Get the best of Vancouver in your inbox, every Tuesday and Thursday. Sign up for our free newsletter.
Mount Pleasant’s 151 East 8th Avenue has been reinvented plenty of times, and as of this week, it’s doing it again. The space, formerly home to La Cantina de Don Porfirio, Side Hustle, and Eight 1/2, has quietly relaunched as Osteria Otto, a new Italian-leaning restaurant that’s entering soft-opening mode today.
Otto is deliberately low-key in both concept and execution. It’s a restaurant, shaped by Italian cooking, Pacific Northwest ingredients and the influence of Japanese kissa listening bars. There’s no attempt to turn it into anything flashy. The goal, at least right now, is to create a room people want to spend time in.
Speaking to the Straight, Rubén Nava of LessNoise Studio shared that Otto is deeply personal for the team. He describes it as a place built around intention and familiarity, with simple dishes done carefully, seasonal products and an environment that feels welcoming from the first visit.
In the kitchen, chef Tarun Tiwari is taking a restrained approach to Italian cooking, letting vegetables, seafood, and handmade pasta lead the way. Dishes are designed to be shared, with an emphasis on clarity over excess.
Nava also pointed to Vancouver itself as part of the inspiration.
“As I write this note from Kyoto, I am surrounded by places that value intention, detail, and a sense of presence,” he shares. “We are not a Japanese restaurant, but Vancouver is a city where ideas meet and where thoughtful concepts can emerge naturally. That spirit informs Otto. At its core, it is about offering a great experience supported by great food and great drinks, with music as the tool that ties everything together.”
The project is led by co-owners Ignacio Arrieta, Joe Fazio, and Daniel Panduro, with Yashir Gonzalez running the bar. The interior was designed by Hesam Ghaemi for Goodanimal, giving the space a warmth that fits Mount Pleasant’s steady evolution as a dining neighbourhood.
Otto also joins a growing list of reboots in the area. It follows Giusti, now open in the former Bar Susu location, and Lucia, which took over the old Smitty’s Oyster House. And with Mojo Cantina-Izakaya officially out of the picture in less than a month, locals are already speculating about which restaurant might claim that long-vacant space next. Old Spaghetti Factory, your move.
Osteria Otto opens tonight (December 17) at 151 East 8th Avenue.
Dining and Cooking