Whether you are a pasta fanatic or looking for elevated Italian cuisine, you’ll be sure to find some satisfying dining experiences in this roundup of Best Italian Restaurants in Vancouver.
The restaurants are listed in no particular order.
Robba Da Matti
Robba Da Matti offers some of the best Italian pasta dishes in the city. They’re one of my favourite Italian restaurants in Vancouver.
Their popularity has led to them to opening 3 locations in Vancouver (Yaletown, Gastown, West End) and another new outpost coming up in Kitsilano.
Robba Da Matti’s Yaletown restaurant has a cozy dining space but also a heated, covered patio.
Their West End restaurant features a beautiful patio which offers guests a secluded al fresco dining experience in a garden oasis.
My favourite dishes from their menu are the Pappardelle “Rosche Rosche” (a family recipe) and the Osso Buco & Risotta Alla Milanese (braised veal shank with saffron risotto).
I have named Robba da Matti as one of the most romantic restaurants in Vancouver. Couples can try their Date Night Special featuring 2 antipasti or Yaletown antipasto or prosciutto to share; any 2 pastas; 2 desserts and a bottle of wine.
1127 Mainland Street, Vancouver
1906 Haro St., Vancouver
12 Powell Street, Vancouver
Tavola
Classy wines, friendly service, and house-made pastas are at the core of this neighborhood Italian restaurant.
Located in the West End, Tavola has a welcoming ambiance. Their dining room and heated patio seating are designed to make guests feel welcomed and comfortable.
Their menu focuses on a handful of appetizers, pastas, and mains that are beautifully simple and perfectly executed.
Enjoy fresh favorites –such as the brick chicken or pulled pork ragu –made with seasonal ingredients from local farmers and purveyors for guaranteed flavor and freshness.
1829 Robson St, Vancouver
CinCin Ristorante + Bar
As Vancouver’s leading Italian restaurant, CinCin is your destination for authentic Italian flavours in the heart of Downtown.
Their outdoor year-round patio overlooks bustling Robson Street and is a beautiful place for a date.
Enjoy an evening of wine and delectable dishes prepared over a wood-fired grill.
Their menu changes seasonally but you can expect amazing dishes like the wood fired grilled whole branzino with grilled lemon and truffle roasted Rossdown farm organic chicken.
CinCin Ristorante is also on my list of best restaurants in Vancouver.
1154 Robson St, Vancouver
Casereccio Foods
A newcomer to the Vancouver dining scene is Casereccio Foods.
The restaurant is a labour of love by two local Italian-born chefs and another partner who started the venture during the pandemic.
At Casereccio Foods, you’ll find casual, affordable, home-style fresh pasta made in house; customizable dishes; quick and easy, frozen fresh, pre-made options to take home; grab-and-go desserts; sandwiches; soups and salads.
Casereccio Foods has quickly become a neighbourhood favourite in Kitsilano and on a sunny day you’ll find many locals enjoy their foods on their patio.
2480 Vine St, Vancouver
Ask for Luigi
Italian comfort food in a cozy intimate setting is exactly what you’ll find at Ask for Luigi.
Upon walking through the door, guests are greeted with a homey, vintage Italian environment featuring wood paneled walls, checkered floors, and red bistro tables.
Sit down to a plate of freshly made, in house pastas like the wild boar ragout, or the ricotta ravioli with squash and walnuts.
The food is served family-style, meaning each dish is served as soon as it’s done and placed in the middle of the table for everyone to have a taste.
No pasta dish should go without a glass of wine, and Luigis has the perfect Italian, French, or Spanish bottles to pair with your meal.
Your dining experience won’t be complete until you enjoy a beautiful dessert like the panna cotta or take part in the tradition of enjoying a grappa or espresso to end a delicious Italian meal.
305 Alexander St, Vancouver
Lupo Restaurant & Vinoteca
For modern Italian cooking in a romantic, date-night setting, Lupo is the place to be.
Owner and head chef Julio Gonzalez Perini and Michael Mameli have worked alongside one another to create one of the most beloved Italian restaurants in Vancouver.
While much of the menu features dishes we already know and love, Mameli adds his own twist for a bit of excitement on each plate.
From the starters and salads to the fish and the meats, expect only the highest quality ingredients at Lupo.
Absolutely everything, from the hand-rolled breadsticks to the freshly ground sausage, is made in-house with expert execution.
Take the Spaghetti Nero for example.
A key ingredient is the calamari which needs to be braised for three hours before adding in any other ingredients.
This dedication to quality taste is what has kept Lupo so popular with locals and visitors alike.
869 Hamilton St, Vancouver
Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill
Next on this list of best Italian restaurants in Vancouver is Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill – an iconic Yaletown institution by award-winning chef and owner Giuseppe Posteraro.
His use of natural flavors and regionally sourced ingredients have landed this restaurant numerous awards, including the Restaurant of the Year and many others.
His menu is filled with delectable starters, soups, salads, pastas, fish, and meats which are served flawlessly.
Some highlights of the menu include the Risotto with Lobster; Black ink Cavatelli; and “Brasato al Barolo” (natural beef short ribs braised in red wine).
In addition to a mouthwatering meal, Cioppino’s has one of the largest wine cellars in Vancouver.
Chef Pino is known to make his rounds at the tables as you devour his food and indulge yourself in a delicious glass of wine, making the experience that much more memorable.
1133 Hamilton St, Vancouver
Oca Pastificio
Oca Pastificio is a quaint, cozy spot to enjoy a good piece of pizza or a homestyle pasta.
Oca’s origins began with the longtime friendship of Greg and Antoine, two friends who used their years of working in Vancouver restaurants to create their very own stamp on the city’s food scene.
Because of their shared love of pasta and wine, the two knew exactly what they wanted to do: create a warm and inviting environment serving honest, handcrafted dishes.
The passion for good food is evident in every bite and every detail –from the fresh ingredients to the knowledgeable servers detailing every ingredient and how it’s prepared.
Order a main, such as the gnocchi with tomato and burrata, or the squash tortellini with sage butter, or try a variety of appetizers, pastas, and desserts from the tasting menu.
1260 Commercial Dr, Vancouver
Savio Volpe
Savio Volpe is designed as a modern Italian osteria which, back in the 1400’s, was like a local tavern known for wine and simple regional specialties cooked to share.
Despite a casual ambiance, their food is of the highest quality.
The homemade pasta is made fresh each day and the fish and meats are all from local farms, lakes, and ocean.
Once in-house, they are smoked over a wood-fired grill and rotisserie for optimal flavor and paired with an Italian wine.
If you’re looking for a cocktail, Savio Volpe doesn’t fuss with extravagant concoctions, but sticks to a simple spritz, a negroni, and some house-made Italian sodas with either low alcohol or none.
Enjoy one of these simple drinks or a local craft brew before marveling at the dessert menu.
There you’ll find homemade gelato and Italian pastries and cookies served with an espresso for a bit of that old world feel.
615 Kingsway, Vancouver
Nook
Owners Nicole and Mike had a simple dream of creating a neighborhood restaurant in the West End.
Flash forward a few years and their small, 30 seat eatery, Nook, has expanded to three additional locations in the Kitsilano, Olympic Village, and Shipyards (North Vancouver) locations.
As one of the best Italian restaurants in Vancouver, their popularity stems from great wine, good food, and a fun atmosphere.
Start off with a quirky cocktail like the “Plight of the Bumblebee” made with Bacardi, grapefruit, honey, and lemon, or a beer or cider; each of which pairs perfectly with a focaccia starter.
Their house made pastas feature all the classics like rigatoni or gnocchi with baby meatballs and the pizzas offer a variety of flavors for every taste.
You can’t go wrong with a night out at the Nook!
781 Denman St, Vancouver
1525 Yew St, Vancouver
195 W 2nd Ave, Vancouver
150 Victory Ship Way #160, North Vancouver
Giardino Restaurant
Giardino’s will transport you all the way to Italy with its Tuscan-style dining room complete with vaulted ceilings, wooden beams, and Tuscan tiles.
The food is just as quintessentially Italian with bold, rich flavors and classic recipes.
Enjoy appetizers, soups, salads, pastas, and mains such as the spaghettini carbonara, chicken stuffed tortellini, or the wild British Columbia salmon filet with lemon preserves, white asparagus, and warm chives emulsion.
When the weather is nice, enjoy your meal on the outdoor patio covered in lush greenery and blooming flowers.
1328 Hornby St, Vancouver
Autostrada Osteria
Autostrada Osteria is an award-winning Italian restaurant that is chef-owned and operated by Chefs Lucais Syme.
This restaurant is where some of Vancouver’s top chefs and restaurateurs like to eat on their days off so you know their food is top-notch.
Some of my favourites on the menu are the Anchovy on Toast and the Tagliatelle Bolognese.
Check them out at one of their three locations in Vancouver.
4811 Main St, Vancouver
1481 Continental St, Vancouver
350 W Pender St, Vancouver