One of Vancouver's most popular high-end restaurants has a new next-door sibling at a prime Yaletown location.
Elisa, the posh steakhouse operated by the restaurant group Toptable, now boasts an offshoot butcher shop and grab-and-go spot called Luigi & Sons.
Luigi & Sons is located at 1119 Hamilton St at the space that had previously been home to Urban Thai Bistro, which ended its long tenure in the space in 2019.
The long-awaited project, which we first learned about in late 2020, opened its doors earlier this month.
The premise of the butcher shop is to offer guests the opportunity to take a bit of the Elisa experience home. Luigi & Sons stocks a carefully-curated array of meats sourced from "high-grade local and global farms," according to the business, so you'll see beef from B.C.'s 63 Acres alongside A5 Wagyu from Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan.
Luigi & Sons is touted as a "one-stop shop for the best butcher experience in Vancouver." To that end, its multi-faceted menu not only features butchered meats (including those in its dry-aging program) but also take-and-make provisions and prepared items available for take-away (several salads, a prime rib sandwich, cookies, pies, and condiments).
Operations of the shop are overseen by Toptable vet Chef Andrew Richardson (CinCin, Elisa) and store manager Amanda Grant.
Elisa opened in late 2018, having replaced a one-time Milestones at the corner of Hamilton and Helmcken. The intersection is definitely dominated by Toptable now; its renowned seafood restaurant Blue Water is on Hamilton right across Helmcken from Elisa. Toptable, which has been owned by Vancouver's high-profile Aquilini Group since 2014, operates several high-end restaurants, bars, and cafes in Vancouver, Whistler, and even New York City, with plans for a new concept in downtown Victoria long in the works as well.
Luigi & Sons is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
This article was originally published on Dec. 21, 2020 and has since been updated with new information.
