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Verace Pizzeria Napoletana and Enoteca
Categories: Restaurants Pizza Restaurants Italian Pizza, Italian [Edit]
189 Keefer PlaceVancouver, BC V6B 6L4
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 669-5552
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 11 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
43 reviews for Verace Pizzeria Napoletana and Enoteca
Review Highlights
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"The tomato sauce was sweet, but fresh." In 5 reviews -
"Had the Limoncello layer cake for dessert." In 2 reviews -
"...with fresh basil, grana padano, and extra virgin olive oil." In 4 reviews
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43 reviews in English
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Review from Stephene C.
Vancouver, BC
5/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Felt like an authentic italian restaurant with very tasty eats. They have a decent selection of pizzas, pastas and wines.
We decided to share one pasta dish and one pizza as their servings are large and filling. For the pizza we chose a "white" pizza which basically had no tomato sauce. I liked it a lot but my friend thought it was missing something, the tomato sauce. The pizza was thin crust, fire oven cooked and topped with ham, peppers, mushrooms, olive oil and some cheese. It was delicious.
The highlight was definitely the pasta. It came with spahgetti with a red sauce, smoked ham, onions, potatoes and tons of cheese. The smell and the taste of the smokiness of the ham made me salivate like crazy, it was so good.
Our server was very nice and tried to make conversation but seemed a little awkward, it was kind of cute in a puppy dog kind of way.
I had one glass of red wine that had a very interesting flavour and smell. I should have known as soon as I took a whiff and tasted it, this glass of seemingly harmless red wine packed a whallop! I've ever felt that buzzed before, from one glass of wine!
St3Fin -
Review from Foley L.
Vancouver, BC
4/28/2012
Been here once for dinner and once for lunch. Pizza and salads have been solid, nice that they have complementary sparkling water.
Atmosphere is only ok, service has always been good, value is decent.
They don't quite get the pizza right - ingredients are good, but the crust never quite gets to the slightly burned but chewy place. Still worth a trip. -
Review from Wendy Y.
4/12/2012
My significant other bought a coupon from Vaneats and here is what we had.
Salati Assortiti: daily selection of cured meats and cheese, vegetables, and marinated olives. Accompanied by warm rosemary pizza bread.
The rosemary pizza bread was excellent. The drizzled olive oil and balsamic reduction was beautifully executed. The reduction was rich, thick, and full of flavor. The meats, cheese, and vegetables were alright.
Burrata: burrata cheese finished with balsamic reduction and lemon oil and served with warm rosemary pizza bread.
Obviously I am getting the warm rosemary pizza bread and the Burrata mixed up. Regardless, they were both warm and good.
8-inch Brick Oven Baked Pizza: 100% handmade with naturally leavened dough with half Prosciutto e Rucola (plum tomato sauce, fior di latte mozzarella topped with prosciutto, fresh arugula, grana padano and evoo) and half Funghi (mushroom cream, cipollini balsamic onions, mixed crimini, portabella, and oyster mushrooms. Topped with fresh oregano, grana padano and evoo).
I enjoyed the mushroom a lot more than the Prosciutto. The pizza was fresh and very tasty. The portion was incredibly huge.
Lemoncello Layer Cake: limoncello infused lady fingers layered with lemon curd and mascarpone cream.
Sum of all parts is greater than individual parts. This dessert is a great example of that. I tried separating and ate the layers by themselves - bad idea. I should have just put the whole thing in the mouth and let the magic begin. The combination of raspberry, lemon curd and mascarpone cream is a true delight. I learned the pastry chef worked at Thomas Haas. This young fellow is now working here so there is more room for his creativity. He does the prepping for the restaurant too. Bravo young fellow. I can't wait to see what other tricks you have up your sleeves.
The decor is chic and elegant. The washrooms are spacious, clean, and full of personality. The venue is not overly big but I can see this as being a great place for hosting private parties.
Food here is solid.Listed in: Anything Italian
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Review from Carl N.
5/26/2012
Great pizza, calzones, salads, and the staff is amazing! Love the margharita pizza, and the calzones in general. The staff is extremely friendly. Had great conversations about a recent pizza joint in LA (800 degrees) that is 'build your own' and loved the manager's enthusiasm! Delicious.
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Review from Gale L.
Vancouver, BC
4/28/2012 3 Check-ins Here
The pizza and salad served at Versace are good and there's a decent selection of nicely priced pizza wine on offer but the pasta is eminently forgettable.
The place has a bit of a Mama's feel to it and service is delightful (love to see them bucks in aprons). -
Review from Simon K.
4/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here with a Vaneats voucher, that said, I had a wonderful time in here. Located a throw away from the Stadium Skytrain station, and tucked in a roundabout with the likes of T&T, I have always meant to try this place, and going with the deal I picked up with my partner in hand, away we went to see what this was all about.
The first thing noticed is the decor, very trendy, a nice finish of light and dark colors, that make you just want to sit in here and admire the decor. There was one picture, while going down the hallway in the back end to the washroom that caught my eye, a framed picture made out of candy wrappers, a nice touch if you really look at this thing. We were sat at a booth, and noticed that the staff were very atttentive, even with the voucher, they said to have this first, and if there was anything else (or if we were hungry still, to order more).
At the start, the waiter asked if I would like regular water, or sparkling, as he was carrying both bottles, I chose the regular, and awaited for the food to come flying out the kitchen.
There were two plates that almost came at the same time, one was a platter of assorted meats, cheese, and vegetables. The other plate being the Burrata Cheese, with balsamic reduction, on pizza dough flatbread. The balsamic reduction was definitely a start to the highlight of our tastebuds, how well it went, just a slight drip that was spread along the soft flatbread brought out such flavor!
The pizza came next, split in half, with two different sides of flavor and flare. One side had prusciutto, and the other side was topped with arugula (it looked like a salad pizza!) mushroom cream, and onions. To enhance the experience, we added the chili olive oil, and chili flakes to our pizza before biting in. It was piping hot, with the steam rising, and fresh, the way pizza should be enjoyed. They did forget to cut the pizza, so we had to work our magic to slice this thing up, ugly I might add, with uneven pieces, and some overhanging ingredients.
The last dish was probably the star of the show, a 'Lemoncello Layer Cake', where when it was brought out, it was tilting, to the point it fell on it's side, but even that, didn't make this thing fall on it's face, but just rise to the occasion of desserts. Interesting how lady fingers, and the lemon curd and mascarpone creme, with the fresh rasperies, on their own, tasted how they should taste, but combined, were a perfect blend of taste bud excitement. A few bites in, and I saw my partner, as her eyes just looked at the remains of what was left of this devoured dessert, and how to acquire the rest of the serving for herself, and not to share with me. We spoke with the manager on the floor about the dessert, and she said that the pastry chef in the back was a student of Thomas Haas, well that says alot now! And he is able to craft and design his desserts here, interesting.
A very comfortable place, a good place to bring a group of people, as we were leaving they were serving a party. They have a good serving of liquor here, and a good variety on the menu, of pizzas and pastas. I do hope to come back to try their other items on the menu.Listed in: Flatbread with stuff on top?…
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Review from Mark H.
Wood fired pizzas are wicked. The recent explosion of such pizzerias in Vancouver is a much welcomed trend to me. The simplicity and freshness of toppings on the crunchy/chewy crust is golden.
Being a regular at T&T, I've seen this place many times. We checked it out for Sunday lunch.
Ok, so our waiter wasn't exactly the most enthusiastic guy around, but he did the job. They offer complimentary sparkling water for all those perrier lovers.
We both ordered lunch specials. I had the Salerno pizza (fig jelly, prosciutto & goat cheese) with caesar salad. The caesar had a twist to it, pretty sure it was the quality of the cheese, delicious. The combination of sweet and salty of the pizza toppings coupled with the chewiness of the crisp dough was a joy. For added depth, definitely try out one of their three olive oils (garlic, pepper, and I forget). The pepper oil was my favourite (almost sweet tasting).
Ended with an order of Tiramisu and cappuccino. Simple and light, it's a perfect match.
What this place needs is a loud (but charismatic) Italian guy to stand outside and sell this place. Perhaps hand out some samples. And then this place will be rocking. -
Review from Ramon V.
I'm liking this place more and more each time I visit.
Perhaps it's the fact that there's always room for friends, and the service is great every time.
The pizza is classic Neapolitan. A little pricey, but large and great for sharing.
The attention to detail shines in the ingredients. They use imported Italian flour. They use tomatoes grown in the shadow of Vesuvius, which attributes to their lower acid content. They have buffalo mozzarella. Wine selection is good. Beer selection is small, but they do serve three varieties of Phillips on tap, which are also available in a 40oz pitcher for $12.50. Not a bad deal.
The lunch menu has combinations of a smaller pizza and soup or salad.
Next up, I have to try Verace for brunch. A selection of 12" pizzas topped with poached egg and hollandaise. Sounds good to me! -
Review from Isaac R.
Vancouver, BC
2/12/2012 Seated via OpenTable
"It's carbo-loading time"
My family and I went on a busy Sunday evening for Dine-Out Vancouver.
Two of us shared the four course DOV special, the others ordered a calzone and a pizza.
Our appetizers arrived fairly quickly, but it took nearly 30 minutes for mains.
The appetizer (burratta) was quite good. It was served with a slightly-too-crispy crispy focaccia, and a single drip of vinegar and olive oil. I'd have liked to see the olive oil and vinegar offered self-serve.
The house red wine is quite good.
The mains were excellent. But again, I cannot stress the wait - it was exactly 30 minutes after we ordered. For pizza that takes just 90 seconds to bake I couldn't understand why it took so long. The vegetarian pizza was delicious though, as well was the calzone. It was absolutely gargantuan. The marinara sauce used is quite good, not overly acidic, and well spiced. Great quality ingredients really shine through here.
The second main, which took at least another 20 minutes to arrive - pasta - was OK, good quality, but as far as I can tell, it wasn't freshly made pasta. We could have skipped it, but wanted to try a bit of everything.
We were stuffed to the brim just from the pizza alone. Again, the portions were scale-tippingly huge.
The tiramisu, which we could barely eat - was just the right balance of lightness and richness, it's hard to get tiramisu right, but I thought their version was well done.
Overall, a solid four stars, I would probably go again, but only for something similarly-priced. I just don't see myself going back and spending twice as much.
If the owner is reading this, I'd have liked to see a few small touches, that would have put the review to five stars.
- wait times were absolutely horrid, and at no time did our server address the fact
- offer espresso/cappuccino after the meal.
- get rid of the flat screen tv in the dining room, or find a less intrusive place to mount it
- slice the pizzas
- more charm and style is needed, the place is pretty drab and stuffy feeling -
Review from Grace C.
Burnaby, BC
3/7/2012
I tried the #VeraceAmore at Verace Pizzeria and Enoteca. The deal is for 4 dishes for $15, and there is a little bit of everything.
YOu are offered a choice of still or sparkling water, both of which are free. We went for the sparkling...bubbles! I also ordered a glass of Sangiovese and noticed that they have a special contraption that sucks the air out of the bottle once it's been opened, so it keeps fresher.
First of the food to arrive was the Burrata, a scoop of rich and creamy cheese is a great accompaniment to their Rosemary and Grana Pandano bread. It was a nice way to kick off dinner. The lemon oil and the balsamic took it over the top.
The second dish to arrive was the Salati Assortiti, an ever-changing assortment of cured meats and cheese, vegetables, and marinated olives. On the day I went, we got Genoa Salami, Proscuitto, Brasaola, Fontina and Smoked Mozzarella. We also got some amazing beans, lupini and giacondi. And yes, plenty of olives too! What I really liked about this dish was that everything was room temperature, so that you really got to taste the ingredients. It's the first time I actually enjoyed Fontina...because it was actually creamy!
The pizza the comes with #VeraceAmore is 8" Pizza, 100% handmade. Half of it is their Prosciutto e Rucola, with prosciutto and arugula on top of a tomato sauce with some mozzarella. The other half is their Funghi, made with balsamic onions, assorted mushrooms in a mushroom cream sauce. Both are topped with Grana Padano and EVOO. There was so much arugula I brushed some off and enjoyed as a salad! The proscuitto was plentiful too. I really like mushrooms, so that Funghi was perfect for me...and the balsamic little onions really sets the dish apart.
Not sure if one pizza was enough for the two of us to share, we decided to order another one off the menu. We went with the Srrento ($16.50) with smoked provolone, ham, peppers, fresh basil and the ever present grana padano and EVOO. This was a Biano pizza, so no tomato sauce here. But you really don't miss it, there are so many other flavours going on!
What I enjoyed most about both pizzas is that despite the very thin crust, they don't come out soggy. Oh, and they didn't forget to cut the pizza, that's how they serve it here. Although there is less cheese than you are probably used to, it's under-statedness really lets the toppings sing. They serve all their pizzas with garlic oil, chili oil and chili pepper flakes. And just a heads up, just a few shakes will do ya.
The final dish was the Lemoncello Layer Cake. Two limoncello slightly soaked lady fingers with yummy layers of lemon curd and mascarpone cream, then topped with fresh raspberries. I loved this dessert and could have probably eaten another one. The lady fingers kept their crunchiness and were a great contrast to the filling.
We chatted with our server and he told us that next week, he will start to make gnocchi in-house! Can't wait to return to try!
So if you have been meaning to try Verace but haven't had a chance to, this #VeraceAmore deal for $18 is a great introduction. To learn more, take a look at this 30-second video. -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
3/3/2012 3 photos
* Decent, but better options out there *
For a city that had almost no decent pizza just a few years ago there has been a sudden jump in the number of places trying to do good pizza.
Verace comes in right about average among that new pack of places. I ordered the Divola, which they describe has having fresh tomatoes, spicy genoa salami, capicollo, roasted red onion and peppers, topped with grana padano, fresh basil and evoo. The capicollo was very good - it had the proper aged flavour and was definitely the highlight of the toppings by far. The spicy genoa salami was a disappointment - it had almost no flavour, no spice, and was rather uninspired. The tomatoes had a nice strong flavour. There were very few onions and peppers so they didn't contribute much flavour wise. The crust itself had a good chew, but had already cooled substantially by the time it made it to the table unfortunately. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz... It came with two bottles of oil - one chili oil and one garlic oil. The chili oil had almost no flavour to it. I don't think the chili had been sitting in it long enough. The garlic oil was very good. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
The pizza came with a complimentary side caesar salad, which had crisp leaves but was slightly overdressed. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
Overall not a bad performance, but with the number of good options available around town I won't be rushing back.Listed in: Vancouver European Food, Vancouver Pizza
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Review from Arsalan E.
Vancouver, BC
3/17/2012
too much sauce on their pizzas and bread is not fully baked.
one day i felt like i wanna throw up after i had only 1 slice of pizza
price is too expensive bu the way
I dont recommend this place to anyone at all -
Review from Sohayl H.
Vancouver, BC
10/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'll keep this simple, the pizza was very expensive, especially in comparison to nearby neopoletana pizza joints.
To make things worse all three pizzas we bought were burned badly. -
Review from Bronwyn G.
North Vancouver, BC
11/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Verace is a nice place for supper when you've got an evening out at Rogers Arena or International Village Cinemas, but it doesn't compare well to other Neapolitan-style pizza places downtown.
Having been to Campagnolo, Nicli, and Pizzeria Farina, I would rate Verace at the bottom of the heap. Their prices are equivalent to the others, but the the food quality and ambiance is lacking.
Also (and Campagnolo and Nicli could improve on this too), would it kill them to pre-cut their pizza? I swear we did damage to their plates and knives trying to cut up our pizzas to share!
In the end, this is a fine place for supper, but if you're after really amazing pizza napoletana, check out Pizzeria Farina on Main instead!Listed in: Pizza Napoletana in Downtown
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Review from Robert M.
Vancouver, BC
11/12/2011
Have tried this place about 5 times over the past few months. Handy to the theatre.The service is ok, but the pizza is frequently soggy mush. Other Napoletana style pizza places are much better. The atmosphere is zero! No charm in sight.The place is usually empty, unless it's a game night.
Roberta, the owner, needs someone to get the food & room in shape badly!! If you're trying to make a reservation good luck, I tried calling about a week ago to make a reservation for 18, my 3 calls were never returned. Finally got through & asked for her, heard her say "who is it?" & guy said she would call me back in an hour. Never heard a word. Terrible! Needless to say we went elsewhere. There are lotsa pizza places!! -
Review from Roni L.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 11/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went back there for another try mid last week, on Tuesday. Apparently Roberta just changed their new menu and changed some of the pricing around and added some more items on it. Ok, interesting.
I ordered the magherita (coincidentally, it was on special that day due to no customres) and it came out undercooked and with too much parmesan cheese on it.
It didn't surprise me when I looked over at the kitchen and saw one chef, could be a teenager or early twenties, there. What happened to the regular chef?
This pizza smelled bad, the dough was thick and heavy, too soft for pizza, just overall it was bad.
I told the server when she checked up on me and the kitchen made me a new one (I told them they didn't have to, but they did anyway).
This 2nd pizza came out looking better but it was overcooked!!!! The pizza shell was too hard this time, but the pizza interior looked more like a pizza at least.
It's obvious that the chef is unqualified and just guessing at making it, he was probably new. They cited the reason for the first pizza as something being wrong with the temperature of the oven or something. Of course, I think if the food is bad, then don't serve it! Make it right first.
The entire time, only one couple came in, so for that entire evening, from 5pm to 10pm there were either 3 or 5 customers max the entire time.
I'm beginning to see why.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/18/2011
I heard from a lot of famous food people that they pizza isn't really good. One famous food blogger… Read more »
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Review from Eva B.
As it was our first time here we walked in not knowing what to expect, but were both pleasantly surprised. We put our ordered in for a margarita and grilled vegetable pizza and I swear our meal was on the table in under five minutes. The pizza served here is different from most of the pizza I have eaten in Vancouver. The crust was crisp yet chewy, had a really nice flavour and was really thin. The tomato sauce was sweet, but fresh. I was impressed with the selection of toppings which range in price according to the cost of ingredients which seems pretty fair. Our pizza also came with three flavoured olive oils (garlic, chilli and herb) which were a great accompaniment.
My first few slices were great, but given some time the sauce began to soak through the crust in the middle and it began to get a bit limp. All the more reason to fold it in half and take a big bite. However, logic does tell me that this is an inevitable feature of the super thin crust pizza. Therefore, if you don't like limp pizza I think it would be best to share with a friend and since the orders come out so quickly get another one when you are finished with the first. We also partook in the $4.75 per glass house wine selection which wasn't half bad.
When I brought my half a pizza home I noticed it had directions for reheating on the corner of the box. What a nice touch. -
Review from Matt W.
Vancouver, BC
2/11/2012
I have been to Verace twice now. Both times have been disappointing.
I am a pizza fan and I really like the traditional Italian style.
The only reason I didn't give verace one star was because of their attention to detail on ingredients. Everything else has been a flop.
I will start off with my caeser salad. This plate of lettuce with a shriveled chunk of fried pancetta arrives in front of me. After a few seconds I realized this was supposed to be a caeser salad. No croutons not identifiable parmesan and BARELY any dressing. Disappointing to say the least.
Now onto the pizza's. All things considered the taste of the pizzas are pretty good. My main issue is THEY DON'T CUT THEIR PIZZAS!!!! Seriously, who doesn't cut a pizza? I ordered a pizza with fresh arugula on top. Then I am supposed to cut it on a ceramic plate with a steak knife. By the time I got slices out of the pizza I had destroyed the thing.
Good pizza... but failed execution.
I might be trying this place once more to see if they improve... but I doubt it. -
Review from Yunn A.
8/3/2011 ROTD 2/25/2012
I can't get enough of this style of pizza!
We were warmly welcomed by the owner of the restaurant and had a lively conversation about our time in Naples, as she worked there at pizzerias before embarking upon her own in Canada, which definitely boosted our confidence in the quality of the food. The interior is warm with deep woods, and has a cozy feel about it with a great view of where the pizzas are created.
First we had our Italian sodas: I have never had an Italian soda this delicious. We had both the blood orange (all freshly squeezed juices in it, not syrup), and strawberry mint. Refreshing, not too sweet, and pretty much sinfully good.
We then shared a fantastic Caesar salad, with just the right amount of dressing that we requested, and of course, classic Margherita pizza. It was cooked perfectly - chewy doughy crust, not burnt around the edges but not a bit of it raw, tangy sauce and smooth mozzarella. It reminded me of pizza in Naples for sure, if not even better.
The only reason I've given it four stars, is I found it a bit pricy-er for the location which is tucked in Tinseltown area, and more than their competition, Nicli, and my beloved Famoso in AB. Still, I will be coming back. I'm happy to have found this place. Thanks Yelp! -
Review from Sarah O.
This place has delicious Neopolitan style pizza. Chewy crust and memorable toppings. The decor and location isn't the most glamorous, it seemed very casual and didn't feel like the kind of restaurant where you could possibly drop over $50. But when prices of pizza range from $11-$21 and you add a few drinks in, be prepared to spend.
The pizza only needs to be cooked for 90 seconds in a brick oven heated at 900 degrees fahrenheit so the food came out fast. Man, I love efficiency. Beers were brought out in wine buckets and were topped off when our fill got low. I've never had that experience before but I felt so ghetto fabulous I didn't question it. Overall, the service was great, the food was great, the prices were reasonable and I wouldn't mind going back. -
Review from Clare L.
7/28/2011
Am I pizza snob? Maybe. My family and I came in not knowing what to expect at all, which on the plus side is that I came in without expectations, but I felt that for the prices we paid for pizza that takes 90 seconds to cook, I wanted the pizza to be the best damn thing I ever had. Sadly it didn't match.
We ordered a salad to start INSALATE Mista: prosciutto, tomato, roast peppers, greens and artichokes. I gave them props for having the perfect amount of dressing on it but I will take them back for the multiple brown stemmed pieces of lettuce in the salad. Now am I being too picky? I don't really think so, after all, it was a $15 salad, and I think fresh crisp salad isn't too much to ask for.
The pizzas: Margherita DOP, Diavola (Marinara), Funghi (Bianca)
I personally like the DOP the best, even though it wasn't the best I've ever had, and the Funghi was just terrible. The DOP was cooked well, fresh tomato sauce, and great mozza bufalo. As for the Funghi, it wasn't that it was inedible, it was just soggy. Difficult to pick up the pizza, after cutting a slice out, the flavour was there, the texture was not. So that was disappointing.
If you've read some of my other reviews, you will know that ambience, décor are important to me. This place had the idea, but just not the right look. The decorative faux tin ceiling tile was just too faux looking. I felt like I understood what look they were going for, but in the end it just came out looking sterile. Like they wanted it to have that romantic feeling but instead just got the IKEA romantic feeling. One nice touch though, complimentary sparkling water. That was a good thing. The waiter seemed nice enough, but didnt get a personality from him.
So yeah. meh. is all I can say. -
Review from Andre S.
Vancouver, BC
8/1/2011
A lot of buzz: 90 second flash!
Awkward place: this isn't Toscana.
Certified pizza, just like the real thing!
But when it comes down to it:
Much ado about nothing. -
Review from Angela L.
7/3/2011
I was looking forward to trying the recently opened Verace, as Neopolitan style pizza is my friend and it's exciting to see new pizzerias crop up in Vancouver. A friend and I arrived for dinner on Saturday evening, and the room was moderately full. The ambiance was pretty typical Vancouver, sort of slick and sophisticated but with a casual vibe. There are booths, tables, and some outdoor seating available.
We weren't dying of hunger, so we ordered some drinks and a single pizza to share. They were working with a limited wine list given that it's only their first week, so selection wasn't the greatest. I bypassed this issue by ordering a negroni, but was kind of dismayed to have it arrive with plenty of ice.
They offer two different margherita pizzas, one regular and one D.O.P version. Interesting. The D.O.P version features a San Marzano tomato sauce and buffalo mozzarella. We sprung for the regular and were slightly disappointed. The crust was a little too soft and under-charred for my preference, with a very scant amount of basil and a too-generous drizzle of olive oil on top. There were no accoutrements served with the pizza, i.e. no olive oil for crusts in the style of Nicli. There is a selection of salads and calzones available on the menu in addition to their repertoire of pizzas.
Service was friendly and helpful, and we even got complimentary little hot chocolate beverages with biscotti at the end of our meal as a thank you, which was very sweet.
Prices seemed a touch high (it was about $15 for the regular margherita, and the salads were about $12 each), and it seems they are still working out some kinks, but I'd be interested in returning to try their premium offerings to see if it is worth the extra cost. -
Review from Dave C.
Vancouver, BC
8/7/2011
Roberta,
I sincerely apologize for posting my nicli antica review here and mixing both reviews up as I was doing both reviews at the same time.
Here's my Verace pizzeria review:
Wasn't expecting much again as I entered yet another "Napolitan style pizzeria" in Vancouver. We were greeted at the table by a gentleman that came to inform us to the effect of "we serve a napolitan style thin crust that is chewy and we use only the freshest ingredients"
Well..... the crust was not crispy, needed more time in the oven, and boy olive oil must be expensive, coz I've had more truffle oil drizzled over my pizza's at other pizzeria's than what little olive oil that was on my pizza. No nice big blister bubbles on any of the centre part of the pizza like a true napolitan pizza has, as the dough was stretched too thin, and less than 1/5 of the edge had any bubbles at all as the dough was bordering on being too dense. Took a look around at the other 5 tables that were around, their doughs all looked about the same, overworked dough that had too much gluten that prevented it from rising and blistering properly. The pomodoro that was smeared over the top of the dough had softened the top to detriment, too moist to caramelize properly.
Arugula walnut and gorzonzola salad was crying for some oil. Generous amounts of arugula and must say gorgonzola was of nice quality, but was dry as eating wood shavings, maybe 5 little 5mm bits of walnuts. Again, some oil would help with bringing out the flavours of the ingredients.
Unfortunately I think though Nicli's and Italian Kitchen/Trattoria aren't perfect they both have better pizza.
Still looking for a pizzeria in Vancouver to render my trips to Serious Pie in WA redundant.Comment from Roberta L. of Verace Pizzeria Napoletana and Enoteca 8/10/2011
Hello Dave Respectfully, I don't think you were at our… More » -
Review from Mike S.
Vancouver, BC
11/7/2011 1 photo
I'm speaking of the salad here but to be honest it may have been one of the better salad's I've ever had. Simple and true. Basic but classic olive oil and 'white' basil vingegrette dressing :) Very nice, thank you...
I also had a soup which was hearty, spicy and full of flavor. Seems as if the harp on this place is due to pricing of which I can't speak since I had the salad/soup combo but come on folks this is good, clean food...
I'll shall return... -
Review from Sandra G.
Vancouver, BC
10/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is the second authentic Napoletan pizzeria Leo and I have been to. The location is great, though it's a tricky place for parking on game nights. The decor is great - a bit of European flavour - and when we went in the place was PACKED with two big parties going on.
With a reservation, we were able to be seated within 10 minutes, even though there was only one server working the whole restaurant, the other tending to the big parties.
I had the Campania pizza ($17.25) with Pomodoro sauce, ricotta cheese, roasted onions, peppers, zucchini and eggplant, topped with grana padano and extra virgin olive oil. Leo had the Diavola ($16.25) with Pomodoro sauce, spicy genoa salami, capicollo, roasted red onion and peppers topped with fresh basil, grana padano, and extra virgin olive oil.
Despite us getting our water (sparkled instead of flat) and wine about 15 minutes later, the pizzas didn't come out very long after. The dough is just what we expected, but Leo prefers the burnt wood-oven flavour a bit more - I enjoyed my vegetable party quite a lot, though I prefer mozzarella over the ricotta. Still, I love how there are more pizza varieties here than the other place we've been to.
I saved room for dessert, so went for the Tartufo ($7.50), a Chocolate hazelnut gelato with vanilla gelato centre rolled in cocoa powder. LOVE chocolate hazelnut ice cream. Leo went for two scoops of the Lime and Raspberry flavoured fresh, sugar-free sorbetto ($5.50) and both desserts came with a strawberry syrupy jam. Our server warned that some people found the sorbetto a bit brazen on the tongue, but we really enjoyed the tartness of the flavour.
Our stomachs were happy and we'll definitely be checking out some of the other Napoletan pizzerias around town, but so far this one's at the top of the list. Re-heating instructions even come on the box if you take out your leftovers.
Tip: Definitely make reservations on weekends or game nights or you'll be waiting (and standing) for your table. -
Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
7/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was a delightful little place to visit for a casual pizza. It was in the middle of the Keefer piazza, just like a real Italian piazza--sans the Tivoli Fountain and loads of pigeons (which was probably a good thing). Parking was easy and inexpensive around the corner.
The proprietor and/or hostess was authentically trained in Napoli and the pizza did not disappoint. Our server was Irish, and many people might not know that the Irish and Italian oftentimes mix like tomatoes and cheese!
We were the only ones there at 6:30 on a Monday, so we took a nice spot by the window in this warm and welcoming establishment.
Wine was quite reasonably priced at 8 dollars a glass. The special was only 5 but not to my liking. We would have liked to have sat outside, but they are still awaiting their liquor license. No matter; the inside was pleasant enough!
Share for two:
Fig salad -perfectly dressed with a light vinaigrette, blue cheese and a few walnuts
Pie: (Pretty big for two!) Dough is stretched out quite a bit, so is meant to be soggier in the middle. I like to fold mine in half New York style. And pu-lease people, pizza is not meant to be eaten with a fork. :)
Beneveto- garlic, cream and roasted onions. My fave.
Diavola- red pie with salami. Again, the roasted red onions tasted so nice and sweet.
The Italian hot chocolate was a nice touch, as its unsweetened cocoa with a dollop of whip cream, but we did not get biscotti with ours which would have been an added bonus. I was definitely full, however.
We had enough to take home to eat the next day after the pitch-and-putt which was an added bonus! :) Actually, the red pie tasted even better the next day!
Total bill with 3 glasses of wine and tip- $80; not bad.
Overall, a great spot for a casual pizza!Listed in: Just a "Little" of Italy, Pizza Pies
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Review from Paul D.
Vancouver, BC
9/6/2011
I stopped in here on Saturday with another friend so we could sit on the patio and try their pizza. We're big fans of the "other place" in the neighbourhood but sometimes the hipster attitude and lack of a patio can be a little trying.
We sat on the patio and enjoyed watching the colourful world pass by on a great night. We started with the antipasto plate which was a very good way to roll into dinner. We asked for a wine recommendation and enjoyed the very reasonably priced bottle of Sangiovese.
Pizza was the main event event though and the Diavol and Quatto Stagione we ordered were excellent. We were told they'd started with a new dough and the crust was really enjoyable--thin, crispy, just enough chewiness. If there's one small quibble, it's that they put too many toppings on the pizza and the crust got a little soggy in the middle. I'd have enjoyed half the topping to put more focus on the crust and sauce.
We skipped dessert but I had an excellent expresso and Prosecco Grappa to finish off.
All in all, a very pleasant visit. I'll be back with a plan to try a less loaded pizza like a Margherita next time. -
Review from K. N.
7/27/2011 5 photos
If I could give 6 stars I would, this place is truly a much needed and fabulous addition to Vancouver!
For the past few years I have been wondering why Vancouver has been so behind the times when it came to pizza - of course you can get your regular run-of-the-mill delivery pizza, or even a fairly decent gourmet pizza at a restaurant that specializes in other dishes, but there really was not much in the way of competitive pizzeria joints trying to outdo one another with innovation, creativity, mixed with a little of the traditional, and using fresh local ingredients - I guess that's the category I would place Verace under (if you hadn't already guessed that's where I was leading).
Being familiar with the traditional Neapolitan pizza I knew what I was in store for, though I did appreciate the clarification by our server when she first came to our table just to be on the safe side, as it saddens me to read other reviews of this restaurant that bash the pizzas for their minimal toppings and thin-crust style - that's what it's all about! Onto the specifics.....
So the big decision - yes, I opted to pay the extra few dollars and try the Verace Margherita D.O.P. to see what all the talk was about and I have to say yes, it was more than worth it. You can really tell the difference in the taste of the tomato sauce, and the bite of the 'special' ingredients overall is really noticeable. The other pizza I tried was the Campania, which was a great combination of fresh veggies and other ingredients. Needless to say I can't wait to go back and try some of the other pizzas!
For dessert we had the Lemoncello Layer Cake (Limoncello infused lady fingers layered with lemon cream) - a perfect and refreshing substitute to regular Tiramisu. We were originally intending to try the Tiramisu, however our waitress told us that the consistency just wasn't perfect that night so she would recommend something else. Huge props to her on her honesty on this one, and on a similar note, overall she was an excellent server!
As far as drinks go - the wine selection was fabulous, however I started the night with the much intriguing Caprese Martini - salad in a drink you ask? why yes, yes it is. I asked if it was any good, and apparently no one had ordered one since they opened, so they took a few minutes behind the bar figuring out how to make one, and the result was quite delicious, plus you get a little salad on the skewer to eat while you're waiting for your pizza, which is not long at all!
Personally I can't wait to go back to try more of their pizzas - as other reviews have stated they don't do take-out, but seeing as how nicely they have styled the joint I would much rather enjoy my pizza there. They do of course have take home boxes if you can't finish the delicious dinner, just be sure to follow their reheat/re-eating instructions (eat it cold or do a quick broil in the oven, anything else will ruin the delicate dough). -
Review from BR G.
Burnaby, BC
9/23/2011
Came here for a big party, and was pretty impressed. I can't wait to come back! We were served some sort of Family style menu with several different salads, 6 different Napolean style pizzas, and an antipasto platter. Everything we had tasted amazing, and light at the same time. I wanted to try the dessert, but was too stuffed. The service was good, and the ambience is pretty nice. Drinks were not too bad either. I thought the price was on par for a restaurant in the area (in Tinseltown near Stadium skytrain). Some people may be upset at an uncut pizza, but that's how they do it in Italy!
Only complaint: why only ONE washroom for (and by one, I really mean one toilet) for the ladies?? Lineups suck. -
Review from Joseph H.
Richmond, BC
8/22/2011
So my lovely dinner companion and I arrived at this corner of the plaza beside Stadium Station to taste the true Napoletana pizza. We had the DOP Margherita and the roasted fig salad. Both were excellent.
The pizza crust was thin yet had an elastic dough-y pull to it. The fresh ingredients really made the difference. The complimentary sparkling water really brought home the authentic Italian atmosphere and flavor for me.
The green salad and roast figs were also delicious. I like the frizzette lettuce and the ricotta had a very distinct, blue-cheese-like fragrance to it.
The nutella pizza really took the cake for me. Crunchy, crispy, sweet, flavorful. It just hit all the right spots for a dessert pizza. Highly recommended. -
Review from Salim H.
12/15/2011
Verace is definitely hidden away, and not easy to spot. For the folks that live in International Village, its easier to find. Right of the bat, the service is a little slow, however the pizzas are good. The staff are friendly, and the place is unpretentious, but it could use a little better decor. It needs a bit more love. It is definitely on the pricier side, however the portion sizes are huge. All in all this place was a one time visit.
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Review from Jeff F.
Updated - 11/25/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Ok.... went in and sat down with the fiance tonight for a little bit of pizza at Verace... after my take out experience, I wanted to try a little more. Wasn't super busy at 8pm, so we strolled in and had no problem getting a seat (was a little slow). Order was taken in a nice timely fashion, and the pies came up quite quickly as well (slow, and a 90 second cook time = quick food).
Things were cooked really well... the fiance as always went for some sort of seafood option (of which I always council her some moderation on that stuff... it's so easy to get bad seafood vs. bad something more land animal'ish). I opted for a Diavola pizza... two types of meat one spicy, one not so much, and peppers (sweet and spicy), and onions. Her seafood pizza... surprise, surprise had really fishy clams, and overcooked squid. My diavola was nicely cooked, and quite tasty.. the sauce was very nicely tomatoey. I think next time she'll try a veggie option pizza. Speaking of that.... they had many options for veggie pizzas. I think it was around 4-5 with red sauce and I'm not sure how many white pizzas, but probably a few.
Overall, I was good with what I got, and would go back again... mostly because it's not far from work, and the results were good.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/19/2011
This will be just a little blurb... I did a take-out from here... and I'd prefer to do a sit down… Read more »
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Review from Perry B.
Vancouver, BC
11/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love this place. While I do enjoy Nicli's as well, I just can't be bothered to wait. It's the same pizza. Can't beat the great deal on their house wine as well.
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Review from Petra W.
North Vancouver, BC
8/4/2011
I can't believe what a disappointment this was! I was really looking forward to a nice meal out, but ultimately was let down by this overpriced place.
When we arrived for dinner, only one table was full - on a Saturday night at 6:30pm. Once we were seated, one of the wait staff started mopping the floor - I'm not sure why (there was no spill) - and I found it quite off putting actually to smell the cleaner while we were reading the menu.
We ordered 2 pizzas and wine. The server made some good recommendations about which pizzas to try. The pizzas are quickly baked in the brick oven, so one pizza came up immediately. The server immediately informed us that the kitchen had made the other pizza wrong (they had made a meat pizza and we had ordered 2 veggie) and the other pizza would be up in a minute. In the meantime, we looked at this slightly bigger than a personal pizza and realized it wasn't cut. The server informed us that our knives 'were better for cutting' and left us to it. We used a steak knife to cut the pizza into shareable pieces. The other pizza did arrive and both were ok. I say only ok because the price for each pizza was $18.50. For that price, I want the pizza to be amazing. These were good. We couldn't finish the pizza, so we asked them to be wrapped up. The server told us she couldn't give us 2 boxes (since we wanted to divide it up), but that she could use tinfoil. I found that very strange
We did decide to have dessert - for $10.50 we had a limoncello and plain tiramisu. They were good, but again not outstanding. The limoncello piece was huge (even the server commented that 'it was like 2 pieces'), so again I asked to take it home. She then brought me a plastic container to scoop it into myself!
I have no problem paying high prices for quality food and service. Unfortunately, this was not. Walk the 2 block up to Campagnolo - which will cost less and taste better! -
Review from Kerri L.
Vancouver, BC
11/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great little pizza place with quality pizza, just the way I like it. Pizza came with salad (caesar or spring). The caesar was a tad too fishy for me but otherwise would have been good. I took it back for the spring mix which was excellent! Great service and reasonably priced. I'm coming back for sure!
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Review from Jennifer D.
Vancouver, BC
7/18/2011
This is an amazing restaurant! Started with the olives (DO IT), and followed by the Salerno pizza. The ingredients are fresh. The crust is perfection. Had the Limoncello layer cake for dessert. SO GOOD. Nice and lemony. Paired with an americano was devine. The place feels a little old world Italy in styling. It's beautiful. YOU MUST GO!!
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Review from Curtis H.
Vancouver, BC
7/11/2011
Tucked away by the international village near tinseltown mall, Verace is a breath of fresh air in a new neighborhood. The owner Roberta is as sweet as they come, and the food is great. The freshest ingredients, and the most knowledgeable staff I've ever encountered. They will definately go above and beyond your expectations. Try it now, you wont be disappointed.
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Review from Jann W.
7/10/2011 1 photo
We stumbled upon this cute pizzeria on our way back to the sky train from Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. We loved our lunch and experience at Verace on Canada Day. We shared a wonderfully delicious pizza, the Asparagie Tartufo. The pizza crust was especially amazing. The staff was friendly and helpful, we will certainly return the next time we are in Vancouver.
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Review from Andrew W.
Vancouver, BC
7/26/2011
The food is good. Really good, the pizza is delicious and get their drinks that they make there like the rosemary lemon drink. So good.
I had a meat pizza and it tasted very delicious. The sauce was good and you don't normally find that... everything about the experience was great, and it would be my new favorite place to go if it wasn't for the prices.
So I paid 14 dollars for my pizza which isn't too bad, but a little bit on the spendy side. I almost got my money's worth out of that. But don't have the dessert here, it's just too expensive and while it may be good you can get it for cheaper elsewhere. I mean $9 for tiramisu? Come on, I've made it before, and I am not one to shirk on putting good stuff in there, for much cheaper. And you can get good tiramisu elsewhere.
So like I say, the food is really good and the atmosphere is great too. Maybe they just need to rethink their prices.
