Cono is a very petite, very popular spot in Toronto serving up luscious gelato with cheffy twists. Owned by the duo behind West Queen West's now-defunct Canis Restaurant, it's a small-batch scoop shop defined by tradition and the sheer pleasure that comes with crafting something great. 

In 2016, Vancouver transplants Jeff Kang and Tosh Agassiz opened Canis Restaurant on Queen Street West. Centred on seasonal tasting menus, its name taken from North America's grey wolf, the intimate place was unique for the area as well as for its chefs' dedication to local, foraged fare.  

Fast forward to 2026, past the pandemic and Canis' much-lamented closure, and chefs Kang and Agassiz have traded savoury for sweet, but their affection for seasonal flavours remains wholly intact.

"We always wanted to open this," says Kang. "I love gelato and ice cream. Same with [Agassiz.] We got back together after the pandemic, and said, 'Now's the time.'"

Opened in late August, Cono (which is Italian for cone) has allowed the duo to focus on their love of sweets. It also, Agassiz explains, presents a novel outlet for their culinary creativity.

"We come from the world of fine dining, mostly, and we always thought it would be fun to do a different concept, something more in the QSR (quick-service restaurant) world that's still related to what we've done in the past."

In fine dining, precision matters. It's no surprise, then, that attention to detail runs through Cono's diminutive IPSO Studio-designed space. Fresh and modern, it's accented with pops of colour, clean lines and kaleidoscopic gelato tempting from inside a glass-topped case. Bold graphics—on the cups, merch and house-made cones—complete the contemporary design. 

For their gelato, the team follows a traditional method, upping the fat content to 12%. "It's a bit richer than traditional gelato," says Agassiz. "That's just our preference."

Small batches are churned in an imported Carpigiani machine, then put (if briefly) on display. On the menu, customers will find a range of classics (such as hazelnut and pistachio) alongside flavours inspired by the chefs' go-to favourites, available as scoops, in waffle sandwiches, to-go pints and gelato cakes. 

"A lot of the flavours go back to Canis times," says Kang. "We always had a sweet corn ice cream or gelato on our dessert menu, so we're bringing that back here." Paired with brown butter gelato in a medium cup ($8), it delivers a sweet, nutty rush of seasonality missing little apart from corn holders.  

As the team looks toward late summer, they're already prepping something new. "I was at the farmer's market yesterday," says Agassiz. "We got fresh melons from a local farmer. We'll do tons of iterations like that."

Kang's favourite flavour, sunflower and chocolate sorbet (single, $6) is earthy, smooth and rich. One of the team's vegan offerings, it's luxurious and plush in a way that sorbet can rarely claim to be.

A trip to Spain inspired Agassiz's preferred scoop. "I had Basque cheesecake and was like, 'OK, this has got to be a good gelato flavour.'"

To make it, the team bakes cakes that are squatter than is customary, for more burnt surface area. These are mixed into a cream cheese custard base for a best-of-both-worlds frozen dessert. Pair it with salted caramel miso blondie, and you'll quiet your sweet tooth for days. 

Made on-site throughout the day, waffle cones ($2) perfume the air and delight aesthetes with their eye-catching custom design. Crunchy and buttery, they're also an attractively sustainable alternative to cups. 

At Cono, gelato is serious business that's approached in a playful way. "We aim to have fun with it, be creative, come up with new flavours — maybe something unexpected, maybe something nostalgic," says Agassiz. 

Judging by the lines outside the door, it's a wildly popular approach. "It's been overwhelming. It's been crazy for us," says Kang, of the community's welcome. "We thought it would just be me and Tosh here working. We already had to bring our wives in," he laughs. 

Cono is located at 932 College Street.