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La Piazza Dario

Authentic Italian Food & Vancouver's Best Kept Secret!

Join us at La Piazza Dario in celebration of the upcoming Family Day long weekend!

At La Piazza Dario, we're all about family. So, as the the official B.C. Family Day holiday approaches, we'd like to warmly welcome you to our table to spend some quality time with your loved ones.

We understand that almost every day provides a long list of things to do, all of which can get in the way of spending quality time with your family. Which is why we would like to invite you to take a break from some of your daily duties this week (such as cooking!) and come celebrate family with us.

Make a reservation by telephone at 604-430-2195 or online via OpenTable!


Holiday Closure Reminder

A reminder that La Piazza Dario will be closed on February 8th in observation of Family Day, however, we look forward to seeing you before and after Monday!

We wish everyone a wonderful upcoming long weekend, filled with moments of laughter and love with your families.

(Images via La Piazza Dario)
La Piazza Dario wants to help you and your family get into the holiday spirit, Italian style!

The holiday season is now officially upon us and, as always, we want to help you celebrate the best way we know how: the Italian way! As Christmas is a largely celebrated holiday in Italy, we wanted to share a few fun and festive Italian holiday activities that are offered right here in Vancouver. Below are a few of our Italian-themed suggestions for you and your family to partake in this December. Enjoy!


Italian Holiday Activities in Vancouver
We hope you enjoy getting into the holiday spirit and we look forward to welcoming you to our table at La Piazza Dario!

(Image via Pixabay)
Come celebrate the changing seasons with La Piazza Dario.

Can you believe that September is already here?! It doesn't seem all that long ago that the summer season was only just beginning. However, with the Labour Day Long Weekend coming up in just a couple of days, the beginning of the fall season will officially be upon us. As always, we would like to welcome you to our table to help you celebrate the changing seasons!

Come join us for a warm bowl of stracciatella or tortellini in brodo. Or indulge in some first class, authentic Italian comfort food to help get you into the fall spirit. For example, nothing will warm you up and leave you feeling full and satisfied quite like La Piazza Dario's Spaghetti alla “Claudio”!

Peruse the rest of the La Piazza Dario lunch and dinner menus.



We look forward to seeing you over the weekend and throughout the fall! Just a reminder, however, that we will be closed this upcoming September 7th for the holiday Monday.

Happy Labour Day Long Weekend!
It's Mother's Day this weekend! 
How will you be celebrating? We've got a great idea that she will enjoy and that you can easily achieve! Come celebrate Mother's Day with us! 

From our kitchen, Chef Claudio will be whipping up a culinary storm for the whole family but most especially for the moms who do so much for us all! Give your mom the gift of a night off from the kitchen and book a table with us. We'll have the pastas and the carnes ready for you all to enjoy with a delicious glass of wine.

Following your meal, we shall prepare a decadent dessert for your mom and the whole family. Enjoy the confectionary delights that Chef Claudio has waiting with an after dinner espresso or digestif liqueur!

We hope to see you and your mom this weekend! For more ideas on how to celebrate your beloved mother this weekend, explore our post from the past: 5 Ways to Celebrate Mother's Day!

Ciao!

(Image via Pixabay)
Family Day is just around the corner...
...Or, as we like to call it around here, giorno di famiglia!

As we imagine many families throughout B.C. are, here at La Piazza Dario we're looking forward to taking a bit of time this weekend to enjoy our family. Being a fairly new holiday in our province, Family Day is a welcome break between the festivities and celebrations of the New Year, and the Spring.

So, it is with great pleasure that we warmly welcome you to bring your family to ours this long weekend and enjoy each other's company over some delicious, heartwarming Italian food!

Reminder: 

We are closed on statutory holidays, including this upcoming Monday, February 9th. That said, we hope to see you prior to Monday, over the weekend!

Make your reservation online via OpenTable or call us at 604.430.2195. We look forward to seeing you and your family!
Come and give your beloved mother a special treat!


Mother's Day is just around the corner! Don't panic! Chef Claudio is ready to cook up a delicious storm and give your mother only the best! Because after all, our moms deserve to be spoiled, especially on her special day!

Here are five simple and easy ideas to help you spoil your mom this Sunday!
  • Surprise her with a fresh bouquet of flowers to help start and brighten her day!
  • Give her plenty of hugs.
  • Pamper her with a trip to the salon and treat her to a massage, a manicure... whatever tickles her fancy!
  • Don't let her do any house work today.
  • Don't make her do the cooking either! Come to La Piazza Dario for a delicious meal and give her a night off from the kitchen.
Happy Mother's Day to all the special ladies who give so much of themselves to their families! We hope to see you this weekend and spoil you in the tasty, Italian way!

(Image courtesy Inés de Sequera)
Felice Anno Nuovo! 
or 
A very Happy New Year from all of us at La Piazza Dario!


It's almost 2014. Can you believe it?! Well we've got a fabulous idea! Treat yourself to a delicious Italian meal before the year is done or begin the new year with a tasty culinary bang!

Chef Claudio's kitchen mastery is something you and the whole family can enjoy! There's a dish for everyone: seafood lovers, meat lovers and vegetarians, big appetites and little eaters will find something for them on the menu!

And let's not forget that extensive wine list! Ring in the new year with a splash and whet your whistle with family!

Let us tempt you with our menus! Buon Natale, Felice Anno Nuovo and hope to see you soon!

(Image via Pexels)
Lift your mood & your energy with the appropriately named Italian dessert!

As we have explained in a past post, tiramisù is Italian for "pick me up." Appropriately named, this popular Italian coffee-flavoured dessert is a pick me up in more ways than one. Dipped in coffee and layered with a combination of lady fingers, separated egg yolks and whites, tiramisù is also often flavoured with cocoa. It's bound to lift both your energy and your mood! 

Although you may have enjoyed tiramisù in the past, you have yet to experience a little piece of Italian heaven until you try Chef Claudio Ranallo's recipe. Garnished with small cannoli, gooseberries and berries, we think the picture above speaks for itself!

Book a reservation today online or by calling 604.430.2195.
La Piazza Dario: the perfect place to relax & enjoy a delicious dinner, post-Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving dinner is a wonderful time of year to get together with family, eat some delicious holiday food and give thanks. But when all is said an done, you're tired of cooking and, after a couple of days of leftovers, you're tired of turkey. So, as the dust settles from your Thanksgiving feast, head to La Piazza Dario for a hassle-free (and turkey-free!) meal.

We have all of your favourite authentic Italian foods, including traditional Italian antipasti and pastas.

See the full La Piazza Dario dinner menu.
Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving long weekend from all of us at La Piazza Dario!


We have a lot to be thankful for: family, friends, delicious food, rich wines... but most of all, our wonderful patrons!

Without you, we would not be able to spread the sweet and savoury joys of Italian food and culture! There really is nothing more we would like than to introduce you to the authentic flavours of a real Italian kitchen!

We know Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for homemade meals of turkey and stuffing and pie, but, when all is said and eaten, let us ease your weekend by creating a homemade Thanksgiving meal, Italian style! Bring your whole family to La Piazza Dario and enjoy the food without the worry of cleaning up ;)

Grazie! Ciao!

(Image via Pixabay)
We just can't get enough of the Abruzzo region of Italy, Chef Claudio's home in the beautiful landscapes of Italy!


We've talked about Abruzzo before but there's always more to learn. The best way to discover Abruzzo is to visit! But we know it's not always so easy. If only we could snap our fingers and take you there!

What we can do at La Piazza Dario is invite you to discover the flavours of Abruzzo found in the fabulous creations of head chef, Claudio Ranallo!

In the meantime, enjoy this regional guide to Abruzzo from Italia! Magazine online. See you soon!

(Image via Pixabay)
Five things you must do when visiting Italy in the Summer.

Got Italy and all things Italian on the brain? We definitely do! Italy is a beautiful place to visit year-round but if you've been dreaming of taking a trip to Italy or are in the midst of planning one this summer, here are five things you absolutely must do while you're there.
  1. Go for a gondola ride in the canals of Venice. Although the city of Venice is a wondrous sight year-round, the gondola ride doesn't seem quite as magical if it's pouring rain or you're freezing!


  2. Visit the island of Capri and boat into the Grotta Azzurra, or Blue Grotto, a cavern that casts a bright blue hue on its surrounding walls due to the reflection of the beautiful water below, lit up from the sunlight that peaks through small crevices in the cavern.


  3. Do a wine tour in Tuscany. Nothing lights up the beauty of a wine route like the summer sun. The Chianti wine route is supposed to be breathtaking.


  4. Visit the ancient ruins of Pompeii. Again, a tour around Pompeii is definitely more enjoyable when the weather is cooperative!


  5. Cool off with authentic Italian gelati. Nothing taste quite as good in the summer heat as a double (or triple!) scoop of gelato. You know the saying..."When in Rome!"

If you're unable to get to Italy this summer, or anytime soon, come pay us a visit and we'll do our best to fill the void with some delicious, authentic Italian cuisine!

(Images via Pixabay, Pixabay, Pixabay, Pixabay & Pixabay)
Shakespeare may have been English, but even he couldn't resist setting a great piece of literature in Verona, Italy!

Verona: it's a household name thanks to jolly ol' Shakespeare and yet it's not often on the list of must-see places for the thousands of visitors Italy welcomes on a regular basis. Some even say it is one of Italy's most underrated cities!

Well, today we are showing some love to the city known for being the home of the mythic feuding Capulet and Montague families and doomed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Enjoy this video hosted by travel guru, Rick Steves, as he introduces the charms of yet another beautiful Italian destination...
Take a tour of Chef Claudio's homeland!

We've talked quite a bit of the beauty of Abruzzo but talking can't justify it's lush landscape, spectacular views and medieval towns. Sit back and enjoy this small escape into the heart and soul of Italy, Abruzzo.


Come join us for an authentic taste of Abruzzo and Italy!

(Video via Escape Artists)
Discover yet another hidden gem of Italy: the coastal town of Positano!


Located on the Amalfi Coast, Positano is a quaint village whose colourful buildings climb from the water's edge up the hills of Campania, Italy. It is a beautiful, peaceful Italian gem that has seen its fair share of ups and downs: from a thriving port of the medieval Amalfi Republic to a poor fishing village during the early 20th century to a now promising tourist destination known for it's Italian charm and limoncello!

Positano can also be a great family vacation spot! Courtney Adamo of Babyccino Kids recently shared her vacation experiences (she and her husband relax there every year with their four kids!) and love of Positano with Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo. Learn more about and enjoy photos of this beautiful setting from a eyes of a tourist and true lover of Positano and Italy...


(Image via Pixabay)
Buon pomeriggio! Happy Canada Day from all of us at La Piazza Dario!

It is a very happy Canada Day! And what better way to celebrate than to have a delicious family meal with us?! Come and join us and celebrate our beautiful country with a tasty nod to the past with one of our delicious authentic Italian dishes! We have something for every member of the family. 

On a more sentimental note, we are very grateful for the memories we've created in this country with our family, friends and cherished customers. We hope you have a wonderful Canada Day, wherever you celebrate!

(Image via Pexels)
June is Italian Heritage Month! Come celebrate with La Piazza Dario & Il Centro.

As the month of June is wrapping up, we wanted to take a moment to recognize Italian Heritage Month, a month dedicated to celebrating the best of Italian culture! Il Centro Italian Cultural Centre has celebrated Italian Heritage Month all month long by providing activities and events that pay tribute to the Italian culture.

Although June is almost over, there's still fun to be had at Il Centro! Tonight, the Italian Cultural Centre will be hosting Luigi Pirandello Night and tomorrow night will see Italian Theatre Night. View the entire schedule of festivities here.

Located on Slocan Street, the Italian Cultural Centre is La Piazza Dario's neighbour! So, when heading to the Il Centro for some Italian culture, don't forget to stop by La Piazza Dario, before or after (or both!), for an unforgettable Italian meal!

 (Image via Italian Cultural Centre)
We want to help you celebrate Dad's special day.

Come celebrate Father's Day with us at La Piazza Dario!

We're always talking about how important family is around here and how much we love enjoying our meals with family. Of course, a special celebration like Father's Day is no different!

Although Italians celebrated Father's Day, or Festa del Papa, back on March 19th on St. Joseph's Feast Day in Italy, we'd love to celebrate your father this weekend with you and your family the Italian way. Bring your family down and let Chef Claudio Ranallo do the cooking!

Check out what's on the menu for Dad's special day here.

Felice giorno del padre!

(Image via Pixabay)
Continue to experience Italy after your next visit to La Piazza Dario... with books!

After a delicious meal out on the town at La Piazza Dario, it can be difficult to realize that by leaving that little part of Italy within Vancouver, you're actually nowhere near Abruzzo, Italy, or even Europe. Trust us, we know the feeling.

We also know that it is most likely not the ideal time for you to pick up and go on holidays. So, how else can you immerse yourself in Italian culture without spending the big bucks on actually traveling to Italy? By reading books set in Italy, of course!

So, come enjoy an authentic Italian cooked meal with us at La Piazza Dario and then head home and snuggle up with the beautiful people and scenery of Italy. Here are a few books we recommend:

Playing for Pizza

Under the Tuscan Sun

A Room with a View

Eat, Pray, Love

Divertiti!
What does one do after a delicious meal at La Piazza Dario? Watch a movie that will get you into an Italian mood!

Maybe a trip to Italy for an Italian adventure is a little out of the budget right now, but that doesn't mean you can't have a taste of Italian culture for the evening! Come on down to La Piazza Dario for the culinary part of your Italian evening. You'll find the authentic, home cooking of Chef Claudio Ranallo will not disappoint.

Now as for those Italian views and the vibrant Italian people, here is a short list of fun films set in Italy...

(Click captions below each image for more info.)
To Rome With Love

Roman Holiday

Tea With Mussolini

Under the Tuscan Sun

Life is Beautiful

Letters to Juliet

Images via Caliber Magazine, Listal, and Imp Awards (Tea With Mussolini, Under the Tuscan Sun, Life is Beautiful, Letters to Juliet)