Account

Welcome

Sign in to save places, build lists, and keep your score.

Search

The Best Italian Food in Vancouver

29 places ranked

Sections

Tap another section to add it. All sections

The best Italian food in Vancouver, according to the experts: Air Canada, Vancouver Magazine, and AAA have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Elio Volpe comes out on top.

More Less

Giardino and Nightingale hold the next two places. Vancouver Magazine shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with Michelin Guide next.

Read the Vancouver Edition All Vancouver departments

Eat, change section

Departments

Cuisines

Kinds of places

Italian elsewhere

  1. Rank 1. Elio Volpe

    Coastal Italian

    A mechanic shop turned coastal Italian osteria in Cambie Village, Elio Volpe does wood-fired pizza with a brunch version that gives people a reason to leave the house on a Sunday. The room has bar seating for solo meals and enough shared plates, including a whole grilled branzino, to make a group feel purposeful. Vancouver Magazine handed it gold for both Best New and Best Italian in the same year, which is the restaurant equivalent of a very good report card.

    The awards

    +2 more awards at Elio Volpe
    Address
    540 W 17th Ave, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 5 PM

    Monday 5 PM–10:30 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  2. Rank 2. Giardino

    Italian

    The awards

    +2 more awards at Giardino
    Address
    1328 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC · Vancouver
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  3. Rank 2. Nightingale

    Neapolitan Pizzeria

    The Neapolitan-style pizzas come out of a wood-fired oven with properly blistered crusts, which is a fine way to anchor an otherwise wide-ranging menu of shareable rustic plates. This stylish, high-ceilinged downtown restaurant pulls in business lunches by day and groups of friends by night, and the room handles both without breaking a sweat. The Michelin Guide has selected it, and Vancouver Magazine gave it gold for Best Informal Contemporary.

    The awards

    +3 more awards at Nightingale
    Address
    1017 W Hastings St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Monday 11:30 AM–11 PM

    Reserve
    OpenTable
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  4. Rank 4. Ask For Luigi

    Pasta Italian

    A 32-seat corner pasta spot in the Rail District that feels more like a borrowed cabin than a restaurant. The portions here are sized for sharing, which is good, because ordering one dish each and then making eyes at your neighbour's plate gets old fast. Pappardelle with duck ragu, bigoli with shellfish, meatballs that show up unannounced and dare you to finish everything else after. The Italian wine list is short and well-chosen.

    The awards

    Address
    305 Alexander St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11:30 AM

    Monday 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5 PM–10 PM

    Reserve
    OpenTable
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  5. Rank 5. Savio Volpe

    Contemporary Italian

    The room on Kingsway could pass for somewhere in Milan, white marble and warm tiles, the kind of osteria that doesn't need to tell you it has good taste. Savio Volpe has been holding its corner of East Vancouver for a good while now, turning out contemporary Italian that leans on regional tradition without getting museum-y about it. The wine list has a little nerve to it, and the Michelin Guide has taken notice.

    The awards

    +3 more awards at Savio Volpe
    Address
    615 Kingsway, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 5 PM

    Monday 5 PM–10:30 PM

    Reserve
    OpenTable
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  6. Rank 6. CinCin

    Italian

    The awards

    +1 more awards at CinCin
    Address
    1154 Robson St, Vancouver, BC · Vancouver
    Reserve
    SevenRooms
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  7. Rank 7. Magari by Oca

    Italian

    Black-and-white tile floors, a chalkboard of daily specials, and a window onto the pasta rolling station set the scene at this snug Commercial Drive bistro, where the kitchen focuses almost entirely on handmade pasta. The tasting option lets the chef pick an off-menu assortment for you, which is a reasonable way to surrender control on a Tuesday. A Michelin Bib Gourmand, and the kind of place where watching your dinner get made is half the point.

    The awards

    Address
    1260 Commercial Dr, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Online
    Website
    Save On the Way What's Around

  8. Rank 8. Caffe La Tana

    Italian

    The awards

    Address
    635 Commercial Dr, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11 AM

    Monday 11 AM–11:59 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  9. Rank 8. Di Beppe

    Italian

    The awards

    Address
    8 W Cordova St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 8 AM

    Monday 8 AM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  10. Rank 10. Acquafarina

    Italian

    The wood-burning ovens looming above the dining room are a clue to this upscale Italian restaurant's origin story: it was meant to be a pizzeria. The pivot to fine dining came later, and the room never quite forgot its roots, which suits everyone fine. Friendly servers keep things from getting stiff, the kitchen leans into simple preparations done well, and the enclosed patio splits the difference between a proper night out and a relaxed one.

    The awards

    Address
    425 W Georgia St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Reserve
    OpenTable
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  11. Rank 10. Carlino

    Friulian

    Tucked onto a terrace inside the Shangri-La Hotel, this elegant Northern Italian restaurant draws from the Friuli region, where the cooking carries a Germanic and Slavic undertow you don't expect. Freshly made pastas lead the way, including regional shapes rarely seen on this side of the Atlantic. The menu keeps things seasonal and unfussy, and at dinner you can hand the whole decision over to the kitchen, which suits anyone who finds menus exhausting.

    The awards

    Address
    1115 Alberni St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 7 AM

    Monday 7 AM–11 AM, 11 AM–2:30 PM, 2:30 PM–5 PM, 5 PM–10 PM

    Reserve
    OpenTable
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  12. Rank 10. Per Se Social Corner

    Italian

    A corner spot on Homer Street that slides easily between a quick tapa and a full pasta dinner depending on what you're after. The Italian menu wanders pleasantly, from generously portioned hummus with warm flatbread to lobster and crab ravioli in a chipotle coconut milk reduction, which sounds like a fever dream but turns up on tables constantly. Slide into a side booth and plan to spend longer than you meant to.

    The awards

    Address
    891 Homer St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11 AM

    Monday 11 AM–11 PM

    Reserve
    OpenTable
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  13. Rank 13. Dante Italian Sandwich

    Italian

    The awards

    Address
    360 Robson St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11 AM

    Monday 11 AM–7 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  14. Rank 13. Straight Brooklyn Pizza

    Neapolitan Pizzeria

    The thin, crispy crust is the whole argument here, and the toppings are generous enough that you won't feel nickeled. Straight Brooklyn Pizza is a New York-style slice shop with several locations around the city, spinning off from the team behind Via Tevere. Order two slices and a free house-made dip comes with them, the pesto being the one to get. Good to know if you're pre-gaming Rogers Arena or BC Place and need something fast that doesn't feel like a compromise.

    The awards

    Address
    350 Robson St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 11 AM

    Monday 11 AM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  15. Rank 15. Nook

    Italian

    The awards

    Address
    1525 Yew St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Reserve
    Tock
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  16. Rank 15. Nook

    Italian

    The awards

    Address
    125 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver BC · North Vancouver
    Reserve
    Tock
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  17. Rank 15. Nook

    Italian

    The awards

    Address
    195 W 2nd Ave, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Reserve
    Tock
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  18. Rank 15. Nook

    Italian

    The rigatoni boscaiola has a following serious enough that regulars debate whether to bother with the specials. They should bother with the specials. This casual Italian spot on Denman runs multiple locations around Vancouver, each with its own daily menu alongside the pasta and pizza standards, which is a harder trick to pull off than it sounds. Vancouver Magazine has given it gold for Best Chain three years running.

    The awards

    Address
    781 Denman St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Reserve
    Tock
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  19. Rank 15. Nook

    Italian

    The awards

    Address
    2025 E Tenth Ave, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Reserve
    Tock
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  20. Rank 20. La Quercia

    Italian

    The awards

    Address
    3689 W 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC · Vancouver
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  21. Rank 21. La Grotta Del Formaggio

    Italian

    The awards

    Address
    1791 Commercial Dr, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  22. Rank 22. Locanda dell'Orso

    Modern Italian

    The awards

    Address
    350 W Pender St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  23. Rank 23. Bufala

    Contemporary Italian

    The awards

    Address
    5395 West Blvd, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 4 PM

    Monday 4 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  24. Rank 23. Bufala Edgemont Village

    Contemporary Italian

    The awards

    Address
    3280 Edgemont Blvd, North Vancouver BC · North Vancouver
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  25. Rank 23. Bufala River District

    Italian

    The awards

    Address
    3489 Sawmill Cres, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  26. Rank 26. L’ufficio

    Authentic Italian

    The awards

    Address
    3689 W 4th Ave, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  27. Rank 26. Pizza Carano

    Neapolitan Pizzeria

    The awards

    Address
    4241 Fraser St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens noon

    Monday Noon–9 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  28. Rank 26. Via Tevere Main Street

    Neapolitan Pizzeria

    The awards

    Address
    3240 Main St, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 4 PM

    Monday 4 PM–9:30 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

  29. Rank 26. Via Tevere Pizzeria Napoletana

    Neapolitan Pizzeria

    The awards

    Address
    1190 Victoria Dr, Vancouver BC · Vancouver
    Hours

    Closed now, opens 4 PM

    Monday 4 PM–9:30 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
    Save On the Way What's Around

Browse a location

Current Location

Cities within Vancouver

Metros

Eat Score

The score comes from the awards it's won, weighted by who gave them: a Michelin star outweighs a listicle. When you sort by what's nearby, distance changes the order, never the score.

    How we score →

    Drink Score

    The score comes from the awards it's won, weighted by who gave them: a Michelin star outweighs a listicle. When you sort by what's nearby, distance changes the order, never the score.

      How we score →

      Stay Score

      Four fifths of the score is the awards it's won, weighted by who gave them: a Michelin Key outweighs a listicle. The last fifth is where it is: the ranked places to eat and things to do around it, and how safe the country is. When you sort by what's nearby, distance from you changes the order, never the score.

        How we score →

        Do Score

        The score comes from the awards it's won, weighted by who gave them: a Michelin star outweighs a listicle. When you sort by what's nearby, distance changes the order, never the score.

          How we score →

          Best Place Score

          The Best Place Score rates the area around a point, not any one place. The places are 60% of it: the best of what's within reach, weighed by distance. The setting is the other 40%: how life goes in that country (how people rate their own lives, how long and how well they live, how safe they are) and what it's like right there (the air, and the weather). If the score looks low, we probably haven't found enough critics out here yet.