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Via Veneto
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
656 W BroadwayVancouver, BC V5Z 0B4
Neighbourhood: Fairview Slopes
(604) 708-3300
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 3 pm
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
20 reviews for Via Veneto
20 reviews in English
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Review from Yakun C.
Vancouver, BC
2/4/2012
I had my dinner in via veneto on Thur., taking advantage of the Vancouver Dine Out promotion. The food and service did not downgrade due to the promotion. The place was cosy. The food was yummy. (Sliced tuna as appetiser, grilled steelhead Salmon as maincourse and tiramissu).
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Review from sara s.
Vancouver, BC
2/10/2012
The food is only OK, although I didnt like my eggplant appetizer (which was not cooked at all), the pasta was OK. The chef was kind enough to make the seafood pasta with cream sauce instead of tomato sauce. That why I'm giving the restaurant two stars.
The food needs salt,pepper and seasoning.
The wine selection is quiet nice.
Nothing special about the dessert, I honestly think they should change their supplier. ( yeah, it was obvious it wasn't made in there!)
The service is good.
A big turn off for me was the weird smell when we entered the restaurant. It smelled like old abandoned houses.
There is nothing special about the ambiance.
Overall for the price you end up paying, not worth it!
There are way better places you can dine. -
Review from Jeff F.
11/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
2nd time here... and have eaten at Amacord twice as well (same owner, but the restaurant is/was in Yaletown).
We had a SocialShopper deal, and decided it was time to use it... the fiance and I split an opener of Prosciutto e melone.... always a good standby starter, and then she had a lemon scallopine, and I had gnocchi al regianno. Both were fine... nothing blowing my socks off. Temperature could have been a bit hotter, service was great... as it always was at Amacord, and the other time here (I recognize a few of the wait staff from Amacord)... by the end of all that we weren't hungry enough for dessert, so can't comment there. Will we be going back soon... well, we live in the neighbourhood, so it's convenient... but a lot of the time, I'll just make my own pasta if pasta is what I'm craving (really... it's not that hard people... google it, and give it a try!) -
Review from Mike P.
10/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Watching the string of restaurants that have occupied this location in recent years I'm happy to see that someplace has stuck. I'm even more pleased that they serve very very yummy food.
My wife bought us a groupon-type thing that entitled us to $40 worth of food for $20, which is good because this place was a little spendy. We each got the three course meal special.
For the first course (appie) I got the carpacio, this was quite good. A small portion of beef tenderloin that was perfectly seasoned (some sort of sauce that complimented the meat very well).
For the second course I got the pasta option, which was a pesto with spicy sausage. This too was very very good. The sauce was so good that cleaned up the plate with the bread.
Finally for dessert I had the chocolate lava cake. Likely not something they made in-house. It was certainly chocolately, very very rich.
We ordered a half liter of a house red wine. The service was excellent and the owner made a point to drop by our table and ask us how we liked the dinner (I noticed he did this for every table; a very very nice touch).
I think with the quality of food and the top notch service this place is definitely entitled to charge top dollar for dinner. I believe they have a number of early bird dinner and lunch specials for people that are more cost conscious.
Most of the decor is held over from the major reno that the Knight and Day did when they occupied these premises for a short time, however the ambience is very nice and really makes you forget that you're in a restaurant on busy Broadway.
I'm always hesitant to drop big coin on Italian food because pasta is very inexpensive, but that would be the only thing that would stop me from visiting here again because it's definitely a wonderful restaurant and a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. -
Review from L. Diva N.
100 Mile House, BC
1/23/2012
WOW! What a great dining experience! The owner greeted us at the front door with a smile and showed us to our seats and our waiter was friendly and prompt. The decor was simple yet elegant and the music of Andrea Bocelli played lightly in the background. My hubby ordered the veal scallopini and I ordered the lasagna along with a salad to start. We discussed that we would split our meals as we wanted to try each others. As our waiter heard our conversation he confirmed with us that we would be sharing. To our delight, starting with the salad, our meals were served to us 'shared' on 2 separate plates. Added to this was a nice bottle of red wine and yummy gelato for dessert. Even my husband who is not easily impressed enjoyed this experience!
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Review from D X.
Burnaby, BC
7/13/2011
Bought the deal on Wagjag - 3 course meal for $18 (half price). I actually like the food here and the environment. It's not so super fancy that it makes me and my boyfriend uncomfortable.
When we first got there, we came in through the back door and the owner came to greet us and sat us down. It took them awhile (there were 3 servers and not a big restaurant) to acknowledge us and ask us for drinks and stuff, but after that they were attentive. The food came out within reasonable time though. Free house bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegrette (my fav!).
Food is really good. I got chicken and I usually like sour tastes, but I thought it was just a tad bit too lemony.
I want to give them 3.5 stars actually. Definitely somewhere I would return to. -
Review from Christine K.
Vancouver, BC
1/25/2011 5 photos
A rep lunch today made me try out this place since I was NOT in the Cactus Club or Milestones mood as we usually do. I had read that this place is (run?) (owned?) by the previous owner of Amarcord. I never dined at Amarcord so I do not know if it is similiar or not.
I also rarely go out for Italian food. My ex was Italian and for about 10 years I ate his mama's home cooked food and I never desired to eat Italian elsewhere after that. I still don't, really, and I miss hers all the time.
The restaurant is nice. The menu is reasonable, I think with the highest price about $14 for an entree for lunch. I think the food was good. I think everyone was satisfied, but out of four, no one raved about anything. The person who ordrered Garganelli all' Arrabiata said hers was VERY good. Nothing impressed me and I know personally, I won't rush back. Service was very good. Water, coffee was filled often, plates were cleared in a timely fashion. All staff were very pleasant.
Here's what the pictures are:
1. Table setting
2. Caesar Salad (I found a couple of bites of brownish, wilty lettuce)
3. Zuppa del Giorno (today was Tomato, Rosemary)
4. Linguine ai Frutti di Mare
5. Confit di Pollo con Funghi (what I ate - it felt a little bland/dry and uninspired and can I add - visually unappealing)Listed in: West Broadway (Fairview/Mt.…
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Review from Elizabeth L.
Grandview-Woodlands, Vancouver, BC
1/4/2012
Really great service. They were so friendly. The food was great. I loved the mushroom risotto.
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Review from Natalie M.
Vancouver, BC
10/19/2011
When this restaurant was located in Yaletown we used to not be able to get in without a reservation. We loved it and went there as a special treat since the prices are a bit steep for pasta.
We went again when we realized they had moved close to our new place and once again enjoyed ourselves - we loved that they offered half bottles of wine. My boyfriend loved the lasagna. I also once had some great lemon gelato served in a frozen lemon peel it was excellent. (In the past I would have given a 4 star rating)
But my 2 star rating comes for our most recent visit in Oct 2011. We were shocked at how much the quality had decreased since our last visit. I think the business isn't doing well and they are decreasing the quality of their food in an effort to cut costs. The service, as always, was excellent, but the food was awful. I am not a good cook by any means, but I'm sure Ive made better than what we were served.
We both had Caesar salad to start, it was okay, I found the dressing a bit watery, but my boyfriend seemed to enjoy it. We were given bread with oil and vinegar that was quite nice and our half bottle of wine (Masi) was excellent - a light, easy to drink red. I ordered the Linguine ai Frutti di Mare - the sauce was bland, the pasta didn't taste fresh, the shells of the muscles were cracking into my food at the slightest touch, there was only 1 scallop and 1 prawn on my entire plate and the remainder of the seafood was mostly baby shrimp. I was really hungry when we arrived but I didn't even finish my dish - it wasn't worth finishing. My boyfriend was hoping to get lasagna, but they no longer had it on the menu. Instead he ordered gnocchi with Italian sausage. He was very disappointed with his dish, which was essentially 7 pieces of mushy gnocchi and a small Italian sausage cut up. He said the sausage was good but for the $18.95 price he felt that both the quality and portion size weren't up to par. He was hungry when he finished but didn't want to order anything more from there.
We left feeling super disappointed, this was once our top choice for Italian in Vancouver, but we will not be returning. -
Review from Annie M.
Vancouver, BC
I came here with a group of girl friends for the first time. The owner was so friendly and came to us to ask any special occasion of tonight.
The food was absolutely amazing and services great!! Just a bit slow on the food it served. The 3-course menu was awesome for such good deal of quality of food.
We got a basket of focaccia bread to start with, however, the bread was cold.
We ordered different dishes and got a chance to sample others.
Appetizers:
Duck prosciutto - strong taste of duck and perfect for olive oil with mixed green.
Prosciutto di Parma - cured Italian ham was ok and presentable.
Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio - wasn't impress but the beef quite fresh.
Baked eggplant - Sauce was excellent and eggplant was good.
Main courses:
Prawns and grilled chicken risotto - Risotto in tomato sauce was delicious but the grilled chicken a bit dry.
Italian Sausage Meat with penne - Fabulous!! Texture of Italian sausage was so good in spicy tomato sauce
Baked Black Cod - Delicious, Tasty and presented lovely.
Grilled Chicken Breast - just ok not too dry.
Desserts:
Creme Brulee - very nice and smooth
Tiramisu - Strong taste of Mascarpone and chocolate liquor
chocolate mousse - Rich and smooth, just melt in my mouth
Creme Caramel - Not too sweet and good. -
Review from DAVID H.
Vancouver, BC
4/6/2011
Via Veneta Italian Restaurant is Fabulous & it used to be AMACORD in Yaletown!
Love the food, same Nice Owner, same Fabulous Food, Same Great Service!
A relaxing atmosphere which is their signature. One of Vancouver's Classic! -
Review from Julie A.
Vancouver, BC
8/8/2011
Meeting my fiancé after work on August 3, 2011 we decided to have a nice dinner out to commemorate the anniversary of our ongoing engagement. We were on our way to Cactus Club (boring, yet predictable). We walked past Via Veneto, where we found the outdoor patio set up to be charming and decided to peer at the menu and specials for the day. Now, I typically don't dine out for Italian cuisine, as I hold high standards, thanks to my Godparents and my Mom. Why go out when I can make it at home in abundance with the finest/freshest ingredients? This mind set stems from the countless attempts that restaurants such as Boston Pizza, Olive Garden, Earls, Cactus Club, etc. etc. etc. try to make when creating unfortunate Italian 'inspired' pasta/meat or fish dish.
Anyway, back to the real deal... Exterior views proved that some renovation attempts have clearly been made, giving a broke-down, seemingly-cursed building a face-lift. NOT A JOAN RIVERS KIND OF FACE LIFT, but more of a Catherine Zeta-Jones effect. The reno budget didn't stop on the outside, though, because when we entered the restaurant, it was clearly transformed. It looks like you could easily be in Italy, or, on the set of the Soprano's. Always fresh flowers and pressed linens. Lighting is perfect. Music doesn't drown out conversations, but adds to the Bolognese ambience. Mannerisms, knowledge, language, timing... everything was wonderful about the service. The owner, a passionate man from Northern Italy was there, showed us to our table and inquired how the food was as well as had inspiring after-dinner chats with us. He was certainly not annoying, as we encouraged and invited him to chat, as he proved to be a complete expert in Northern-Italian cuisine, was charming, funny and outgoing. He obviously takes a lot of pride in his work (as most Italian men do). The employees were noticibly happy and the food was OUT OF THIS CITY AMAZING.
To start (along with complimentary fresh bread):
Cyril: Caesar Salad (his favourite and his simple staple for which he can easily compare restaurant skill and quality)
Me: Insalata di Bietole, Gorgonzola e Noce
Simple looking Caesar Salad, but perfect. According to Cyril - it was everything a Caesar Salad should be. Quality, simplistic to look at, but flavorful beyond expectations! Romaine leaves coated perfectly, seeds, highest quality Gorgonzola complemented the beets perfectly! Tasty delight! (Last time I attempted to order a beet salad it was at Milestones on Broadway/Cambie and the waiter later returned to tell me that I can't have it because they are out of beets at 6pm!)
Wine list. How is it that any glass or red or white wine is $9.00!!! OH MY GOD. I decided, agreeing with the waiter's recommendation, to pair my meal with 2009 Chianti, Frescobaldi. This Chianti tasted PERFECT. Seriously, I have never had such a fine glass and it did work perfectly with what was to come for the main course. p.s. I'm going back for the wine, even if I just have to go for wine and desserts! :-D
Main dishes:
Cyril: Gnocchi alla Reggiana
Julie: Linguine ai Frutti di Mare
Cyril loves his potatoes - and is well-seasoned in the art of gnocchi tasting. My Mom also makes homemade gnocchi when we visit her, and they are to die for! Apparently, there is lots to die for when it comes to the chefs at Via Veneto. (The owner even said they were younger guys - but loyal chefs - as the owner has been collaborating with one of them for 10+ years!) In tasting one of the hand-rolled gnocchi's, my mouth had an orgasm. The little dumpling melted seductively on my tongue. It was not doughy, left hints of parmesan and other remnants of cheeses from the same family. The Italian sausage was real, not hidden with gluttonous fillers, but tangy friends that, when paired with the a gnocchi on the same fork, presented the most playful experience to taste. Soft, silky, cheesy seduction, mixed with a dominatrix-like punch of a tender, salty spiced bite-sized meatball. It took him mere minutes to clear his plate.
My restaurant rating system relies on mussels: how they're cooked, what pairings, if there's a fishy smell, or if I all of a sudden taste some of the sandy beach the mussel came from (aka: an unpleasant mouthful). I hit the jackpot of fine delicate shellfish! Prawns, shrimp, scallops, calamari, mussels and clams in abundance. No seafood on my plate required chewing, which was a refreshing alternative to chewy elastics. NO fishy aroma (like Joe Fortes' mussels) and no gritty sand taste! What the hell did they do? I don't know, but I LOVE IT. The subtle tomato sauce was accompanying & not overwhelming in any ingredient (typical overwhelming sauces add too much garlic, basil, tomatoes, salt, or wine). A perfect hand-made linguini strands, too. My only regret? I didn't order anything off of the incredibly enticing dessert menu. Another reason to return for a romantic, fun evening (after loosing 20 pounds)! -
Review from Hugh P.
Cookstown, ON
5/9/2011
My sister and I wanted a nice place to go for Mother's Day dinner. Sis suggested this place (I'm from out of province), so we went.
Great service from everyone from maitre d' (also owner?) right on down.
Great variety on the menu....food might have been a wee bit slow, but it was a busy day, and hey, we were busy talking, so no harm, no foul.
Of the four of us, two had the veal chop, one filet mignon, and one sole ...we all were raving about our choices.
In a nutshell - excellent in all respects! Highly recommended, and I'm just sorry that I don't live close enough (Ontario) to come here more often! -
Review from Tori B.
Vancouver, BC
8/25/2011
Blah. The food was nice. But boring. The ambiance was stuffy. The service was robotic. The only thing exceptional was the price. Exceptionally high, that is.
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Review from Cyril S.
Vancouver, BC
9/30/2011
Excellent service, nice ambience, friendly staff, and AMAZING Food. I selected this restaurant as my Birthday dinner after only 1 previous visit, so that should tell you all you need to know.
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Review from Shelley C.
Vancouver, BC
1/13/2012
We just went here for the first time and it was fabulous!!!! We shared the beef carpaccio which was delicious and then I had the vitello a la limone (veal in lemon sauce). I'd give it a 10 out of 10. It was extremely tender, flavourful and yummy. My husband had the veal with capers and olives - also delicious. Also, they had the moistest, most delicious foccaccio I've ever had. all around, a top class meal and the service was excellent. We'll definitely be going back. plus, it's in the Rntertinment coupon book so we got $20 off our meal!
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Review from P M.
Vancouver, BC
1/6/2011
Had the pleasure of dining at Via Veneto this week. Outstanding food and solid service. Very authentic flavours. They also do lunch during the week too. Excellent wine list includes good selection of Italian and BC wines. I've dined at Il Giardino, Cioppino's and Glowbal Group over the years. Via Veneto will definitely give them a run for their money.
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Review from robert k.
8/20/2011
We had lunch at Via Veneto yesterday and it was excellent. We know Manlio from his former restaurant, Amacord. He has always taken pride in his food and service and yesterday was no exception. We had mussels for an appetizer and they were very tender and juicy. I had homemade pappardelle primavera con pollo and again, it was excellent. The pasta was homemade and the vegetables were fresh. I would highly recommend this restaurant for anyone who enjoys Italian food that is well prepared. The service was outstanding as well.
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Review from Marilyn P.
Vancouver, BC
12/9/2010 2 photos
I drove by this restaurant and I was craving some Spaghetti Bolognese, so I thought I'd give this a try. I've never heard of this restaurant but upon looking through the window, it seemed like it would be a decent place for pasta.
I just came from work, so my boyfriend and I were not dressed up at all and we were expecting the host to deny us at the door. Fortunately for us, the host happily greeted us and showed us to our seat right away.
We were presented with a basket of focaccia bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Very yummy, but I didn't want to get full from that. To start, we decided to share an order of Carpaccio all' Emiliana (prime Alberta beef tenderloin carpaccio). The waiter was nice enough to split the order into two plates so we had an equal share. For the main course, I originally wanted my Spaghetti Bolognese but then decided to go with the Risotto ai Funghi (wild mushroom risotto). This dish is absolutely amazing. I don't really order risotto at restaurants because I think it's just a fancier and thicker version of congee, but man..this dish is delicious! Perfect amount of parmaesan cheese, so it's not too cheesy and enough mushrooms to keep the dish from being too boring with just risotto. My boyfriend decided to go with the special of the night which was beef tenderloin, cooked medium rare, served wtih seasonal vegetables and roasted potatoes. He is very picky about the way his meats are cooked and he thought his dish was amazing as well. Cooked to perfection! Unfortuantely, we were too full to order dessert but the selection seemed impressive.
A few weeks later, we came back again and decided to order the Antipasto di Pesce (assortment of seafood) and a Minestrone soup as appetizers. The soup was very flavourful but nothing special. The antipasto plate was good as well. For the main course I had the Carre d' Agnello all' Emiliana, which is an oven roasted rack of lamb, topped with mustard and herb bread crumbs and served with garlic mash potatoes, baby vegetables, with rosemary red wine demi-glace. I love lamb and this lamb was cooked to perfection! The meat was so tender and juicy. No dessert again this time, because I was so full I thought I was gonna bust the button off my jeans!
The waiter came around to ask us how our meal was when we were done and he divulged that the owner of this restaurant used to own Amarcord Restaurant in Yaletown. I was quite impressed because I've always wanted to try their Astice alla Veneziana, which is a fresh whole Atlantic lobster prepared with a traditional Venetian recipe, served with spaghetti. I will definitely come back to give you guys my review of the dish!
Overall, a Italian restaurant addition to the neighbourhood. I'll definitely be a regular :) -
Review from patty g.
Vancouver, BC
4/20/2011
Recently my husband and I dined at Via Veneto during a recent stay in Vancouver . We often travel to Italy and were pleased to find out that the owner is from Farrara. A delicious basket of bread, was brought to the table. It was unusual for me. The owner explained that it was prepared from a regional recipe. We ordered the house salad...liked the dressing. I ordered a 3 cheese gnocchi, which melted in my mouth! My husband ordered a seafood pasta. He also was very happy with his choice. I would definitely return. I'll try the mushroom risotto next time!
