The BiBo, Kitsilano’s only Italian-owned and operated restaurant, is closing temporarily from September 20 to October 5. Although it’s sad to do without pizza chef Salvatore Miele’s wood-fired beauties and authentic pasta for a two-week stretch, the reasons for the brief closing are joyous.
Andrea Bini, BiBo co-owner, is off to get hitched in scenic Tuscany. Meanwhile his partner Lorenzo Bottazzi is returning to his historic family estate, Monterosso (built 1530, pictured right), in the North West Piemonte region of Italy to assist with the grape harvest.
If you’ve made it to the BiBo, you’ve probably noticed that they serve Lorenzo’s Monterosso wines including a 2009 BiBo Barbera and a 2010 BiBo Cortese “Gavi di Gavi.” In fact demand for the house wine has been so plentiful, BiBo may sell out before the Monterosso Estate can produce the next 20,000 bottles. Try them while you can.
Wood-fired pizza by Salvatore Miele, The BiBo’s 19-year-old pizza master
As if Tuscany weddings and an autumn grape harvest weren’t romantic enough, Salvatore Miele, the 19-year-old pizza master who began training as a kid in Naples, will also be in Italy to prepare for his entry into the worldwide Pizza Making Competition taking place next year in Salso Maggiore.
Given that all these activities will only enhance an already top notch product, what else can we say except, enjoy! And hurry back to Fourth Ave.
The BiBo, 1835 West Fourth Ave., 604-568-6177; Thebibo.com
Last modified: October 14, 2020
Thanks for this-I have some visitors coming from out of town and was thinking they’d enjoy Bibo-we’ll probably end up @ Afghan Horsemen instead.