Verace Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Oakville

I booked my birthday event here. I was in communication with staff days before the event to inquire about dietary restrictions.

Over the phone, it sounded amazing! Anything I requested they ensured I would be fine. From dinner accommodations to dessert - I was so happy!

Once arriving, our waiter had to be debriefed on everything from the host and then again from me. Even though I already booked a week in advance and spoke to multiple people that myself and another guest were vegan/plant-based and would need to be accommodated.

Mind you, I could have went somewhere else but they insisted to let them take care of me.

When it came time to order, my server then went on to say that they don’t have much to offer except the salads - which I thought was rude but remained unbothered. I then explained that I was told they COULD make any dish vegan/plant based. He said he would ask the chef. I quickly settled on a mushroom risotto because I didn’t want to complicate things and they told me on the phone (once again) that a risotto, pizza, pasta ect would be no problem to recreate.

They brought me a risotto that didn’t resemble mushroom risotto at all… it was rice, with mixed vegetables in soup broth. The most disgusting thing I have ever tasted. I politely let the server know that it wasn’t edible and I would be satisfied with just rigatoni noodles, red sauce and mushrooms. I emphasized garlic, onion and basil would be great too because I didn’t want them to skip out on the flavour or the experience once again.

He brought the pasta to the table, no basil so I had to request some on the side. He brought it. Thankfully the pasta was good cause I was starving at this point lol.

My guests were unhappy with their meals as well saying it lacked flavour or any flare which made me feel crappy because I could have went to a vegan restaurant but I realize that not everyone eats the same as me, and I wanted to be considerate. I’ve only heard great things about this place but don’t understand why.

To top it off, the server ended the night by bringing me crème brûlée -_- I reminded him I cannot eat diary but thank-you so much. I mentioned to him that I was told they had vegan gelato for dessert. He said they ran out……….

Terrible birthday dinner. Only reason I would come back is for a cocktail. The bartenders deserve a raise because that’s the most balanced cocktail I’ve ever tasted and I think it’s worth mentioning.

To whoever reads this and cares, please be real about what you can and cannot accommodate. Please be considerate of guests celebrating birthdays. & please train servers to exude excellent customer service regardless of who they are serving.

The bill was hundreds of dollars and we still left a nice tip but… I felt robbed.

Would not recommend… except for drinks!

Thanks...

This was a fairly disappointing experience for a birthday dinner. Every single time my table needed something, we had to wait 10+ minutes to see our server pass the table. When I arrived with my mother intially, I asked our hostess for some water before our other two guests arrived. She brought it right away and was lovely- Even wishing me a happy birthday as she had seen my OpenTable reservation.

After my other two guests joined my mother and I, 13 minutes passed before we were able to even make eye contact with our server and ask for our drink order to be taken. We put appetizers in with our drinks in fear we would not see our server for a while. We asked for a second round of focaccia, and the oil and vinegar was missing. He did not bring it back. I found it strange my sister was asked ‘are you done’ when her soda was low instead of being offered another one.

This was a good call, because our drinks took quite a while. Our server took away our menus before our appies were delivered, which made it difficult to look for an entrèe once we were finished. The server did not return to refill our drinks, and we had to call him over again to ask to see the menus back. We ordered entrèes and they arrived in a timely fashion. My mom had to ask for pepper, and my dads empty drink was again unadresssd, with empty glasses also not cleared.

I would like to say all of the food was excellent, no complaints there at all. Did notice the tables were at different levels while we were eating which was odd.

I ordered a soda when I had a chance to wave down our server, and it did not come out with the second round of drinks my family ordered prior to that. I reminded him, and he brought it out. At this point, our cutlery was stacked on the plates and they were pushed to the side. After twenty minutes passed, we waited to make eye contact with our server again, asking for boxes and the bill.

I’m just finishing my meal upset seeing so many missed opportunities for a restaurant with such a high caliber. I was also sad that my birthday was not recognized by our server, and there was no opportunity to order dessert. Pretty much every single thing we needed tonight had to be asked for, which is something that I’ve never quite experienced- especially in fine dining. I did notice our server had a 7-8 table section, which could be overwhelming. Regardless, not the experience I would be expecting at Verace. Hoping this reaches the right person and that this feedback will be taken into...

I luckily found Verace when searching online for private event spaces in the Halton region. Based on pictures & great reviews, I booked an appointment seven months prior to our event to check out the spaces (there are 2 event rooms - a smaller room inside of the main restaurant that fits approx. 24 ppl, & a larger private room with a separate entrance off of the left side of the restaurant that fits 60 ppl). We met with Michele (General Manager) & immediately felt ease with him, & knew that the vibe/aesthetic of the larger room was what we were looking for. The private room is beautiful with high industrial ceilings, modern gold chandeliers, black wall sconces, white wainscotting, gold chivari chairs, dark wood tables, a hidden sound system, retractable projector screen, & its own bar area. The bathrooms are down a back hallway that connects the event room to the main restaurant.

We reserved the space six months before the event & put down a deposit to hold it. Prior to the event date, I communicated with Michele through email about menu details/modifications, dietary restrictions, decor options, etc. He was easy to deal with, always responded promptly, & offered many solutions. He also allowed me to decorate the room the night before, so I wouldn't have to stress or rush the day of.

We hosted the event on May 10, 2025, for 40 ppl. We chose Menu #1 (Family Style): started with the mezzo antipasta, mista salad & added margherita pizzas. We then had 1 pasta (Casarecce Alla Boscaiola - cream sauce with bacon & peas), 2 meats (chicken piccata with lemon sauce & veal scallopine with mushroom sauce), served with roasted veggies & potatoes. The food was plentiful, hot, fresh & absolutely delicious!

Our server Mavis was amazing & worked so hard to ensure our day ran smoothly. She constantly checked in with me to make sure we were on schedule, & that guests were always taken care of by clearing their dishes & serving them drinks. I was able to bring my own cake, desserts, & fruit trays. Mavis also helped me assemble dessert trays & cut the cake. Michele checked in throughout the event to ensure everything was going well! Leyton was so helpful, especially with the cleanup at the end of the night.

Overall, our event was a big success! Many guests raved about the food, service & atmosphere. I am pleasantly surprised at how much the team at Verace exceeded my expectations! I will definitely use them again for future events & have been recommending them to all my...