Osteria Savio Volpe

I want to give it one star purely for selfish reasons… I don’t want the entire world to know about it which will make it difficult for me to go whenever I want without a huge ass wait. But… I’ll be fair. This place is one of the best places we visited in a long time.
Here’s the quick rundown. Food was excellent, service was incredible, space was awesome. It’s a total package! This place takes resos but also keeps about 30% for walk ins. We just walked in, put our name down and went to get a cup of coffee when they texted me that our table was ready. We started with Bagna Cauda; hot anchovy and garlic bath, which was mind blowing… J says it was less rustic than what you get in Italy, but was still well prepared. We moved onto our entrees… One of their specials was what looked similar to Cavatelli but maybe a bit longer and but skinnier [Dammit, I should have written it down!] with walnut pesto, and potatoes. The second special we ordered was the sucking roasted pig dish. I feel terrible for not remembering what that was exactly named. I just like to eat… I did tell the waitress when she went over the specials, «you had me at sucking roasted pig»! We also ordered a bottle of an older Italian red. Our waitress recommended it and I loved it. Last but not least, let’s move onto dessert! We ordered red wine poached pear with rice pudding. I’m a baker so I take this last course very seriously. Their poached pear was to die for. The rice pudding does its job nicely balancing out the sweetness of the pear.
So, this place hits all three points that are very important to me. Food was excellent, their service was outstanding AND their staff have wine knowledge and know their wine inventory. If you haven’t tried this place yet, you’re missing out. Go! Just go!

Was up in the area so decided to check it out. When approaching this restaurant and opening the large front door, my initial impression was that it might be a tad pretentious. Osteria Savio Volpe is anything but.
Staff are warm and welcoming, and the layout of the restaurant (which is really well thought out) is open and inviting. The lighting is bright but not overpowering. The bartender and guy making salumi plates (cutting the salami fresh) were chatty as well. The waitress was engaging and pleasant. I got the impression that whoever the owner is made sure to coach his entire staff to be friendly.
So already I was feeling good before tucking into the 8oz steak with bone marrow sauce. The waitress let me know that I would be waiting 20 – 25 minutes for the steak, which was not a mandatory thing to mention but appreciated!
When it arrived, the steak was cooked well and the sauce was rich. Great complement to the steak seasoning. Simple plating, nothing fancy. The mashed vegetable side came in a skillet in a hearty portion. Price point seemed fair given the portion.
The couple one over was having what looked like a thick soup with a huge assortment of arranged breads and vegetables for dipping. This looked delicious and I’ll be ordering it next time.
Service was top notch, food was great, and the layout is unique. Pretty excited to try more of the menu next time.

It’s so easy to rave about this spot. It comes to mind every time I think about Vancouver and food.
I’ve been twice. That’s not nearly enough!
The first time we arrive 15 minutes before they opened as we had no reservations. At 5pm we were immediately seated at the bar. I know seating at the bar can some times be a little tight in terms of space, but there is more than enough space and it’s totally comfortable. It’s also a cool spot to sit as «pasta boy Peter» mans the Salumi station. He is so enthusiastic, and totally engaging. Ask about the meat cutter, totally a great conversation piece.
I love the vibe of Savio Volpe. It’s much more welcoming than most Vancouver spots. It actually reminds me of my experiences eating in Europe. The staff are sophisticated and excited to be there. They are proud of the food coming out is the kitchen, and the efforts of what they are all putting out there for us to savor.
In terms of the food, it’s all fantastic! It’s family style share plates. And by family, think what an Italian grandmother would serve on a Sunday meal.
First time we had the Salumi, and 4 dishes. I had fantastic red wine by the glass. I let them select it for me based on a few points about what I like. One must order of the menu is the Sunday pasta, with short ribs (so good I’ve had it twice)
Second time around we made a reservation, which I love that they accept such bookings. We also brought out own bottle of wine, as we had a really special bottle. Total plus that they offer a corkage fee. From this round of food I would say you have to try the kale salad and the dandelion ravioli. These are dishes we normally won’t not have chosen, but our server suggested them and guaranteed we would not be disappointed.
I can’t wait to go back again! This will be the place we will take any out of town guest.
Superb!

We spent around 170 $ for 2 of us with 2 drinks each (need a better selection of all the drinks). The farrow salad was amazing probably the best dish of the night, the meat board was okay save your money and just buy some oyama sausage at Granville Island. We had two pastas; a tortellini and a strazzapreti they were sold to us life changing… Flavours were great but portions were tiny like 12 quarter sized tortellini. To accompany the pastas we had the sausage with potatoes and charred onions, those onions were fantastic they made up for the dry sausage. Finally we had canoli and poached pear for dessert and both were spot on. I really wanted this place to be a neighbourhood osteria but with its high prices and smaller portions that it won’t, definitely a special event kinda place, guess I’ll keep having to drive to Roma.
Service: 7 cliché hipster staff that snarked at my request for a drink not on the menu.
Food:7
Ambiance:7

Very beautiful trendy restaurant that recently opened in the Fraser /​Kingsway area. This whole area is changing for the better. Such a modern and beautiful restaurant. Love the décor. Very friendly staff. We couldn’t get a reservation but we got there right at 5 pm and was able to get a table for 1.5 hour limit. We ordered the grilled squid and it was very tasty. The spaghetti with clams was a bit disappointing as it was bland and just too spicy. The portion was tiny for $ 18. The meatballs were good but only got three on the plate which seemed chintzy for $ 14. The garlic bread came last and it would have been nice to get that first. It was so delicious though. Thank goodness for the garlic bread because we definitely would not have been full on the other dishes. We had the trio ice cream from beta5 for dessert. It was pretty good but expensive for 3 scoops of ice cream. Apparently beta 5 only makes ice cream exclusively for Savio and no other restaurants. Overall the experience was good but pricey. The food quality is something they will need to work on if they charge those prices.

The entrance.
Seeking an alternate to Ask for Luigi, I was excited to hear of this new Osteria in the Kingsway ‘hood — fresh pasta only blocks from home!
I was enamoured with the décor, loved the vibe, and am a big fan of the bar seating in the centre of the restaurant. The noise level was perfect; it was easy to speak and be heard, but a definite electricity.
I’d made a reservation for a 9:15 seating, and walked in about 4 mins past our assigned time, slid through the crowd of ten or so people waiting for a table, and were seated immediately, along with a courteous greeting.
Our waitress was a bit slow to the table, but smiled a lovely canned smile. After gratis sparkling water landed on the table, drink orders were taken. In answer to the request for a French 75, and a completely dry [gin] martini, I was informed they were an Italian restaurant and «only make classy drinks», and that also, they didn’t have a shaker.
Setting aside the thoughtless jibe at my evidently pauperesque drink choice, I settled for gin, severely stirred and berated loudly, and whatever semblance of olives and olive juice they could muster. The drinks arrived as prescribed. (My accomplice switched out for a recommend and much more Italian-​sounding and seemingly orange Jello and prosecco-​based drink).
The menu.
I get pushing the Italian thing; but an English description would go a long way toward creature comfort.
The food.
Salumi plate was good. Not great, but good. We were not treated to a description of the meat selection, but the variety was nice, if lacking in depth. Something to dip the bread in might have been nice also. A saucer of olive oil was brought at request. (Better than: Blackbird. Lesser than: Black Tail; Merchant’s; Vancouver Urban Winery)
Olive plate. We were treated to the olive plate as recompense for the martini debacle. House-​made olives. It was excellent. (Better than: Most places)
Citrus anchovies. Very good. This would rank as excellent for its simplicity and combination of flavours, however, no bread is served with this dish. Their bread is excellent — they deserve each other.
Grilled Squid. This was the singularly best prepared squid I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating; grilled — but moist and not in the least bit chewy. The squid had flavour, but the overall dish lacked depth, and the fava beans are of questionable value as an addition, but overall very good. (Better than: Everywhere)
Tortiglioni (striated tubes) w/​short rib and red sauce. The place was busy, so the only logical explanation I can conjure is they must have run out of everything and dumped a box of pasta, a jar of Ragu, and the remains of last night’s meat special on a plate. Easily the worst fresh pasta I’ve ever had the misfortune of masticating, verging on worst fresh or boxed. I can only describe it as undercooked and stale. I love fresh pasta, done al dente, or even slightly less. This was not love. The short rib added insult to injury and was overcooked strips of gristle too big to eat in one bite, and too overcooked and chewy to cut with the supplied cutlery. This was disappointment in a bowl. Serving size was entirely reasonable. (Better than: N/​A; Poorer than: Most frozen pasta meals).
All in, the meal was ~$ 160 including tax and tip for dinner for two + 2 cocktails + 1 glass of wine. You’re paying for the atmosphere, and the Italian menu translation services.
The loo.
The washrooms deserve a special shout out, specifically for their proximity to the kitchen and that they smell delightfully of smokey oak from the open kitchen fire. Here’s to hoping the smell transfer is unidirectional.
Atmosphere: 9.5÷10
Service: ⁶⁄₁₀
Food: ⁶⁄₁₀
Value: ⁵⁄₁₀
All that said, I really really really want this place to be great. Given the reviews surrounding this one, I’m inclined to give it another try. I’ll skip the pasta, mind you.

Charming spot for dinner/​date — really adorable atmosphere. Dim lighting, cute fixtures all over the place, bar in the middle with a man cutting up charcuterie plus the food was excellent!
We ordered the fennel, meatballs, garlic bread, a pasta and the half chicken. Surprisingly, the pasta was the most mediocre dish out of it all — I would suggest skipping the pasta and ordering the other dishes they have on their menu as the fennel, meatballs and half chicken were AMAZING. Seriously. so. good.
Pricing was very reasonable — portions were of a good size and the flavours were definitely there. Between the two of us, our meal was just a little over $ 100 and we had some drinks too.
Restaurant feels very big and open but there aren’t too many tables so it’d be wise to book a table in advance. Also not aware of any parking other than street parking in that area.

Love the updated 70’s vibe. The light wood wall panel with the white accent is nice. The food was great, but a bit overpriced consider the portion.
There’s no food allergy warning on the menu or being asked by our server. Please note their cannoli constrains nuts. Thank god our friend spat it out and washed it down with water.

I’m still thinking about the garlic bread…
I came here for a girls’ night on a Friday in late November. We had been delaying two birthday celebrations until Savio Volpe opened because the birthday girls (myself being one of them!) would not settle for anything else! And we’re so glad we did. Everything we ate and drank was amazing, the service and décor were impeccable, and I just kept thinking how excited I was that this place was as good as I had hoped, and that there was a new Italian gem to recommend to everyone who would listen – one that is both hip and cozy, both unpretentious and gourmet.
I only wish I wrote a review earlier so that I could describe each dish that we ate – but there was surely a kale salad, the aforementioned garlic bread, and one or two pasta dishes. In any event I will be coming back every chance I get, and I’ll write a better review about the Wise Fox.

Osteria Savio Volpe Vancouver opened after much anticipation to Fraserhood. This lively Italian taverna boasts freshly made pasta, classic rustic fare and traditional Italian dishes. You can forget about walk ins with wait of at least an hour and half. Booking a table one week in advance is your best bet.
Savio Volpe is a casual comfortable restaurant fit for families, friends and a second date. Wood cladding, soft lights and contemporary with a hint of 70’s. Needless to say, we’ve been looking forward to this for sometime. The team? Restaurateur Paul Grunberg (L’Abattoir), Mark Perrier and Craig Stanghetta (Homer St. Café, Revolver, Meat & Bread, Pidgin, etc.)
White anchovy, citrus, chili, mint 14: I love these savory white anchovies. It is simple yet beautiful. Drizzled in oil. The grapefruit acidity enhanced their intrinsic flavors. This dish has such juicy flavors while still remaining light!
Ox tongue tonnata 14: Ox tongue is used here instead of the veal typically found in Vitello tonnato (veal with tuna caper sauce). When you taste the mayo, you may scratch your head and wonder why it tastes like tuna. The creamy umami mayo is indeed made with canned tuna, egg yolks and anchovies. The sharpness of capers brightens the dish.
Garlic bread «all’Americano» 6: This nostalgic garlic bread is served in an aluminium pouch. Just like you would see at a supermarket. Savio Volpe’s garlic bread is house made, fluffy and light. Melted Avalon Dairy butter is perfect!
Pasta of the Day 17: Spaghetti Vongole with mussels, clams, white wine, garlic and parsley. This is a very clean pasta dish that draws on the seafood flavors with a complex finish. The pastas are house made and al dente.
Crispy Suckling Pig 24: This was the last dish we ordered. Suckling pig with crispy skin. Topped a fried egg on top with salsa verde. The meat was tender and we loved the crispy skin. But slightly underwhelming compared Chinese roasted pork. Forgive me for being biased.

Great restaurant! Loved our server Jenny!!! The food was delicious and very fresh!!! Went with 4 friends for dinner. Definitely going back. Maybe I will try lunch next time!

Absolutely fantastic. I typically get turned off by hour long waits, but this was absolutely worth it. The room, the service, the food, all excellent

Came with my wife on a Monday night, to check out this new popular Italian restaurant. Almost filled to capacity at 7 pm.
We ordered the Salumi plate, the tagliarini pasta with wild mushrooms, the steak (8 ounce sirloin) with a gratin of brocolli and cauliflower. This was paired along with a glass of Merlot. For dessert, we had the wined pear.
The food was excellent. It is a bit pricey because there are no ‘sides’ to the mains and you have to order carbs/​veggies separately (hence the gratin). The pace of service was a bit slow for me, as we came in after a massive table of ~10 people and our orders would follow theirs.
I have posted the Salumi plate below. It is delicious and my most recommended dish of the restaurant. We will be back.

I went here within the first week or so of their opening — as expected, they were still finding their groove with timing of seating, wait expectations, reservations, etc. I would imagine they’ve found better footing now! Our wait was about 2 hours when told it would be about 1 to 1.5 hours.
Once finally seated, the quality of service and food did NOT disappoint! Very friendly, responsive staff in a beautifully designed space by Craig Stanghetta (who also did Meat & Bread, Homer St. Café, Revolver, etc.). The only thing that didn’t fit was how very loud it was.
The marinated olives were a great, immediate snack while the other food came out. These were compensated (likely for our long wait).
The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. The few, simple ingredients in the three-​meat pasta (which included Rabbit) with a pepper and butter sauce sounded underwhelming but were simply delicious. Thanks to the server’s recommendation, we went for it — and, if it’s on the menu when you go, you should, too!
Of the two salads ordered, the Black Kale Salad was a highlight — well seasoned with tasty cheese. The Beet Salad was also tasty, but not stand-​out amazing.
I will definitely go back to Savio Volpe — with reservations (which they conveniently take online) and a healthy appetite so there’s room to try dessert! It is a welcome addition to the growing Kingsway/​Fraser food scene.

I’m obsessed with Italian restaurants. This is one of my favorites, had a four course meal with drinks and was very affordable.
Stars of the show were the thinly sliced meat plate, homemade orecchiette pasta and the kale salad. Desert was the chocolate tart with olive oil, sea salt and pine nuts. Die and go to heaven!
I recommend sitting at the bar and socializing while watching all the action. Meats are cooked over a wood fire grill, my only issue was the steak was pretty chewy but expected for top sirloin.
It’s a toss up between Savio and Tavola for my favourite Italian restaurant

This place is phenomenal. I enjoyed every dish I consumed, plus the atmosphere is chic & comfortable. The design team did a fantastic job. Wooden paneling, great layout of tables and bar placing amidst the ambient funky lighting. The service was A+. The staff was very friendly, approachable and on top of checking our food/​drink needs.
The food? Awesome. We started with a Salumi plate… a few varieties of meat with bread. Then, we had the roasted pork special, followed by chickpeas & squid.
The meatball tortlioni was the best. I had the negroni to start and followed with a great red wine suggested by the staff. The aperol spritz looked like a drink to be desired! Next time. And yes, there’ll definitely be a next time.

I came here on a girls night-​a Monday to be specific. The place got packed pretty easily! :)
Love this place for some new fresh Italian. The first thing that caught my eye was the tall door, I wanted to take a photo of it because it is tall and slender, and has a cool brass knocker on the front (all be it way up high) however it was dark by the time I arrived.
Once you open the door, the smell of fresh lumber (mmmm fresh cut wood) teases the senses and the modern and bright spacious restaurant set the modern fresh tone. The gamut of people were spotted: I saw couples with babies, couples, groups and even a table with grey haired ladies — it was packed on a Monday~
Service– great. Helpful, attentive.
Food-​delicious variety, plenty of starters, mains, sides, STEAKS and house made pasta (and desserts) and obvi VINO to tingle the tastebuds. I’d come back multiple times just to try the variety of dishes.
The curators of Osteria Savio Volpe come from a co-​owner of L’abbatoir and the chef has worked at Cincin among some other notable establishments.
This place is a dressy but not prissy :)

First of all it’s a beautiful restaurant. It has a warm glow to it — perfect for an Italian restaurant.
I’d say it’s a great spot for both group gatherings and dates.
I was quite impressed by their service. They exchanged our plates after every dish and they even cleaned the crumbs off our table.
Our glasses of water were never empty. Good stuff guys.
This is what you call exceptional service.
Their food was good but not blow your socks off good.
Flavour wise I thought the dishes we ordered were a tad on the light side.
We ordered 3 dishes for the two of us — kale salad, Bolognese, and the suckling pig over the fire.
The black kale salad was good but nothing special. It’s pretty much what I expected.
The texture of their bolognese was spot on, but it lacked a little flavour. I wish it was a bit more tomato-​ey. Just like their Bolognese the pig had good texture but it lacked flavour.
I’d choose Ask for Luigi over this place, but it’s still a very solid option.
3.5 for food, extra 0.5 for exceptional service.

Nice room, friendly staff. The bistecca dal fuoco was of decent value for the size. Tortiglioni with short rib braciola was nice one can tell the meat is of good quality.
Chocolate tart was slightly sour, prosciutto was excellent (not too salty), far better than the standard Oyama variety we see in the city.
It’s nice they take OpenTable reservations, it’s good but not sure it deserves all the craze?

This new thoughtfully crafted specimen is a shoe in for my best Vancouver dining experience. The chef has taken local sourcing and authentic Italian roots to create a decadent road trip through all your favourite Italian dishes while adding beautiful youthful twist.
I sat front and centre at the bar watching my prosciutto appetizers being sliced with the OG meat cutter and skillful knife cuts of the fresh apples by the wildly creative Peter aka Pasta Boy.
The décor inside is modern and thoughtful curated. The artwork is something I could only imagine to exist in a restaurant Dali spent his Monday’s at. The lighting adds a warm and comforting atmosphere to the cool white tones of the counters and wood interior.
I had to chance to speak with almost every employee and each echoed the same gratuitous attitude to the beauty and love the team has for their new home in the Fraser and Kingsway hub.
The card they leave you with reminds you, good times are had with friends, family, and strangers. You’ll leave with that euphoric feeling of satisfaction that only happens when all starts align from food, service, and décor.
Tasting notes:
We put trust in Christina to choose our wines all of Italian decent.
Peter stirred us towards a beautiful crafted prosciutto apple and Grana starter.
My partner and I shared the Pappardelle and short rib dish. Both decadent yet well balanced ratio of meat to pasta to sauce. Might I note, the pasta is hand made in house.
I finished with a locally sourced Gelato made by the beta 5 chocolatiers, you’ll only be able to find this gem of a dessert at Volpe. The Bay leaf crumble is enough to keep me coming back.
mind, body, soul. Satisfied.