Violeté is taking shape inside the former Famoso space at 1380 Commercial Drive, with an opening targeted for early April.

The project comes from the group behind Havana, Flamingo Room, Vancouver Urban Winery and Belgard Kitchen, and will be the third address in their small cluster of restaurants on the Drive – it will focus on Spanish and Italian cooking built around shared plates, pizza, fresh pasta, and a broader Mediterranean influence across the food and drink program.

CONCEPT

Sometimes a restaurant starts with a big concept. Sometimes it starts with the right space.

Violeté came about through a mix of good timing and the sort of experienced eye that knows when not to overthink an opportunity. This crew had been thinking about their next move for a few years, and when Famoso (a casual pizza chain owned by the same group that operates Ricky’s and Fatburger in Canada) closed its doors last November, there wasn’t much hesitation. An Italian direction had already been on their minds, and the space came with a forno pizza oven and a high-quality Italian dough mixer sitting in the prep kitchen. The room was also a good size, with enough seats to make the investment make sense. Oven, mixer, seats. Done deal.

But when I ask Major why Italian in a city that already has a lot of Italian, he is quick to point out that Violeté will blend Spanish and Italian influences. Yes, there will be a focus on pizzas (the pizza oven setup is pretty sweet, and you’d be crazy to not want to capitalize on that), but the menu will also include fresh pasta, roasted meats, and shareable plates that move a little further away from a predictable Italian profile, drawing in more Spanish and Mediterranean elements.

“Those are my two favourite parts of the world, food-wise. I love the way those cultures bring family to the table.”

“From there, the plan is to just choose great ingredients and let them do the talking,” he said. “Ultimately, we are creating a menu that is meant to be shared,” he added. “We want our guests to be comfortable. It’s about sitting around the table and having conversations.”

The kitchen is being developed by Executive Chef and Partner Andrew Hounslow (who has been stealthily testing dishes at Belgard Kitchen for the last few months) while Violeté’s day-to-day kitchen will be led by Head Chef Andrew Kelly (a recent import from Ireland).

The beverage program is overseen by Beverage Director Alexa Greenman, with Bar Manager Taylor Gardiner (formerly wine director at Bar Corso) shaping the day-to-day program. Wine will highlight small producers from Spain and Italy alongside standout BC wineries, while cocktails draw inspiration from the same regions. Both Greenman and Gardiner know what’s up behind the bar, so I expect Violeté’s drink card to have personality.

Space

I stopped by the Commercial Drive space last month. At the time, it was mostly drywall and sawdust. Even though the room looked stripped down to the studs, the plan was always to keep the structural layout intact so the team could avoid a lengthy permitting process.

“All the walls are in the same place,” Major said, “but the floor plan is going to look dramatically different.”

The 2,700-square-foot room, designed by Lemon Lane Interiors, is being reworked to open the space up and improve movement through the dining room. A long banquette will run along one wall, paired with four-top tables, while the back area – once constrained by fixed seating – has been opened to allow for more flexibility. Indoor seating is expected to land in the high 70s.

Design direction falls into what Major calls “rustic European bistro” territory. As he walks me through the vision for walls finished in light beige plaster, banquettes upholstered in olive green, and dark green tile wrapping the bar and the existing pizza oven, which will be plastered in so it reads as part of the architecture, the picture that forms feels easy and light. Something closer to the feeling of a small Mediterranean town: simple materials, gentle curves and spaces that feel relaxed, humble, and inviting.

“Plus, there will be a few signatures I always like,” Major said. “Lots of plants, good lighting and a great front door.”

Essentially, the broader goal seems to be to create a space that feels open and interconnected.

A patio has already been framed in and will be activated once permits are approved, adding roughly 16 outdoor seats, with the possibility of additional outdoor space at the rear.

team

Staffing is well underway and relies heavily on internal promotion and staff moving between locations, with a few notable additions.

“About forty to fifty percent of our staff come from our other places,” Major said. “That takes time to build, but it’s so important to us to make sure our existing staff have room to grow. Plus, these are the people who already have relationships with regulars, and we think that is important to maintain.”

That same sense of connection shapes how Major talks about the neighbourhood around the restaurant.

CONTEXT

With three restaurants now clustered along the same stretch, I ask why the group keeps investing here instead of looking farther afield. Part of the appeal is practical. Having the restaurants close together makes day-to-day operations easier. But the draw of the neighbourhood itself carries equal weight.

“Commercial Drive feels European to me,” he said. “You walk down the street, you see people you know. You talk about their families, about food, about what’s going on.” That everyday familiarity is something that the world needs more of, I like that it is a priority for Major, and that it extends to other businesses on The Drive.

“When someone opens next door, that’s great,” he said. “Two good places close together bring more people. You might come for one and end up at the other.”

There’s also a sense of mutual support that develops when everyone is working side by side.

“You run out of cilantro, you go borrow some. If a delivery’s sitting outside, you help. If someone needs ice, you jump in,” he said. “It feels like a village.”

More than anything, Major frames Violeté as a restaurant designed to serve the people living around it first. “This place is for the neighbourhood,” he said. “A warm, welcoming hangout that does really good food and drink. Pretty simple.”

Construction began in mid-December and picked up pace after the holidays. Finishing work is now underway, with Violeté targeting an opening in the first week of April. The restaurant plans to operate seven days a week, opening at 11:30am Monday through Friday, with earlier brunch service beginning at 10:00am on weekends. Closing times will run from 10:00pm on weeknights and Sundays to 11:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Stay tuned for news of opening day here.

OPENING CREDITS

Managing Director and Partner: Reuben Major
Executive Chef and Partner: Andrew Hounslow
Operations: Rich Charrois
Controller: Adam Madrussan
Head Chef: Andrew Kelly
Beverage Director: Alexa Greenman
Bar Manager: Taylor Gardiner
General Manager: Paris Pelan
Marketing Manager: Rebecca Elliott
Events: Cait Reid
Interior Design: Lemon Lane Interiors
Branding and Identity: Ksenia Dempster / Bread & Butter

Violeté

Neighbourhood: Commercial Drive

1380 Commercial Drive

604-238-5000

WEBSITE