Anton’s Pasta Bar

Anton’s well known for their big portions and long lineups out the door. Finally got to come back for dinner and ordered the Toscana which contains chicken, mushroom with pesto sauce. This is by far my most favourite dish there. I know the appeal is the large portions and decent taste. The fact that you could pay 16 bucks for essentially two meals (next day’s leftover) and it’s really not bad for what you get.
Of course there are much higher quality authentic Italian restaurants in the city and I know some true Italian people would be annoyed that others would call this ‘Italian food’ much like how others would call Manchu Wok authentic ‘Chinese food’. In the end, I think as long as you go in without expecting a fancy authentic, high end Italian meal but rather, a meal that has a gentle price point, large portions, above average taste and comforts your belly… you should go home pretty satisfied.
Oh and the challenge of finishing the entire dish is always fun too… if you your stomach can handle all that pasta in one sitting.

Been here few times in past few years and my experience here has been always good.
I’m always full after eating there and I bring food back, so it’s like 2 meals in 1. But I never get to eat their dessert since I’m yoo full. But I tried it few days ago, tiramisu.
Unfortunately it wasn’t so fresh and it was really soggy. Maybe it’ll be better if it’s more fresh. It was huge by the way. Just like rest of the menu items.
Good food, good service, nice dining area… but the location sucks. It’s hard to get to if you have no car.

Without a doubt THE best pasta restaurant in the entire lower mainland with no equal. The portions are huge; the service is genuine and top notch. You are guaranteed leftovers for next day lunch as take-​away. There is a long lineup that extends down the street nightly from this place for a reason. Treat yourself to this food!

We have eaten here a number of times over the years but the last few times we have gone we feel the prices get higher as the quality decreases. Tonight I had the carbonara which was desperately lacking in flavour. I normally have the pescatore but last couple times i had it the flavour and quality had decreased so much I had decided to try something new.
My partners meal was also mediocre and also feels the food has gotten worse. It’s not worth it to go so you can have left overs if you don’t even want the leftovers.
Tonight the service/​atmosphere was bad, my partner and I couldn’t even have a conversation due to the loud chatter of all the staff hanging around the bar and the cooks all talking about life while they worked in the open kitchen which to me was unprofessional. We literally couldn’t talk to each other, without being distracted and overcrowded by their giggling/​laughing and talking. Socializing is for before or after work or during breaks or away from the dining floor. One server even decided to play basketball with the garbage can right behind my partners head across the restaurant. Some of the staff need training in professionalism.
I don’t believe we will be returning, I’ll try other Italian restaurants in the area instead.

I went to Anton’s with some friends and was prepared for a long wait. It was about 20 minutes, which I was told was below average. Yipes! The service was a bit slow, but adequate.
As expected, the portions were gigantic and even a heavy eater like me could not finish it all. You certainly get a lot of food for your dollar. *burp*
That said, I don’t understand why somebody would want to wait outside for 30 or more minutes. The food portions were huge, but still rather generic. Pasta and sauce is not hard for someone to make at home. If there wasn’t such a long lineup, I’d probably go back more often. Instead, I’ll pay a bit more to go to another Italian restaurant where the quality is higher.

Awesome food and awesome service! Definitely enjoyed eating here. The ambiance is very family friendly and I felt very comfortable there. We did have to wait a little while in line and it was cold outside but it was all worth it! The food portions were HUGE. and I literally mean HUGE. I eat an average amount and when i was done it looked like I haven’t even touched my plate! It was crazy. It was so tasty I wanted to eat more but I was so full hahaha.
I had to take all the pasta to go and it lasted me for my next 3 meals. For ~$ 17-​$ 18 it was totally worth it. We got some bread before our pasta, and I would have to say I would prefer bread that’s a little toasted or at least warm. The bread was very cold and stale though… But i mean it was free haha.
For drinks we got the melon ball cocktail, it was DELICIOUS. One of my first few alcoholic drink because I just turned 19 but i would say it’s one of the top!
Would definitely recommend this place to my family and friends. Don’t come here expecting to eat right away, you may have to wait more than 20 minutes in line!

Used to go here all the time when I went to school nearby. Its cheap and filling and that is about it. The food itself is not that great. If you want real Italian food, this is not the place. If you want college Italian food, this is it.
Their pastas are huge and you will probably end up taking leftovers. I usually love white sauces, except this place was way too creamy and fatty for my tastes. Red sauce is pretty meh, really bland. They prices are pretty decent and you get a lot of food so dont expect the best quality.
Street parking can be difficult, and there is most oftenly a lineup so be prepared to wait! Service is extremely fast and rushed but its understandable since they are trying to flip tables.

Be ready to wait at least 30mins to get a table at this local institution. We went on a rainy Sunday afternoon at 4pm, thinking we’d avoid the dinner rush, and I suppose for Anton’s, we did! As we left the line had well and truly formed along the wall outside, so be prepared. This place is known for serving size and did they ever deliver! Is it the best pasta I’ve had ever, well no, but there’s plenty of great flavor and they don’t skimp on main ingredients. Plus the portions truly are huge! It’s basically 3 meals in one. So it’s great value for money that way. Fast, friendly service, I’m sure I’ll be back!

I think the pasta here is good. The portion is huge. I always have to split with my girl friend and we still have some left to take home. I don’t like pasta swimming in sauce. I get the clear past (brown butter) when available. When in Anton’s, I always get Penne Alla Pastora. This pasta has Italian sausage for a little kick of spice, maple bacon for sweetness and white wine, egg and cheese to add more flavor. This has always been my favourite. I also recommend the Bruschetta Bread. It’s toasted garlic butter bread with fresh tomatoes, red onions and fresh herbs. It’s addicting. I can eat 2 although one order has 6 pieces of bread. It just have to go to my doggy bag. Overall I would recommend this place.

The pasta here is not good. Poor quality. Average at best in taste. My partner and I both got sick after our meal as well. We waited in line an hour for this? Why do people bother?
If you want meals for 3 days after, sure go. But if you don’t want to get sick, don’t bother going.
All quantity, no quality. Camp food is better than the food here. Hated it, and will never go back.

We came here when we started dating back in the 90s and somehow forgotten about this place until recently.
They still have the same line up and now unless your whole party is here, they will not seat you.
The food is GINORMOUS! The leftover lasts for at least another 2 meals.
We ordered the Agnolotti Cardinale, which is meat stuffed Tortellini like pasta in a Creamy Tomato Sauce. Every bite is filled with meaty goodness and we really enjoyed it.
We also ordered the Conchiglioni — its five fist sized pasta stuffed with seafood. We chose the Creamy Tomato Sauce also as we liked the spicy tangy flavor.
We tried the Conchiglie Frutti di Mare — mixed seafood & mushroom in a cream sauce, we chose the spinach fettucini and the pasta was delicious.
There is now a minimal charge per person, I guess to lessen a family of 4 sharing one dish.
The staff is efficient and the tables turn fast even if there is a line up, don’t worry, the line does move fast.
Maybe we will try sharing a salad with one pasta dish next time. We saw the gigantic Caesar the next table had and it looked great!

Birthday dinner with husband and niece (yay, she’s back from Vietnam to stay with us for a bit)!
Got there at 7:30 and stood in the freezing cold for around half an hour because we were too dumb to come at a less crowded time haha –_​-​” do yourself a favor and try to avoid the dinner rush if you ever come by! Luckily my niece is like, immune to Vancouver weather. Or maybe she was just wearing a sweater while we were in t shirts…
Our waitress was quick and efficient at getting us everything we needed. I ordered the Indiana and my husband got the Chorizo Sausage. The portions were as big as they said it would be. I swear, I was shoveling food in my mouth for an hour and I only got around 60% of the way through. We got her a two tiramisu’s which she ate before I could take a picture :(she didn’t really like pasta but would die for tiramisu anyday. I had a bite and it was pretty good.
Flavours were good and strong. I liked the Indiana better because I felt the Chorizo was way too heavy. However, the chicken for the Indiana was kind of dry, so I will have to deduct a star for that. Next time I will probably try the seafood options!
⁴⁄₅ would visit again :))

It’s not fine dining, but it’s hearty, tasty comfort food in copious quantities. The service is very nice and for that plus value I add another star.
I don’t know anyone who could eat the whole plate. Come with plans to share or bringing home a couple of lunches.

Amazing food. Great service. HUGE portions!!! I will definitely be back here. Very busy place so we had to wait for 15 to 20 min but it was well worth it.

Definitely a Vancouver Top 10 restaurant for value.
The great thing about this place is that you’re not eating just dinner. You’re essentially preparing for your next day’s lunch at the same time.
The oversized pasta is great because for $ 20.00 you get great tasting pasta and left overs that taste great when microwaved.
The line up is brutal but if you come during 5pm before the dinner rush. So. Worth. It.

I spent a couple of days in the Vancouver area visiting a friend. When looking for dinner she asked if I liked pasta (of course, who doesn’t like pasta? monsters?) and suggested Anton’s. She warned me the portions were huge, and I didn’t quite understand what she meant until we got there.
We found parking across the back alley, and walked in through the customer entrance in the back. You still have to go up to the front to wait to be seated. This wasn’t an issue because it was a little early (about 5pm) and there was only one other party (of 2) waiting for a seat. We got seated right away. The vibe here is a big Italian family-​style restaurant. It seems historic, but from what I understand Anton’s has only been around for 30-​some years.
Out waitress was very friendly, and brought us bread to start. Bread is just the filler and this wasn’t amazing bread, but it was all right and honestly you might as well have some because there’s no way you’re going to finish your meal here. My friend got the fettuccine with asparagus and prosciutto. It’s a cream-​based dish, which I can’t handle, but I did try a bite and it was delicious. Damn you lactose-​intolerance.
The pasta I the Penne Chorizo Salsiccia E Funghi (chorizo sausage & mushrooms in a spicy lemon sauce). It was delicious, slightly tart with the lemon, with a nice spice. The pasta definitely tasted like it was made in-​house. I like that the sauce wasn’t a heavy sauce or a tomato one (it was an olive oil — or clear sauce as it’s listed on the menu). The pasta had a little bit of cheese (parmesan) but not a lot. And there were a few pepper slices, which I figured were sport peppers because they had a slight kick to them. The spicy lemon sauce wasn’t super spicy, but still had a good bite to it.
I ate quite a bit of pasta, but there was no way I could finish that meal. Unless you haven’t eaten for two weeks I can’t imagine eating a full dish pasta dish here. My friend and I both got to-​go containers for our meals — and I got another two full meals out of my leftovers. For the price you page (around $ 20 plus tax, tips, and drinks) it’s not a bad deal — especially if you think you’re getting 2 – 3 meals worth of food.
It is cash or credit only. I know there can be lineups out the door (something we saw as it got closer to 6pm) so be prepared to wait or come early. They also won’t seat your party (when it’s busy) unless everyone is there. Not sure when I’ll be back around Burnaby, but I’ll try to remember to check out Anton’s if I’m the area.

We ordered the Conchiglie Frutti di Mare mixed seafood & mushrooms in a cream sauce and the Fettuccine Creola Italian sausage, chicken & shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce. They were amazing! The portions are beyond what any one person or even two can finish but so worth trying to indulge!
I love how the meal started with fresh bread and a wonderful olive oil/​balsamic vinegar dip and how friendly the staff are even those not directly serving your table. My only gripe was that we (a party for two) were not allowed to sit by the tables by the window on the nice sunny day even though we came in during their down time before the lunchtime rush and way before the dinner lines as their policy is that they are reserved for parties of 3 — 4 people. Other than that still a very pleasant experience and will always come back.
PS: Wear stretchy pants fellow Unilocalers… trust me!

Team Tastic place a takeout order here and got the following:
Tortellini Alla Panna (turkey slices with potato tortellini) ($ 16.95)
Fusilli New Orleans (scallop, shrimp, chicken) ($ 16.95)
Anton’s is famed for their portions, and yes for takeout there were leftovers when we finished. Out of the two I really liked the Fusilli New Orleans. This was a savoury box of tortellini mixed with a tomato-​esque sauce. There was a mysterious vegetable (a green pepper) at the top of our box so I’m not sure if that was intentional or if it was dropped in. The sausage was juicy and the shrimp was visible. The scallop wasn’t so moist but I wasn’t expecting much here. The fusilli came al dente and thus had a good chewiness for me. If you’re looking for higher class Italian like Campagnolo or Tavola, this isn’t the place, but the quantity is real.
I wasn’t as big a fan of the tortellini. Even though they were all stuffed and mixed in with an Alfredo sauce the tortellinis were kind of dry and clumpy. The turkey slices were stripped and looked like a slice of cold cut sliced up. Again, the quantity was here because a potato filling is stuffing, but not as exciting as the Fusilli. In addition, I’ve heard stories of Anton’s being enough for three meals, but ours were good enough for two meals. I guess we either have big appetites or takeout portions are actually smaller than dine-​in portions. For the sake of promoting a dine-​in visit I’ll say that dine-​in portions must be larger.

This is a great place to fill a super hungry appetite. I’d say 2 – 3 people could share one entrée so bring your A-​game. They have tons of popular dishes and classic pasta entrees. It’s great to order food for groups so you can try a few of the dishes otherwise you’ll be too overwhelmed by all the quantity from one dish. Bön Appetito!

Stuffed! Portions are huge. Be prepared for a bit of a wait but it’s well worth it. Had the cannelloni. Didn’t look like a lot of food… but in the end I couldn’t finish it. Friendly servers who are quick to help. Some dishes take longer than others to make but it’s worth the cheesy carb overload.
Wouldn’t recommend coming here if you’re on a diet. Although I did see a lot of people order the salad to start. Be prepared for leftovers!