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Italian dining in Vancouver has evolved over the decades from red-chequered tablecloth red sauce restaurants to specialists covering regions from Lazio to Lombardy and every spot in between. And while a plate of fettuccine alfredo or spaghetti and meatballs can hit the spot, there’s so much more to sample from restaurants near you. Let’s dive into the restaurants dishing up the best Italian food in Vancouver.
Auntie Jen’s Pizzeria
If you’ve never tried a Philadelphia-style pizza, you might be surprised by what you find at Auntie Jen’s. Think crispier crust and slightly sweeter tomato sauce, with many of the toppings you’re used to. But also, think stromboli, the Italian-American equivalent of a Cornish pasty, only, dare I say, better? At Auntie Jen’s, the stromboli — each big enough to feed 3-4 people — are wrapped in a thin, crispy dough and filled with the likes of meatballs, bacon, fresh basil, red onions, and mozzarella (the Oh, Canada) or scalloped potatoes, chicken, smoked bacon, green onions, and alfredo sauce (The Legend). As for the pizzas, The Denim, with its ham, bacon, mushrooms, feta, and mozzarella is an ode to great Canadian ideas.
Bonta Italian Ristorante
When you’re feeling like a walk down memory lane, check out the Italian-American dishes at Bonta. The best part here is the ability to customise your pasta order to your sauce and noodle preferences. Feel like rotini in a boscaiola sauce? Or maybe gnocchi in the garlic-oregano Firenze sauce? The choice is yours. And while classics like prosciutto e melone or arancini are always a solid choice, don’t miss the barley and carrot soup in a light cream sauce. It warms and soothes the palate.
Flourist
Janna Bishop and Shira McDermott founded this East Van stalwart with the goal of providing high-quality, fully organic flours with traceability from stalk to store. All grains (and beans) are sourced directly from Canadian farmers and then stone-milled in-house, with zero additives. The flour is so fresh they recommend keeping it in the fridge rather than your cupboard. And that flour is, of course, the base of their pizzas. From the classic Margherita to the Five-Year-Anniversary Special with zucchini purée, zucchini chips, burrata, and basil, the pizzas here focus on quality ingredients atop perfect crusts. And don’t miss the focaccia if it’s available: It’s almost a meal in itself.
Ignite Pizzeria
Ignite (on Main Street, and in Yaletown and Gastown) is known for its beautifully fermented, low-sodium dough: It rests for three days before it’s fired up in the stone oven at 800 degrees Fahrenheit with any number of toppings. That thin, chewy crust is the perfect base for pretty much anything — it’s great for delivery near you. The Funghi Supreme is a perfectly balanced blend of mozzarella, ricotta, and aged parmesan topped with various ’shrooms. The Smyrna is another popular choice and one I can get behind, with its artichokes, olives, grilled tomatoes, and spinach. Don’t worry, carnivores, there are plenty of meat-centric options, including the Montreal Smoked Meat with jalapeño, caramelised onions, and truffle aioli. This is also one of the few places in town where you can get potato on your pizza, here with gorgonzola, mozzarella, and rosemary.
Italian Kitchen
This fine-dining Italian restaurant in the heart of downtown doesn’t have a pizza oven, but you won’t be thinking about slices here. Especially when you start digging into the Wagyu beef carpaccio with crispy shallots, or the truffled spaghetti with the house meatballs, which are so tender that they begin to melt at the touch of your tongue. From fritto misto to zucchini blossoms stuffed with ahi tuna and ricotta (when in season), these menu items play to the dolce vita side of Italian cookery. Order the zeppole, filled with crème anglaise. Nobody does doughnuts like the Italians.
La Grotta del Formaggio
This Commercial Drive institution has been serving up award-winning sandwiches and deli goods for more than 45 years and is still going strong. Think ham and cheese, only the ham is actually prosciutto di parma or mortadella, the cheese is provolone or edam (or both), and pesto might be involved. Suffice to say, these are the sandwiches of your dreams and the perfect vehicles for your creativity. Choose a focaccia base or a classic bun, and come up with your own creation from there. When in doubt, go for Il Classico with mortadella, spicy capicola, provolone, and artichokes. Just remember to get the homemade Sicilian cannoli for dessert. They are some of the best in the city, and I’ve been known to scarf down more than a couple as a pre-lunch appetiser.
La Piazza Dario Ristorante Italiano
Based in the city’s Italian Cultural Centre, Dario’s, as it’s known by locals, is a testament to classic Italian cookery from all over Italy. From the grilled calamari steak with lemon oil and stracciatella egg drop soup to the veal-spinach cannelloni in bechamel and tomato sauce, these menu items are comforting and a reminder that this is one of the great cuisines of the world. The classic spaghetti and meatballs are a family fave, as are the veal medallions sautéed in white wine and lemon. Don’t forget the tiramisù for delivery near you.
Nat's New York Pizzeria
Owners and brothers Nat and Franco Bastone have been serving up their family’s 100-year-old recipes for their eponymous and distinctive thin-crust, New York-style pizzas in Kitsilano since 1992 and are still going strong (there’s a second West End location). The pizzeria has won numerous local restaurant awards. And, as long-time Kitsilano residents (the brothers attended the local high school decades ago), their community involvement spans generations. But yeah, getting back to the pizza, it’s damn good, whether you’re having the Chorizo Mushroom Meat Lover or the 5th Avenue with spinach, fresh tomatoes, and sweet onions. Most importantly, their foot-long hero sandwiches are epic and will fill up both young athletes and the hungry tired adults who chauffeur them around (ahem). This is a Most Loved Restaurant on DoorDash, which means it is one of the top-rated and most reliable merchants on DoorDash.
Neighbour's Restaurant & Pizza
When you’re featured on The Food Network’s You Gotta Eat Here, you know you’re doing something right. An East Van institution since the Tsoukas family opened it in 1982, Neighbour’s is still the same family-run place where you can get your pizza, pasta, and Greek cravings met at reasonable prices. Classics like baked lasagna, pizza, and spanakopita sit side by side on the menu, like good neighbours should. My kid has a special fondness for the calamari and the pastas while I tend to favour one of the solid vegetarian pizza options. Finish with the jumbo-sized slice of New York-style cheesecake, but maybe share it, because it really is that big.
Nook
Authentically Italian with an ethical and sustainable focus, Nook (in West End and Kitsilano) has been serving up beautiful iterations of the best locally produced and Italian imported ingredients since 2009. Whether it’s the crostini from the Denman Street location (I love both the whipped ricotta with honey and the chicken liver with port-glazed onions), or the Caesar, which is properly made with anchovy and grana padano, there is an authenticity and simplicity to the food here that shines through in each dish. The orecchiette with fennel sausage, chilli, rapini, and pecorino is my go-to, while my teen tends to go for the classic Spaghetti Bolognese. Don’t overlook the pizzas, including the classic Margherita.
Novo Pizzeria & Wine Bar
Known for their wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas and pastas made fresh every day, Novo has been a Kitsilano staple since opening in 2011. We’re big fans of the not-so-common Sicilian meatballs, with currants, pine nuts, tomato sauce, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and fresh mint. The arancini are another go-to, thanks to the sun-dried tomatoes and olives, plus the truffled mushroom interior. All the pastas are made with semolina flour, and gluten-free options are available. As for pizzas, the aged dough has the perfect chew and the potato pizza with fresh mozzarella, gorgonzola, and roasted garlic is a game changer. Hey, there’s no law against doubling up on carbs, right?
The Parlour
Think East Coast edge meets West Coast hospitality, mainly using local, seasonal ingredients, and you start to get an inkling of what The Parlour is all about. Shareables, pizzas, burgers, and sammies all make an appearance, with Italian notes in dishes like burrata with frisée and lardon salad, mini meatball sliders with parmigiano Reggiano, and, of course, the pizzas. Classic pepperoni is an easy yes, but don’t miss the Goldmember (hello, Mr. Bond), a hearty pie of caramelised onions, mushroom duxelle, potato, truffle oil, Gruyère, and mozza. This is a Most Loved Restaurant on DoorDash.
Per Se Social Corner
This popular downtown bistro has some criminally good dishes, like its Criminale Pizza (see what I did there?), a heady mix of the house standard San Marzano tomato sauce, fior di latte, prosciutto cotto, soppressata, applewood-smoked bacon, and red onions. Even a crispy goat’s cheese salad shines here with candied walnuts and a housemade pear-truffle vinaigrette. It’s a fun, lighthearted menu that veers into Spanish and Middle Eastern dishes as well — patatas bravas and hummus — but the real star is the house burger, an eight-ounce double-fister made from organic beef on a challah bun and topped with fontina, truffle aioli, and onions caramelised in Syrah. You can add things like bacon to it, but really, why mess with perfection? This restaurant is recommended by the Michelin Guide.
Pizzeria Barbarella
It’s all about rustic Neapolitan recipes with some New York twists at this East Side pizzeria. Since 2012, when owner Terry Deane opened shop, Fraserhood locals have been flocking here for the Cavolini and Funghi pizzas, the bruschetta, the tomato-basil soup, and the banoffee pie, which is housemade and a personal favourite since our first visit. The pizza dough is made from a mix of flours and given a longer cooking time, meaning it gets a higher rise and is easier to cut and hold (no flopping around with this one), but it’s still Neapolitan-thin and has a delightful chew. And really, that banoffee pie, while not Italian, is one of the best in the city. This is a Most Loved Restaurant on DoorDash.
Robba da Matti
Classic, regional pastas are the name of the game at this Yaletown restaurant. From the squid ink Spaghetti Amalfi, with prawns, burrata, lemon zest and pistachios, to the classic gnocchi pomodoro, there’s a lot to enjoy for delivery near you. A personal love is the gluten-free bruschetta with fig marmalade, gorgonzola, and prosciutto. I’ll also add that throwing a side of burrata onto pretty much anything is never a bad idea. If you’re looking for good Italian food in Vancouver, come here.
Rocky Mountain Flatbread
Opened in 2004 by husband-and-wife team Dominic and Suzanne Fielden, this family-friendly pizza joint creates award-winning “farm-to-pizza” dishes using local, organic produce, Ocean Wise seafood, and free-range organic meats. They’re also 100% nut-free, with lots of gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options. The kid and I attended a few of the weekly Sunday pizza-making nights over the years. From the fantastic chicken noodle soup to the fig and brie pizza to the warm dough balls (seriously, so simple and so good) and gluten-free baked cheesecake, it’s a menu that truly pleases everyone. This is a Most Loved Restaurant on DoorDash.
Sopra Sotto
Run by a group of Commercial Drive locals, Sopra Sotto’s executive chef Enrico Fratoni hails from Turin, Italy, and brings that region’s slow-food consciousness to everything he makes. And while the Diavolo Pizza and Gnocchi in Sunday Sugo with braised beef are staples at this top Italian restaurant, the Toscana Salad with kale, farro roasted tomatoes, and shaved pecorino is not to be missed. One of my most-ordered dishes is the Caserecce Tartufo, as not many places have this twisted pasta shape, here topped with a variety of mushrooms and the requisite Parm.
Straight Brooklyn Pizzeria
The original New York pizza was created in Brooklyn in the early 1900s and has been loved and lauded ever since. Local brothers Don and Frank Morra aimed to bring a little of that Brooklyn love to Vancouver when they opened their first location here in 2015. Since then, locations have been added, including on Granville Island, but the massive size of these beautiful, foldable slices of pie has remained a constant, as has the quality. I’m a fan of the white pie with mozza, grana padano, ricotta, and lots of garlic, but I also have so much love for the Paesano (*snaps fingers), with its salami, ham, mushrooms, artichokes, and olives.
Tavola
From the same group that owns Nook, Tavola, based in the West End, has been home to good, simple Italian food made from seasonal ingredients since 2010. Fresh housemade pastas rule the roost here, but starters like the walnut pesto crostini with pear and honey make for marvellous beginnings, as do the soft boiled eggs topped with white pickled anchovies. And, while pork ragu and ricotta gnocchi are both perennial favourites, mushroom campanelle with prosciutto is my love language. This is a Most Loved Restaurant on DoorDash.
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