A video uploaded by an Instagram account serves as a reminder of why you should always book a reservation before heading out to a busy restaurant — especially if it’s owned by a famous celebrity chef.
The Toronto couple behind @_foodyesplease recently embarked on a road trip out to Crystal Beach, Ont. to visit local chef Matty Matheson’s restaurant, Rizzo’s House of Parm.
The restaurant, which is located roughly two hours away from Toronto, serves up Italian-American food, including appetizers like mozzarella sticks and meatballs, as well as a variety of parms, pasta, and Italian desserts.
Matheson also owns several other restaurants in Toronto, including Matty’s Patty’s and Prime Seafood Palace.
“We finally made the two-hour drive to Rizzo’s House of Parm, which if you aren’t familiar with, is one of famous chef Matty Matheson’s Italian spots,” the couple explains in the video.
“The entrance was 10/10 gorgeous, and that’s all we could rate because they were not seating any more people for the rest of the day.”
As a result, the couple ended up having to eat wings and fries from a “random spot” in the middle of nowhere.
“So basically the lesson here kids is if you’re going to drive far for a restaurant, always make a reservation,” they said.
According to the restaurant’s FAQ page on their website, a portion of their dining room and bar are available for walk-ins every evening, with tables and seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Walk-ins are available from 4 p.m. and the restaurant does offer a waitlist on the day of.
However, the restaurant notes that it is extremely limited in its waiting areas for patrons, so those waiting for reservations are encouraged to stay in their vehicles until the concierge team notifies them.
“Your sign to always make that reservation!” the couple captioned the video.
