Long known as a celebration of family, tradition, and comfort, Italian food is by far a big favourite in dining experiences across the globe. From fresh ingredients, to delicious sauces, pizzas and of course all the pasta-bilities (get it?), there is something for everyone to enjoy in authentic Italian cuisine.
So, here is where we bring you the best Italian restaurants in Vancouver available in, in our carefully curated list below.
*Noms Members are part of our exclusive paid membership. Only food spots we personally recommend are accepted as members.
Check out 45+ Burnaby restaurants offering special multi-course menus all March long!
1. Cincin Ristorante + Bar
Offering handmade pastas and a range of fine wines in a cozy setting, CinCin Ristorante & Bar is a glittering gem in Vancouver’s Italian dining scene, and well loved among locals and tourists alike.
This is where you take your time and order yourself a meal you soon won’t forget. For starters, try their Parmesan soufflé or the wood-grilled scallops. The Albacore Tuna makes a delicious main, and their steaks are pretty amazing too.
Pair off with a bottle of red or white from their award-winning wine collection, and sit back and savour your dining experience.
What to order: Parmesan soufflé, wood-grilled scallops, Albacore Tuna, steaks
Address: 1154 Robson Street Vancouver, BC V6E 1B2
Website | Instagram | Facebook
2. Oca Pastificio
An Italian shrine and Michelin Bib Gourmand, Oca Pastificio is known for its fresh and heavenly handcrafted pasta and a menu that changes daily to highlight seasonal, fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. The space is intimate, and if you’re lucky, you could have a front-row seat to watch the chef skillfully and effortlessly making pasta, stretching and slicing the dough by hand.
Yes, their menu keeps changing daily; but, what’s constant is the varieties of fresh pasta made from scratch, and the satisfying feeling you get after your meal.
You really have to try the veal ragu at Oca Pastificio, and the perfect pasta to go with it would be Pappardelle. The thickness of the pasta acts as a beautiful canvas for the rich and velvety ragu. It is so good that you cannot get enough!
Oca’s Rotolo is a fav dish among locals. This is essentially protracted ravioli with a squash or cheese filling (depending on the day’s menu), with crimped ends, and the pasta is then twirled to form a little crown, and served drizzled with browned sage butter. This is simple and delicious Italian food presented well.
Though the restaurant is a pasta haven, you can also get a bomb ass Risotto here. Their Leek Taleggio Risotto with Walnuts blew us away with its depth in flavor; the taleggio cheese is mixed into the risotto evenly without making it overpowering, and the walnuts play really well with the cheese, resulting in an interesting and gratifying dish.
Note: no reservations are available so it is recommended you try your luck at 4:30 PM to wait in line for the 5 PM seating.
What to order: Pappardelle with Veal Ragu, Rotolo, Leek Taleggio Risotto with Walnuts
Address: 1260 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC V5L 2T6
3. Pepino’s Spaghetti House
Pepino’s is your cozy and casual neighbourhood spot over at Commercial Drive, favoured by locals and anyone looking to enjoy hearty Italian comfort food. They are so popular, they even made it to our Food Bucket List. Pepino’s offers great prices, generous portions, and friendly service, which makes it the perfect place to spend a relaxing evening out.
Begin your meal with some olive stuffed sausages, and for your main, you can’t go wrong with their Spaghetti and Meatballs. The Alfredo is also pretty amazing, and you really should not leave without some gorgeous tiramisu or cheesecake.
What to order: olive stuffed sausages, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Alfredo, tiramisu, cheesecake
Address: 631 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC V5L 3W3
Website | Instagram | Facebook
4. Cioppino’s
Casual sophistication at its finest, Cioppino’s is one of those great Vancouver spots for date night, an evening out with friends, or for celebrating good times. Their open kitchen is eye-catching and provides an entertaining view of the skilled chefs at work, and the overall atmosphere is classy with perfect relaxed undertones.
The menu here is just fab, and you will want to order almost everything and all at once. We recommend you start off with some caprese and scallops, and if you’re a meat-eater then go for the beef carpaccio, which is divine. Every pasta dish here is perfection, so go ahead and order any from their range.
Pro Tip: Take some advice from their wine expert, and score yourself a bottle (or glass) from their impressive wine list.
What to order: caprese and scallops, beef carpaccio
Address: 1133 Hamilton Street Vancouver, BC V6B 5P6
Website | Instagram | Facebook
5. Osteria Savio Volpe
Dim lighting, floor to ceiling windows, a rustic kitchen, and Italian fare prepared over wood fires, Osteria Savio Volpe is the real Italian deal in dining. This is the place you want to bring your out of town guests, or treat that special someone to a decadent meal.
Nothing on this menu isn’t worthy of a try, so go ahead and order without worry. Their Flat iron steak is the best, served with sunchokes and cipollini onions. For a perfect pasta, go for the Cappelletti with squash & ricotta, and sage brown butter, or order a stewing pot of meatballs and just dig in!
Tip: Don’t leave without sampling a chocolate tart for dessert, or some yummy, creamy gelato!
What to order: Flat iron steak, Cappelletti, meatballs, chocolate tart, gelato
Address: 615 Kingsway Vancouver, BC V5T 3K5
Order Online: DoorDash
Website | Instagram | Facebook
6. Di Beppe
Every town needs that one regular spot for great-tasting pizzas and pastas. In Vancouver, Gastown’s Di Beppe is just the place for that kind of beloved Italian comfort fare. No fuss and frills. Just hearty food for all to savor and enjoy. So, grab your family, kids and all, and just go. You won’t regret it!
Di Beppe does some amazing pizzas, and we recommend you try their signature pepperoni & funghi, or the Capicollo, with spicy eggplant, kale & gorgonzola. For a good pasta, go for the pomodoro, or the pecorino & black pepper. Round off your meal with some delish cannoli or tiramisu.
Tip: Di Beppe offers Gift Cards, so grab one for that Italian foodie in your life.
What to order: pepperoni & funghi, Capicollo, pomodoro, pecorino & black pepper, cannoli, tiramisu
Address: 8 W Cordova St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1C9
Website | Instagram | Facebook
7. La Terrazza
La Terraza makes it to our list for fine Italian dining, and an experience that will leave you with a ton of great memories. From their exceptional service, to their gourmet dishes, this is one glittering spot in Vancouver everyone needs to try out.
Caprese, Calamari, and Tuna Tartare. Start with those, and savor their goodness, or just get the mussels and dig in! If you’re a pasta lover, try their Strozzapreti Bolognese, the Manchego risotto with slow braised australian lamb shank, or go for gold with some Alaskan pan roasted sable fish, pancetta.
What to order: Caprese, Calamari, Tuna Tartare, mussels, Strozzapreti Bolognese, Manchego risotto, Alaskan pan roasted sable fish
Address: 1088 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC V6B 6J5
Website | Instagram | Facebook
8. Marcello Ristorante and Pizzeria
Your friendly neighbourhood pizzeria in Commercial Drive, complete with a Neapolitan-style wood-burning oven! Marcello is a firm favorite among Italian food lovers, and brings you that cozy comforting feeling with every bite you take of their amazing pizza pies, and pastas. They also made it to our 10 Best Pizza Spots in Vancouver list.
Start off with a cocktail. The Lavanda is a dreamy concoction of Empress gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and prosecco. For a comforting pasta dish, tried and tested is the Spaghetti Alla Bolognese, as well as the Linguine Carbonara.
The pizzas are fantastic, and we recommend you dig into a piping hot and spicy Palermo By Night. Yum!
What to order: Lavanda, Spaghetti Alla Bolognese, Linguine Carbonara, Palermo By Night
Address: 1404 Commercial Dr. Vancouver, BC V5L 3X9
Website | Instagram | Facebook
9. Robba Da Matti
Right in the heart of downtown Vancouver is Robba Da Matti, a cozy, romantic and perfect Italian trattoria. Serving splendid meals made with the freshest ingredients, and speciality homemade pastas created from recipes that have been passed down for generations, Robba Da Matti offers diners a truly authentic Italian dining experience.
Start off with the Yaletown Antipasto, made up of cured meats, salami, prosciutto and mature cheeses. For your main, try their Lobster and Crab Ravioli, the Spaghetti with Clams, or a delicious plate of braised veal and saffron risotto.
What to order: Antipasto, Lobster and Crab Ravioli, Spaghetti with Clams, braised veal and saffron risotto
Address:
-1127 Mainland Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 5P2
-1906 Haro St., Vancouver, V6G1H7
Website | Instagram | Facebook
10. Nook
They made it to our Best Pizza Places in Vancouver, and definitely live up to their name! Nook is one of those popular Italian spots you will love to frequent. It’s a place to relax with friends, enjoy a wonderful meal, and have fun.
Start off with some antipasto, the meatballs in tomato sauce are super yummy. If you love pasta, go for their Rigatoni Arrabbiata, or some Orecchiette with Italian sausage, rapini, and fennel seeds.
If pies are your thing, the Ricotta is a must-try, and the mushroom veggie pizza is another crowd puller. Round off with a sweet sampling of Chocolate Budino, or melt-in-your mouth vanilla pannacotta.
What to order: meatballs in tomato sauce, Rigatoni Arrabbiata, Orecchiette, Ricotta, mushroom veggie pizza, Chocolate Budino, vanilla pannacotta
Address:
-195 W 2nd Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Y 4A1
-1525 Yew St, Vancouver, BC V6K 3E5
-781 Denman St, Vancouver, BC V6G 2L6
-150 Victory Ship Way #160, North Vancouver, BC V7L 0B2
Order Online: DoorDash
Website | Instagram | Facebook
11. Ask for Luigi
If you wander to the edge of Gastown, you’ll find this tiny Italian dining spot called Ask for Luigi. This cozy and quaint eatery offers customers fantastic group dining experiences with sharing options, and hearty comfort food.
Start off with some antipasti veal tartare, tonnato & grana arso crackers, or a yummy grilled octopus. They offer a range of pastas for every palate, and we recommend you try their amazing spaghetti nero, with clams & bagna cauda, or the red wine risotto.
Finish your meal with a super soft slice of olive oil cake, or traditional panna cotta.
What to order: veal tartare, tonnato & grana arso crackers, grilled octopus, spaghetti nero, red wine risotto, olive oil cake, panna cotta
Address: 305 Alexander St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1C4
Order Online: Uber Eats | SkipTheDishes
Website | Instagram | Facebook
And, there you have it. Our list of the Best Italian Spots in Vancouver, which we hope you will try out and enjoy for a fabulous Mediterranean dining experience. Once you’re done, why not travel a little further east and dive into a hearty bowl of glorious Ramen?
How We Create Our “Best” Lists
All Noms Magazine’s “best” lists are created using multiple factors and signals to help readers find the best restaurants, things to do, and places to stay at. Some of these factors and signs include personal experiences, correspondence with locals, and compiling experiences from review sites.
Each list is also created to be balanced (in terms of price, cuisine type, ambiance, and more) as possible. This means that the lists are not specifically created in ranking order. You should be comfortable picking from any of the spots on the list and generally have a good time. But of course, YMMV (your mileage may vary) and everyone may have different experiences/palates.