Il Fornello Restaurant, Toronto

II Fornello, the restaurant chain that popularized thin-crust, gourmet pizza in Toronto, opted for a more design-forward, upmarket look for its newest branch, on Toronto’s Church Street.

The 100-seat eatery at the hub of the lively gay district makes a series of suitably bold gestures. The front lounge acts as swing space. A rolling storefront of mullionless, butt-joined glass can be moved back by 20 feet to transform the front lounge into a patio in warm weather. In winter, the storefront pushes up against the building line, recouping usable lounge space.

Beyond the lounge is the bathroom, where, to save space, washroom cubicles are non-gender specific and are serviced by a communal sink. This bathroom area in turn pinches the elongated bar space, which is wrapped by acoustically reflective travertine and a gilded aluminum screen. The main dining room occupies the full width of the space. A notched and skewed sapele wood screen wraps its ceiling and walls

In a witty gesture, ceramic dinner plates march along the rear plaster wall, delineating the dining room and the concealed kitchen.

Levitt: This interior is very pretty. It shows how you can have fun with form and colour.