NOTE: All food and beverages were complimentary, but all opinions are based on my own experience.

Last month, we checked out the newest Bibo Pizza location in Olympic Village called Bibo Pizza al Taglio. It’s a short walk from the Canada Line station and makes a great lunch or dinner spot for the offices and residential buildings nearby.

The interior has a rustic charm to it with brick walls on one side and hand-painted tile walls on the other. I especially liked this painting which requires a closer to look to find everything all so Roman about it.

The menu at this location is much smaller, and focusses on Roman style pizza compared to the Neapolitan pizzas we see at their other locations. I first tried Roman style pizza when I was in Rome and fell in love with it! Instead of the typical circular shape, Roman style pizza are usually rectangular and sliced into squares. They also feature some focaccia options and gourmet pizzas with ingredients I haven’t seen elsewhere.

Aranciata, Chinotto

We started off with some beverages from the Italian brand Lurisia. These are sodas which are imported from Italy. The Aranciata is my favourite as it’s a delicious soda made from oranges from the bays of the Adriatic sea. Think Fanta but way better. The Chinotto is also a fruit similar to an orange and tastes sort of like cola but not as sweet. Both are great choices to get a taste of Italy!

The pizzas here are sold by slice with the exception of the gourmet pizzas which require an order of 3 for $20. However, the owner said that the menu will be changing and he hopes to offer the gourmet pizzas by slices as well. The gourmet pizzas are also made to order and ready within 10 minutes.

Margherita, Prosciutto e Funghi, and Diavola

We first got to sample their traditional pizzas which included the Margherita, Prosciutto e Funghi and Diavola. The Margherita is topped with DOP tomato sauce, bocconcini fior di latte and basil. DOP means that the tomato sauce is certified to be locally grown and packaged in Italy. The Prosciutto e Funghi is topped with DOP tomato sauce, bocconcini fior di latter, cooked ham and mushrooms. Lots of toppings but I found this one to be rather bland. My favourite was the Diavola which consisted of DOP tomato sauce, bocconcini fior di latte and spicy salami. I really liked the kick of spice!

#2 – Shitake Mushrooms, Bresaola Cured Meat, Parmigiano Reggiano, Arugula

We also got to try their gourmet pizzas which are made with focaccia and therefore much more fluffy than the traditional. We chose #2 which is topped with shitake mushrooms, bresaola cured meat, parmigiano reggiano, arugula and lemon. Their gourmet pizzas are what I would come back for. I love the variety of toppings which you can’t find at most pizza restaurants, but they actually work! There were so many mushrooms and the salt from the cured meats balanced the flavours very well. I’d definitely order this again.

Overall, we were impressed with the new Bibo location and am excited that we now have Roman style pizza in Vancouver. The prices are slightly higher, especially for the gourmet pizzas, but you get what you pay for. The gourmet pizzas are what I’d definitely come back for.