Marcello Ristorante & Pizzeria is a charming Italian restaurant located on Commercial Drive. Marcello’s takes pride in providing an authentic Italian experience for Vancouver locals. They have an enormous Neapolitan style wood-burning oven in the centre of the restaurant and they make all of their pasta in house.
I dropped by for lunch over the weekend to try out some of their famous classic dishes as well as their new brunch menu.
There were two large prawns on top of an english muffin and topped with a broiled Hollandaise sauce. I was presently surprised by this eggs benedict. The eggs were perfectly poached and went well with the grilled succulent prawns. The potatoes were crispy and flavourful. The cantaloupe and strawberries were fresh and sweet and a nice ending to a delicious brunch plate.
The tempura batter was a touch heavy and on the oilier side, but the blossoms were tender and the homemade fresh ricotta was creamy and delicious. The tomato sauce added a nice tang to the overall dish. This is a definite winner in my book.
As a fan of Neapolitan-style pizza, I was looking most forward to trying the pizza here and it did not disappoint. The crust was thin and I personally love the charred crust. The mozzarella was stringy and delicious and helped to temper the spiciness of the inferno sauce.
Gnocchi is an Italian hand-made potato & egg dumpling, and Marcello’s makes their fresh every day. This results in a ultra fluffy and soft dumpling. The cheese sauce is rich but doesn’t overwhelm the fluffiness of the gnocchi. The broiled cheese adds a nice crust and textural contrast to the overall dish.
Their tiramisu looked and ate more like a parfait. It wasn’t too sweet and the espresso helped to cut the overall indulgence of my meal.
I really enjoyed my experience at Marcello’s. Their new brunch offering was solid, and their classic dishes were excellent. I would definitely come back for their pizza!
