I've walked past Amaro's many times and peeked through the windows. It always looked rather…read moreupscale, and as a chef myself, I'll admit that I'm not always drawn to food that feels a little too bougie. I know how much work goes into creating that kind of dining experience, but sometimes I just want to sit down, relax, and enjoy a great meal without overthinking it.
From the moment we walked through the door, we were greeted with smiles. I'll admit I was a little concerned that, because there were only two of us, we might be tucked away at a tiny table in the corner where things can feel cramped once the food arrives. Instead, we were seated at a beautiful table on the left-hand side, and we immediately felt comfortable.
Then came our server, Alyssa, who was an absolute delight!
She asked if we were celebrating anything special, and we explained that we were new to the area and had been encouraged to try the restaurant. Alyssa has such a calm, welcoming approach to service. She was attentive without being pushy, and she made us feel genuinely cared for throughout the evening. As someone who works in the hospitality industry, I appreciate that balance more than I can say.
We started with the salt-and-pepper calamari. This is one of those dishes that can be absolutely fantastic at one restaurant and greasy or disappointing at another. Amaro's got it right! The calamari was crunchy, delicious, and a wonderful way to begin our meal.
We also learned that the restaurant features a signature risotto each night of the week. We ordered the chicken Parmesan with risotto, along with the steak sandwich.
The steak sandwich arrived on ciabatta bread, and it was delicious. I ordered the pepper sauce on the side, thinking I might prefer it that way. Next time, I'll definitely have it on the sandwich! It was so good that I also used it as a dipping sauce for the house chips. Trust me, that sauce deserves to be enjoyed.
During dinner, the general manager, Cora, stopped by a couple of times to check on us. At the time, we didn't even realize she was the general manager. She was simply another friendly face making sure we were enjoying ourselves. That says a lot about the atmosphere of a restaurant when the hospitality feels so natural that you don't even think about titles or positions. You simply feel well taken care of.
While we were eating, I glanced over at the neighboring table and noticed someone enjoying the fried chicken. Let me tell you, that portion looked impressive! It's definitely going on our list for the next visit, and it looked generous enough that you could probably bring a friend and share it.
We don't drink alcohol, but I did notice that the beverage selection looked extensive, with plenty of interesting offerings for those who do.
Here's the funny thing about trying a restaurant for the first time: sometimes you walk in without knowing quite what to expect, and you walk out thinking, "Well, that was a perfect choice!"
That was exactly our experience at Amaro's.
I often joke that when you have a truly perfect first experience at a restaurant, you almost hesitate to return because you're afraid it might be difficult to live up to that first impression. But that won't be the case here. We already have a list of dishes we want to come back and try, and I'm genuinely looking forward to our next visit.
By the time we finished our meal, we were absolutely stuffed! We couldn't even finish everything on our plates, but somehow we still had dessert. We had ricotta donuts with a caramel dipping sauce. Honestly, dessert is something I would normally do not order. I'm so glad we got to give this a try! They were absolutely worth having and provided the perfect finishing touch to an already amazing dinner. Sometimes it's the dishes you wouldn't ordinarily choose that end up being the most memorable. Cora came back over for one last check in We had a nice closing conversation.
A very special thank-you to Cora and Alyssa and the rest of the team for making our evening so enjoyable. Alyssa, if you're lucky enough to sit in her section, you're in for a treat. Her approach to service takes an already wonderful meal and elevates the entire dining experience.
And finally, my compliments to the chef and the kitchen team. As a chef myself, I know that a successful restaurant experience takes more than good food. It takes a team working together to make guests feel welcome, comfortable, and eager to return. Amaro's delivered on all fronts.
We came in to try a restaurant someone recommended, and we left feeling like we had found a place we'll be happy to return to.
Great food, genuine hospitality, and a perfect way to end a three-day weekend. Welcome to our growing list of Vancouver favorites, Amaro's!
