“Let’s go for a drink.”
“Ah—I don’t know. I’m really tired and I don’t feel like brushing my hair or dressing up.”
“Perfect, we’ll go to the Upstairs at Campagnolo.”
And that’s all it took to convince me to abandon plans to work in my Vancouver hotel and head out for drinks last month to East Vancouver. Beloved upstairs hideaway/hangout to longtime Italian favorite Campagnolo Restaurant, the Upstairs is a comfortable, casual come-as-you-are, cozy and unpretentious space. Guests enjoy well-made cocktails, drink exciting wines and snack on tasty, addictive and authentic Italian antipasti, pasta and pizza.
Like Campagnolo downstairs, the menu revolves around rustic Roman dishes and though I can guarantee you won’t be able to go without the salty, crunchy goodness of Crispy Ceci dressed with chilies, mint and citrus, you must try the beautiful pizzas. Authentically blistered and simply dressed, they’re a secret gem of Vancouver’s shining pizza scene.
Of course, delish simple foods taste even better when paired with a suitable beverage or few. Fortunately, Campagnolo’s bar man Peter Van de Reep adheres to the less-is-more ethos. His wine list is a favorite of eno-interested folks and restaurant industry, with approximately a dozen ever-changing, exciting selections highlighting natural wines, indie producers, lesser-known grapes and regions—at terrific value.
The cocktails are in the same vein: simple and tight, highlighting the more obscure spirits (Van de Reep has a thing for amaro, like I do) while able to shake up the classics tidily. A line up of local brews is also tempting, as is the lure of Sunday brunches—another opportunity to roll in before picking up the hairbrush.
If this resto was in my ‘hood, I might never stay home.
Follow on Facebook: Camp Upstairs
Track on Twitter: @campagnolomain
