Restaurant group behind Havana and The Flamingo Room to launch new European-inspired bistro in Vancouver
Commercial Drive has long been a foodie hot spot, and now another restaurant will be joining the growing list of tasty eateries: Violeté.
VioletĂ© is described as a European-inspired bistro designed as a place for the neighbourhood to gather. It’s the latest venture from Vancouver restaurateur Reuben Major’s Van Urban Hospitality group (which includes Havana, The Flamingo Room, and Railtown’s Vancouver Urban Winery and Belgard Kitchen).
Major described VioletĂ© as “a place for people to come together while feeling transported elsewhere.”
“Spain and Italy have influenced my career profoundly, and this restaurant is about sharing that in a way that’s right for the community in which it calls home. That welcoming sense of place extends beyond the food to the memorable feeling we’re working to create,” Major continued.
Vancouver restaurateur Reuben Major of Van Urban Hospitality group (Violeté)
The 2,700 sq. ft. restaurant will feature 78 indoor seats and 16 patio seats. As for the interior, it’s designed by Lemon Lane Interiors and features a blend of rounded archways, luscious greenery, Tuscan-style tiles, and Roman clay finishes. Expect an upscale/casual vibe where you can stop in for lunch or a nice dinner.
Opening at 1380 Commercial Dr., VioletĂ© is taking over more than just the former home of Famoso Italian Pizzeria but also its forno oven, which the restaurant says is a return to Executive Chef and Partner Andrew Hounslow’s roots, who worked slinging pizzas in a wood-burning forno oven as a young cook.
“I’m looking forward to leading a unique yet timeless menu that centres on cooking techniques that take me back 20 plus years with this oven as the focal point of the food we’re creating,” Hounslow said.
Expect dishes that use local, seasonal, and traditional ingredients prepared with a blend of modern and time-honoured techniques, such as Branzino a la Plancha and Risotto Nero.
Violeté
Bar Manager Taylor Gardiner (formerly wine director at Bar Corso) has designed a beverage program for Violeté. It will spotlight Spanish and Italian producers alongside standout B.C. wineries. As for cocktails, expect drinks inspired by those same regions.
Taking the lead as general manager will be Paris Pelan, who joined Van Urban Hospitality at Havana in 2023, before making the move into a leadership role at Belgard a year later.
“VioletĂ© adds a European chapter to Major’s globally inspired portfolio, but more importantly, it reinforces Commercial Drive’s legacy of independent hospitality,” wrote the restaurant.
“In a city where restaurant openings often chase novelty, VioletĂ© makes a quieter statement: that craft, community and neighbourhood dining matter. Commercial Drive has long been defined by independent operators, and the restaurant adds to that lineage, as a place designed to be returned to, time and again.”
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An exact opening date for the restaurant has yet to be shared, but patrons can expect to dine at Violeté in early April.
Violeté
Address:Â 1380 Commercial Dr., Vancouver
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