Taste Vancouver Food Tours: Little Italy
byOn a drizzly Saturday afternoon I became re-acquainted with one of the most interesting and diverse neighbourhoods in Vancouver thanks to the Taste Vancouver Food Tours: Little Italy tour. Having enjoyed the Gastown food tour operated by Jewel Taylor back in December of 2011, I knew that I was in for a treat with the Commercial Drive version.
I met up with Jewel and the rest of the group at Il Mercato on the corner of Commercial Drive and First Avenue where our host offered pertinent details about the 2.5 hour tour upon which we were about to embark.
Jewel said that she and her partner walked up and down Commercial Drive one day and counted 39 countries that were represented through the businesses along the way. Italian families and businesses have a strong representation in this area known as Little Italy, which tied into an underlying theme of family-owned and operated establishments. One of the best examples of this harmony was at our first stop at Lombardo’s.
Lombardo’s Pizzeria Location: 1641 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Website | Facebook | Twitter |
La Grotta Del Formaggio Cheese Shop Location: 1791 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Website | Facebook | Twitter |
At Lombardo’s we met with Patti Lombardo who opened Lombardo’s in 1986, serving up crisp Napolateana style wood-oven pizza. Going strong for 25 years, Patti’s daughters are involved in the business, like Julia who was preparing the day’s 2go pizzas for their new take-out shop just a few feet away in Il Mercato where her sisters also work. Our sample at this stop was a slice of capricciosa pizza with prosciutto, artichoke hearts, and black olives.
With the delicate ring of a bell, Jewel signaled to the group that it was time to move on and off we went to La Grotta Del Formaggio Cheese Shop. This is where I realized a second (or third) theme of the tour: places that have amazing aromas. We samples three cheeses, including Applewood Smoked Cheddar and one of my favourites, Manchego.
Falconetti’s East Side Grill Location: 1812 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Liberty Wine Merchants Location: 1622 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Moving across the street we were served some signature sangria and some world famous sausages at Falconetti’s, which you might recognize from an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. It was hard not to fill up already on an order of Falc’s Fries, tossed with garlic and kissed with a hint of lime, but we exercised some impressive will power and set out for our next location.
Down the block at Liberty Wine Merchants we sampled a lovely chianti that was available in the shop for under $20 to compliment your home-cooked meal, inspired by Little Italy.
Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria Location: 1380 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Santa Barbara Market Location: 1322 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Three more pizzas were served up just for our group, fresh out of the authentic bell oven at Famoso. The Neapolitan-certified slices were samples of their Margherita (fior-di-latte, fresh basil, pecorino romano, extra virgin olive oil), Funghi (parmesan crema, fior-di-latte, roasted white mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, caramelized onions, white truffle oil, pecorino romano), and Cavoletti (oven-roasted Brussels sprouts, prosciutto crisps, gorgonzola cheese, dates, walnuts, drizzle of honey) pizzas. Once our tummies were full of the soft dough and crisp toppings we left the warmth of the pizzeria and received an education in local grocery shopping over at Santa Barbara Market.
At the market we sampled cheese and meat platters, juicy grapes and savoury stuffed olives as we learned about the incredibly low prices and the incomparable selection of over 100 olive oil varieties available behind the deli counter. Apparently the market gets so busy around the holidays that there’s a lineup out the door with a number system for shoppers so be sure to check it out before then.
Dolce Amore Gelateria Location: 1588 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Libra Room Pasta & Music Location: 1608 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Over half-way through the tour we stopped at Dolce Amore for some hazelnut gelato to reset our palettes. It was creamy, dreamy, and stuffed with hazelnut flavour. I looked longingly at the other goodies in the freezer case like the ice cream sandwiches that I will return to sample someday soon. We heard all about this family business, run by the fourth generation of the Grippo family, continuing the theme on the tour as we moved onto one of the city’s best dinner + live music venues at the Libra Room.
Next to the stage with a drum kit, piano, and garage door that opens up onto The Drive, we enjoyed a rich ravioli with mushrooms, parmesan, and pesto. It was a very generous portion packed with the compliment of warm flavours you would expect from the heart of Little Italy.
Continental Coffee Location: 1806 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Fratelli Authentic Italian Bakery Location: 1795 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Following the pasta, we walked back up to Continental Coffee where we met owner Anita Allan, who is actually a part of the Grippo family that runs Dolce Amore. Anita quickly became the star of the entire tour in my eyes, sharing her family history, entrepreneurial spirit, and stories of growing up mere blocks away.
I loved hearing about how she would shop for shoes at Copp’s on Commercial as a little girl and how she built up her own business over the last 34 years. Her two sons work for the coffee company, as does her grandson, and we sampled the fruits of their labour in a beautifully brewed cappuccino. The pastries at Fratelli across the road were the perfect compliment and a delightful way to end our tour.
The Taste Vancouver food Tours: Little Italy edition runs every Saturday from 2:00pm to 4:30pm for $49, which includes all of the food and beverage tastings. Vegetarian options are available.
Food brings everyone together and what better way to discover more venues in our hometown than by sampling a handful at once. The outing makes for a fun date day, family bonding (I brought my mother along), and team-building with a work group or team. You’ll enjoy the generous tasting samples, the pace of a walking tour, and you’ll definitely find yourself making a grocery list to fulfill on a return trip or planning a date night with live music and good eats.
Learn more about these businesses, the people who run them, and the history of this eclectic neighbourhood by winning a spot for you and a guest on an upcoming tour. Here’s how:
- Leave a comment naming your favourite Italian food item (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 5:00pm on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 who will be able to enjoy a complimentary spot (with a guest) on an upcoming tour. Must be 19+. Follow Taste Vancouver Food Tours on Twitter and Facebook for more information about their various activities and tours around town.
Update The winner is Connie!
116 Comments — Comments Are Closed
Tortellini in a pesto cream sauce !!!
I love Tiramisu.
Fettuccine Alfredo yum!
I love any pasta, plus thin crust caprese pizza and tiramisu. Is wine considered a food item?
Olive oil
The pizza at Famosa and the sandwiches at La Grotta del Formaggio!
Zuppa di Vongole!
I just love a nice thin crust pizza with simple fresh toppings.
Pasta pasta pasta!
We love The Drive and would love to win this Tour of Little Italy!
So difficult…a lovely pasta dish or authentic thin crust pizza.
tiramisu!
Ricotta cannelloni!
Nothing better than spaghetti and meatballs
Calamari – the real grilled kind, not the crap deep fried kind.
I love pizza!!!
pizza!
So many to choose from…porchetta!
tiramisu!
pizza
Pasta! Yum 🙂
gnochi
i love lasagna
Burrata
It’s always so hard to choose as I absolutely LOVE pasta! But if I had to choose just one, it would be old fashion spaghetti and meatballs!
Tiramisu all the way
Tiramisu♡
This is exactly the thing I enjoy doing in my free time! My favourite Italian food is pasta with tomato sauce.
Burrata cheese
Pizza!
Tiramisu!
Pizza
Favorite by far is prosciutto!
Tiramisu
Rissotto al funghi
Italian sausage w/ green and red peppers in a tomato cream sauce
Wood-Oven Pizza ~ delizioso
cannaloni!
ravioli
Neapolitan style pizza!
Pasta!
The Italina cake Gubana, which is sooo hard to find anywhere…. but Bosa In Vancouver sells it!
Gnocchi!
spinach and cheese cannelloni
Gelato!
I love pasta!
homemade ravioli
Pizza!!
Chicken Parmesan, yum!
Semifreddo
I love spinach ad cheese cannelloni !
neapolitan pizza! 🙂
My favourite is prosciutto.
Olives!
Cannaloni
Pizza!
I’d have to go with pizza too! Yum!
gelato!
Thin crust pizza
Panini from La Grotta del Formaggio!
My favorite Italian food is pizza!
Neapolitan pizza
Too many options to decide! I love pizza, pastries and pasta!
gnocchi is delicious
Lasagna!
prosciutto
Baked Ziti!
Pizza
Tiramisu for the win!
Tiramisu… yum…
love classic spaghetti and meatballs!
Gnocchi (preferably with rose sauce).
pizza
Gnocchi with rose sauce or a good pesto!
Pizza
Lasagna!
Nonna’s homemade lasagna loaded with cheese!
Olive Harvest Soup ~ Zuppa Frantoiana
Did someone say, “Pizza”? I mean gelato. Pizza. Gelato. Pizza. Gela…
gnocchi
I lova tha Tiramisu!
Osso buco
Pizza!!! (and gelato) (oh, actually EVERYTHING)
You lost me at Chianti. The mind started to wander. That counts as food right?
Proper Neapolitan Pizza, drooooool
hmmm pasta pasta luv it
ravioli! (and red wine)
Almost any sort of PASTA! Especially with grilled chicken or shrimp. 🙂
A great carbonara would really hit the spot.
My fave is spagettie carbonara
lasagne
osso bucco è buonissimo 🙂
Gelato! No, pasta! No, gelato! No, pasta! Oh boy, this could go on and on…
I love Pizza
All this is making me hungry
Love any kinds of pasta!
Pasta!
Cannelloni.
I could really use some cannoli right now …
Capricciosa pizza and chef salad from Lombardo’s mmmmmm 🙂
caprese salad!
Dark chocolate gelato!
Buffalo Mozzarella
Any pasta
Pizza.
pizza!
Pistachio Gelato!
Lasagna, especially veggie lasagna!
Lasagna-all varieties!
Italian food, yum!
I definitely love pizza. mozzarella cheese and tomato basil sauce. Yum!
Fettuccine Alfredo
It would be al dente pasta.
The classic spaghetti and meatballs. Yummy.
gelato, pasta, pizza! italian food!!! XD *drools*
All these foods are making me hungry, haha. Pizza, ice cream and wine are just a few of my favorites and seeing them posted online makes me want to grab a bite. These are types of food you couldn’t just take out of a vending machine. I wonder if there is a way to package foods like this in ‘to-go’ format and if they would be popular preserved.