Gigi’s — Restaurant in Coquitlam

Such a shame my experience here was so underwhelming and unpleasant, its a gorgeous space and the decor of the restaurant itself is beautiful. I'm sharing my thoughts because I would hope the establishment can recognize there's definitely opportunity to do better.

I'll summarize the visit from start to finish - you walk into an exquisitely decorated space. It was a really warm Summer day so it made for an even better mood setting. I sat at our table where 3/4 of our party were already seated. The server informed my friend they were out of a number of items which I thought, was fine given they're relatively new and probably overwhelmed by the influx of patrons coming in to try such a new and up and coming spot. I believe I tried to order 3 drinks off the menu they were unfortunately unable to accommodate. I was a bit put off but not so bothered as I just asked for sparkling water as an alternative, I figured that should be something they HAVE to have on hand. Which, they did. It was brought to the table warm, (lol) with a glass not even containing a few ice cubes if any at all... I did mention it was a hot Summer day so you can sort of put 2 and 2 together. Nonetheless, we carried on...

Food was ordered. Initially they were out of burrata, but our server came around to inform us they actually did have some on hand. Photographed, is the burrata and pistachio pesto with mortadella added. I was about to take a bite of the food but unfortunately saw there was a strand of short human hair on the meat. To be really honest, I was going to just set this 'contaminated' bit of food aside but my friends were really concerned and suggested I bring this to the server's attention. To be fair, that would've been the logical thing to do straight away especially given the $35 plus $8 for mortadella price tag. Regardless of if it costed $2 or $100, food being served shouldn't have anything foreign on it (common sense you would think)? I thought, alright fine I'll call her over and bring this to her attention. Things happen and I have no doubt that they'll obviously make things right and bring a clean dish over. However, I brought this to our server's attention and she immediately responded with 'I don't think its hair, I think it's just fluff' but okay - would you like me to get you a new one?

You can imagine just how perplexed I was in that moment responding with, sure - yes please? It's almost laughable but obviously not. Imagine being met with a dismissive response at a nice restaurant where you've just discovered hair in your food. Was certainly not expecting a remark like that. Moving on to mains, photographed as well is the chicken dish. At this point I was so done with trying to process how bad the whole experience was going we just tried to enjoy the rest of the meal and each other's company. To be completely honest, the chicken looked/tasted like something out of a rotisserie chicken bag you'd find in a supermarket. Really disappointing... and given her response to the hair found in the appetizer I didn't bother addressing any further concerns at the restaurant. Truth be told I couldn't wait to leave. Its unfortunate that this places screams of 'all fluff, no substance' (no pun intended) and very pretentious vibes especially given the hype around its opening. Its understandable for things beyond control to happen, but when concerns are being brought up to service staff are met with such dismissiveness and contempt its definitely a not a place worth returning to or...

Review #2 - September 1, 2025 - 5 stars This was my second visit to Gigi’s, and I’m happily increasing my rating from 4 to 5 stars as all the dishes were consistently excellent! We started with the warm olive appetizer from the happy hour menu - they were meaty, beautifully marinated, and a great way to kick things off. The fungi pizza was incredible: perfect crust, full of flavour, and rich without being greasy or overwhelming. I’ll add that as a pescatarian, I really appreciated the number of vegetarian pizza options on the menu and look forward to coming back to try others. The sablefish was cooked perfectly, and the romesco sauce with kale and tomato was a flavourful complement. It was quite pricey for the portion, but the quality made it worthwhile. For dessert, we shared one scoop of pistachio gelato and one of stracciatella. Both were delicious, but the pistachio was truly something to write home about, full of natural pistachio flavour and perfectly sweet. Easily one of the best gelatos I’ve ever had (and I spent a summer in Italy)! Another fantastic date night and the service (thanks, Caitlin!) was just as excellent as on our first visit. 10/10.

Review #1 - August 9, 2025 - 4 stars I'm genuinely thrilled to see a modern, stylish spot like Gigi’s open in the Tri-Cities. It’s a refreshing change! The space is beautiful, with a great vibe that makes it ideal for date nights or a night out with friends. I also love the shared concept with Nemesis, a staple from Vancouver, and knowing it's part of the Kitchen Table Group (behind places like Di Beppe and Ask for Luigi) definitely set high expectations.

Overall, we had a great night. Our server, Shauna, was fantastic. She was warm, attentive, and super knowledgeable about the menu.

Food-wise, there were some hits and a few misses, though I’d definitely come back to try more. The burrata with pistachio pesto was fresh and creamy, though the pesto was quite mild (not bad, just not particularly memorable). The bread it came with was nice. The calamari fritti was tender but, as others have mentioned, very salty and a bit greasy. The accompanying sauce was fine but didn’t elevate the dish.

The arugula fennel salad felt a bit underwhelming (mostly a pile of dry arugula for $19, without the brightness or texture contrast I hoped for). The halibut special had good flavour overall, but the fish was slightly overcooked. That said, the halibut cheek agnolotti served alongside was a standout - it was beautifully done, and it made me wish I’d focused more on the pasta side of the menu. Something for next time!

The real highlight of the evening, though, was the tiramisu. Pillowy soft, rich, and just the right amount of sweetness (plus a generous portion). It was a perfect way to end the meal!

All that said, this is a special space with excellent service, and I see a lot of promise here. I’m definitely planning to come back for the pizza (they looked phenomenal coming out to other tables) and to explore more of the pasta offerings. With a bit more consistency on the food side, this place will easily become a standout in the...

My sister visited Gigi’s during its opening week and felt there were still quite a few things to improve, so I decided to wait before trying it myself. Today, it was just my daughter and me for lunch.

My daughter still prefers her favourite Italian spot, though I personally think that place has been declining in quality lately. For me, Gigi’s feels like a quality restaurant.

The main reason my daughter ranked the other restaurant higher is because she found Gigi’s pasta “too firm.” I’d describe it as properly al dente — exactly how pasta should be cooked. She ordered Luigi’s Bolognese, which had a touch of spice. I thought it was perfectly balanced, but she found it a little salty, something I honestly didn’t notice.

I had the Frutti di Mare. Everything was well-prepared and enjoyable. Was it the best pasta I’ve ever had? No. But it was solid, satisfying, and worth the price.

We finished with their tiramisu, which came in a generous portion. The flavours of coffee and wine were bold — a bit too strong for my taste, but still a good dessert overall.

My sister visited Gigi’s during its opening week and felt there were still quite a few things to improve, so I decided to wait before trying it myself. Today, it was just my daughter and me for lunch.

My daughter still prefers her favourite Italian spot, though I personally think that place has been declining in quality lately. For me, Gigi’s feels like a quality restaurant.

The main reason my daughter ranked the other restaurant higher is because she found Gigi’s pasta “too firm.” I’d describe it as properly al dente — exactly how pasta should be cooked. She ordered Luigi’s Bolognese, which had a touch of spice. I thought it was perfectly balanced, but she found it a little salty, something I honestly didn’t notice.

I had the Frutti di Mare. Everything was well-prepared and enjoyable. Was it the best pasta I’ve ever had? No. But it was solid, satisfying, and worth the price.

We finished with their tiramisu, which came in a generous portion. The flavours of coffee and wine were bold — a bit too strong for my taste, but still a good dessert overall.

As for the service, overall it was fine. However, after I was seated, my server didn’t return for about five minutes, just wondering why it took so long to show up.

Conclusion: Gigi’s is a very nice restaurant, best appreciated by adults. It’s absolutely kid-friendly in atmosphere, but I feel the recipes lean more toward adult palates.

Conclusion: Gigi’s is a very nice restaurant, best appreciated by adults. It’s absolutely kid-friendly in atmosphere, but I feel the recipes lean more toward...