The Annex is about to get in on the Neapolitan pizza craze. But it won't be courtesy of the folks behind Pizza e Pazzi, Queen Margherita Pizza or Pizzeria Libretto. Vacant since a bailiff's notice was posted on its front door last June, the space that used to house the anything-but-Irish James Joyce pub will soon be home to a Famoso Pizzeria, a franchise that established roots in Alberta back in 2006 but is now making a push east. Along with the Annex location, the company's website also promises a restaurant at Yorkdale Mall in Spring 2012.

Photo by yedman in the blogTO Flickr pool

A new izakaya slated to open later this year near Bay and Dundas will have more than just takoyaki on its menu. Customers who have imbibed in too much beer or sake will be offered a drive home. According to Hiromi, a spokesperson for the currently under construction DonDon Izakaya, chauffeur service from izakayas is a common feature in Japan but so far not something that has been offered at the various Guus or other izakayas around town.

Hiromi wouldn't say what the cost of the chauffeur service would be, how many drivers they might have available on a typical night or if there would be a limit to the geographic area in the city the chauffeur would travel but any excuse to indulge in more over-sized mugs of Sapporo seems like a good one to me.

In yet another sign of changes on the Danforth, Crema Coffee has announced its impending arrival near Danforth and Logan where Sweet Tooth once called home. This is the third location for Crema, the Junction favourite that also has a shared location with Freshii near Yonge and Bloor.

Crema owner Geoff Polci tells me that the new location should be up and running in a few weeks. Based on some photos posted to their Facebook wall it looks like they still have quite a bit of work to do on the space.

Crema joins Dolce Gelato and Pizzeria Libretto as impending arrivals to the stretch of Danforth between Broadview and Pape.

Crema is one of a number of local "indie cafes" that now has multiple Toronto locations. Take our Facebook poll and let us know which cafe you think will get to four locations first.

The Danforth is about to get a bit more interesting. If news that Libretto was setting up shop in the east end wasn't enough, this week a sign went up in the old Kokkino space announcing Dolce Gelato's impending arrival to the neighbourhood. They couldn't have picked a better spot. Gelato options are dire on the Danforth with the closest decent place for the summer-time treat being the Leslieville location of Ed's Real Scoop.

No word yet on when Dolce will be opening its Danforth doors. But there's no rush given reports today that cold weather in this city might last longer than we'd like.

Pizzeria Libretto looks to be opening a second location - this time on the Danforth. Toronto Life reports that chef Rocco Agostino and owners Max Rimaldi and Daniel Clark are putting the finishing touches on the lease for a space on the east end strip and will be looking to open at the end of the summer.