FOR FRIENDS
FAMILY &
STRANGERS

Savio Volpe is a restaurant styled after the classic osteria–rustic fare in the Italian tradition of freshness and regionality, using groceries gathered in the nearby lakes, oceans, farms and fields. Everything is prepared in the simplest, most flavourful way; pasta is handmade fresh every day–fatto a mano in casa–and meat, poultry and fish are kissed by smoke over the wood-fired grill and rotisserie. And of course, a long list of friendly Italian wines and old world coffee to inspire conversation and good cheer among friends, family and strangers alike. Above all else, Savio celebrates liveliness, warmth and hospitality. Viva la convivialità!

NAMESAKE

Back in the day (dating back as far as the 14th century), an osteria was known as a place serving wine and simple food. In the vast and varied landscape of Italian eateries–caffè, ristorante, taverna, trattoria, pizzeria, and so on–the osteria is a down-home style of local eatery typically serving a short menu of local specialties such as pasta, and grilled meat or fish, often served at shared tables where wine is poured and consumed liberally. As for Savio Volpe himself, our anthropomorphized namesake is certainly as wise, clever and hungry as a fox; yet, Signore Volpe is an old Italian damerino; savvy, smart and stylish; a real connoisseur.

UNA BELLA MANGIATA

Firmly rooted in the Italian tradition of simplicity and freshness, the Savio Volpe menu features plenty of fresh, handmade pastas and heavy use of the wood fire grill and spit. Never fussy or complicated; always tasty. Inevitably, our version of Italian will be flavoured by as much of what is grown and sourced right here in the lower mainland and its environs: this is Italian by way of the local materia prima.

ALLA FAMIGLIA

Talking, tasting, laughing, pouring wine, passing platters loaded with food and soaking up sauce with bread–this is how Italians do it at home and that’s how the food at Savio Volpe is meant to be enjoyed: wholeheartedly. The menu is divided into perfect parts of a whole meal–none of which should be missed–and your selections will arrive at your table as they are prepared: bread and antipasti before pasta, then protein followed by dessert. Mangiamo!

MENÙ A PREZZO FISSO

For parties over 6, we offer a family style fixed price menu. Simply put, this ensures that you will have a lovely & fresh, thoughtfully balanced meal highlighting the very best our kitchen has to offer on that day. Some dishes–risotto cooked to order, pasta al forno, spit-roast birds, whole grilled fish and giant bone in steaks–just make sense as shared plates for the table and this is our way of making sure you get una bella mangiata–a good, square meal–without lightening your pockets too much.

BIBIRE

One will find no fussy cocktails here at Savio Volpe: simply a spritz, a negroni and some nice house-made Italian sodas with no/low alcohol. With so many craft breweries in our own backyard, our beer list is a celebration of local; from easy drinking lagers to flavourful pale ales, selections will change with the season. Our wine list is, naturally, all-Italian–accessible and fun without being shy to explore a less predictable region or varietal from time to time.

CAFFÈ

Along with a rotating selection of homemade gelato and all-time favourite Italian pastries and cookies with which to finish off your meal, we at Savio Volpe are passionate about producing good coffee. Taking that which we love about both the specialty coffee industry and Italian espresso culture, we are going for that old world feel, using coffee origin, roast profile and brewing technique to produce a comfortably delicious espresso, with just a hint of nostalgia.

ATMOSPHERE

Simple & somewhat contemporary, classic & lighthearted, reminiscent of a traditional osteria with wicker, wood, and natural stone figuring quite prominently. A sense of play and sprezzatura is represented in the use of irreverent fabrics and Italian Modernist-inspired lighting. In lieu of a more conventional bar, a centre console reminiscent of a kitchen island pays homage to the nerve centre of any great dinner party at home. More than anything, Savio Volpe is warm and inviting—a place you’d want to walk into out of the rain with a unique layout affording plenty of space for cozying up to the bar, nestling into booths with a view, tucking away into nooks or sharing a long table with family & friends.

BAMBINI

Kids are more than welcome at Savio Volpe. Just like at nonna’s house, they are both adored and expected to behave.

PARKING

There is plenty of street parking on Kingsway, 15th avenue, and in the surrounding streets east & west of Kingsway. Be sure to park in areas not requiring permits and respect the peace and quiet of our quaint neighbourhood.