New pizzerias pop up on Vancouver's North Shore, with Bufala opening soon in Edgemont Village

Plus, photos: Farina e Legna, which recently opened in Lower Lonsdale

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      Not that long ago, options on the North Shore for Italian pizza were as thin as a Neapolitan-pie crust. Following the opening of Nicli Antica Pizzeria earlier this year, however, the selections are expanding.

      Any day now, a second location of Bufala will open in Edgemont Village (3280 Edgemont Boulevard), a project of Gooseneck Hospitality (which also runs Wildebeest and Bells and Whistles, among other spots). The original Bufala opened in 2014 in Kerrisdale, quickly becoming a locals’ fave. The North Shore outpost will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week as well as weekend brunch (with patio seating to come).

      Expect an expanded menu of “rustic, Italian-inspired” pizza, pasta, mains, starters, salads, and sides as well as local craft beer, Old- and New-World wine, and a full cocktail menu.

      Gail Johnson.

      Meanwhile, Farina e Legna is up and running in the LoLo district (119 2nd Street East). The latest restaurant from Kitchen Table Restaurants (which also owns Pizzeria Farina, Ask for Luigi, and Di Beppe eateries, among others, in Vancouver) took over the space from Il Castello Pizzeria. (The story of the latter joint's closing is not a sad one, however. Francesca Galasso, who opened Il Castello at age 26, also founded Holy Napoli, which produces pizza dough and a line of frozen pizzas; by all accounts, business is booming.)

      Farina e Legna’s brick wood-fired oven burns at about 600 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to traditional Napolitana-style pizza ovens, which hum along at about 900. The lower temp is said to give the crust a bit more chew. Executive chef Alessandro Vianello, who is now also overseeing all of Kitchen Table’s culinary operations, has introduced a weekly stuffed pasta, while the team, which includes chef de cuisine Jeffrey Tang, also makes bread in house to mop up all the freshly made pasta sauces.

      See below for a look inside (and outside). 

      Gail Johnson.
      Farina e Legna executive chef Alessandro Vianello, who's also Kitchen Table Restaurants' group executive chef, has family roots in Northern Italy.
      Gail Johnson.
      Fennel sausage, provolone, parmigiano reggiano, spicy peppers, and tomato sauce come on the finocchiona pizza ($19).
      Gail Johnson.
      Polpette al forno (baked meatballs) are made of beef and pork.
      Gail Johnson.
      House-made pesto and bolognese sauces come on a choice of rigatoni or spaghetti noodles.
      Gail Johnson.
      Gail Johnson.
      Farina e Legna carries seasonal craft beer from nearby Beere Brewing Company and Bridge Brewing Company, alongside classic Italian cocktails.
      Gail Johnson.

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