Pino Posteraro shows off the heirloom tomato and Dungeness crab salad at Cioppino's. Photo by KK Law

In a city blessed with great dining, Vancouver truly has an abbondanza of Italian choice.
1 Cioppino’s Pino Posteraro’s sumptuous room is a fave with locals and visiting stars alike, especially for osso buco alla Milanese or the namesake spicy seafood medley.
2 Al Porto Hidden away in Gastown, this warm and cozy room serves up a wealth of classic plates in a cellar-like setting.
3 Q4 This West Side destination is a favourite for its polished, rustic, candlelit decor and shared plates of Cornish game hen and legendary spicy spaghetti.
4  La Terrazza Discover elegance and romance personified, along with a striking private wine room and cellar and specialties of Dungeness crab risotto and grilled bison rib-eye.
5  L’Altro Buca This oasis on a quiet side street in the West End serves firmly flavoured traditional fare such as puttanesca and porchetta, with well-chosen wines to match.—Tim Pawsey