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Turns out pasta might just fill the natural wine bar-shaped hole in our heart. Later this month (the week of October 20), Giusti—a new Italian restaurant from Vancouver hospitality heavyweights Carla Giusti, Cam Watt (The Keefer Bar, Acre, June), and Miguel Quezada (formerly of Savio Volpe, Oddfish, and Elio Volpe)—will open in the former Bar Susu space, with acclaimed chef Mark Perrier leading the kitchen.
Named for Giusti’s late father, Romano, the restaurant is inspired by the warmth of Italian home cooking.
“I wanted to create a restaurant that would honour my father,” Giusti said in a release. “I grew up in a home where no excuse was necessary to fill the kitchen table with food, family, and friends.”
Chef Perrier’s menu will showcase Italy’s regional diversity while maintaining simplicity and an ingredient-driven approach. Expect handmade pastas crafted fresh each day alongside vegetable-forward antipasti and classic aperitivi.
“In Italian cooking, it’s all about flavour and letting the ingredients speak for themselves,” Perrier explained. “You don’t need a lot of stuff on the plate, just the best ingredients, minimally altered.”
The kitchen team includes pastaiolo Tew Udomchaisakul (Locanda dell’Orso, Savio Volpe) and sous chef Marquella Uhrig (Locanda dell’Orso, Fred’s Restaurant, Savio Volpe). Front-of-house is led by Quezada, with Lisa Cook (Bufala, Savio Volpe) curating a wine list that focuses on Italy, Burgundy, Champagne, and B.C., complemented by aperitivi-style cocktails.
The space itself is originally a century-old building that’s housed beloved neighbourhood spots Bar Susu and the Whip, has been refreshed with help from Hodgson Design Associates. Watt likens it to “finding a dusty but all-original 1965 Mustang,” saying the team has simply “buffed and tweaked where needed.” The result is a bright yet cozy dining room designed to feel timeless and lived-in.
Giusti aims to be a neighbourhood fixture rather than a special-occasion destination.
“Most of all, we want to build a place where people can take off their armour,” Quezada adds. “Not a showpiece for special occasions, but a spot that becomes part of your weekly rhythm.”
Giusti is located at 209 East 6 Avenue and is set to open the week of October 20.
Dining and Cooking