Review: Elio Volpe Is an Instant Vancouver Classic

It’s not easy to grow up under the shadow of your bonafide celebrity siblings. Just ask Kieran Culkin: the pressure is on when the spotlight was lit years before you were an inkling of a concept. Let’s just say it takes a lot of talent to go from Fuller in Home Alone to winning an Emmy for your role in one of HBO’s biggest shows ever.

In the case of Elio Volpe, the latest addition to the Banda Volpi restaurant group, rather than cower behind its rockstar siblings, it too took the Kieran route. And the Cambie Village restaurant has come out swinging with an all-star lineup. At the helm is chef Alan Tam, the 15-year culinary vet who previously ran Michelin-recommended Nightingale. Vish Mayekar, previously of Caffè La Tana (also of Banda Volpi), kicked things off as exec sous (though he’s since stepped down). And at the top of the org chart is Phil Scarfone, culinary director for Banda; under his guidance, the restaurant group highlights various styles of Italian cuisine, like the rustic Savio Volpe and its straight-out-of-Goodfellas sibling Pepino’s. With a roster like this, no wonder snagging a table meant planning weeks in advance.

Despite the weeknight reservation, when my partner and I arrive at what was once a mechanic shop, we’re met by a vibrant crowd—foursomes gushing over their meals, couples nestled near the large window that borders the host stand. Inside, a high, industrial, exposed-beam ceiling gives way to a warm, open space.

A full page of negroni interpretations stand out within a robust drinks program, and the classic version is pitch-perfect, with a flawlessly clear ice cube in the centre—forever a sign of good things to come. I succumb to the siren call of the vesper Italiano ($20): delicately floral, and topped with a drop of Agrumato lemon oil, balancing each sip.

Vancouver is no stranger to tuna crudo, but Elio’s version ($26) surprises me. Cubes rather than slices sit in a punchy, fish-sauce-laden dressing. There’s the heat of thinly sliced serrano, and the sweet-tart jolt of ground cherries and basil combined with the citrus-forward sauce, leaning Vietnamese more than Italian. That’s no condemnation: this iteration is one that I’d order again and again, and it’s a representation of my impression of Elio as a whole: an elevated neighbourhood joint. A place you want to return to.

Our Roman-style pizza ($28) arrives screaming hot, with possibly the thinnest crust I’ve ever seen and featuring chunks of Italian ham, in-season asparagus, a generous pile of arugula, jalapeno and truffle crema. To know me is to know I love sauce, but here, the truffle crema doesn’t take centre stage. Instead, it acts as a vessel for umami notes, a hint of creaminess that lets the early summer produce and expertly crafted crust shine.

Finishing up on cocktails, we turn to wine. The by-the-glass program at Elio is thoughtful—so thoughtful I have the fleeting sense that it might be too elaborate. But the neighbourhood-joint vibe is still going strong in the pages of the wine menu, and with my partner’s 2021 Borgo Scopeto Sangiovese Chianti at $17 and my 2022 G.D. Vajra Nebbiolo Langhe at $18, it feels downright affordable. I’m no wine pro but I can describe it for you in the way I need my own grapes spelled out: the nebbiolo is very drinkable. Moreish even. It’s red-fruit-forward on its own, but with the pizza it tastes brighter without giving away any of its power. The chianti is richer, and, when paired with the food, the tannin finish feels dynamic, each sip robust.

Cacio e pepe is my go-to. I treat it the way chefs on TV talk about the perfect French omelette: it’s a litmus test. I’m immediately intrigued by Chef Tam’s rendition ($18)—which includes a 10-year cheddar and roasted jalapeno—because, frankly, it sounds nothing like the pasta dish I love. I’m right—and that’s a good thing.

A mountain of roasted jalapeno sits at the centre of a bowl of lacquered rigatoni, begging to be mixed with the cheese. Once combined, the al dente pasta doesn’t taste like straight-up heat or salsa or any other dish that usually features the ubiquitous pepper: it’s like someone turned the dial on cacio e pepe up to eleven. Fruity notes from the jalapeno come through, but they’re matched with the salinity of the cheese, and what’s left is a lingering but tight spice. At once it’s both exceptional and everyday.

My partner opts for the lamb, and it’s expertly charred on the outside with a pink interior that gives way to the knife with ease. The chunky salsa verde combined with the crunchy pistachios is a fresh version of the overdone jelly condiment. But it’s the salsa rossa that will have me thinking back on the dish for days (I told you I’m a sauce fiend). It’s lightly bitter yet fruity, with a deep spice that ends short to give way to the rich lamb. It’s so multifaceted that I ask my server what’s in it. I expect to hear it’s a secret recipe, but when she reveals that the sauce is a combination of chipotle in adobo, ancho chile and red pepper, I’m brought back to the thought I had while eating the tuna: that the talented team creates a casual, easy air that makes it easy to miss just how much expertise is at play. 

Elio Volpe might be the newest of the unabashedly fabulous Banda Volpi restaurants, but it has already earned its place in the dining fabric of Vancouver. Unfussy yet elevated, it redefines classic dishes with flourish but in a way that feels effortless. Chef Alan Tam and his team are up for the challenge, and I can’t wait to taste what they recreate next.

The Essential Deets

540 W 17th Avenue
Open 7 days a week; brunch on weekends
eliovolpe.com