grew up with back home.

Both chefs also have years of experience in the food industry: Guillermo has worked as a top chef at multiple big restaurants in the GTA, while Lino started Chiara Cucina, a gourmet pizza company that delivers gourmet pizzas to homes across southern Ontario.

The new restaurant’s menu features pizza, pasta dishes and more Italian classics, and the restaurant offers everything you’d expect for a fun night out. It’s a place where you can stay for dinner, enjoy drinks, live music and entertainment (such as black and white Italian movies, featured DJs, and more), all in one spot.

The space and overall vibe emulates the experience of dining at a restaurant in Naples, Italy – both modern and rustic, and featuring an open concept kitchen.

Everything on the vast menu is made in-house from scratch, using only the freshest ingredients – such as artichokes, olives, tomatoes, 00 flour, polenta, olive oil, and meatballs which are hand-made daily.

Here are five must-try dishes from their new fall/winter menu:

Linguine pescatore: A perfect pasta dish for seafood lovers, the restaurant’s signature linguine is topped with tomato sauce and a mouthwatering combination of shrimp, mussels, clams, calamari, and lobster tail.

Gnocchi gorgonzola: This traditional dish includes handmade gnocchi, a creamy white wine Gorgonzola sauce, and fresh figs.

Sofia Loren pizza: One of the restaurant’s authentic and stone oven-cooked pizzas, the Sofia Loren pizza includes Prosciutto di Parma, ricotta, cherry tomatoes, parmesan, and arugula.

Pulcinella pizza: For those who love to combine sweet and savoury, the Pulcinella is a fantastic option with its toppings of gorgonzola, walnuts, slices of fresh pear, and a honey drizzle.

Charcuterie board: A good charcuterie board is the perfect intro to any meal, and Lago’s is no exception with the board’s array of savoury meats and imported cheeses, tasteful and easy to share around the table.

The bar menu includes all of the classics from their beautifully curated wine list and classic Italian cocktails. And finish off the night with a classic Italian dessert, all prepared from scratch and made to order.

Lago Pizza & Pasta Bar can host private events both upstairs in their restaurant space or downstairs which is well-suited for anything from smaller, intimate dinners to big parties and events with up to 90 people.

Guests can access the private space in their own private entrance or through the freezer doors. You’ll have to see for yourself!

Save the date – Lago Pizza & Pasta Bar’s grand opening is at 7PM on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 167 Lakeshore Rd W.

For more info and full menu, visit their website at lagopizzapasta.com.