I had an early Thanksgiving dinner with my husband it was our first time and will be last time to visit this restaurant. We order taste menu $50 per person the meal was a little repetitive. Also, they served different dishes then taste menu without informing the guest, some of dishes my husband and I need to share. We paid $128 + tip for two people's meal. I felt that I got robbed. The menu is misleading because the menu says seven course meals, but we got 5 dishes only. When we questioned waitress said that they placed two course in one plate. read more

Others may have enjoyed the food but we couldn't get beyond the rude waiter. We made reservations at last after trying for months. A friend had provided us with a gift certificate and we asked the person who took our reservation if she needed the number. She said no and that all we needed was to bring the certificate with us. When we got to the restaurant, our waiter just kept saying "Nah, there's nothing that we can do for you" over and over. No word of apology. Had he been more customer oriented, we would have stayed. We get better service at Hawksworth! read more

First time to La Quercia. Many of the reviews on Yelp present an pretty accurate description of the experience. Unfortunately my experience was only small "g" good. I've got three basic comments: -upon arrival the waiter pointed out that we were 15 minutes early. We asked for a table away from the door and the basic response was "Do you see any other open tables? No? You sit by the door." -OK, accepted the initial rub from the waiter. We discussed the "La Familia" menu. We discussed how we loved Braesola and this was listed on the daily menu. The waiter points out that this is a wonderful house made version of the classic dish; great we can't wait to try it. The waiter does point out that the dishes in the "La Familia" service are at the chefs discretion; OK we're game for that. Somehow though, out of the 7 courses, no Braesola. He must have neglected to pass on the preference to the kitchen. At the level of fine dining this restaurant is selling, that's a screw up. -The food was much as description described in other reviews. The first appetizer of prosciutto and asparagus was the best. The rest was good, but but not so good to expand further. Clearly this restaurant is immensely popular and reservations are a must. read more

Went to La Quercia for the first time last night and it was AMAZING!! I had the gorgonzola, walnut and butter lettuce salad to start and it was delicious. For my main I had the beef cheeks with kale and potato puree. The beef cheeks were incredibly flavourful and tender. For dessert I had something that looked like creme brulee but much darker and not sweet. It was very good also. My husband had the agnolotti di guido which was out of this world delicious. I could eat a truckload of just that and the beef cheeks and be happy. Great service, great meal. It is pricey though. read more

Absolutely amazing. My husband and I got the family style (tasting menu?) with wine pairing. The food and wine were absolutely superb, our favorite restaurant in Vancouver thus far (we just moved from New York City). We highly recommend this restaurant. Do the family style if you can swing it, it's a great value and the food is incredible. read more

Stunning bone marrow. The best I've ever had. If you've never had bone marrow, it's a must here (but you might be disappointed anywhere else thereafter) We came with 17 and 14 year olds that don't necessarily eat everything and still went for the menu (which is requirement for everyone at the table). We loved everything and it's not kid food. It's been a few days so I don't remember everything I had but pasta, bone marrow and house cured meats were all excellent. Good wine list (but they were out of the La Monacesca Verdicchio). Surprisingly good house Chianti by the glass. La Quercia is a winner. I can't think of a place comparable in Seattle. Do the menu. Service was great too. i read another review suggesting that it's the best Italian in Vancouver. I'm not from Vancouver, I would not be surprised if that were true. Reservations a must. read more

I cannot say the taste of the food. Good great and fantastic. I am going to get here whenever I have chance.

Horrible disappointment, this place has gone completely downhill ever since the ownership situation changed. As other reviewers have pointed out this restaurant is completely over-hyped. The food is BLAND (I had pasta) and the service is probably the worst in the city. The arrogance of the staff is astounding, one example being the chef literally coming out to yell at one of the diners while I was there just because they asked for more Parmesan (I kid you not). Save your money, there are far better fine dining experiences to be had in this city. read more

The food was delicious but the server was rude. I paid the bill by giftcard and paid the excess amount by credit card and added a tip of 20% on the balance. I realized this wasn't enough so I took out my wallet to give extra tip in cash. As I was doing this, the server came up to me and said "just so you know, you only left me ___ amount in tip" I was so shocked he would say that as i was pulling out cash. I ended up leaving a 30% tip on the meal which was way more than he deserved. read more

This is the best restaurant in the city. You need to make reservations a few days in advance, particularly on weekends and for larger groups but you won't be disappointed. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly- so ask for their help and recommendations! read more

Best restaurant in Vancouver, hands down! This is where I spend every special occasion, and where I bring all out of town guests for an impeccable and outstanding experience. Almost every dish I've tried here is the best of I've ever had--best pasta (Spaghetti all'Amatriciana, um, hello!), best duck, best lamb...I could go on. Make reservations well in advance--it's getting tough to even get a mid-week reservation now. read more

We went there the other day for our anniversary, and decided to go with the 7 course dinner. We were interested in the fact that the menu is tailored per table and is unknown to us. Ours started out with an egg and leek salad, followed by a pork head salad and then cheese souffle. This was followed by two different pasta dishes. All of these we found to be absolutely amazing, both in taste as well as in presentation. Our main was free range chicken, and it had to be the most moist flavourful chicken I've ever had. Our meal ended with some delicious chocolate cherry cake. We were a little bit afraid that seven courses would leave us absolutely stuffed, but the portions were good size to leave us nicely satisfied. Our server was really good too, offering information about the restaurant (as it was our first time there), and offering good service. The other server who delivered our courses was also very nice and helpful. With our 7 course meal, some nice wine and tip, our total was only about $140 which is very reasonable for what we got in terms of food and service. They very much deserve their praise around the city, and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a nice place for a meal. However, just a warning that since the place is a little on the small side, to book a reservation well in advance. read more

Our table of four had another wonderful meal at La Quercia. This is truly one of the best restaurant experiences available. You must do the "familia" serving choice to really get the best out of the experience. This time the stand out dish for me (of the 7 small plates) was the stinging nettle agnolotti. read more

My fiancee and I came in about a year ago for the 10 course tasting menu. It was easily one of the best meals of our lives. If only I could remember everything we ate that night! Lovely cozy space, very intimate. We felt a bit rushed at the end, as the people waiting for our table arrived before we'd even got up to pay. Wonderful meal, and very attentive staff. Definitely recommend. read more

After reading great reviews from here as well as word of mouth, the four of us were there this past Saturday. The reservation was very difficult to make because the request goes directly to voicemail and after half a dozen calls back and forth returning voicemails between them and I, I finally got a reservation. This was made three weeks in advance. We showed up on time and the staff was totally confused about our reservation even though they called me to confirm the reservation a few hours earlier. After waiting 15 minutes, a waiter entered the restaurant from the front door and asked us to go with him outside to walk over to the restaurant next door that they had recently opened for casual dinning. He sat us at this makeshift plastic portable table covered in table cloth in front of the kitchen and washroom, by far the worst table I've ever sat at at this kind of restaurant. It's one of those bad situations that I read about but never thought actually happens. After asking the waiter what the problem was, he told us that someone took my reservation and they didn't confirm his last name and number. For a restaurant this small, busy and has been in business for a while, this kind of mistake was embarrassing and ridiculous especially after the trouble it took to make the reservation. I made it obvious that I wasn't impressed after voicing my frustration. He brought over four glasses of prosecco to make up for their mistake but throughout the evening he avoided eye contact. As for the food, it was unfortunately mediocre. We had the seven tasting course done family style. The most memorable was the duck terrine antipasto and the desserts. The other courses were average; the crispy pork was very fat, room temperature and the skin was not crispy, the risotto was plain and very al dente, and the grilled fish was over done. I've had better italian home cooked meals and at dinner parties. I was hoping the food would make up for the bad initial experience but it didn't. Also, we kept getting different servers at our table and they weren't friendly or had personality. Our original waiter left in the middle of our dinner service without saying anything. Overall, it was a strange dinning experience. We left a 20% tip anyways even though the service felt forced, at least they didn't ignore us. My company was great so that's all that mattered but I'll never go back to this place again and wouldn't recommend anyone to. read more

Oh La Quercia, I dream of your food nightly. This place is consistently excellent. If you have the time and the appetite to eat "alla famiglia", do. The selection is outstanding and each plate gets better and better. Don't fill up on the bread or olives. Portions are generous without being overwhelming. read more

First time diners last night. Each and every dish was superb. Started with salad (gorgonzola and walnuts) snd proscuitto, both of which were great. Pasta dish was agnolotti: incredibly good. For mains we had lamb and boeuf cheeks. Both were very tender, had perfect sauces, and the lentils with the lamb were fantastic. Next time we go, we will take the easy way out and simply go with the $50 per person meal, as everything was delicious. Make reservations early. A little pricey, but well worth it. read more

We were gravely disappointed with the overall experience tonight. The 1st & 2nd courses were all right, though we found the entrees overpriced. The desserts, which we ordered 3different kinds were all mediocre at best. The apple strudel was soggy, came cold, though it was a la mode, the chocolate Bonnet was tasteless. The chocolate chestnut cake was the best of the bunch. This use to be one of our favourite restaurants. We will not be going back anytime soon. read more

Fantastic Italian restaurant, excellent for family style sharing. Very flavorful and declious, likely one of best in the city.

Two weeks ago I bought a magazine "Canada's 100 Best Restaurants" and added the names of restaurants in the Vancouver area to my BlackBerry - including 'La Quercia' that was listed as #54. The following day we found ourselves in Kitsilano with a couple of hours for dinner before we attended a concert. I telephoned 'La Quercia' and was delighted to find that they could seat us at 6:00 pm. We found the restaurant on W.4th Ave close to Alma Street and were soon looking through all the choices on their blackboard menu. Little did I know that we would soon be sharing the best Italian dinner that I had eaten since I traveled through Italy in the late 1950's. We decided to share a couple of appetizers, a plate of Pasta, and a Sea-Bass. I was sorry that we are no longer wine drinkers as the wine menu appeared to have choices that would go well with the dinner menu. All our questions about the food were answered as if we were the only diners in the restaurant even though all the tables had filled up completely since we arrived. Our table was set up quickly so that we could share the food we had chosen. We felt like we were dining at the home of Italian friends who had cooked a 'special meal just for us. Our tomato and onion salad was made with freshly harvested Heritage Tomatoes from the Okanagan with a wine vinegar dressing and thinly sliced pickled onion. We had forgotten how good fresh tomatoes used to taste before most of them were bred to have low-acid 'meat' and thick skins that 'traveled' and kept well. Each tomato in our salad had a different flavor and texture that we could enjoy. We were served freshly baked Italian Bread with a bowl of excellent olive oil that we ate with Marrow and Chanterelle Mushrooms that were both tasty and filling. Our Pasta was rich, well seasoned with garlic and cooked perfectly. The Sea Bass that we had ordered arrived with beautifully crisp skin and lightly cooked flesh. Our server de-boned the fish at the table so that we would have time to reach the theatre by 8:00 pm. A large roasted lemon supplied lots of hot concentrated juice to squeeze over the fish. Delicious! We decided that we would save the dessert menu and coffee for another dinner soon. The little meringues that arrived with our bill promised a wonderful dessert menu. There will certainly be a 'next time'. The price of our dinner was reasonable considering the fine quality of the cooking and the service. I am sure that if we chose to eat seven courses and to drink wine with them that the bill would be considered 'expensive' but, after all, travelling to Kitsilano for a meal at 'La Quercina' would always cost less than a flight to Northern Italy. Our thanks to the Chef and staff at 'La Quercia' and to the editors of "Canada's 100 Best Restaurants" who brought this excellent restaurant to our attention. read more

One of my all time favourite restos in Vancouver... We don't make it here as often as we would like, probably a few times a year so when we do, we order the alla famiglia option. We've never been disappointed. The value is there, the service is good, and the food is always tasty. read more

We've had the pleasure to dine at La Quercia a few times. I love the small and intimate atmosphere. Haven't had the chance to try the family share option but would love to! I definitely recommend this restaurant if you're looking for a delicious Italian meal. Don't forget to make a reservation! read more

I think this might have been the most disappointing dining experience of any restaurant I have ever visited at any price point. I booked a reservation for a party of eight over a month in advance. Because La Quercia considered us a a "large" party (greater than five), we were obligated to buy into their "alla famiglia" dining at $60 a person, which we willingly did in advance out of consideration for the kitchen and wait staff. Toward the end of our dinner, we were pushed out the door by the serving and managerial staff who literally told us our reservation was up. I was stunned, given that since we were dining alla famiglia, we were not in control of how quickly the food came out of the kitchen. We were also seated for over fifteen minutes (one of our guests for 30 minutes) before they took a beverage order, so I hasten to mention that the delay in our pace of eating should not be placed on our shoulders. I suppose we should have eaten faster? Or talked less? One thing was clear: La Quercia is prioritizing customer volume at the expense of satisfaction. This establishment failed at basic hospitality, and I was embarrassed to have invited colleagues and an out-of-town guest into such treatment. read more

poor service and over rated, will never recommend dinning at this restaurant you better off eating at denny's than wasting your money in this place, We had a birthday party which was ruined by the having at this place they wont let you bring your own cake but toilet is in middle kitchen and never seen less talented chef working in italian restaurant. read more

I've only been here twice which is a real shame considering how wonderful this restaurant is. Reservations are a must (its small, super busy and you are given a specific seating time). Dinner is family style for the entire table and both times I've ordered the "small" chef's menu and left completely and utterly full (you'll want the large set menu only if you have a group of three or more - though I think the small may even be suitable for three). The food is amazing and there is nothing "casual" about it. The two standout dishes from the two meals I've had was an incredible (and I do mean incredible) lasagna and a breaded pork chop (sounds simple and bland but so not). I've also had a Panna Cotta for dessert and haven't had one since that matches it. Service was great both times, but this is one of those restaurants where the food would make up for it even if it wasn't. It's a very unique dining experience, with dish after dish coming out, all of them delicious. Worth every penny. Love love love! read more

The manager at baobei recommended us to la quercia. Our server was attentive n proud to be an Italian as we have travelled to Rome, Florence n Venice and had eaten very good pasta and some great Italian cooking. We did not know they offer omagase or chef selection of courses...so we picked off the board to start, stuffed squid with sausages, the light sauce is so clean and balance, mopped it all up with the bread they serve with olive oil. Very good grade of oil n our first course was not a disappointment. We split the ravioli stuffed with ricotta, sage n shredded veal. The buttery brown sauce is also light and tasty. The pasta is fresh n not too doughy. For the main, I had the seared haddock n veal sweetbread. I love sweetbread n find that it was a little overcooked as sweetbread suppose to be soft. But the whole presentation of the haddock, sweetbread, peas with a bright green pea sauce n olive oil is above average in taste. Oh the fingerling potatoes are crispy on the edges n tender inside. My husband had the flat iron steak with arugula salad n shave parmagiana. This dish is not hard to cook and the steak was well charred n well seasoned. For dessert, I was craving for very good gelato so our server told us about Bella gelateria n was indeed one of the best gelato outside Italy. The owner told us that he was just awarded the best top 3 in north America. Make sure u try the lavender and black sesame. Looks like this long weekend trip to vancouver is a successful eating trip n will be back to both new found experience on our next visits. read more