Joia on Main

Went to eat dinner with my family on the weekend. We sat on the patio since their was good weather. I would recommend sitting in the patio if you have a chance as the atmosphere and vibe was really nice. Food and service was both pretty good despite it being a busy Sunday.

The food tastes fantastic and fresh. The ingredients and preparation was cleverly executed but you will be a little hungry when you leave unless you get more than just an entree. The pricing is a bit high but fits the setting. The patio is very loud, the sound gets trapped by the canopy I think. It's hard to have a simple conversation. We did not luck out with a server. We felt like an ignored burden. It got awkward when we finished all the food and drinks but we're waiting 15 + minutes. Meanwhile our server was chatting with a friend the next table over. Not a family restaurant, no high chairs or kids menus.

This review reflects an experience earlier this spring. The patio was lovely. We were quickly seated. It took 15 minutes to get drinks. We placed our food order and again, waited and waited. Three tables seated after us got their food well before us. One family ordered 20 minutes after we did had their food finished before we got ours. The pizza was great - excellent wood fired crust. The salad ok not cherry tomatoes and clumsily plated and dressed - see photo. Nice to see fiddleheads on the menu. I could barely eat my risotto. It was so incredibly spicy hot. At this point I was so hungry I tried to eat it. After four bites I questioned the server. I couldn’t understand why this dish would have so much heat as it really destroyed any other taste. They went back to the kitchen and found out that the “chef” mistakenly used chili oil in the risotto. An apology was given and an offer made. They offered me a drink and I said no as I already had one and was driving. They offered me a dessert . I suggested that they remove the charge for the dish and that they refused. If I could separately write customer service I would give them a zero for this experience.

Highly recommend coming here for a private event. My family hosted a small engagement party and guests could not stop talking about how delicious the food was and how generous the portions were. The ambiance on the second floor is beautiful and the service was great. Staff was on the ball- constantly refilling drinks, asking if we needed anything, and accommodated our requests.

Amazing food! Everything we ordered; from soup to pasta to the pickerel; everything was fantastic. Our server was also amazing. We are definitely coming back

Lovely patio that has good shade and fresh breeze. Antipasti were a biggest disappointment- bread not fresh and cold , veggies variety limited and far from authentic Italian flavours , watery tomato from the fridge and we are talking veggie season, sausage and slice of cheese were just ok But grilled calamari and pizza we very good. Creme brûlée was a real delight And we had plenty of service and attention . .

First off, I have been to Joia both Aurora and Newmarket in the past and really enjoyed it but want to add this review for constructive feedback as my experience last night was completely different. - Atmosphere A+ love the location and retractable patio is fantastic. - You cannot make reservations at the Newmarket location, but got there early so the wait to be seated was not bad. Where the evening went wrong was the waitress' attitude and consistency with the food/drinks. First round of drinks were good pink lemonade was delish, however when we went to order appetizers were told we shouldn't bother and just order that with our meals as the kitchen was busy. At this point we had not even taken look at the rest of the menu, so the waitress reluctantly took our order for appetizers. Grilled calamari did not take long, but was nothing to rave about. My girlfriend has had it here previously and said it did not taste the same. Next waitress came to refill drinks, asked the guys at the table but was rushed and did not bother checking in with the rest of the table aka the girls. Ok forgiven as she was busy but better table manners would have been nice. What really bothered me was that my Penne alla vodka came and there was literally only ONE piece of pancetta. I mentioned this to our waitress and she became every combative trying to point out more pieces in the dish even though there were none. So she brings me a plate of bacon see photo after I cut the strips from the kitchen and says here you go. Yes both pork but not the same. Of course the waitress tries to argue this fact, and then finally tells us that the kitchen downstairs cannot separate pancetta from the sauce so this is the best you can get. The pomodoro sauce itself was delicious and ate it all as I was starving but definitely disappointed for price paid that I did not actually get what I ordered. Last, I ordered a second cocktail another pink lemonade and when it came looked and tasted closer to a cranberry vodka. Not sure if they got this mixed up at the bar, but at this point did not bother mentioning it to our waitress as felt like it would have just been another argument. If you want the true fine dining experience, I would stick with the Aurora location. Hopefully this review helps!

Spectacular location, patio unbelievable. Retractable roof and heated flooring and propane heaters. Italian food off the charts. Marco and Eugene are gracious hosts. Can not wait to return soon.

We originally booked a reservation at The Keg but they kept giving away our table. So we decided to try out Joia and it was fantastic. The manger was so nice and made sure we were seated within minutes of getting there without a reservation. Food was amazing and the service was fabulous. It’s now our new favourite spot!

Great patio and tasty food. Nothing disappointed. We had a fabulous waiter as well. Congrats on your new baby!