CASA MIA || The New Neighbourhood Gathering Spot in West Vancouver to Enjoy Classic Italian Food
Food brings together a community.
This is the concept that spurred the creation of Casa Mia, to offer a space for the community to connect, and share simple pleasures.
Created by the team that introduced Vancouver to Italian bakery café Sciué in 2005 and led by Italian-born Managing Partner Maela Lovisetto, Casa Mia is an evolution of the original downtown concept. The restaurant-café-shop captures the spirit of the Italian town square, where neighbours meet to catch up over espresso drinks and fresh-baked pastries, where ingredients for dinner are picked up on the way home, and where simple, delicious meals are enjoyed with family and friends.
Consulting Chef Alessandro Vianello has created a delightful and flavourful menu that will allow you to enjoy a taste of authentic Italian food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Consulting Chef Alessandro Vianello contributes his Italian heritage and expertise to create flavourful plates for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The fun interiors make for a relaxed hangout spot over a cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich in the morning.
Mornings at the Cucina kick off with hearty breakfast sandwiches, including a Panino stacked with prosciutto cotto, fontina cheese, a fried egg, and arugula on house-baked bread, with additional breakfast dishes, including a breakfast pizza and a daily frittata, to make their debut on the menu at a later date.
The dining area features plush velvet booth seating to add a sense of intimacy. The pop of red against green velvet makes the interior pop.
The lunch and dinner menu is a real treat for carb lovers, with some of our favourite pastas and brick oven pizzas. Delicious appetizers perfect for sharing are a great way to kickstart your friends or family gathering with a glass of wine or prosecco.
Our love of burrata alone would bring us to the table.
The Anchovy in Saor Toast served with whipped lemon butter, raisins, pine nuts, fresh pizza bianco, pickled onions, parsley, tarragon and radish offers a lovely, tangy medley of flavours with each bite. The Burrata with house-baked bread with its creamy texture doesn’t need further additions to make it the ideal indulgent dish — it’s basically got two of my favourite things in the world, burrata and bread.
Classics such as Anchovy in Saor Toast whisks you to a lively patio in Italy.
Vitello Tonnato with shaved veal, tuna aioli and capers.
Pasta picks range from classic Bolognese to Spaghetti alla Busara with wild shrimp, Cacio e Pepe, and Lasagna; and pizzas from the classically simple Margherita to a Funghi with rosemary roasted mushrooms and a boldly flavoured Puttanesca. The dinner menu also includes melt-in-your-mouth Boneless Short Rib, and Brick Oven Chicken, which can be sided with roasted potatoes, squash, or cabbage carbonara.
Classic flavours like a hearty Bolognese would be our go-to option on a chilly day.
Spaghetti alla Busara
For our pasta pick, we feel that the classic bolognese was perfectly cooked al dente and the classic ragù and Parmigiano Reggiano with a dash of olive oil will be your pick-me-up on a rainy day.
Of the pizzas we tried, the Mortadella with white sauce, shaved Italian mortadella, Grana Padano, pistachio, and salsa verde was a surprise favourite. The soft, stringy cheese sprinkled with pistachios added texture to every bite.
The Mortadella was rich and creamy, and the pistachios added texture to each bite.
After a satisfying meal and as you sink further into the plush velvet booths, don’t forget to browse the Mercato to pick up fresh pasta, sauces, and other goods to spice up your home cooking. Home-cooked pasta falls squarely into the category of ‘soul food’, a definite crowd-pleaser that will bring a smile to everyone’s faces.
On your way out, we’re sure you’ll be eyeing the creamy gelato, so why not treat yourself to a decadent scoop (or two) on your walk or drive home?
Buy freshly-made pasta from the Mercato to inspire your culinary creations at home.
Truffle sauce? We’ll probably put it on everything!
Did someone say blueberry cheesecake gelato? Don’t mind if I do!
Managing Partner Maela Lovisetto.
VISIT
2215 Marine Dr, West Vancouver, BC
Open Daily 9 am to 9 pm. Closed Mondays.
Photos by Florence Leung
