Bufala River District — Restaurant in Vancouver

Bufala River District Location: 3489 E Sawmill Cres, Vancouver, BC V5S 0E3

In search of an Italian restaurant to satisfy my cravings, I decided to visit Bufala River District.

Ambiance: The restaurant features a thoughtfully designed ambiance with a spacious, airy interior that immediately feels welcoming. The cleanliness of the space was commendable, and the comfortable seating added to the overall dining experience. The decor was stylish and modern yet warm, creating a relaxed atmosphere that strikes the perfect balance between casual and refined dining. The lighting and arrangement of tables further contribute to the inviting feel of the space.

Rating: 9/10

Food:

Crispy Potatoes This dish, featuring Pecorino Romano, black pepper, and Parmigiano aioli, was well-presented but ultimately underwhelming. While the seasoning was appropriate, the dish didn’t have the depth or distinctiveness I was expecting. Though competently prepared, it lacked the complexity that would make it truly memorable. It felt like a standard side dish rather than something to rave about.

Rating: 6/10

Prawns The prawns, served with Calabrian chili, pickled fennel, and focaccia, were much more impressive. The prawns were generously portioned, succulent, and cooked to perfection. The spiciness from the Calabrian chili was balanced by the acidity of the pickled fennel, creating a vibrant and well-rounded flavor. The focaccia provided a nice textural contrast, making this dish a definite highlight.

Rating: 9/10

Corn and Bacon Risotto

This dish was the clear standout of the meal. Made with Carnaroli rice, Fraser Valley pork, green onion, Pecorino Tartufo, and Frico, the risotto was rich, creamy, and indulgent. The flavors melded beautifully, with the smoky bacon providing a savory contrast to the creamy rice. The dish was well-seasoned and perfectly balanced, offering a comforting yet sophisticated taste.

Rating: 9/10

Spaghetti & Garlic Prawns

This dish, featuring garlic prawns with arugula and a white wine garlic butter sauce, was enjoyable but didn’t quite reach the level of excellence found in other dishes. The prawns were well-prepared, and the sauce was flavorful, but overall, the dish lacked the complexity I’ve experienced in similar offerings at other restaurants. It was good, but not exceptional.

Rating: 7/10

Salmon (Substitute for Lingcod) Unfortunately, the lingcod was unavailable, so I opted for the salmon instead. The dish came with blistered cherry tomatoes and chickpeas, which added a nice textural contrast. While the salmon was thick and seasoned well, it was slightly overcooked, resulting in a tougher texture than I would have preferred. The accompanying vegetables were well-prepared and complemented the salmon nicely, but the dish as a whole didn’t quite meet expectations.

Rating: 7/10

Service:

The service was commendable. Our server was friendly, attentive, and provided excellent recommendations throughout the meal. Their warm demeanor added to the overall positive experience, making us feel well taken care of without being intrusive.

Rating: 9/10

Verdict:

Bufala River District offers a well-balanced dining experience with a stylish ambiance, friendly service, and several standout dishes, particularly the risotto. While a few menu items could benefit from more adventurous flavor profiles, the overall quality of the food is commendable. The service, atmosphere, and attention to detail make it a restaurant worth visiting, especially for those seeking a modern Italian dining experience in a relaxed,...

We’ve been regular customers of this restaurant for a long time. We live nearby and have often come here with family and friends because the food is great, and the atmosphere has always felt welcoming — until now.

We came to celebrate my birthday with my husband and our two children, ages 7 and 2. We were halfway through our dinner — we had ordered food, the kids had eaten, and then, as kids do, they started playing while waiting for the rest of the meal. At this point, the restaurant was nearly empty — just us and one other couple.

A male staff member (not our server) approached us and told us the kids shouldn’t run or touch the mirrors. We understood and asked them to sit. They kept moving around a bit — again, typical child behavior — and the same staff member returned, this time visibly irritated, and told us quite rudely that running was strictly prohibited. We were stunned by his tone. He didn’t speak to us with any patience or understanding, and when I tried to calmly suggest that instead of scolding us, he could offer the kids something to occupy them (like more paper or coloring sheets — we had only been given one), he snapped again and left.

Suddenly, without a word, he brought us the bill and a payment terminal — even though we hadn’t finished eating and were still waiting for tea and dessert. He also brought takeout boxes, clearly asking us to leave. We were confused and upset — it felt like we were being kicked out of a family restaurant just because our kids were being kids.

I didn’t touch the payment terminal — the transaction expired. It was my birthday, and this man completely ruined it. I sat at the table in tears, feeling humiliated in a place we had always trusted and enjoyed. To make it worse, he wasn’t even our server — he just came from behind the bar, made a scene, and then walked away.

Later, he came back, trembling, and apologized. He admitted he overreacted and said he was going through personal problems. While I appreciate the apology, it doesn’t change the fact that his behavior ruined a birthday that I had been looking forward to all year.

Two things are deeply wrong here: If someone can’t regulate their emotions or clearly has issues with children, they should not be working in a family-oriented restaurant. Management needs to be more aware of the emotional state of their employees. If a staff member is overwhelmed or struggling, they should be given a break — not left to lash out at guests.

Yes, we were offered a discount — drinks and some desserts weren’t charged, and we received about $30–40 off the bill. But that doesn’t erase the damage done. It was my birthday. A moment that should have been joyful and memorable became hurtful and unforgettable — in the worst way.

The waitresses were kind and apologetic, and the food was, as always, excellent. But this experience has left such a bitter taste that I truly don’t know if we can return. It’s heartbreaking when a place you love becomes the reason you cry on...

Was looking forward to this addition to the community. They are quite new so there are definitely some kinks to work out. First impressions is this place is absolutely gorgeous. We stopped here on a whim from an hour long walk around the river side and managed to snag 2 seats at the bar. Quickly greeted by the lovely Dora the explorer bartender - yes that’s how she greeted us - she explained her favourites as we were first timers. We ordered meatballs to start, roasted pineapple and ham pizza and the shrimp pasta, along with a ginger beer and rose on tap.

Within minutes, our pasta came out. Followed by the meatballs and then our pizza. We patiently waited for our drinks which weren’t anything fancy. Dora got extremely slammed with drink tickets and I have not seen someone work that fast in a long time. Kudos to her. One of the servers came to pick up some drinks and asked for another drink that she JUST punched in. There must have been 10 other tickets already. Including ours. This was a bit of a peeve to me as thjs server acknowledged she was skipping the line and didn’t seem to care. We finally got our drinks well into digging into our pizza.

Food wise, I enjoyed the meatballs the most and I’m not a huge meatball fan. Found it a little salty but the tomato sauce was so good. I hadn’t even barely bit into my crostini, clearly getting ready for multiple dips before I had a pair of hands surprise me and try to take my sauce away. With my mouth full, I had to stop her. I didn’t appreciate that didn’t ask or announce themselves and threw me off. The pizza had a strong cheese that overpowered everything else but has a nice chewy texture. Not my favourite and probably will try another style. The pasta was a bit too all dente for me and also quite salty (and it wasn’t just the olives).

Then we were asked to scoot over to one side or maybe pay the bill if we were done… I still had 1/3 of my wine left so Ofc I am not done. So we scooted which is fine. It’s not like we took a long time to eat. I’m sure we were in and out of there in just half an hour. Maybe 40 min. I don’t appreciate feeling rushed like I did last night. Other than maybe coming back to visit Dora for a drink at the bar in the future, it’ll be a little while before...