I was excited to try out this new spot in North Vancouver. The restaurant sits on Central Lonsdale, across from a Browns Socialhouse. Upon entering the cozy and inviting space with its warm colours, stylish wooden bar top and beautiful brick oven, I was impressed.
Unfortunately, my experience at Palermo Cucina went gradually downhill from here. After a lacklustre greeting from the visibly frustrated server punching in an order, I sat at the bar, which felt awkwardly high (and I’m six feet tall). I asked if they had a happy hour to which the server replied ‘no’ before being promptly corrected by another staff member.
I ordered a pint of the Steamworks Flagship IPA, which came ice cold and perfectly poured (thank goodness) and at a decent deal of $5. To eat, I ordered the Salsiccia pizza (all pizzas are $13 during happy hour), which tasted good, although the crust was a little soft. Both items arrived promptly, but the restaurant was basically empty, so I would not expect otherwise.
The most notable drawback was the background. The music choice was…interesting. Baby, it’s cold outside came on at one point. Unfortunately, the music was not loud enough to drown out the disorganized and bewildered staff tripping over each other in the mostly empty restaurant.
Ultimately, the uncomfortable atmosphere overshadowed the decent-tasting meal, resulting in a less than pleasant dining experience. Ultimately, Palermo Cucina failed to deliver.