Magari by Oca on Postcard

"Although there may be a number of Italian-leaning restaurants and pizza spots scattered around Vancouver, this simple pastificio invites diners to pull up a chair and savor authentic, well-prepared pasta dishes.They have bistro charm down pat, with black-and-white tiled flooring, a chalkboard emblazoned with the daily specials and a window onto an open kitchen. Consider the specials, then peek into the pasta rolling station and watch as your meal is made. A salad of romaine and chicory with oil-cured anchovy fillets and roasted red peppers is elegant in its simplicity. Tagliatelle with a wine-rosemary braised rabbit ragu is especially satisfying. There is just one dessert, but you'll be pleasantly full already." - Michelin Inspector

Magari by Oca

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@michelinguide

"Although there may be a number of Italian-leaning restaurants and pizza spots scattered around Vancouver, this simple pastificio invites diners to pull up a chair and savor authentic, well-prepared pasta dishes. Tagliatelle with a wine-rosemary braised rabbit ragu is especially satisfying. There is just one dessert, but you'll be pleasantly full already." - The MICHELIN Guide

2022 Vancouver MICHELIN Bib Gourmands

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@canadas100best

"If freshness and seasonality are the core tenets of Italian cuisine, this intimate room, which opened in December 2019 in Vancouver’s de facto Little Italy, is an orthodox house of worship. Don’t look for a menu online. It changes nightly to reflect local produce and the whims of Oca Pastificio chef/co-owner Greg Dilabio (formerly of C100B entrant La Quercia)."

https://canadas100best.com/oca-2/

Canada's 100 Best 2021 - Quebec

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Michael Henricksen

Google

It has been so long since I had a meal wow me and Magari by Oca did just that. A hiccup in the order food came out and that you have to be there 45 minutes before opening to get a table, was completely overshadowed by quality course after course. I constantly found myself saying this was the best this was the best antipasti, best salad, best pasta. Pasta cooked to perfection, buttery prosciutto, and finally a good restaurant dessert. Highly recommend you do the family style.

Frani

Google

Hype can sometimes set expectations too high, and unfortunately, that was the case with our dining experience. We were a party of three, arriving at 4:30 PM to wait in line and being seated for the first 5 PM seating. We dined here sometime during the first week of October. While the pastas were good and well-executed, the biggest issue for us was the inconsistency with the pasta portion sizes. As a group of three, our pasta courses were served on a single plate, whereas groups of four received their courses split into two plates, with two diners sharing a plate of pasta. This left us questioning whether we were getting the same amount per person as other groups. Watching the chef plate dishes, it was clear there wasn’t a consistent methodology to ensure proper portioning per person since majority of the pasta dishes were served family style. While the restaurant’s rustic, family-style vibe may embrace a more casual approach, it detracted from the experience as we couldn’t help but feel shortchanged with the small portion sizes. At $75+ per person for the tasting menu family style, the value didn’t match the cost. We left dinner hungry, which was disappointing. That said, the pastas were well-made and worth trying if you have the time, not too hungry and don’t mind waiting in line. To avoid similar issues, I’d recommend dining in even-numbered groups to ensure fair portioning or opting for à la carte instead of the tasting menu.

Jeremy Kim

Google

Best pasta of my life, for me it totally lived up to the hype. I lined up around 4:30 and was able to get in at 5 no problem. Highly recommend the tasting menu, each pasta was unbelievably good and unique, and the antipasti and dessert were perfect too.

Nicholas

Google

Came here on a Wednesday with a friend, got in line around 4:15pm and waited for their first seating at 5pm. We got in a little after 5:10 as we were waiting for the others guest front of us to get seated. Heard nothing but good things about this place, so naturally we had high expectations and decided to go with their tasting menu which included 2 appetizers and 4 pastas (shared between 2 people) and 1 dessert. The pasta was fresh, made to order, but nothing through the roof. We were there for a total of 3 hours. And 90% of the time, we were seated, waiting and pretty much hungry. The portions were small, less than 1 serving for the pasta and we had to share them. The wait time between each dish was 20+ minutes. Their no wait/ no reservation system is also very misleading. As we were waiting for our food, multiple people came into the restaurant asking for a table and were turned away or told to come back at 9. Dont come here if unless you have a lot of time to spare. We left the restaurant hungry even with an added dish + dessert. If you have the time to spare and want to try the pasta, by all means.

Dorothy S

Google

l recently celebrated my birthday here and couldn’t have had a better experience. I know the wait can be long but we were able to grab a drink nearby while we waited. We ordered the tasting menu which I would highly recommend. Each course was beautifully plated and carefully considered. I appreciate the service and atmosphere of Oca. The staff is wonderful, and everyone went above and beyond to make our party feel welcomed and taken care of. I know 5 stars across the board is high, but truly, this restaurant is everything I could ask for in a fine dining experience.

JJ

Google

Checked this place out after hearing so much hype about it—it’s supposed to be one of the best spots for pasta in town. With no sign, phone number, or reservations, we decided to get there early, around 4:30, only to find a line already forming for the 5 PM opening. Seeing people lined up that early really raised our expectations! We managed to snag the last spot in line, and once inside, we were warmly greeted by the owner, and the servers were friendly, setting a great vibe for the evening. For antipasti, we’re served ham, fresh bread, and a salad—a great start. Then came four different kinds of pasta for us to share, and we loved exploring each one. The tomato sauce pasta with burrata was delicious, and the one with roasted pumpkin tortellini was a perfect seasonal twist. Maybe it didn’t quite hit the high bar we’d set in our minds, but overall, it was a solid and enjoyable dining experience.

Vince Bacarac

Google

There are no words to describe how delicious the pasta I had here - and I’ve been all over Italy and the south of France. Order the set menu and you won’t regret it! Top 3 meals I’ve had in Vancouver. Edit (2024-09-21): went again this weekend and their consistency is immaculate.

Amman Ahmad

Google

We came here to have a small holiday dinner with a party of 3 and opted for the chefs tasting menu. This might be the first restaurant I have been to that hates its patrons. First of all, there’s no physical menus, ok no problem a little quirky. The menu is all the way in the front written by hand on the wall and next to impossible to read. Big reason we chose the chefs tasting menu was we couldn’t read the menu or even understand what was written. My biggest gripe with this place is how they portion their food for 3 vs 4 people. Some of the dishes we got were very clear for 2 people. But we paid for 3 people for the tasting menu. All night we had to look at the portions of the party of 4 beside us be significantly more than what we were getting. There was one dish where it wasn’t even enough for the three of us. That really left a bad taste in our mouths. In terms of the food it really was nothing special, it was quite mediocre with nothing really standing out. There wasn’t anything that we would go back for. Since they don’t have a reservation or booking system (they hate their guests) we waited 30 minutes before opening to secure a spot and we really wanted to like this place. This may have been the most disappointing dining experience of the year (2024)

Michael Henricksen

Google

It has been so long since I had a meal wow me and Magari by Oca did just that. A hiccup in the order food came out and that you have to be there 45 minutes before opening to get a table, was completely overshadowed by quality course after course. I constantly found myself saying this was the best this was the best antipasti, best salad, best pasta. Pasta cooked to perfection, buttery prosciutto, and finally a good restaurant dessert. Highly recommend you do the family style.

Frani

Google

Hype can sometimes set expectations too high, and unfortunately, that was the case with our dining experience. We were a party of three, arriving at 4:30 PM to wait in line and being seated for the first 5 PM seating. We dined here sometime during the first week of October. While the pastas were good and well-executed, the biggest issue for us was the inconsistency with the pasta portion sizes. As a group of three, our pasta courses were served on a single plate, whereas groups of four received their courses split into two plates, with two diners sharing a plate of pasta. This left us questioning whether we were getting the same amount per person as other groups. Watching the chef plate dishes, it was clear there wasn’t a consistent methodology to ensure proper portioning per person since majority of the pasta dishes were served family style. While the restaurant’s rustic, family-style vibe may embrace a more casual approach, it detracted from the experience as we couldn’t help but feel shortchanged with the small portion sizes. At $75+ per person for the tasting menu family style, the value didn’t match the cost. We left dinner hungry, which was disappointing. That said, the pastas were well-made and worth trying if you have the time, not too hungry and don’t mind waiting in line. To avoid similar issues, I’d recommend dining in even-numbered groups to ensure fair portioning or opting for à la carte instead of the tasting menu.

Jeremy Kim

Google

Best pasta of my life, for me it totally lived up to the hype. I lined up around 4:30 and was able to get in at 5 no problem. Highly recommend the tasting menu, each pasta was unbelievably good and unique, and the antipasti and dessert were perfect too.

Nicholas

Google

Came here on a Wednesday with a friend, got in line around 4:15pm and waited for their first seating at 5pm. We got in a little after 5:10 as we were waiting for the others guest front of us to get seated. Heard nothing but good things about this place, so naturally we had high expectations and decided to go with their tasting menu which included 2 appetizers and 4 pastas (shared between 2 people) and 1 dessert. The pasta was fresh, made to order, but nothing through the roof. We were there for a total of 3 hours. And 90% of the time, we were seated, waiting and pretty much hungry. The portions were small, less than 1 serving for the pasta and we had to share them. The wait time between each dish was 20+ minutes. Their no wait/ no reservation system is also very misleading. As we were waiting for our food, multiple people came into the restaurant asking for a table and were turned away or told to come back at 9. Dont come here if unless you have a lot of time to spare. We left the restaurant hungry even with an added dish + dessert. If you have the time to spare and want to try the pasta, by all means.

Dorothy S

Google

l recently celebrated my birthday here and couldn’t have had a better experience. I know the wait can be long but we were able to grab a drink nearby while we waited. We ordered the tasting menu which I would highly recommend. Each course was beautifully plated and carefully considered. I appreciate the service and atmosphere of Oca. The staff is wonderful, and everyone went above and beyond to make our party feel welcomed and taken care of. I know 5 stars across the board is high, but truly, this restaurant is everything I could ask for in a fine dining experience.

JJ

Google

Checked this place out after hearing so much hype about it—it’s supposed to be one of the best spots for pasta in town. With no sign, phone number, or reservations, we decided to get there early, around 4:30, only to find a line already forming for the 5 PM opening. Seeing people lined up that early really raised our expectations! We managed to snag the last spot in line, and once inside, we were warmly greeted by the owner, and the servers were friendly, setting a great vibe for the evening. For antipasti, we’re served ham, fresh bread, and a salad—a great start. Then came four different kinds of pasta for us to share, and we loved exploring each one. The tomato sauce pasta with burrata was delicious, and the one with roasted pumpkin tortellini was a perfect seasonal twist. Maybe it didn’t quite hit the high bar we’d set in our minds, but overall, it was a solid and enjoyable dining experience.

Vince Bacarac

Google

There are no words to describe how delicious the pasta I had here - and I’ve been all over Italy and the south of France. Order the set menu and you won’t regret it! Top 3 meals I’ve had in Vancouver. Edit (2024-09-21): went again this weekend and their consistency is immaculate.

Amman Ahmad

Google

We came here to have a small holiday dinner with a party of 3 and opted for the chefs tasting menu. This might be the first restaurant I have been to that hates its patrons. First of all, there’s no physical menus, ok no problem a little quirky. The menu is all the way in the front written by hand on the wall and next to impossible to read. Big reason we chose the chefs tasting menu was we couldn’t read the menu or even understand what was written. My biggest gripe with this place is how they portion their food for 3 vs 4 people. Some of the dishes we got were very clear for 2 people. But we paid for 3 people for the tasting menu. All night we had to look at the portions of the party of 4 beside us be significantly more than what we were getting. There was one dish where it wasn’t even enough for the three of us. That really left a bad taste in our mouths. In terms of the food it really was nothing special, it was quite mediocre with nothing really standing out. There wasn’t anything that we would go back for. Since they don’t have a reservation or booking system (they hate their guests) we waited 30 minutes before opening to secure a spot and we really wanted to like this place. This may have been the most disappointing dining experience of the year (2024)

Magari by Oca

Magari by Oca

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