Chef Lucais Syme and Dustin Dockendorf, the duo behind Autostrada Hospitality, have made a fresh deal with Yaletown’s boutique Opus Hotel to operate the main floor restaurant and lounge space (what was originally Elixir Bistro and Opus Bar). The plan for is to create a new, casual pizza restaurant called Capo and a cocktail bar called The Spritz.
Capo, which will have a television in its horseshoe bar area, is being styled as a place to drop in and out of for either a quick bite or a full period of play — totally informal. It will offer 8 to 10 pies, four familiar pastas, plus a few salads and sides. Chef Lucais knows the space very well, as he was the co-founder and operating partner of its predecessor, La Pentola, a Yaletown fixture for six years.
The Spritz will be just as approachable, run by none other than the award-winning and very charming Kaitlyn Stewart, one of Canada’s top bartenders.
The 2,500 sqft space is just beginning its transformation by local design firm Ste. Marie (with branding by Glasfurd & Walker), but we can expect 100 seats in Capo and 20 seats in The Spritz. Those are pre/post Covid numbers, so I imagine they’ll be shrunk considerably as the current, altogether shitty situation endures.
Opening day is being set for the middle of September but I hope to have more on this promising project before then.
La Pentola was a real treat, as has been Cinara and then L’Autostrada, so this seems likely to be as well. Tough time to start it up, though.