A classic landmark on Commercial Drive i.e Little Italy! Been coming here for over 20 yrs. run by the same family, so happy to see the second generation maintaining the high standards .. this is such a rare commodity nowadays! Must order items .. Minestrone .. garden fresh vegetables .. refreshing when you have it in summer .. heart & soul warming when you have it in winter! Linguine alle Vongole .. don't know if I have it better anywhere else!! Fresh succulent clams provides the umami bases for the sauce, with white wine and garlic, this dish is a must order! ( remember to ask for chilli flakes! ) Tiramisu .. order it & you won't regret! ( have it with a Caffè Americano! ) Service is very friendly and warm, it is like dropping into a friend's home for dinner! ( a friend that knows how to cook really well! ) read more

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soooooo slow, ordered through phone says approx. 15min which was acceptable, but actually took 40min and no cutlery was provided and did not ask. While waiting in the restaurant, server never keep you updated and just ignore you every time they pass you. The restaurant is busy? Nooooo, only 2 table filled and the server just wondering around. read more

We visited here recently. The service was excellent, and the ambience was relaxed. Some of the dishes were great, and some good, but all in all, a totally authentic Vancouver Italian experience where all ages feel comfortable. This lovely and conveniently located old time spot also has something rare in Vancouver these days: it's unpretentious. Go, and you will leave full, happy and at peace with the world. read more

One-line review: It was a nice evening, but the food was mostly average. We came here on a date night, as this is a friend's favourite restaurant. It was nice inside, and the place had a fun vibe, possibly because a larger group was there to celebrate something. We ordered: - Linguine Pescatore (mixed shellfish) - Fettuccine Verdi con Gameroni (spicy prawns). We ordered this special, as it's usually made with linguine. Both pasta dishes were decent, though the pasta was cooked too soft for our taste; we prefer al dente, and these didn't really have that springiness. The Pescatore in particular was non-descript. The Gameroni shrimp were different (gulf shrimp, possibly?) and were noticeably a cut above. The bread was also unusually good. Service was excellent. Here at the end of the omicron COVID wave, they are still checking vaccine passports. The waiter seemed apologetic and indicated that he'd be glad when they didn't have to do that anymore, but I told him that as a clinically extremely vulnerable person, I was grateful for the extra bit of protection, however fleeting. Parking on Commercial is at meters or sometimes free in the neighbourhood, with determination and a bit of luck. We transited in, so we didn't have to worry about that. Bottom line: This is a pleasant spot, but I expect that there's better Italian food nearby somewhere. read more

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pretty restaurant, REALLY poor service, we had to flag down a server for everything, and there were only 3 tables filled (I see why now). the appetizer (eggplant parmigiana) was not fresh, and my main meal was the risotto di mare, which was paella not risotto and although is was a good amount of seafood, one of the clams was spoiled. I did like the grated cheese and a good olive oil on the table but the rest of the experience was a disappointment read more

Recently came here with several Locals who have known the owner for some time. For italian food this unpretentious place with a simple interiors where I noticed Locals come here. Overall I thought the food was just okay compared to other places I've eaten at like Zeffirelli's. Desserts however were stellar as we shared three types with the tiramisu being a favorite by everyone. read more

While wandering around the Commercial Drive area on weekday evening, the fiancé had a craving for pasta. After having tried some other solid Italian-based restaurants in the area, we decided to try something new and happened to come across Arriva Ristorante. The waitress was nice enough to let us peek at the menu to make sure we would be able to satisfy our cravings for pasta here. At first glance it was quite the extensive pasta menu (with some non-pasta options available), so it was decided! We would eat here. I enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant, it was like we had stepped back in time to a family run Italian Restaurant. The restaurant was larger than I had expected, and was a nice and quiet dining experience on a weeknight. We were seated at a table at the back of the restaurant, leading us to feel like we were on our own private date night. After much humming and hawing, I finally ordered the Fettuccine Verdi al Salmone because I was intrigued by the spinach pasta. Though I tasted the tomato sauce much more easily than the spinach, the pasta was hot and delicious and had a nice bounce to it, and generous salmon chunks to boot. The portions were generous in proportion to the prices we paid, and we appreciated the quiet ambiance of the restaurant. Overall, if you are looking an intimate setting for date night, Arriva Ristorante would be a good choice. read more

I've dined at Arriva a few times over the last year and all of them have been solid 3-3.5 star experiences. Their menu consists of a variety of Italian dishes, with several different pasta varieties. The food has been hit or miss. I've tried the pesto rigatoni, tortellini panna, fettuccini Alfredo, and gamberoni vino Blanco. While the first three were good, the prawns in my gamberoni were undercooked and the sauce didn't provide any flavour. The service has always been extremely slow and standoff-ish. While I don't mind slow service sometimes, everytime I've been served at Arriva, my server has been unattentive and unfriendly. On two of my visits, we constantly had to keep asking for water to the point where my friend just got up and got the pitcher of water herself. On another visit, I politely asked if we could get a little bit more olive oil/balsamic vinegar for our bread and our server scoffed at us and didn't drop it off for another 20 minutes, which at that point we were already finished with the bread. While most of the dishes I've tried have been hits, there could be a lot to improve on in regards to service. It's true when they say good customer service can make or break an experience and unforunately it holds true in this case. read more

Arriva Ristorante - Specialty Food Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Arriva Ristorante is a family owned Italian restaurant that has been located on Commercial Drive for decades. Arriva serves well prepared classic Italian and continental (not including pizzas and heavy sauce soaked pastas). the daily seafood specials are a highlight here. I have gone to this restaurant for 25 years and have never been disappointed. Arriva is a touch above what you would expect on the Drive and maintains a steady and longstanding clientele for good reason. Highly redcommended for above average dining experience. read more

This commercial drive restaurant never disappoints. The food is tasty. Servers are attentive and familiar with the menu. Arriva offers a choice of tasty Italian dishes. The portions are generous . The kitchen will cater to dietary restrictions. The prawn appetizer is delicious The wine and cocktail list is varied. read more

Yes. 6.17.22 Back again. Nothings changed. Great service. Great atmosphere. Great pasta! Vongolé all the way. Will I return? Of course. No need for photos..... :) read more

Enjoyed a wonderful experience at Arrvia's. I was in a party of 40. The food was excellent from beginning to end. Appetizers to the dessert. Service amazing- all of us were served at the same time- food was hot- and there was plentiful of it. I cannot remember the last time I had such fabulous service - great food- and pleasant and attentive servers -definitely well trained and organized. It has been a long time since I have enjoyed such a pleasant meal in a restaurant- highly recommend and looking back to next visit. Thank you to all of you that were working that evening!!!! Pam Dlin December 16th 2023 read more

This place is one I highly recommend! From the beautiful tableware tot he service I give this place a 5 stars. The food is just so delicious! From the Calamari I got, the Ravioli I ate and my dessert of Tiramisu, all 5 stars! The waiters and waitresses were always there with such great hospitality! I suggest you visit this place in Little Italy whenever you're close to Vancouver Canada! read more

Arriva Ristorante - This was one of their specials! Ravioli. Inside was spinach and Cheese! Then a white cream sauce! - Specialty Food Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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!Ive given it a four but if you could rate the starts, I would actually give it a four plus for the food but a two for the service. We hadn't been to Arriva's for years as we moved out of town. It use to be one of our favorites for a go to place. I was happy to see a lot of the standards still on the menu and I had been dreaming about the picante prawns since we decided to go. I was so happy that they were still on the menu and they were just as good as I remember. You need lots of bread for that sauce! The tirimisu was also as I remember and one of the best around for traditional style tiramisu. There were five of us and all of or main courses were good. Some had pasta dishes, some had meat dishes but no complaints. Our only complaint was a server. You want a friendly experience but that isn't what we got. The fime of the food delivery and everything was good, it was just like we were doing her a favour by being there. Maybe she was having a bad night. We would give it another chance (especially for the prawns and tiramisu) read more

Walked in, saw people eating but no staff. Stood by the menu on a table, waited, no one noticed, walked out again. I'm not sure how many stars I would have given if I'd been able to eat. read more

I actually had a meal here last "Italian Day on Commercial" and I was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity and tastiness of the dishes I tried. The caesar salad was fresh and crisp with just the right amount of dressing. I really enjoyed the Arrabbiata pasta, it was fresh and delicious and spicy without leaving a long burn. The basket of bread, along with the OO and BV were a good touch. I found the space a bit tight, and the service basic-ok. The house white wine was awful, more like a sourish water than an actual wine. read more

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Good solid family style Italian food, excellent and friendly service and outstanding house wine.

A Vancouver classic eatery. Glad they're still going strong. We've been enjoying their food for years. Others we know who've been in Vancouver a long time, they go here still. Always consistent and good food. Never once had a bad meal or experience here. Their dishes are real authentic Italian dishes. Very much like the amazing Puccini's used to, down on Main Street, with all the Italian women in the kitchen that could would cook like angels. All the classic Italian dishes - Delish. Their carpaccio, tiramisu, pasta, etc. It's steady busy whenever we've gone, rain or shine, summer or winter. This place is like a great patina. When all the latest greatest places come & go, they remain. And any restaurant that endures in this city after 40 years, they're *definitely* doing it right! read more

I honestly don't understand why the rating is so low. Two of us went on a Saturday night. We managed to get in without a reservation even though the place was packed. Our server showed up immediately to see if we wanted drinks, which we did and our wine arrived shortly after along with focaccia and oil/balsamic dip. The waiter took our order as well as happily answering a few questions we had about the menu. We had only drank half our glass of wine when our food arrived. I had the lemon veal with fettuccini Alfredo and my sister had tortellini of some kind. Both were delicious. So, service was great, food was great, extensive menu, and price point was very reasonable. I will be back for sure!!! read more

In from Winnipeg, Went looking for an authentic Italian restaurant that would serve us ravioli Alejandro was such an excellent part of our experience tonight Food was excellent. He went out of his way and served us Ravioli which was not on the menu Well done, excellent wine and food. Outstanding evening Highly recommend this gem on Commercial Drive in Vancouver read more

Wow, the reviews here are terrible. But after dining last night, I can understand why. A true depiction of this restaurant is more like 4 stars for food, 2 stars for service. First, the good: - spacious restaurant, A/C (which for a hot summer day was absolutely necessary) - pasta was delicious and a huge portion. I had the fettuccine with mushrooms and it was perfect. - clam appetizer was also very good, came with tomato based sauce which was a great complement. The bad: - service was very slow, like molasses slow. If you were hungry, you would be starving by the time your meal actually came - the server was really unhelpful when it came to the menu. I asked for her recommendation between two pasta choices and all she said was that they could swap the noodle choice if I preferred spaghetti noodle over fettuccine. - I love me a good, free bread basket but that focaccia was so dry. I needed the oil and balsamic to give it Life. - because the restaurant is so spacious, if it's busy it can get REALLY loud. There was a large group seated next to us so it was hard to have a conversation. All in all, if you want to just focus on the food itself then I'd go back for the pasta. It was reasonably priced for what you got and tasted great. read more

Just finished my first and last meal at Arriva. The veal shank is a SLICE of shank, smothered in a tasteless tomato sauce. Risotto was dry and equally tasteless. read more

Extensive menu that made it very difficult to decide what I actually wanted to have. Unfortunately when I asked the server for suggestions she provided little guidance as she even seemed overwhelmed by it. It's slightly dated inside but very traditional in the sense it provides you with a homey authentic Italian restaurant feel. I had the seafood linguine which was good. The portion was massive- not just left overs, but another entire meal. Good spot if your looking for bang for buck but not if you want anything outstanding that you can't make yourself at home. read more

Arriva Ristorante - Specialty Food Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I was on my way back into Vancouver with the wife and some friends on Saturday evening. We decided to stop on The Drive for dinner. We figured that since we were here, we should at least eat some Italian. We picked Arriva since it seemed reasonably priced and I had heard it was pretty good. We also were seated immediately, but I found the service to be slow. The place wasn't very busy, either. So I'm not sure why service was so slow. The food took quite a while to come, as well. I was a bit disappointed to find out that Arriva no longer uses fresh pasta. It's all store bought. I will admit it was pretty good for 'store bought', but definitely not the same as homemade. My dish (Pennette al Salmone Offumicato) was pretty good. But I think next time I'm wanting some Commercial Drive Italian food, I may try my luck at a new place. I don't discourage people from trying this place, but don't go in expecting homemade pasta. read more

Arriva Ristorante - Specialty Food Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Stopped by for dinner with my friends and we weren't disappointed. The food was great and the portion sizes were huge for the price. The entire waitstaff was on point and the ambience was quiet. A nice and delicious meal. What more can you ask for? read more

Bad service. Took over an hour and a half for our orders to arrive. Was told my dish would be right out. By the time it showed up, half the other dishes on my table were done. Was told kitchen forgot my order. No apology for poor service. When the bill arrived we were told that their antiquated system could not split the bill by couples. "Mandatory" tip for eight or more was still applied read more

If giving a negative 10 was possible then that's what we would choose. I worked and trained staff in the F&B industry locally and globally and have enjoyed food in many restaurants around the world but never have I ever had such a bad experience! We had reservations for 6 which we had called to inform them it could be 8 but most likely under 7 guests. We were told no problem but if it's over 8 we need to know. In the end it was 6 of us. When we arrived the table was set for 8 and I immediately informed the waitress there are only 6 in case she would like to remove the additional settings and chairs. We then proceeded to order drinks and appetizers a few minutes later the owner came over and asked where the other 2 Guests were and we informed him it was only 6 and we had let them know. He said he doubted that, wanted to know who we spoke to and was extremely rude to us. Our friends were so insulted we decided to leave and we asked for the bill. The waitress tried apologizing and then another floor supervisor but we told them it wasn't their fault that that's how their boss treats his customers! We were absolutely disgusted and chose to take our business elsewhere on the drive. I would not recommend anyone being treated so disrespectfully! Take your business elsewhere there are plenty of other wonderful Italian restaurants all over Vancouver!!! read more

One star rating for the owner of the restaurant who apologized to us. Do you agree that when you visit a restaurant, besides the quality of food, we as customers are also looking for a good experience? I have never written a poor review for any restaurant but my terrible and frustrating experience tonight prompted me to do so. So here's my experience: When we arrived at the restaurant, it was not even half full. We stood at the entrance for 5 minutes and no one greeted us at all. A hostess finally pointed us to a table where we seated. No menu or water served. We waited for a while and I had to go to the front and grabbed the menus ourselves. The same hostess who pointed us to the table walked by us couple times and after he picked up the empty plates from another table, he continued to walk by our table without even an eye contact. I excused him and asked him "Are we being ignored here?" One would expect a quick apology and some attention; however, to my surprise, he said "we are very busy tonight and you don't have a reservation. You should be lucky that I seated you here." I was in shock....the restaurant is not even half full..... :o I responded: "if you do not welcome walk-in customers, please put a sign at the entrance so that we will go to another restaurant. Once we get served a table, we would expect some attention, isn't it?" He continued to say "you can say whatever you want." He walked away. Wow..... speechless..... :o The restaurant manager probably heard our conversation and came right away and tried to apologize. He was nice and wanted to make up for our terrible experience. However, the hostess has already spoiled our night. As he was pretty arrogant in his response, we are all concerned he might do something to our food. Also, I was extremely upset with how I was being treated. So we left. They have lost a long term customer (over 20+ years). It's so important to hire staff who understand customer services. We went to Italia Bella on 215 Kingsway. It's our first time there. We were greeted by the hostess right away and our server, Colleen, is a wonderful server. The food was excellent and the cheesecake dessert was delicious. Reasonable pricing and good portion of food. The mussels were fresh and every dish was excellent. Italia Bella is now our favourite Italian restaurant and we will be back for sure. Try there, you won't be disappointed! read more

Very average. I requested a Fra Diablo Dish and the server looked at me as if I was speaking a different language. I ended up with a puttanesca that was bland and pasty. I came here at the suggestion of a friend. And now I'm hoping he does not read this review. The Perregrino water was tasty. read more

After reading the reviews for Arriva and La Rocca, we obviously attempted to eat at La Rocca last night. On a Saturday night without reservations, it didn't work out so well. Running out of time, we decided to take our chances at Arriva. The ambience was reminiscent of a high school cafeteria with table cloths. As an Italian, I was excited by the prospect of the antipasto platter. Om my god, it was disappointing. So completely bland and cheap. Terrible. My pasta was not much better. The sauce was questionable and my bf's risotto was made with suspiciously long grain rice and was in no way creamy. It looked like regular rice with sausage mixed in. I was so completely and utterly disappointed with this meal. It was the most unimpressive night out I've had in ages. The service was also unspectacular. Avoid at all costs. read more

My favorite restaurant in the city. This place is amazing, the best food, service and authentic atmosphere.

I wrote a review and posted elsewhere in the past. I Do NOT recommend this place at all. The old fart of a man owner will ignore you if you appear to be young. The restaurant had like 5 tables going. Not full. The table next to us were from out of town and the party was larger, maybe 10 and they were royally served. Maybe because the bottles of wine were flowing. I had an entertainment coupon which made the service even lousier. The only person was good was the busgirl. The food was ok but I was steaming mad after having lousy service. When I was paying I let the guy at the front know that the restaurant was a huge disappointment. The guy was young, he apologized but I only complained to him with the old fart of an owner being within an earshot. I hope the service quality changes or the business will go down! So I hope this review will help! Don't eat here unless you like being ignored! read more

In spite of the average reviews this place has been getting, I still wanted to do this place as it has been on my bucket list for years. I came here for my sister's B-day on a Sunday. It was very busy but not packed. It took 20 minutes for the bread and olive oil to come out, bread is not baked fresh to order, therefore, not sure why it would take 20 minutes for the bread to order. The pasta came out 30 minutes later. Thankfully I was with decent company. If my sister and I hadn't had snack earlier than I would've been really angry and hungry. They have gluten free pasta, however, it is not on the menu. All they have is spaghetti. Beggers can't be choosers. Atmosphere was decent, nothing special and no real ambiance. Waitress was sweet and friendly, however, she didn't give off that efficient vibe. She dropped a fork that was covered in chocolate from the cake on my dad and didn't even apologize for it. My pasta sauce, tomato pesto was decent, however, nothing to write home about sadly. They stopped selling home made pasta which was their selling point, it is all store bought. I have nothing against store bought pasta, however, there is no reason to charge an arm and a leg for something that wasn't hand made with love. read more

Super lame! Me 'n' the missus wanted some classic Italian dining so we figured what better place than a pasta joint smack dab in the middle of The Drive? Oh, how wrong we were. So things didn't exactly start off well. We stood standing at the front for a good five minutes as we waited for one of three or four staff to take us to our seat. Not even a "we'll be right with you" or a one-second-finger sign from across the room. Also bear in mind that this place wasn't exactly bustling, there are maybe 5 other tables on the go so it's not like the place was packed and understaffed. It was to the point that we began to feel that we were being purposefully ignored. Finally seated with no menus so we have to wave down our server to get some beverages on the go and the aforementioned menus...the guy seemed pretty unimpressed that we ordered just waters and no overpriced wine. My general impression was that the fella didn't care for us being there based on his attentiveness and manner when dealing with us. Just atrocious service. I don't want to blab on too long here but the kicker was they gave us the wrong dish and had to fight to convince our server that they had screwed up. Eventually the manager comes over and rectifies the situation. They cook up what we initially wanted but nothing is offered in return for a spoiled dinner. So let's be clear, Yelpers: don't bother with this dump masquerading as "fine dining", you'd be better off at an Olive Garden. read more

2 stars. - service: with the price and the interior design, you would expect a lot better service but their service wasn't the best. I had to call the waiter myself couple of times to get waters while waiting for our food. - food: same here, with the price and the interior design, I expected a lot better quality and taste but, it wasn't there. Took about 30 mins for our shrimp/prawn appetizer and another 15-20 mins for our main dishes. In total, we waited about 45-50 mins for us to get our food. With the wait time, I expected a lot better quality. I had to give 2 stars because of these reasons. Probably not going back to this restaurant again for me. read more

This place has gone wayyyy downhill. Walked in and an older male server just stared at us... we stood there akwardly before a younger waiter came to seat us. Maybe it was cause we were asian? The next few caucasian couples walking in were greeted and seated without hesitation. (Just sayin...)The place was empty.. already a bad sign.. but we figured it was too late to back out. The younger waiter was great and brought us water right away... even put the napkin on my lap! Ordered wine, and it was brought and served to us promptly. The food: The "mozzarella" (caprese) was$10.. the 4 slices of tomato was cut too way too thick, and mozzarella was crusty and hard to chew... ingredients were not fresh at all. The bread was cold, and tasted as if it came out of the fridge. Suprised they didnt even try to warm it..tasted really stale. Ordered 2 pastas.. so upset they dont serve no more homemade pasta..I could whip up a better pasta at home. Store bought pasta, and smaller portions than what I remembered. So very disappointed, as it was the reason for the visit today. Tiramisu was recommended by the waiter.. and it was the only thing that tasted good. However for $8.95/slice.. it was pricey! Ive watched alot of movies, and one thing I learned was to not complain about your food! So.. im just saving eveyone on yelp from making a trip.. and never returning again. Huge disappointment!!! read more

So disappointed last night. Been going to this restaurant for at least 30 years but, unfortunately will not be returning. A terrible meal from beginning to end. Mozzarella salad without any dressing, two orders of veal parmigiana tough and very overcooked, pasta overcooked and covered with a sauce that could have come out of a jar. Final insult was a cup of coffee that tasted as though it came from the bottom of and old coffee pot and lukewarm. I read other reviews and the good one were very old but many more negative reviews were recently made. read more

I have eaten here for many years, I get cravings for this place, I love the pasta Bolognese , I'll drive 20 miles outa my way to satisfy my craving, if you were a real italian you'd appreciate this place but if your Manja cake I'd take your opinion with a grain of salt, this place is great and the negative reviewers on this place are full of shit!! Fuck off, shut the fuck up and just enjoy this place fuckers!! read more

Arriva Ristorante - AWSOME place REAL italian food you Manja cakes!! - Specialty Food Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Randomly found this restaurant when I was looking for places with pasta. Very cozy and welcoming vibes. Our food was delicious and staff were friendly. I would definitely come back in the future. read more

Was here on Dec.22nd, Place was busy- usually a good sign, however... Service mediocre, complementary bread next to inedible- cold, dried and chewy. Balsamic vinegar for dip- low grade (tastes thin and sour) unlike the better stuff I have at home which only costs a few dollars more. Pasta main dish - stuffed shells (6 pieces size of key limes) far overpriced and was barely filling (a spaghetti dish my friend ordered was literally 3-4 times the volume) with just some regular cheese as stuffing. If this were fine dinning with high quality ingredients then it'd be reasonably priced. If the main dish was inedible I'd give this 1 star. All in all, low grade ingredients at moderate pricing- most people can easily do a better job at home if they wanted to. Cannot recommend, would never come back. read more