One of my fav places to go when I crave for pasta. I frequent this place often, with its convenient location, it's a perfect wind down place after a day of shopping on Robson. The place can get busy on weekend nights, so call ahead and make reservations. I love the decor of this place, large windows overlooking Robson street, dark hardwood floors, with accents of maroon and black. A large open room, with mirrors on the wall make this place unique, a nice juxtaposition to the bustling shoppers outside. My favourite table is right by the window, where the summer breeze complements a night of pasta and wine. They always have savoury specials. So far, I have tried their steak-Center Cut Sirloin - with peppercorn sauce, blue cheese risotto & sauteed spinach. Suprisingly, the blue cheese risottoa and the steak is perfectly done. Juicy, yet flavourful. Penne Salmone - B.C. smoked salmon & peas curry cream sauce- curry in pasta is my new fave thing. The combination of smoked salmon and curry just works. Spaghetti con Vongole - clams, garlic, white wine & olive oil- not outstanding, clams were a little overcooked. Spaghetti Carbonnara - pancetta bacon, egg yolk, black pepper & cream: Delicious! Just enough pancetta, just enough flavour...one of my favourite dishes! Several times I went and they had a pasta special: Fettucine with prawns and a pesto cream sauce with black squid ink pasta. MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE!! A good selection of wine. I usually get a rose or a pinot grigio to accompany my dish. Service has always been great for me here. They place a bottle of ice water (water placed in an empty wine bottle) on your table, so there's no need to wait for them to fill your glasses-just do it yourself. I don't mind. They always serve you bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.It's a nice addition. Prices are resonable, as they serve quite a large portion. I can usually finish just a little over half, and save the rest for lunch the next day. It tastes just as good! It's good to know that there's a place on Robson that can always serve good food, and not taking too much out of my wallet. Always a pleasant experience. Their pastas have never failed me- always al dente, and the sauces never too heavy or light. It's always-perfect. read more

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This was an incredible surprise to come across tonight! In fact, as we were walking by, a lovely couple saw us reading the outdoor menu and said don't bother reading - just go in, you're going to love it here! They were so right! The food and flavor are memorable as well as the extremely nice staff - I have a feeling you'll be leaving a similar review when you visit here read more

It is a really nice place, staff was very welcoming and sweet, and the window table is great when you have a small party. I had the Tortellini gorgonzola and the pasta was perfectly aldente, it was awesome. The servings are big, and very filling. I barely finished mine--which is kind of unfortunate, I really wanted to try one of the beautiful desserts I saw being brought to tables--, and I saw many people not accomplish it haha. If you are around and wondering where to go, this place won't be letting you down. read more

Zefferelli's - Tortellini gorgonzola with blue cheese & bacon - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Very inconspicuous store front. Make your way up the stairs and into the dining room & I'm sure you won't be disappointed. We all loved what we ordered, as well as the fact that they allow you to order 1/2 orders of pasta (although, I didn't see that mentioned on the menu, but maybe I missed it..). I think we'll be back during this trip. We liked it THAT much! read more

Zefferelli's - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We loved it. We had the Halibut. Wait staff was so friendly. Very cute place. Going back again before we leave Vancouver

I wish they served lunch on weekends! I love that you have the option of a half order of pasta at lunch for a cheaper price. This is a lovely little Italian restaurant on Robson, above a Cactus Club. It can be easy to miss, especially since the door on top of the stairs has been closed when I've gone. If you go early you can get a lovely seat by the windows. The service is prompt and friendly, and they have one of the best complimentary breads I've ever had at a restaurant (usually served warm and with marinara). That said, I think the pasta could be better. I remember ordering one of their specials of the day which was in a butter sauce and quite bland, with few toppings. Also as good as the carbonara tasted, it was a bit watery and I even found a piece of cooked egg in it. So I've definitely had better pasta, but the flavours were still good. No complaints about the chicken parmesan though, delicious. So it might not have the best pastas in town but there's lots to try on the menu, and the location is fantastic. read more

Zefferelli's - Linguini Puttanesca (half order) - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Came here 4 nights ago for a late Friday dinner. Ordered the chicken saltimbocca which comes with prosciutto, sage and mozzarella with spaghetti alio-oilo for $24. Had it spilt which cost an additional dollar. If it wasn't split, it would have been quite a lot of food! You will definitely be full. The meal was pretty good. Loved the prosciutto and the chicken was delish. Only thing is I thought the sage was a little too overpowering for my liking. Service was great as well. read more

Zefferelli's - Half of the chicken saltimbocca - "prosciutto, sage and mozzarella with spaghetti alio-oilo" - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Born and raised in Vancouver, I've never been here! Was looking for Italian but needed room for a large group a bit last minute and this place came up. They advertise as an upscale spaghetti joint and it does feel that way. Atmosphere is there, service level is attentive and professional and also offer a decent wine list and upper end food options. The dishes are huge. Especially the pastas. They really look to provide full value for the pricing in terms of quantity. I found the quality to be typical of a spaghetti joint though. Like the higher end options of osso bucco was tender but a bit over drowned in gnocchi and pasta sauce.... Could've been served differently, less pasta and more something else to balance out the dish. The duck breast I didn't find cooked that well and meat stringy... Quality issue perhaps. Otherwise it was ok, feels dependable, would come back but not for a while read more

Located on the second floor up a very small staircase above the Cactus club. This restaurant has a relatively small and quaint interior. Italian style food with specials and good service. We ordered a mix of dishes and a bottle of wine. The lamb sausage dish was really good, and they had a special of lobster and crab ravioli which was also well done. The wine was reasonably priced at about 3x bottle cost. Service was good but bread did not come out until half way through the meal due to poor kitchen planning. Overall a pretty good place to try out for some Italian dining while in Vancouver. read more

Came attracted by the positive reviews and had the exact same experience from what most people described. Very friendly service and great food. We made a reservation and got there with the house completely full... Waiting was a bit annoying but I understand people sometimes stay longer than usual, especially in such a cosy and nice environment. (I love staying a bit more after paying the bill for the conversation myself). We were really surprised when they brought a wonderful mushroom starter pizza to compensate for the delay. My spaghetti was OK but the veil parmigiana was JU-ST PER-FECT. I could not stop eating. I literally cleaned up the plate. Definitely coming back. read more

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I have gone to Zefferelli's twice now and I am already planning for my third visit. I first heard about the restaurant as a recommendation from Vancouver food bloggers. I was looking for a good restaurant in Vancouver that serves Italian and is similar to Olive Garden. After reading good reviews about the place, we decided to try it out for my mom's birthday. Antipasti: I first thought the Calamari was your typical deep fried squid rings with tartare sauce, but their's is different. They serve you pan fried squid with beans, and a bit of bacon. The squid is very tender. Because this is an antipasti, it doesn't come in large servings. For $13, I guess I would want a bit more of the dish. But nevertheless, this dish is tasty. Pasta: We always get the Tortellini Gorgonzola, which has bacon and bleu cheese sauce. Bleu cheese isn't easy on the palate because of its distinct smell and taste. An acquired taste I, on the other hand, just LOVE. The bacon adds just the right saltiness to the dish. The Linguini Putanesca is pretty basic, and so is the Penne Con Salsicce. They are both tasty, don't get me wrong, but I find both quite bland. Or, it could also be that I am simply not so much of a fan of tomato-based pasta. Specials: On our first visit, one of their specials for that evening was Fresh Portobello Mushrooms topped with Fontina Cheese & Truffle Oil. FANTASTIC. My parents did not like it so much, but I personally thought it was delectable. Sides: We love risotto. Zefferelli's side mushroom risotto is cheap ($6) and very good. It's flavourful - I guess maybe because of the parsley and fresh mushrooms and whatever oil they used to make it. On birthdays, they give you a free slice of their Tiramisu, which is also very good. They give you complimentary bread with good marinara sauce. Hosts are pretty nice. Atmosphere is gorgeous. Location is perfect. Car and transit friendly. TIP: Servings are quite large. I suggest doing a family style dinner where you order different dishes and just having them all in the middle for everyone to share. Also, reservation is recommended as they get jam-packed during dinner. read more

Zefferelli's - Risotto, Tortellini Gorgonzola, Penne con Salsicce & Calamari - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Passing through and looking for some good Italian food. Went here based on proximity and yelp reviews and have to second the good words. They have a very traditional menu, kids can basically have just about any pasta and sauce combination, I would recommend the spaghetti carbonara, it was amazing, along with a wonderful sausage appetizer. This will stay on that short list for future visits to Vancouver. read more

Zefferelli's - Spaghetti carbonara. Really, does any more need to be said? - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Me and my wife have lived in the neighbourhood for sometime now and this place had been on our list for quite a while. We finally decided to visit Zefferelli's last night. We ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara and a margarita pizza. The Spaghetti was cooked perfectly and the white sauce was ..oh so good! My wife really enjoyed the pizza as well. As for the service, It was quite a busy evening for a Sunday but the service was top notch. I highly recommend this place. read more

Review from visit on September 2017 We chose Zefferelli's for its proximity to our hotel and had no idea we were in for such a treat. No reservation x party of 5 x packed house on a Saturday night should have = no dice, but the incredibly friendly man who checked us in said if we were willing to wait 30-45 minutes, he could probably get a table together for us. While we waited, I watched him working tirelessly - a word to a server here, checking in a couple there, even clearing a plate or two - all with a thoughtful word and a smile. It was a type of service rarely encountered and together with the ambience of the restaurant - warm and inviting with low conversations occasionally punctuated by bouts of laughter and light playing off the wineglasses - I was already glad we were there. We were seated at the first opportunity and the woman serving us kindly brought my daughter a few things to snack on as she knew we had been waiting. Following that were several dishes large enough to share (but you won't want to!), each one outstanding. My Saltimbocca was a showstopper. As our meal concluded, the man returned to say hello and asked us if we would do him the favor of trying the chef's latest dessert creation and providing our opinion, on the house of course. I thought it was amazing, while the man - who I later learned is the owner - still thought it still needed "an extra something...". This. This is how a restaurant should be run. read more

I came here for new year's eve dinner with a huge group and Zefferelli's was very accommodating and a great choice. Everyone had an awesome experience and thoroughly enjoyed sampling everyone else's food. By the end of the night almost everyone's plates were clean! I love that this place is an alternative for restaurants like Cactus Club, Earls, etc. as it has great quality Italian fare at a convenient location on Robson. You have to walk up some stairs to get to the restaurant as it's right on top of Cactus Club. The interior's really nice with dimmed lights, a bar, and a nice view of Robson by the windows. This would be a nice date place in my opinion. I ordered the Spaghetti e Polpete which is described on the menu as veal and ricotta meatballs braised with tomato and red wine. It was absolutely delicious! The meatballs were big, creamy, tender, and very tasty. Every bite melted in my mouth! Both the veal and ricotta were discernible yet neither was overpowering. Four different people sampled some of my meatballs and they all said that the meatballs were the best they ever had. They were definitely the best meatballs I've ever tasted. The spaghetti was cooked to perfection and the sauce was very good as well. My boyfriend ordered the Osso Buco which is described as braised veal shank with risotto bianco. I tried some of his dish and the veal was extremely tender that it pulled apart easily. It also melted in my mouth and was cooked to perfection. My mouth is watering just typing up this review! It was accompanied by a sort of stew with some vegetables in it which topped a bed of risotto that was very flavourful with the perfect texture. Everything was so good and everyone enjoyed their meals. The waiters were very friendly and professional and came frequently to bring more water to our tables. I highly highly recommend this place to anyone and everyone for any occasion. Pros: quality of food, friendly service, price points, ambience, location, and pretty much everything Cons: tricky parking downtown Verdict: I'll be back, Zefferelli's! I'll be back for sure!!! read more

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Good Italian place. Pretty busy so plan to get early or reservation is a must. Service was pretty good. Food was good with steamed mussels being the best. read more

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Honestly, really good food but major mistakes made at an extremely simple level. It took almost 15 minutes to be seated when we were told a few minutes and then when I received my main, the tails (Shells) of the prawns were still attached which shows lack of knowledge when preparing seafood. I will eat here again but I expect much better next time overall read more

Zefferelli's - Shells should have been removed prior to being cooked and tossed with the pasta - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Please somebody help me to understand how this pretending Italian restaurant can have 4 stars on yelp.... Nothing here has nothing to do with Italian food. Me and my dad sent back our pasta because it was simply disgusting, my daughter had few bites of her pasta and that was it... just impossible to eat. Pasta completely mushy, ingredients are the lowest quality and it looks like every pasta dish is put together without any respect for flavours. I'm Italian born and raised in Rome this place is just horrible, they should not call them self Italian food. As soon as I started to read the menu I understood it was another fake, all the pasta names are spelled wrong and the ingredients listed in it are just not right .... Save yourself money and time read more

Italian cravings can be satisfied here. They have the typical dishes with nothing special spectacular. Never the less, a great place for generic italian at resonable prices 17-29 CAD per average dish. -NO RIGATONI Dishes! (Hard to find) - good service with anti pesto bar available for further purchase - no overwhelming sauces or heavy salt. Fresh ingredients - great food great place. Would come back. - the bread (endless) Is absolutely on point! Ask it with their in house marinara sauce read more

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We are on holiday and we saw this restaurant on Yelp. We loved it! The food was excellent, the Peronis great, and the atmosphere fun. No reservations are needed and we were seated immediately by the Manager. Great service, I highly recommended! read more

Zefferelli's - Linguini Allo Vongole - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Thursday half litre of house red and Steamed Mussels with rosemary, garlic, tomato & cream at Zefferellis ! One of my absolute favorite casual itialin joints in Vancouver. Always delicious and always great specials ! I absolutely love the Tortellini Gorgonzola with bacon & creamy blue cheese sauce or the Linguini with crab, roasted peppers, artichokes, pesto & cream. Always hard to choose !!!! read more

Zefferelli's - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

This review is long overdue as I previously had dined here twice before for dinner with both times being served by M.J. who is definitely "eye candy" - single ladies are you reading this Being a lover of Italian food but especially a pasta carb guy, I have tried both the Spaghetti Ragu and the Spaghetti Carbonnara. Each dish provided me with the flavors that I was craving for both occasions with the ragu tastefully done with the hint of chili and herbs. The Carbonnara was a heavier entrée as it contained pancetta, egg yolk and heavy cream. Appetizers that I have tried were the Caesar Salad, bruschetta and cold antipasto misto and all were great. What really made both dining experiences great were our server who guided us through the menu explaining in detail the preparation of the dishes as well as being able to pair a red wine for what our taste buds were wanting. The location on Robson street is easy to pass by as the entrance is located up a flight of stairs however just look for the Cactus Club which is right below it. In closing, if you are in the mood for consistent Italian fare and don't want to spend a whole lot of money then I recommend Zefferelli's and definitely ask for MJ if he is available. read more

This was the first restaurant my boyfriend and I stopped by during our stay in Vancouver for our anniversary. Everything about this place and our experience was amazing!! We didn't make reservations, yet they seated us within a few minutes of walking in the door, even when they were VERY busy!! Our waiter, I believe his name was Rodney, was amazing!! Such a great guy, great service, and he gave us recommendations for bars and clubs to go to later that night! Our food came out very fast, as did our drinks, and everything tasted great. This was the best way to start out our trip!! Highly highly recommend this place. Awesome service, awesome food, awesome atmosphere!! read more

Came here for a birthday dinner and our waitress was super attentive and nice! Zefferelli's staff are very warm and welcoming. I split a penne ai fungi with my friend since the portions are pretty big. It has a perfectly balanced amount of prosciutto, pasta and sauce. A bit sweet and tangy but not to rich and creamy. The only regret I have is not giving above 18% gratuity. read more

New to Vancouver and need of an Italian restaurant, we arrived at Zeffirelli's sans reservation. The hostess was very cordial and and accommodating, seating us shortly. The service was friendly, efficient and pleasant. The restaurant was very busy and the servers were pressed, but we didn't feel shorted or left out. The food was excellent, puttanesca, carbonara and clam linguine, all of very generous portions. The ambience is friendly but the full restaurant was very noisy, but it was completely full, and it is to be somewhat expected. But,overall a pleasant dining experience. read more

I got the special, which was the avocado and prawn fettucine. The pasta was cooked just right and the creamy sauce balanced well with the avocado and the prawns. The service was friendly and the server knew what she was talking about. read more

Zefferelli's - Avocado and prawn pasta. - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I like it. Location: Perfect - it's right downtown on Robson street near all the shops so you can get in a day of shopping then eat. Service: Very good. Our waiter was pretty attentive, and he was a comedian to boot. This made the whole selection process and dinner, entertaining. Food: The menu isn't huge but you're bound to find something you like. They also have a board that calls out the specials of the day, that your waiter will go through. I started with the Bruschetta; it was OK, but I've had better. The bread was a bit too dry and crispy for my taste, and the tomato mix wasn't bursting with flavor. It was also a little oily, which I don't quite understand. The pasta menu offers a few different sauces, but the bulk all involve tomato. It would have been nice to have other options to choose from. I went for the Penne alla Pomodori, which is a basic tomato sauce with fresh garlic and basil. The sauce was very fresh and savory. The penne was cooked perfectly and I'm told that they make all of their own pasta, which is a bonus. The portion was quite large and I ate about half of it. If you have a big appetite, you'll do just fine here. If not, you're almost guaranteed a doggie bag! To finish, I tried the chocolate Polenta cake. Oh my. OH MY! This is basically a flourless cake - but unlike the other flourless cake I've had before, this one actually tastes something. It was to die for! I could really taste the chocolate, and the cake was super fresh and moist but chewy at the same time. It was perfect, and not too heavy. Delicious! They do have a good wine selection and I was pleasantly surprised when the waiter told me he had a German Italian wine that I like. I can't pronounce its name, let alone spell it :) Price: Affordable. I have no complaints! Definitely worth checking out if you're in the downtown core. read more

Zefferelli's - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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It's an okay place. Pretty overpriced for the food quality, but what can you do. It's a hot location. Classic Italian atmosphere, really packed for dinner. Server was attentive and helpful, service was fast. read more

Zefferelli's - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Basic Italian food...nothing fancy, but excellent location, and service. I'll be back next time I'm in Vancouver!

The food was amazing, service was excellent, and the restaurant itself was very cool! You enter in a single door on the street and go up a flight of stairs then you're inside the hidden gem! We will be back! read more

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I've been to this restaurant before and it was good but I did not enjoy it during my visit yesterday with my friends. The carbonara was so full of black pepper that all I could taste was the black pepper. I have never had carbonara anywhere with so much black pepper. On top of that, the server was rude. I ordered another carbonara to go and I said I didn't want any black pepper at all on it. The order came and it had black pepper all over. She said maybe it got switched with my friend's carbonara but I checked and hers had black pepper too. So the server took mine back to the kitchen but before that she she grrrrr! Whatever she was angry with whether it was the kitchen or me, she should NEVER EVER let a customer hear that grunt. So never again will I go back this restaurant. read more

I liked the look and vibe of this place immediately. The food, though, was okay. Not bad. Just okay. Chicken Marsala did not actually taste of Marsala. Something else was overwhelming it. Maybe some of their pasta dishes are be better than okay. If nothing else, the portions are very big. read more

I typically avoid going out for Italian food. After all, it's something I can make pretty well at home. But I was in Vancouver with the kids and was looking for something they would like. And it's not easy - a lot of Vancouver dinner food seems quite 'foodie.' But that said, we had a wonderful meal at Zefferelli's. It's a super cute spot, with dark wood, busy and inviting. It was pretty full but not overly loud. We had a great booth in the back. The service was excellent, including for the kids. Here's the food breakdown: Bread w/ spicy marinara, good (but why spicy at all?), 7/10 Bruschetta - excellent must-order, 9/10 Warm Spinach Salad - excellent must-order, 10/10 Pasta alfredo (special for the kids, not nutritious but yummy) 9/10 Penne al Pomodoro, good, 7/10 All at reasonable prices. We'll be back for sure! Thanks. read more

The food was absolutely amazing and so was the service. Our waiter was kind and engaging and made some really good recommendations.

Evening business dinner no reservations but provided us with a great table overlooking the street. Bread with a delicious tomato/garlic sauce which was the first I have had for a dip but was incredible - we had to ask for the dip recipe which was graciously provided. Apps were tomato-boccancini salad and chicken livers both perfectly prepared and tasty. Mains were seafood linguini and spaghetti carbonara. I wish I had not been traveling so that I could take some home. Both were steaming hot and neither of us wanted to leave anything behind. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for great Italian food. Wait staff exceptionally friendly and accommodating, ambience relaxed. We will definitely return. read more

Zefferelli's - Spaghetti carbonara - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Great food and excellent service. Been here a few times and we leave satisfied every time! We usually order a variety of dishes when we come in a big group but this time we came and my daughter wasn't too hungry so we only ordered two half size pastas. I think the fact they offer you the option to go half size is great for people who can't finish a whole plate and don't want to waste food. We got the pomodoro penne and the linguini ai funghi. Both were very good but the linguini is still my "goto" dish here. The pizza is very good too. Very light and not heavy at all. The steak and the marsala are very tasty as well. Good price point! read more

Zefferelli's - Penne pomodoro - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Great pasta, friendly service. The Raghu is excellent. The linguine Funghi was ok. You don't really taste mushrooms, as the red spice (which is great) overtakes the entire dish taste. Tiramisu was only ok. Overall great atmosphere and good food. Recommended. read more

*I am giving this restaurant 4.5 stars because they were nice to me.* Good pasta and friendliness of service- the best combo for an authentic Italian restaurant! This restaurant is pretty- it is in the 2nd floor of Robson Street, and on warm nights, the large picture windows are flung open, revealing trees covered with twinkling lights. The pasta is good! I got the salmon pasta, and it was tender and al dente!! My hubby got the penne with sausage- he said it was tasty and flavorful. The service is awesome! They are friendly and accommodating! They just made the entire dinner experience better! I will make it a point to come to this restaurant every time I visit Vancouver, especially if I am carbo-loading for a run! Magnificent!!! read more

Great location but you have to look for it otherwise you'd never know it was there. The restaurant was very accommodating when we called and wanted get a table for a large group last minute. I understand for any large group it's going to be a longer wait for food but 90 mins was a bit excessive. Otherwise the food was decent, and the portions were very large. I believe the majority of the people in our party had half of the dishes left over. Bruschetta was delicious however I'd avoid the shrimp. They were not properly cleaned. They didn't even look like there had been an attempt to be deveined which was very off putting. Makes you wonder what other corners they are cutting. I got the chicken Marsala which was great but I wish there had been more sauce to actually cover the spaghetti. The chicken had sauce but next to it was large pile of plain pasta that seemed more of a second thought than an accompaniment to the dish. Had the server not given cheese I probably wouldn't of even touched the pasta. read more

Zefferelli's - Italian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Had dinner there for some Itaian Interior was classic and nice and food was even much better Really loved their pizza, pasta and salad One thing I feel bad was I couldn't finish my food because I was full Service was really good and man who served me was really kind and funny Really enjoyed there read more

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