Vancouver’s newest Italian restaurant is a hidden delight — here’s what to order

One of Vancouver’s most celebrated Italian restaurants, Ask For Luigi, officially has a sister spot. Cantina di Luigi is described as a natural extension and little sibling of the Michelin Guide-recommended eatery, and it’s ready to welcome you in.

Over the years, both locals and A-listers have praised the top-notch pasta at the well-established Alexander Street restaurant. Now, the concept’s group, Kitchen Table Restaurants, is venturing into another Vancouver neighbourhood with Catina di Luigi.

Located at 213 East Georgia Street in Chinatown, which is already a hotbed for lively dining and drinking destinations, Cantina di Luigi is the newest addition to the area.

It is currently open Wednesday to Saturday for dinner service, accepting only walk-ins, but we’re told that lunch and brunch will launch down the road.

To get to Cantina, you must first walk through the daytime concept that operates at the same address, Mercato di Luigi. If in doubt, just follow the glow of the red neon “Cantina” sign in the foggy window.

For those unfamiliar, Mercato di Luigi is an Italian marketplace serving as a café, grocer, and bakery. The concept has two locations: one on East Georgia Street and one on East 12th Avenue. At the Chinatown address, you pass an array of pantry staples and fresh-baked pastries on your way to the new, intimate dining destination.

Cantina di Luigi is tucked away in the back of the space. The dining room is small but mighty and boasts warm wood tones, pops of greenery, and an ample amount of wine on display. It’s giving “Sit down and stay a while,” and that’s exactly what we did.

It was evident the word was already out on the new restaurant, as the room quickly filled once we settled in.

Wine is at the heart of the concept here, offering a more wine-focused dining experience than Ask For Luigi, setting the two apart. Whether it’s by the bottle or the glass, you’ll have lots to explore alongside a tight cocktail list with no weak links (we’re looking at you, Moscato Spritz) and a selection of non-boozy options, too.

The menu here is simple by design, something we and many others appreciate more and more these days. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t difficult to land on what to order from the refined offerings, as everything looked appealing.

After some consideration and having our knowledgable server weigh in, we opted for the gorgeous fresh burrata to start, along with Luigi’s Meatballs. The latter is an Ask For Luigi staple, a combo of pork, veal, pine nuts, marinara, and grana padano.

From there, we treaded into pasta territory. Oh, what a wonderful place to be.

The stand-out was the Risotto con Guancia di Manzo with beef cheek, mushroom conserva, and cipollini onions. Melt-in-your-mouth beef cheek meets velvety risotto — what’s not to love?

Next, we tackled the Tagliolini ai Frutti di Mare with shrimp, mussels, calamari, lemon butter, and mixed herbs. While it may sound decadent, this pasta remained light and fragrant and was a dream team addition to the risotto on the table.

Naturally, for a sweet finish, the classic and elegant Tiramisù was a must.

You might also like:
• Gordon Ramsay praises Canada's culinary scene and describes Vancouver's as a 'foodie eruption'
• Budget-friendly noodle restaurant closes its doors in Vancouver
• Metro Vancouver's first milk and brookie bar to open new bakery and cafe space

Cantina di Luigi offers a rustic and comfortable spot to unwind. It honours old-world Italian traditions with delicious plates made with simple and high-quality ingredients.

If you’re a fan of Italian wines and cheese along with handmade pasta and bread, we’d certainly recommend checking out this spot.

Cantina di Luigi

Address: Inside Mercato di Luigi — 213 E Georgia, Vancouver

Instagram

Still hungry? Discover Dished Vancouver on TikTok