Folietta has only been open a couple of weeks, but it is already making a strong first impression.
From the team at Wentworth Hospitality (home of popular Vancouver restaurants Homer St. Café, Tableau, and Maxine’s), Folietta is the group's first foray into Italian cuisine. The newcomer has entered the chat to join many peers with aesthetically pleasing and tightly-branded Italian concepts, but Folietta has a few clever ways to stand out from the bunch.
Folietta offers a deceptively low-key approach to regional Italian food—but don’t mistake that for basic. The menu keeps things simple in the best way, with thoughtfully executed dishes that balance comfort and elegance, with plenty of room for seasonal touches. With a wink and a smile, the restaurant asserts it has "no pizza" and "no clichés," and, frankly, no one is going to miss either of those things.
As led by Executive Chef Bobby Milheron and Chef de Cuisine Imtiaaz Patel, the Folietta lunch and dinner menu opens with a selection of the restaurant's housemade focaccia, which comes either on its own or with a selection of fresh meat or cheese. Styled as a "ristorante," diners will find familiar categories of dishes, from fresh salads and other antipasti (starters), followed by a small roster of pasta options (primi, or first course), heartier mains (secondi, or second course), and side dishes.
I found the focaccia a tad on the dense side, but enjoyed the addition of oregano on the top and the option to dip it in oil. I held onto the bread through the meal in order to use a piece to pair with my antipasti course and soak up a bit of sauce from my pasta.
Pulling from the fresh sheet, I couldn't resist checking out the scallop-filled fried zucchini blossoms; as someone using @squashblossom as a social media handle for nearly 20 years now, it's long been my near-obligation to order any dish made with the tender, seasonal, vegetal blooms. Golden fried and expertly filled, a squeeze of lemon on top kicked these blossoms into high gear while still allowing the delicate scallop flavour to shine through.
Menu highlights from dinner at Folietta
My two favourite dishes of the meal followed. First, the Carne Cruda, which features velvety sheets of thinly-sliced raw beef with mushrooms and smoked egg yolk dressed with a bagna cauda, a Piedmontese sauce of garlic, anchovies, and red wine. The dish offered bright beef flavour with pops of earthiness from the mushrooms and a nice tang from the dressing.
Though I was tempted by the B.C. spot prawn ravioli, I went for the linguine, which comes in a creamy sauce punctuated with a hint of Calabrian chili and slices of fresh geoduck. A pleasant riff on a classic Linguine alle Vongole (linguine with clams), this was a great showcase of a lesser-used but still iconic Pacific Northwest seafood delicacy.
For dessert, I zeroed in on the budino, a firmly-set caramel pudding with chocolate toffee chunks and fresh whipped cream and flaky salt, which balanced out the sweetness. I have a sort of baseline or ideal version of this dish I use as a yardstick of sorts, which is the Butterscotch Budino from Mozza in Los Angeles. Folietta's budino comes close, but the caramel is on the subtler side and my serving could have used a couple more minutes outside of the fridge before it was topped and served, as it did have that "right out of cold storage" texture. That said, it was a solid dessert and a nice finish to the meal.
Cocktail, mocktail, and wine lists worth a return visit
Folietta really shines when it comes to its beverage options, thanks to a cocktail and mocktail list that might make you feel like a kid in a candy store offered alongside a really intriguing wine list.
The robust drinks program was designed by J S Dupuis and features Italian-inspired cocktails, negronis on tap, and a line-up of digestivo "shaved ice" (I tried one with Cynar, a dark brown bittersweet Italian liqueuer made of artichokes). The drinks cover the bases while also leaving a wide margin for a bit of whimsy (i.e. cups of boozy ice pellets served with a straw and a tiny spoon and pastel coloured concoctions).
The wine list, arranged geographically from the top to bottom of the boot-shaped nation, was curated by Wentworth's Wine Director Nick Bertoia (Published, L'Abattoir), with an aim to offer guests sips by the glass or bottle of some Italian varietals not seen often in Vancouver, alongside some B.C. options in the spirit of pouring local.
Lots of ways to dine at Folietta, from alla famiglia to solo at the chef's counter
Folietta's vibe is stylish but unfussy, with a warm, beautifully designed space that feels just right whether you’re there for a midweek dinner with the family or something a little more date-night-ish. I dined solo at the chef's counter, which faces the expansive kitchen, itself flanked by large windows that pull in ample natural light and offer a glimpse of the streetside foliage from which Folietta takes its name. This new spot definitely fills a gap in the neighbourhood—there hasn’t been much like this in the area, and it’s already easy to imagine it becoming a regular go-to for locals.
I’d go back for the beverages alone, but I’ve already earmarked some of the dishes I had didn't try, particularly those best shared between two or more people, like a Florentine-style bistecca (steak) or the whole grilled Branzino.
Yes, it’s early days, so the team is still finding their footing—but even with that in mind, there’s a lot to like here. Brunch is also now on deck, giving Folietta another layer of appeal for the neighbourhood.
Folietta isn’t trying to reinvent the Italian restaurant playbook, and that’s exactly why it works. It’s easy, welcoming, and well-executed—and that’s plenty.
Folietta is located at 1480 Nanaimo St (at Grant Street) in Vancouver. They're open daily from 3 to 5:30 p.m. for Aperitivo Hour and Sunday to Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. for dinner. Brunch hours will be announced soon.
Video: Checking out East Van's new Italian restaurant Folietta
@forkingawesomevia This new East Vancouver Italian restaurant has an approachable menu of simple Italian regional dishes with a few thoughtful, seasonal and elegant twists. Folietta is from the same people Behind Homer St. Café, Tableau, and Maxine’s. The beautifully designed new restaurant definitely fills a gap in its community and has a lot to offer all kinds of diners from families to date night. they’ve only been open about a week or so, so they are definitely in training mode and early days. But it’s easy to sense that the spot will have broad appeal. Hands-down, my favorite two dishes I tried were the linguine and beef crudo. I would go back for the cocktail list alone, but also to try a few more dishes, especially the ones meant for two or more people. #vancouverbc #forkingawesome ♬ Fly Wit Me - Gramatik
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