brio (bree-oh) n. Liveliness, spirit, vivacity. [Ital.]

From land to sea Café Brio's menu focuses on regional products. Flavour pairing comes naturally when using products that come from the same region. Sauces are often kept simple or light as not to mask the natural flavours found in our local quality ingredients.

We have strong local farm resources almost year round. Beyond organics my commitment is to BC farms first for produce.

We are also fortunate to be so close to the Pacific Ocean. Local varieties of wild seafood are ordered on a daily basis and freshness is a given as sometimes these fish are literally only hours out of the water. We seldom stray from local varieties as there is fresh fish available year round off the waters of Vancouver Island.

I am a strong believer in supporting and promoting quality Canadian products. Therefore all of our beef is Alberta beef graded AAA or better.

With such a strong bounty of fresh local products and a professional kitchen staff we choose to make everything on our menu from scratch. In that manner we are able to ensure the products are handled properly. Our menu is reprinted daily so that we are able to serve the best possible products in their freshest form.

From the farms to our kitchen to your plate, enjoy!

Sincerely,

Laurie Munn ,Chef


Owners: Silvia Marcolini and Greg Hays

Silvia was born and raised in Ascoli Piceno, Italy and came to Canada when she was 14. She envisioned the design, exterior and interior, of our building. She has worked in the restaurant business with Greg since 1982, first at the Herald St. Café and then at the Marina Restaurant.

Greg Hays started the Herald St. Café in 1981/82 and sold his interests in 1992. During those 10 years, the wine list won many Gold awards at the Vancouver International Wine Festival.

Greg has won awards from Mondavi Winery and Decanter Magazine. The tradition continues at Cafe Brio with about 150 selections.

In late 1995, they began to scout locations for Café Brio. In November 1996 the land was purchased and construction begun. Service at Café Brio started May 29, 1997

"We think of our restaurant as an extension of our home.
We treat people as though they were our personal guests; with a bit of fun & a little irreverence."


Chef: Laurie Munn (and daughter Sadie)

Laurie Munn is a former amateur cyclist who competed successfully across Europe and North America. After retiring from cycling he pursued his lifelong ambition of becoming a chef, graduating from The Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in 1999. Laurie began his culinary career under the mentorship of Chef Scott Jaeger at Burnaby’s renowned Pear Tree Restaurant. He has gone on to work at some of the most acclaimed and award-winning restaurants on the West Coast, most notably at Vancouver’s bis Moreno. Laurie’s modern approach to Italian food brought bis Moreno to national attention, winning 2nd place in EnRoute magazine’s 2004 “Best New Restaurants in Canada”. He returns to Café Brio after a 5-year absence, from Victoria’s Paprika Bistro.