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Real People. Real Reviews.®
Categories: Specialty Food, Italian [Edit]
4260 Hastings St
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Two of my co-workers and I brought our boss here today and before we arrived, we told our boss that if he could finish his meal that he would get a pen. He patted his stomach like it was going to be child's play for him and seemed ready for the challenge...
We arrived just before 5pm and a lineup was already forming. We had to wait for a late arrival before they would seat us, but otherwise the wait wasn't all that long.
This is clearly a pasta joint and meant for people with large appetites. The portions are ridiculously ENORMOUS and none of us food veterans could find a way to reach the bottoms of our plates. I don't know for sure, however I believe it's about 3lbs of pasta per plate at roughly $15-$17 with far too many options than should be allowed.
The options are endless and I have yet to run into a sauce that I wouldn't recommend.
Many others have commented on the fact that you'll see many people with take-out containers leaving... We did the same and a quick weigh-in proved that I eat too much considering my small stature. My boss did manage to consume more of his pasta than us, but was thrown by the fact that he was not able to polish it all off.
No pen for Mr Bossman, but five well-deserved stars for Anton's!
This is not a romantic night on the town. If you eat at Anton's then nix all plans of any romance afterwards. You'll have ate so much, that feeling sexy afterwards will be out of the question. Hard to feel sexy when you're carrying a little pasta baby.
So once again. Three star food, but a four star experience. The extra star comes from the serving portions. They are huge. But I like that. I like getting value for a buck. At the end of your meal, they don't even ask if you want it done up in a doggy bag. It's a given. When they bring you your cheque, they bring you the leftovers in a styrofoam container. In essence, one reasonable price for two meals.
The wait staff are all friendly. The decor is fine, if a little outdated. This is a busy and loud place. It is always full. There is always a 20 minute wait outside.
The sauces are a little thick. Tasty but a little too thick. The pasta is generally cooked fine ... they serve it so fast and often, that you rarely get it overcooked. On the other hand, you'll rarely get it al dente. They don't have the time for that attention to detail.
Anton's is a good experience if you want something entirely casual, don't have plans for romance and have no notions of a quiet evening out. As well, if you want a pre-made lunch for work the next day, you'll have it. Few people can finish off an entire plate, few people can finish more than half a plate.
They say you can have something cheap, fast, or good - and to choose two. Well, Antons has all three.
There's a reason there's always a line! Pro tip: even with a line, parties of two usually get in quite quickly as they're easier to seat. Alternatively, head down after the dinner rush (8 or 9pm) and you should be able to get right in.
The menu is intimidating and it's true some dishes are more memorable than others. My favourite is the Penne Antonio - if you're stuck and that sounds good, stop there.
The biggest thing about Anton's is that the portions are MASSIVE. As in, family style pasta for a family of four just by adding salad and bread massive. Without adding anything extra (why fill up on bread or the green stuff?) one dish is plenty for two very hungry people.
Except, ordering one to share misses the point.
The point of Anton's is to stuff yourself there, then take the rest home and eat for the next two or three days. I can also confirm that it freezes reasonably well if you can't do it two days in a row, or if you're heading out of town. Making multiple meals out of it makes this place one of the cheapest places to eat in town!
Their homemade Tiramisu is also incredible, and it's available to go if you can't fit another bite at the end of your meal.
And finally - they do offer takeout which is a great way to feed a crowd, but you actually get substantially less food than if you eat in store as the takeout containers simply are not large enough (my leftovers after stuffing myself still entirely fill a large container). It's still worth it cost wise, but don't expect the same quantity!
I've been here a few times.
I'm really not into lineups so I try to go on the slower nights (if those even exist?) like Tuesdays. Usually I'm being dragged there by an eager first-timer.
I've tried a few of the dishes in the Vegetarian section of the menu and it has been pretty hit or miss with me. I think I finally figured out my favourite though so I'll stick with that. I get the Penne Ai Quattro Formaggi, which I like to ask for with the spinach noodles. I definitely recommend it. Fattening but oh so delicious! I went with my mother a few weeks ago and she had the Linguine Di Mare Bianco which she thought was amazing! She said the shrimp was perfectly cooked.
And it will feed you your next 4 meals. Don't eat until you're sick. Eat until you're satisfied and can still walk comfortably because you aren't going to finish it anyways and the more you have later, the better. Unless you order a shitty one like I have a few times.
Or you can try to finish it. But the prize is just a pen now. I heard it used to be a t-shirt. I'm not sure why they changed it.
Oh, BONUS: If you like bellinis or long island iced teas, they make killer ones of both and each are on special one night of the week.
Listed in: Comfort Food
One star off for the ridiculously long line-ups I've had to endure everytime and one star off for the pasta being only moderately good.
If you ever see anyone leaving the premises without a doggy bag you should stare in awe. Anyone who has eaten at Anton's knows the place is infamous for its portion sizes that are near impossible to finish on the spot. Those who do finish during their stay have that thin disguise of pride and accomplishment covering up an immense feeling of shameful gluttony and painful intestinal issues. I was once one of those people, and let me say that the free pen you receive does not make up for the awful 24 hours afterward. I seriously didn't eat until dinner the next day!
My god though, I will keep going back for their chicken manicotti in rose sauce. And despite some trivial fusion dishes like "Fusilli Al'Indiana" the pasta dishes are quite authentic! You should go at least once in your life.
It took several trips to Anton's before I found a favourite dish, but now that I have I can see why it's so popular. The portions are legendary - do NOT go here if you're only a little bit hungry; perhaps make the trip if you've just come off a hunger strike. Take Out is good, but the portions are lost in the size of the container - to truly get the most for your carb-loaded buck, eat in and get the rest of your ridiculously huge dish to go then sit back and eat leftovers for a week.
Great for pasta fans; daunting for light eaters; not for the impatient (there are always, always lines outside).
Be warned - Anton's is cash only; they don't take credit cards!
Hey, it's not gourmet, but check the snobbery at the door and you'll have a good carb-loading time at Antons, guaranteed.
It's on my monthly rotation of restaruants to visit. I keep coming back because of the tasty pasta, consistent quality, and of course the famous Anton's value.
On the weekends try to avoid the lineups by going around 5 pm or after 8pm. I have two favourite pastas: the Conchiglie Frutti Di Mare which is a shell pasta in a light alfredo/white wine sauce with shrimps, scallops and mushrooms. And the Fettuccine Creola : Spicy tomato sauce with spicy sausage, chicken and shrimp. Both sauces have a lot of depth to them due to the use of wines and herbs. Fabulous!
Likes: Large portions, tasty pastas
Dislikes: Line-ups, noisy packed dining room, dinner buns served only when requested
A great place to enjoy immensely enjoyable meals with out of this world portion sizes without breaking the bank.
i.e. One normal plate of pasta lasted me: initial sitting, plus 1-2 additional meals "lunch"
Listed in: Haunt-a-licious (Burnaby), Home away from Home
I'm a huge pasta fan. I loooove pasta. And Anton's does not disappoint the pasta beast in me. The portions are so ridiculously huge, you have to see them to believe it but well worth it for the price and the ability to eat a few meals off one order. It's definitely best to come early or with only one person as the line is always insane, though they tend to be able to seat pairs far more easily than groups. If you're not willing to wait in a long line... don't come here or drive past to scope the line and have a backup plan when you see just how big it is.
I highly recommend ordering from their take out menu - the portions are almost as big (as much as they can fit in a medium aluminum container), it's just as delicious and you can get great pleasure out of walking in past the line to pick it up.
I recently ordered a large takeout order for a party (around 20 dishes) and it was excellent. Everything was boxed up nicely, we were offered a large bag of free buns and everyone at the party was raving about how awesome it was to be able to sample so many dishes, since there's almost too many to choose from when you're eating at the restaurant.
Needless to say... thumbs up!
After almost a decade, I finally return through the doors of Anton's and doesn't seem like much has changed 'cept the awesome neon sign out front. Huge portions at a great price that could satisfy you the next day for lunch (well, a big night snack for me =).
Quality? eh? It was alright to me. It wasn't anything impressive to me to stand outside and wait for 30 mins. I had the ravioli baked with cheese and boy do they load it up with cheese. It felt like eating a ravioli pizza lol.
Would I come back again? Only if there was no line up and I was planning to share a pasta with someone else.....
While Vij's is always my choice when given the opportunity to eat at any restaurant in the Vancouver area that would cost less than $100 for dinner and alcohol for two, my wife always chooses Anton's.
Anton's is a Burnaby institution - since 1983.
It's immensely popular and never takes reservations.
What's the appeal? Delicious, heaping plates of homemade pasta topped with a number of different sauces - they feature over 70 on the menu. And if you ask, they'll hook up any type of pasta you would like with any of their sauce recommendations.
I had the special conchiglione (huge shells filled with a mix seafood mashup) with a tomato cream sauce. The pasta sat in my stomach like bricks, but the flavour was worth every bite. I also loved the texture - they reminded me of Kreplach.
We went just yesterday, on Good Friday, and the restaurant seemed understaffed. Despite a long lineup (our wait lasted about an hour and twenty minutes) - there would be ten-minute-long periods where tables would be empty. And we had to request water and to have our glasses refilled.
The clientèle ranges from long-stringy-haired death metal fans, to awkward SFU students in sweat pants, to large South Asian families. In other words, it has mass appeal, but Yaletown yuppies and Main Street hipsters would also feel welcome. However, they would probably scoff at the tasty, but pedestrian wine list (full of Peller Estates and Jackson-Triggs wines), and opt for one of the weekly drink specials ($4.95 weak martinis on Fridays) or one of the decent beers on tap (Shaftesbury 420, Shaftesbury Coastal Cream Ale, and Okanagan Spring Pale Ale).
If you come with the expectation of waiting a long time for your food, make sure to try Anton's at least once. It's really a place for locals, not for out-of-towners expecting something absolutely perfect.
If you are just two people, I'd recommend sharing one dish and a salad. You'll still probably have food left over. If you are three or four, I'd still only recommend sharing one dish and a salad. The portions are that huge!
A friend introduced me to Anton's over lunch yesterday.
I don't eat pasta so I ordered the spinach salad with a spicy chicken breast. It was yummy, but I found it very bizarre that the sauce they used to coat my chicken was the same stuff you would put on hot buffalo wings. Surely to goodness there must be a more interesting sauce one could use to spice chicken.
My friend's meal was lovely and plentiful.
There is no line up at lunch, and I wouldn't wait for more than 10 minutes to eat here in the evening. It makes a pleasant lunch spot.
Ugh. We're from out of town and wanted Italian. When we saw "70 varieties of pasta!" we went "ooh! fun novelty!" and called to make a reservation.
The person who answered said "we don't take reservations - it's first come first serve." She did NOT say "be warned, we can get pretty busy, so come early or prepare for a wait" or anything.
So, we drove 35 minutes, me navigating on the Blackberry whie he drove, and me saying "okay, it should be in this next block, so start looking for park-- oh my god."
Line-up of at least 25 people.
I called and said there were two of us, how long ballpark might the wait be? and was told "No idea. your guess is as good as mine." Thank you, o helpful customer servant. Yeesh.
When I said we'd come from out of town, and driven for ages and it would be really helpful if they let people who called to make reservations know that the place was so busy, she said "uh huh? okeedokee." and that was that.
Screw you, Anton's. Having read all the reviews now, it doesn't sound like we missed much besides a few bucks of gas and a stomach-ache.
Have you ever been so hungry for pasta that you just want a whole mountain of it to chow down on?
Do I hear a yes?
Welcome to Anton's, where one "serving" = one "mountain" (notice I didn't use "hill", or "mound").
Extensive menu with all the different pastas, from three to four varieties of risottos to at least 6 other different pasta noodles. Anton's will definitely educate you on your knowledge of pasta. There's...
...Risotto, Linguine, Fettuccine, Lasagna, Spaghetti, Spaghettini, Ravioli, Tortellini, Macaroni, Cavatelli, Conchiglie, Fusilli, Penne...
....and it goes on and on
Again, there's a bread basket* served with whipped butter (store bought), you can always ask for more, but I don't see why you should need to because of the mountain of pasta that will be heading your way.
There's always a line up on weekends and holidays, but is it worth the wait? Well less than $20 for a mountain of pasta that would last you at least 3 meals, but then again, the quality of the pasta made isn't exactly very good. Honestly, I would prefer giving that $20 to the Old Spaghetti Factory for tastiness.
I barely make a dent into the mountain of pasta before asking them to pack it away for me because I couldn't bare looking at it. I was just that full!
The next day, I was still so full of pasta that I actually dreaded eating it for lunch. Same with the day after, and the day after that.
I would give Anton's a 2.5 stars, but rounded it up to 3, because it can be fun to go with your friends and talk over your individual mountains of pasta. Kind of like a tourist attraction I guess: "Go to Anton's to see the world's largest standard serving of pasta in a restaurant in the world!" But Anton's is definitely is a one-time attraction for me, after the first time, the magic of receiving such a generous portion wears off and dreading to finish it off one way or another settles in soon after.
...I think I've said "mountain of pasta" enough, you get the point don't you?
*Just a warning, if you're planning to take some bread home, be careful on how you warm it up at home, for some reason it becomes REALLY chewy.
You gotta come super early or risk waiting in a long line to get in here but if you are starving, it's a treat. I find the pasta is actually pretty yummy and not just good because there's so much of it. This place is popular with those starving SFU students who want a lot of bang for their buck.
I love this:
Linguine Con Salmone Affumicato
smoked salmon in a dill cream or creamy tomato sauce (when available) 15.95
Service is pretty efficient for the craziness of the place.
If you're looking for LOTS of pasta for a good price, Anton's is the place to be. For roughly $14-18 you will get not only a dinner but even left overs for the next meal or two (really depends how much pasta you can put into your stomach).
Come here around 5:00PM for dinner or else you'll be in line for quite some time. Also, depending what you order, the dishes aren't as big and if you can finish everything, you'll get a pen!
I'm rating it a 3/5 because I don't see anything too special about Anton's. Their portions and their prices are better than many many places, but otherwise, it's just ordinary pasta to me.
I hate waiting. Hate, hate hate! I figured if people are waiting to get in, there must be something worth waiting for. I'll admit it, I don't get the hype. Basicaly the amount of time you spend waiting to get in, is the amount of time you save cooking your dinner the next night since you get such a heaping pile of pasta that you have to lug home. I guess it evens out in the end?
I seem to remember something about getting a prize for finishing your whole plate of pasta... so I encouraged one of my friends to do this. We cheered him on as he stuffed the last few noodles down his throat and holla'd to our waitress. "Doesn't he get a free shirt or something for clearing his plate?" Apparently this is not so, he did get a FREE pen though, and a stomach ache! We chatted with our waitress a bit since the restaurant had started to clear out and it was getting late, she was pretty funny and we asked all about people over-indulging at dinner so they could get a free pen, and she told us that some of them even get sick before they make it home.... which is unfortunate.
I ordered Conghiglie al Curry E. Pomodoro, which is super yummy! I pretty much ate this for the next two days. I had a couple of martinis with dinner, which went down too fast, as usual. We also dared our friend who was now half dead from eating so much to order dessert, but he didn't find that idea nearly as humerous as the rest of us. So dessert was skipped. I would go back here, the food is alright, and the service is good, I think what gets people in the door here is the cheap cost of dinner and the leftovers that last for days. BUT I HATE WAITING!
As most of the reviews are simpatico on Anton's: long lineups for huge portions of okay-but-not-fantastic pasta at value price - I will review Anton's as an Vancouver rite of passage and as a provider of writing utensils. Anton's was the place that I took out-of-towners and when I needed a new pen - however, the keyword being 'WAS'.
Flashback a handful of years and shortly after high school graduation, a Mickey Mouse group of hungry boys attempted to pass the baptism by fire for all Vancouver-raised males: finish an entire Anton's entree. Coming in a band of 8 brothers - our mission- no, our *destiny* was clear.
As we travelled into the heart of darkness, the 'boo-coo' mountains of pasta in front of us slowly retreated as we pressed food into our war faces. Like war paint, sauce splattered onto our faces -- the smell of meat sauce in the evening, smells like victory. A few of us lead the charge and completely razed our meals, adding pressure to the stragglers to not let the rest of the troops down. Leaving no man behind, we rallied the squad still in the thick of battle and one-by-one each pasta dish was toppled. Mission accomplished.
The owner descended upon the heroes and surrendered, "I am going to have to make my portions bigger." Please respect the sacrifices these brave men made at the altar of liberal portions. With the grace and grandeur of a head of state, he awarded us our medals of valour - each noble warrior was bestowed an Anton's pen boldly proclaiming "I ATE THE WHOLE THING" (picture attached). The award ceremony captured on the owner's camera: the overstuffed magnificent 8 at attention, proudly bearing their trophies. The historical documentation probably lost somewhere in the wall archive of photos in the back hall of the restaurant.
To anyone who claimed to be a true glutton, Anton's was the proving ground - separating the wheat from the chaff. Over the years, my Anton's pen was a badge of honour and it was a charm that brought me luck as I used it to write every university exam - nothing this pen wrote could be wrong. When people noticed my vibrant red click pen with rubber grips, I would proudly sing the praises of Anton's. When my pen broke or ran out of ink, this was a convenient excuse to go back to Anton's.
As time ravaged our youth, out of the original 8 - fewer and fewer of us could replicate the feat accomplished in our primes. After each outing at Anton's, casualties mounded up as more and more of us were carrying out doggy bags like the dog tags of the fallen. Even if the styrofoam containers were a different colour, they would be carried like white flags. However, each of us still had our war stories, pens and the 1,000-yard stare to prove it.
However, over time, the clicky pen was replaced with a cap pen of inferior quality. My academic luck waned. Then, people were given 'I.O.U.s' when the trophies ran out. Finally, reports from the frontlines earlier this year said there were no more pens for finishing your plate. No more pens. No more awards. No more irrefutable evidence that you did it. No more glory. The horror. The horror.
Anton's - how can your trademark milestone be so filling yet so hollow?
Ive gone to this place twice. The 1st time was with my fiance during lunch time, we were lucky enough to miss the line up, the food was great, the portions are large...even for the lunch time price. We ended up packing up our food and saved it for dinner.
2nd time I went was with my finance and his parents, it was around 5pm and raining (had to wait outside 'til the small area inside was somewhat open for a few more people trying to stay warm and dry)! We ended up waiting for a good 20 minutes, not too bad for them saying we'd have to wait about 40 minutes. Anyway, we each ordered a plate, a few starts, and tiramisu for dessert. Let me just warn you all, order maybe 2 plates and share with your party. With the 4 plates we ordered and shared WE STILL HAD LEFT OVERS! The food was good, service that day could have been better if our server wasn't so chit chatty with the other servers.
If I ever decide to go on a 30 day famine, a dinner at Anton's would on the top of my recovery list. Located on the little Italy part of Hastings bordering Burnaby and Vancouver, you can find cheap pasta dishes ($10-15) here served in ginormous amounts. Apparently you get a pen if you can finish it? Whupee -_- ?
Nonetheless, this is one of the only Burnaby restaurants that ever have line ups outside the door - for that reason alone, I am proud ^_^
Food: Their food, besides the large quantities and a 100-page menu of mixy-matchies, offers nothing gourmet or spectacular. Having said that, you should go at least once just for the experience. My sister dreams of their bread as edible pillows and I also have fond memories of their vegetarian pastas, especially the penne with tomato sauce and artichokes.
Atmosphere: Without a doubt, it's packed in here during dinner but the service is decent and the wait staff is usually pretty nice. It ain't no Vesuvio's but it's worth a try, even if you're just going for the bread and butter.
Worth the wait? Probably not.
I'd heard the hype and decided to check Anton's out on a 'girls night' with a friend. We chatted while we waited in line, but even good gossip couldn't make the 40 minute line-up seem shorter.
Once seated, we perused the extensive menu and watched as plate after enormous plate of food went by. We started with a classic bruscetta, but it was a bit bland. The house wine was cheap and tasted like it., but we didn't mind so much.
Our heaping entrees arrived and we dug in. y friend ordered a linguine with Italian sausage, feta, olives and tomatoes. The pasta was good, but the sauce was, again, a bit bland. My seafood pasta was all right, but nothing to get excited. The ratio of pasta to seafood was way off and I found myself picking through my plate for morsels of scallops and mussels.
We decided against dessert feeling the pressure of a line of people still waiting outside and staring us down through the window.
A bargain hunter at heart, a restaurant that boasts cheap prices and huge portions is usually quite a find for me. But I found Anton's lacking and probably won't probably won't try it again. I can make a nice pasta dinner at home for the fraction of the cost and I won't have to wait in line 40 minutes to eat it!
2 stars means I have indeed experienced better.
Yes, portions are big and the options are vast.
But, the pasta is always overcooked. I like my pasta al dente. I think I would only go back if I had to.
I don't understand why people line up here. I guess it's like the Stephos of Italian food.
Listed in: Dining in Burnaby
I definitely have to place myself on the lower end of the Anton's love scale as well. You can't deny the huge portions and your ability to take home a whole other meal but there are other aspects that aren't so great.
I've never been a fan of Anton's line. Nobody is, to be fair. I frequented it only when we had a friend working who could sneak us in (sorry lineup people, it happens). But yes, it always comes down to, is the line worth it?
I personally don't think so. The quality of the pasta in recent years has really declined. And on a strip that features Anducci's, some of the best pasta in the city, it's hard to argue for Anton's quality. Also, one of the thrills used to be challenging each other to eat the whole thing. Being a 20 something man, that used to be awesome. If you finished you also used to get an amazing Anton-sized plate. Sadly now it's just a pen and half the fun is gone.
Maybe I'm wishing too hard for bygone days of Anton's but..yeah. If you live in the neighborhood and think you can stand eating pasta for three days, go for it. Just never cross the city or hope you're going for the best pasta in the heights.
I've heard about Anton's for years as an amazing pasta house out on Hastings. In that time i'd even driven past it a few times and seen the lineup outside and thought "how good can it be?" Simply put it's amazing.
My wife and I were peckish for dinner and were already out on the road when we drove by and decided to stop. The lineup was about 10 people deep and 20 mins long for a table for 2.
Inside the atmosphere was bustling with activity. Close set simple tables , a highly active kitchen and all around old world photo's on the walls.
We decided on two dishes I ordered the Anton Manicotti and my wife order the pasta and meatballs.
Wow is all I can say. Portion size's are crazy huge, infact one dinner could probably feed 2-3 people. The focaccia bread was amazing, precut into bite size pieces and lightly toasted, it went well with the balsamic and olive oil plate.
I recommend Antons if you're hungry, want some excellent Italian and don't mind to wait a bit to get a table. Between the old world family atmosphere and excellent service you'll arrive hungry and leave happy and full.
Dinner for 2 was about $50.
Oh one last thing I need to mention is the Tiramisu is a house speciality and probably one of the best i've had.
This is my favorite Italian place in Vancouver.
A local landmark, this place is very well known. If you arrive past 530pm expect a long line, you might have to wait outside. I have waited up to 2 hours for a table.
The restuarant itself is actually small, which is surprising they never expanded. It has basic but night decor, tables as kinda packed in to maximize capacity.
Once you get in, service is extremely efficient. The servers are all great, if you can't decide on what to order, they can help you narrow it down. One time service was so good I actually tipped 50%.
The food is incredible, and one dish is enough to feed a family of four. I have a few favorites I consistently order, but I suggest if you go with others to share bites because everything is lovely. I haven't seen anyone actually finish their plate, but the servers have told me it does happen (I wouldn't recommend it, the servings are massive). The pasta is all home made and it is easily the best gnochhi I have had. The agnolloti is also to die for.
If you are looking for drinks they have a good offering. they have daily drink specials which are always delicious. The desserts are divine if you manage so save some room for them.
If you live here and haven't been, you simply must go. If you can't stand to wait in the line you can also order a takeaway, but be aware their takeaway portions are smaller than their dine in portions.
Thankfully, I did not have to wait in any line to eat at this place. I was starving and drunk when I stumbled in here, plenty of people around me seem to be enjoying their food. The portion is massive.. it's almost to the point where it is unappetizing. I ordered one of the baked pasta dishes which seemed to be smaller in size. The taste was just so-so, it highlighted the fact that people really come here for the value, not the taste. The sangria was not bad, not too sweet and not too fruity. I only managed to kill a quarter of my plate before I shut down and went home to sleep.
After a power shopping trip to Metrotown in Burnaby, my sister and I were hankering for some carbs to re-energize. We decided to hit up Anton's Pasta Bar, since its name seemed to fit the bill. Here's what my impression of this restaurant was.
Anton's offers TONS of pasta dishes (over 70, I think) ranging from seafood pasta to Indian and Cajun inspired pasta to an outstanding selection of vegetarian pastas. If you're not in the mood for pasta, try one of the delicious risottos. The wine list includes an eclectic international assortment.
I wish everyone else didn't like Anton's so much so I wouldn't have to wait, but what are you going to do? Yes, it's popular. Yes, you're going to be standing outside and watching all those happy people inside, eating their huge plates of pasta. Yes, you're going to be calculating - who's leaving? Are they cleaning that table? Are they making a two-top? (Couples can often get in a bit quicker that larger groups, FYI.)
But once we get in there, it's always a happy time. They have these tasty crusty buns and I always manage to get crumbs all over the table. The drink specials are always '90s flashbacks like Long Island Iced Tea and Killer Kool-Aid. And I've had a lot of different pastas over the years here, but have never had one I didn't like. Penne Capri is a personal favourite, and the Penne Arriabiata is great too. My husband only rarely diverts from his Fusilli New Orleans.
The servers are fast and completely on it. When we leave, we have enough pasta for a couple days worth of lunches, plus a little midnight snacking.
Oh, and if you go a little early or a little later, you'll probably not wait in much of a line-up at all. They also don't take debit, so be prepared.
Listed in: Everyone loves a lineup, Where the Big Things Are
There's often a line up outside this place and for good reason, it's an absolutely wonderful deal of a place to eat pasta.
Be prepared to be stuffed! Their large portions and low prices are what make this place so famous. See that other stream of people that are exiting? Notice nearly all of them have take out containers holding their leftovers?
Yeah...that's right. Your appetite? You better bring it!
Pros: Generous portions; temperature of the food
Cons: Lining up (if you're unfortunate; it's easier to get in with a smaller group)
Growing up in Burnaby, I heard a bit about Anton's Pasta but had never been there. Since I was looking for something to do and to show my girlfriend some local places, we decided to go to Anton's and see what the fuss was all about.
The place is decorated like many other Italian places: old-world photos, no-fuss menus, intimate (read: cramped) dining room. No complaints here. We must've arrived at a good time since there wasn't a line up, but a short line (7 people or so) came in after us and weren't so fortunate. Still, I don't think they had to wait so long.
We read on Yelp that the portions were very large, so we heeded this advice and ordered a single pasta plate to share. The server was an older gentleman who allowed us to substitute a hotter sauce instead of the regular sauce, which was a bonus. We also ordered an appetizer featuring Italian sausage, which was served very hot and spicy. Great!
The main dish lived up to its reputation. It was very warm and well made. The noodles were nice and thick, and numerous enough that we couldn't finish and had to take a box home. I noticed many other tables with similar take-out boxes; a lot of people didn't know and ordered individual dishes instead of sharing.
We also ordered another one to take home to my family. Sadly, I don't think they put as much effort in take-out orders, and it just didn't seem as big as our dine-in order.
Still, for about $15 for a meal that can feed your entire family, I don't think Anton's is that bad. Vancouverites are sometimes spoiled with a great variety of affordable food that is difficult to find elsewhere in North America. There may be cheaper places and there may be better Italian restaurants, but you get what you expect at Anton's --- a solid choice to take your family for a pasta meal.
Yummy? Check.
Big portions? Check.
Friendly staff? Check.
Served hot? Check.
Served so hot that you get a blistering 1st degree burn on the roof of your mouth? Check. =(
If I was going to open a gym or dieting company, I'd move in right next door.
While many patrons of Anton's leave with half of their meal in a box, I've seen a few actually clean their plate. It's a little disturbing. I want to go exercise just from watching them eat so much.
The amount of food you get for the price, is probably why I come here. Like a lot of people, I eat dinner here. Then wah-la I have lunch for tomorrow. It's just that easy.
There's lots of pasta options here, so even picky eaters are easily satisfied.
Wanna get a warm fuzzy feeling for super tasty, super not-good-for-you pasta? Its totally worth the wait - the food is fabulous, although I always end up getting the same thing every time...why mess with something perfect?? The bread they serve comes from a portugese bakery and is SO good...but make sure you don't fill up on the bread...there's lots to come afterwards!
Leftovers seem like a fun thought, but I'm usually over it by the time I leave the restaurant.
While some pasta places (thank you Italian kitchen!) have surpassed it in terms of personal preferences, I can't reccomend Anton's enough for those of you craving large portions and great food. Line up's up a bitch, but such is life.
absolutely love the food there, pasta is excellent and so's the sauce + the ingredients... not to mention that the portions are huge... but the lineups are such a big turnoff, we turned around twice for that matter...
some waitresses were nice and kind, while some were not so...
the food at this place puts the italian tomato (richmond) and some kinda pasta (point grey) to shame!!!
I'd rather be kicked in very back of my family jewels then stand in a long lineup, but Anton's takes that sentiment away. It's almost worth the excruciating pain of standing in the night with complete strangers who are equally as stupid as you but who know what their in store for when they get inside.
These people who created the restaurant must have been born with a tape worm. One that was handed down from family member to family member. The size of the portions are way too big, but good. I guess the point of the huge plates are to share with the rest of the table. They serve awesome Portuguese crusty buns made fresh hourly. You can take the rest of your meal home, and you will take it home unless you want to be that guy from Monty Python's Meaning of Life... watch the movie and you'll see what i mean.
The place is always packed, so get there early. It's cheap and good and worth the money and painstakingly, the waste of time that is a line up from hell!
Burnaby, BC
Burnaby, BC
Burnaby, BC
Neighborhood: Burnaby Heights
Neighborhood: Burnaby Heights
Where do you go to get food in Burnaby?!?! Here…
