Great wood fired italian pizza. I discovered this place by…read moreaccident looking for a honey farm that was nearby. As it turns out we were hungry so I stopped in and we had that vegetarian pizza.. It was remarkably good so it came back a couple weeks later and tried some of the other varieties. Well, worth it

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.

I don't know whether to rave about the phenomenal food or the exceptional service first. We drive…read moreover an hour just to eat here. We're originally from NY but let me tell you, Nonna Luisa Ristorante beats "the best," most well known Italian restaurants in and around NYC. Hands down. There's no way anyone could possibly leave this place feeling anything other than full, happy, and excited to come back. Like a true Italian family, Nonna's won't let anyone go hungry. We were planning on having dinner here one night but the ferry was late. By the time we pulled up it was already 30 minutes after they closed so we sat in our car parked across the street looking up what other places might still be open. The owner happened to be outside and shouts "Are you hungry?!" They had already cleared out for the night, there weren't people still sitting down eating. But he invited us in anyway. I would've expected our server Carmen to be annoyed because I'm sure she wanted to go home but instead she welcomed us in just like the owner did. We thanked her and apologized but she said "that's what we do here, we take care of people." They even gave us a free desert since we were celebrating a birthday. Come here because you're hungry, come here to celebrate, come here because you don't feel like cooking, come here because it's a random Wednesday... just come here.

Friendly owner greeted every guest. Super attentive staff made sure we always had water, extra…read moreplates for sharing, bread, and everything else we needed. I loved everything we ordered. Calamari appetizer was cooked perfectly. The four of us shared three pasta dishes, and all were delicious. Everything is made fresh. Desserts were heavenly. I would consider driving 2.5 hours to Nonnna Luisa Ristorante for a special occasion. Restaurant was packed but we didn't have to wait long for anything. Great overall experience!

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!

We ordered takeout pizza and they were delicious. The portions were generous, and the leftovers…read morewere great the next day.

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.

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.

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!

Been meaning to try this place forever and I'm mad I waited so long as this is the best pasta I've…read moreever had, seriously good! The spaghetti allo scoglio was amazing from the presentation to the flavour, everything was top notch. Service was also great the staff are really friendly! Restaurant is very nice inside but the garden patio looks like the place to be! I'd suggest you reserve ahead, it was busy even on a weekday after 8. Definitely give this place a try it is great!

This is a wonderful place to eat a special dinner. Do get reservations. The food is wonderful as…read moreare the cocktails. We tried seafood pasta, salad, steak and lasagna - everything was perfect. And the dessert for two is amazing! (Creme brulee, chocolate mousse and canoli). It's beautiful inside and in the garden - but it is pretty loud, so if you have hearing issues ask to sit in the garden.

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.