Our Story

Christopher and Sarah Terpstra started Alimentari in 2015, making fresh pasta and seasonal sauces for sale at Toronto farmers' markets, all while expecting their first child. Just one sleepless year-and-a-half later, they found the perfect location for opening the 'alimentari' they had dreamt of since meeting in Tuscany years earlier. Since then, Alimentari Italian Grocery has become a staple of the Roncesvalles neighbourhood.

By 2021, the business had outgrown its small shop, and so began the expansion plans. The whole animal butchery became the foundation for Russell's Butcher & Deli, located just two blocks north of Alimentari. The shops support each other, and you’ll often find Christopher and Sarah transporting product along the sidewalk between the two shops.