We get takeout all the time and have never been disappointed. Their seafood pasta is great, the…read moreservice when I come in is quick and professional. Great location with wonderful ambiance.

Really enjoyed our meal but found very pricey. I ordered the Scallops dinner ($42) and received six…read moresmall scallops, very few vegetables with the meal. Came with kind of a cheesy rice. Would prefer the rice to be like rice, not mixed into together in a sauce. Excellent service. My wife had the scallops (2) on pork belly.

Three different times I stopped for take out & all were lovely supper experiences. My friend & I…read morereally enjoyed the pizza from here (a first for both of us in 2025 during the Cowichan Valley Dine Out event meal features). I also ordered pick up for just myself another time. Lots of dessert & pre-made meal choices. Even if you're just stopping for something to drink, you'll enjoy browsing through the little shop. They're focused on Italian specialty items but have a mix of other goods there too. Staff are always friendly & are very patient with my packing logistics so I can carry everything myself while using my cane. There's seating inside & on the patio. I'm yet to go early enough in the day to enjoy the patio or on a nicer weather day but I do appreciate the very sturdy ramp up to the restaurant/shop doors & patio. Decent amount of parking too. Quick to drive to from Duncan & I first noticed this place when I took Lake Road for different views. Immediately off the main road but pay close attention to google maps (or whatever you use) when you're driving to the restaurant. As you see the sign & restaurant after you should be slowing down to turn into driveway. By my third visit, I knew what to look for & I didn't have to circle back. Looking forward to stopping here in 2026 & trying more items off the menu.

OMG!!! People, I have to tell you about the spaghetti here at Grove Hall Farm. Honestly, this was…read morethe best spaghetti I have EVER eaten. Wowwwwww! I want more. The young man Dorian who helped with the order is the sweetest human. I am coming back for more. Give this place a shot!!! It ROCKS!

Just another excellent evening with the restaurant folks! This time, finding the place was easier…read more(it's off a back alley). Got there just when they opened and got a prime seating near (but not to near) one of the fireplaces (they have several italian brick style). The restaurant has many twists and turns creating many wonderful dining alcoves. Very inviting to sit and talk. So on a cold December evening we both had the Polo Appollonia; a wonderful mixture of garlic, bacon, and cheesey pasta. But the real star of the meal were the appetizers! Amazing tasting tomato soup, and the insalata caprese. The salad had a large portion of crisp tomatoes served with like a half pound of real homemade buffalo mozzarella, and lots of fresh basil. Almost a meal. The waiter was very helpful in selections of the food and some wine. We will definitely be back on our next visit to Vancouver Island.

You have to come here! Amazing food, service and atmosphere. Ordered drinks- loved the Chianti…read more Got the caprese salad for an appetizer- perfect for 4 people to share. I ordered the LINGUINE CAPESANTE without onions. It could not have been better. Allison was the most amazing server. Ask for her! My friend had the FRUTTI di MARE della CASA. Those were probably the table favorites. The manager even came by to ask us how things were going. On a Monday night the place was packed. I recommend making a reservation. The bread and the olive spread with the dinner were so good. We ordered the tiramisu and the crème brûlée to share. Amazing. I cannot say enough good things about this restaurant !! Love it!

It's probably silly to update my review when I've already written about the incredible arancini…read more(deep fried rice balls) with a marinara so lovely that I would happily drink it, and the wonderful Margherita pizza with its lovely crust (just the right amount of heft and chewiness--importantly, not too much!). My companion and I arrived during Happy Hour and these two selections are on that menu, so we had them again--and I guess the utility of this review is to say that these selections continue to be consistently delicious and that this is a wonderful place. We also shared an Afogato--vanilla gelato with decaf espresso poured over! Perfect, quite light after our meal and beautiful enough to paint as a watercolor. This is one of our easy go-to's when looking to dine out. We were happily helped by friendly bartenders, Nicole and Sie, who made great recommendations and great drinks for us. I especially loved the Mario Cicotti cocktail (an interesting variant of an Old Fashioned--including tobacco bitters and charred orange peel!--very interesting). And we enjoyed the beautiful, warm Montepulciano Nicole recommended. And they concocted a surprise drink for my dessert--I can't recall what it was--but it was lovely and came with a bunch of hearts! Consistently wonderful place in all ways, with lots of heart itself. In my opinion, what's not to love?

Every time I come here, I say, "oh, this is the best thing I've had so far!" And I come here often…read more From the savory, melt in your mouth meatballs to the Linguine alle vongole, you can't go wrong. Even rye Squid Ink Pasta is extraordinary, but beware, it can be spicy. And then there's the acacia e Pepe which is so satisfying (pro-tip: add capers, pepper flakes and pancetta, and it's like a little flavor burst of goodness). You can even customize your dish (or at least they've allowed me to when I dine here) to how you want it. The wait staff and bartenders are attentive and extremely customer service forward - so make sure to tip them well when you come here.

By far the best meal I had when visiting my partner in Nanaimo. The space is cute and inviting,…read morewith the wood fire oven on display in the middle of the dining room and an inviting patio. Between the two I of us, we shared the foccacia, rigatoni bolognese, pepperoni pizza and wood fired beets. Everything was outstanding but the foccacia and pasta truly stood out. We were expecting a sensible portion for the former and we were blown away by how generous they were! In Vancouver, this would easily be two portions at somewhere like Autostrada or Savio and nowhere as tasty. The rigatoni on the other hand was perfectly indulgent - made in house and cooked al dente, every bite was beautifully coated in a decadent but not overly heavy 'white' bolognese. The pizza dough was wonderfully airy and had great leoparding on the bottom from the oven. The pepperoni they used wasn't my favourite, but a solid rendition nonetheless. We also enjoyed the beets as a starter but some of them came a little too burnt. Still, the sweetness from them complemented the accompanying stracciatella perfectly. Our service was on point and we also noticed that they had a stellar wine list at super affordable price points. Italian and Spanish reds, all at the $30 mark, plus they allow you to take what you can't finish home! I'll definitely be back when I'm in Nanaimo next.

I had scouted out this place and it didn't disappoint. We didn't have a reservation but got lucky…read moresince a table was just being cleared. Absolutely delicious beet and greens salad, perfectly baked pizza, and friendly service.

Amazing! Food was delicious, service was impeccable, location was excellent. We sat on the covered…read morepatio and enjoyed a beautiful evening. The seafood pasta was out of this world. The gnocchi and bruschetta were very tasty as well. Finished off the evening with a unique tiramisu. We will definitely be repeat customers to this hidden gem.

The food was delicious and service was great. What else one could wish for! Sadly, it's quite…read moredifficult to get in unless you have a reservation. And making the reservation here is a bit complicated. You have to call, which is OK, but there's no confirmation email or anything telling you indeed have a table booked. Please make sure you double or triple check it before you show up for your dinner. Even though we booked over the phone a couple of weeks in advance, we were not on the list. Fortunately, we were lucky they were able to squeeze us in. Despite this unfortunate booking incident, I would still recommend you to visit this place. The food was indeed delicious!

I've always heard that the west coast doesn't have good Italian food. Most Italian restaurants in…read moreWashington make food that tastes the same and is completely interchangeable and also Americanized. There's nothing wrong with it, and I grew up eating that kind of "Italian" food and still enjoy it. But Vivo is the first restaurant I've been to that makes me feel like I'm eating the real thing. One huge draw to this place is that they make their own fresh pasta, and that in itself sets them apart. If you haven't had fresh pasta before, it's a completely different experience to boxed pasta, and it's very hard to find unless you make it yourself at home. The pasta dishes as a whole are also crafted with passion and attention to detail. The sauces are perfectly balanced and seasoned spot on, with just the perfect amount of elevation yet without being overly complicated and confusing to the palate. All in all, I've never had better pasta than I've had here. I highly recommend, the gulf prawn tagliatelle, short rib ragu, and brown butter/sage/squash pasta. Beyond the fresh pasta, they use an amazing balsamic with some of their appetizers that opened my eyes to what a vinegar could be and the bread tastes fresh. The meatball are also excellent, and the caprese and Brussels showcase the quality of the balsamic vinegar they use. This place is food-first (in a good way), but the ambiance is also excellent and service js good. It's a great date night spot and prices are reasonable considering the quality of the food and experience. This place is a must try for Italian food lovers.

The food was delicious, great service. Everything we ordered was excellent. I am very happy we…read morefinally have an Italian restaurant here in Stanwood.

We went there with 14(!) People. Thought they might split us into 2 tables but they had us all…read moretogether. Monica was our server and was welcoming and kind and in tune with this big group . We never felt rushed. She had excellent suggestions for appetizers and wine and our main courses. The other staff there had water and bread on our table as soon as we sat down and kept it coming all the time we were there. For appetizers, we had calamari, the antipasti misto and bruschetta for appetizers. For dinner some had the special (a t-bone). I had the lobster ravioli which was excellent. Everyone enjoyed their meal. For dessert... canneloni, tiramisu and chocolate and espresso martinis. Wow! All in all a very special evening at a very special place. 10+! Highly recommend!

I really wanted to love this spot. The vibe is incredibly cozy and intimate, and the service was…read moretop-notch--prompt, attentive, and very welcoming. We started with the Pappardelle Al Ragu Di Cinghiale, which was quite tasty, though the pasta felt a smidge on the drier side. Unfortunately, the Osso Buco ($75) missed the mark immensely. The veal was overdone and notably fatty, and the saffron risotto was very dry; it desperately needed a sauce to pull the components together. At that price point, I expected a much more refined execution. It's a lovely place to sit and the staff are wonderful, but the main courses didn't live up to the premium cost. Edit: I'm surprised by this response. I took the time to highlight what your team does well--the service and the atmosphere were truly lovely. My feedback on the Osso Buco was meant to be constructive, especially given the high price point. It's disappointing that instead of addressing a kitchen consistency issue, the suggestion is simply to eat elsewhere. I'll certainly take that advice.