Franca&#x27;s Italian

Mediocre food and service on a Friday night. We waiting at least an hour between appetizers and…read moremains. During that time no one checked in on us, or offered us any extra bread despite knowing food was delayed. Finally we asked our waiter at the 1 hour mark when food was coming and he said there were still 3 tables ahead so maybe another 15-20 minutes. After we finally received our food, the manager came and checked in. When we told him we waiting an hour he simply replied "It's a Friday night and we're fully seated. Thanks for waiting." Overall, the lack of empathy from the staff, the under seasoned pasta, and the overcooked risotto made this a very underwhelming experience. We will not be coming back. PS. No pictures because we inhaled our food.

Yesterday, we had a wonderful dinner at the new Buon Giorno, downtown on 17th. We hadn't been there…read morefor many years, and we wanted to try the brand new one. Its reputation is glowing, and many of the old staff have stayed on. Also, we were celebrating one year out of hospital for Linda - a long road of recovery that has led to her feeling better than ever. The remake of this restaurant, just down the street from the original location, was as good as it can possibly get. It was an icon, and it most certainly is even more so today. The décor, the design, the layout inside - were exceptional. What a great place! And the vibe! It buzzed with life and enjoyment, at the perfect level so you could still hear and have a comfortable conversation. This is a happy place. The service, from a professional and happy server who had been with Buon Giorno for 25 years, cheerful and attentive, was excellent. We started off with a Calamari Napolitana as a shared antipasto. Fried and breaded calamari, in a spicy tomato sauce, exactly to our liking. Delicious! We agreed that this was the best fried calamari we had ever tasted - and we have tasted quite a few. For my main, I chose the Gamberetti e Capesante Livornese - or, if you like, the shrimp and scallops in a light white wine tomato sauce with fresh basil. This was wonderfully delectable. It made me very happy. The serving size was perfect. Linda chose the Cannelloni Fiorentina, stuffed with veal, prosciutto and spinach in a bechamel tomato sauce. Oh, she loved it! All the flavours were perfectly integrated. The serving size was a bit larger than necessary (a personal observation), so some was left on the plate, but it was as delightful as it could get. We finished off with perfect deserts. I have to say something about Italian restaurants in Calgary. There are scores of them. The new Buon Giorno is one of the very best we've been to anywhere in Canada. Buon Giorno is right up there with the absolute best. No, I don't know anyone who works there, or any of the ownership, nor do I have a financial interest in this gem. But I am interested in supporting exceptional local restaurants. This is one of them. Presentation: 5/5. Flavours: 6/5. Portion Size: 5/5 Ambience: 5/5. Service: 5/5. Parking: 4/5. Value: 5/5

Penne with red snapper

Cannelloni

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Split Ceasers salads

Carino

4.6(58 reviews)

6.1 km

A friend and I were intrigued by the gyozagna... like how can you not try that? Well, it was…read moredelish. The service was amazing, super helpful and friendly. I would definitely go back!

Carino serves up very unique Japan-Italian fusion. The flavours of each dish compliment each other…read moreso well. My favourites are the spicy mussels, kale noodle salad and bucatini with waygu sauce. Their most popular duck nanban is also high in my list. I've been going here for many years and it is consistently good.

Half of the space . This is at 5:15 pm On a weekday. I also had matcha latte which was delicious

Ramen noodle. Amazing

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Duck Duck Tsukemen

Lina's Trattoria

5.0(4 reviews)

1.7 km

An all-around great food and shopping experience. Food quality is amazing and prices very…read morereasonable.

Lina's is a local spot, but Italy specific. Great selection of pasta, dishes, sauces. We had…read morewine, pasta, meats, desserts and great , patient service.

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Mercato Italian Gourmet

4.0(159 reviews)

6.1 km

Mercato was, without question, the best dining experience we had in Calgary…read more I went with my sister, and everything was exceptional. The food was outstanding, the service was warm and attentive, and the manager even came over to greet us personally. Our waiter took wonderful care of us throughout the evening.The food speaks for itself--simply the best Italian cuisine we found in Calgary. As someone with Italian roots, I recognize authentic, high-quality Italian cooking, and Mercato absolutely delivers.And the focaccia? It was on another planet. Truly unforgettable.We can't wait to come back!

As soon as we arrived , 10 min early the place was packed and filled with people however, they had…read moreour table already ready! We didn't wait 1 second and got seated right away. This resto screamed authentic from the wood burning over in an open concept kitchen where you can even sit by the bar and observe the chefs cool up pizza's and food in front of you, it's quite an experience ! We sat down ordered 2 bottles of Prosecco for our table of 4. Unfortunately, they didn't have orange juice .. in order to make a mimosa's quite a bummer. Service: Quick and easy, waitress was very nice to us .. perhaps I wished she took more time explaining their menu.. Food: Charging money because you have a gluten allergy is absolutely BONKERS !!!! The bread itself came automatically for our table already ready.. however one of my friends has celiac and they charged an extra 15$? For Gluten free crackers that didn't taste that good!! The Bistecca was the highlight of the night A huge 25 oz tripple A (small size) bone in ribsteak was big enough to feed all 4 of us , cale with delicious shiitake mushrooms (funghi) Absolutely delicious loved it!! The burrata was alright, I've had better.. wish it was dressed in a different dressing. The salad was ok.. nothing really special. The eggplant was a lil undercooked... very cold and harder on the bite.. shouldn't be this hard to eat an eggplant lol Overall, the service could be better, the food was ok could be way better .. however steak was absolutely fantastic definitely the game changer.. maybe I'll be back again when it is less busy and that day was just a one off .. Cheers

Ambiance was reminiscent of a modern Napa restaurant.

Linguini

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Espresso martini

La Luna Rossa Ristorante

4.3(30 reviews)

1.5 km

Originally went to La Luna Rossa on the recommendation of a friend, who happens to be a pretty big…read morefoodie. The several times we have been there, including Valentines Day have not disappointed at all. Chef Benny is a master in the kitchen and he finds the time to come around and talk with his guests. This personal touch always makes the evening a bigger hit! The food Chef Benny creates is in a word awesome! Rich deep flavors, ample serving sizes and wait staff that really care about how their guests are enjoying their time in the restaurant.

Great food and good service. Cute family run business. Quaint setting with a limited number of…read moretables that are NOT crowded into the facility.

Tagliatelle Aragosta

Homemade Lamb Meatballs

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Mmm... So good

Garden of Italy

4.6(91 reviews)

4.0 km

a very good veal Parmesan with cheese melted perfectly…read more They serve Coca Cola products

I haven't even finished my tiramisu and I'm ready to leave this five star review…read more We came in expecting to do takeout. We stayed and we are so glad we did. Hailley has the brightest, happiest personality, and took such good care of us beginning to end. Her recommendations of the Frangelico Chicken with side house penne, amazing Caesar salad, and the very best homemade tiramisu ever are worthy of beyond five stars. The teamwork evident on this busy night speaks to their excellent management and what a true Italian family restaurant should be. Everyone in the restaurant is happy and celebrating something or watching USA the Belgium World Cup. When you are in Calgary, definitely come by Garden of Italy. You will not be disappointed.

Caesar salad

Veal parm

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Tonight's special.

Pasquales on Macleod

3.2(45 reviews)

10.5 km

Good parking, quick seating on a busy Saturday night- and friendly and helpful service too... my…read moremartini was on point- sorry no pictures because I inhaled it - lol- let's let what the food brings! So we were in a pasta mood and ordered the lasagna and the cannelloni. Sad news for the cannelloni: we felt they were flavorful, but too dry inside. Cannot recommend. The lasagna was very tasty, but for my liking it had very little cheese. We did eat all the portion though ;) it was flavorful. Italian cuisine varies from region to region, we were expecting a plate covered in bechamel for the cannelloni and there was none. So it did not meet expectations... but the pasta was good, home made, thin, and the sauces were flavorful... so a solid 3 stars for good quality. I do have to say that our waiter approached us to ask if all was to our liking, and only at the end did I disclose our disappointment... I didn't know what they could do to make it better...and we were so hungry we had already eaten half anyways... well in this they excelled as they comped our cannelloni and gave us a very good tiramisu to top it off! Definitely 5 star customer service! This is a local family owned restaurant that prides itself in having happy customers, and we are just passing by... nonetheless they really tried, and succeeded, in having us leave with a happy face. And that gives them a solid 4 star overall! Enjoy.

This was my second time going to Pasquales. Went for lunch and ordered:…read moreFrench Onion Soup Caesar Salad Bruschetta The bruschetta was great. Big chunks of bread covered in bruschetta. Really satisfying. French onion soup was the reason we returned (we don't live in Calgary). As good as I remember - broth is perfect, good amount of bread in the bowl, toasted cheese on top. Highly recommend. Caesar salad was meh. Lettuce/dressing tasted really watery. Skip it if you have high caesar salad expectations. **Edit to add pictures.

Inside look

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Bar side where you will meet the cashier

Lina’s Italian Piazza

3.0(9 reviews)

5.0 km

Not a fan, not a fan of grease, not a fan of slimey slices, not a fan at all…read more I was looking forward to this place but all I got was sick, maybe from the pizza or maybe not, but I certainly was ill immediately after and had nothing else happening. Poor luck or poor choice. Sad me.

My wife and I visited on 4/3, and while I was in the washroom she had told the server what I…read morewanted. The server asked her weather I wanted sausage or bacon with it- knowing it wasn't part of the meal (my wife didn't know any better), and when the bill came there was a 5.50 charge for the un-included side. The food that was brought out was good. I didn't appreciate the server taking advantage of my wife not knowing any better, but at least he reversed the charge for the side, that was not included in the meal price. ****** NOT RECOMMENDED *******

Cafe seating area featuring Lavazza

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Lina's Italian Piazza Cafe entrance

Posto Pizzeria and Bar

4.3(93 reviews)

5.2 km

They make really good pizzas. I first went here 8 years ago and loved it. I just came back…read moreyesterday and the pizzas are just as good. They have quite a large selection of pizzas to choose from. Great service too! Here is a tip to save money! Happy Hour is from 3-6 everyday!!! :) Sunday Happy Hour all day! Also after 9 pm I think they have another deal bc they are trying to get rid of their dough. Therefore, if you come during these times their pizzas will be affordable. :) Otherwise be prepared to be $20 + for their pizzas.

Great little Neapolitan pie house in downtown Calgary - fresh/tasty eats with great service. The…read moresalads were a little small - they might want to offer a more fuller size option but...I'm sure they have their reasonings. ;). Pizza was outstanding ding though / they've nailed it.

Veggie Pizza

Green Mule Soda

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Caesar Salad

Grande Amore

4.0(2 reviews)

6.0 km

Excellent sauces. Had rigatoni and sausage, caprese salad and tiramisu. All very yummy, plate…read morelicking good. Service was sparkly and friendly.

Our group was curious to try this newly opened restaurant. Their fresh pasta was delicious as were…read morethe rest of our meals. The wine is overpriced as our $60 bottle (their entry level wine) retails for only $14, and their corkage fee is a whopping $30, the most expensive I've seen in Calgary.

Rigatoni calabrese

Rigatoni and sausage

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Tiramisu

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5 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Tyra J.

0

1

4

9 years ago

To Franca and her family, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! This restaurant is such a hidden gem in the N.E. area! Franca and her family treat each guest as if they are family. She walks through the dinning room greeting each guest with some much love and enthusiasm and excitement, I felt like a regular after the first experience! The food was absolutely sublime, it's impossible to get Italian food like this anywhere else in the city. So much care and love put into the plates. Franca's outranked some of my favourite spots in the city such as, Teatro, Cibo, Niko's and Lina's. Will be back soon! read more

Anne B.

0

4

1

11 years ago

I promised my waitress that I would rate here - OH MY GOSH! I have been to italy myself and let me tell you, this is truly authentic. And the prices are reasonable. I love how I can see Franca himself preparing the food! YOU HAVE to try the canoli's - just fabulous! read more

Bristol M.

186

120

81

2 years ago

This is a gem in a city packed with Italian food. Family owned, great fresh ingredients, friendly staff. Food is a 10/10. I just went to Carbone in NYC and would take a meal here any other day. God bless you guys! read more

Christina R.

0

4

0

10 years ago

it was the evening time and me and my friends decide to walk and have some coffee or something. we went to franca's and i loved the coffee and my friends were so happy that we came here thank you read more

Frank K.

0

10

0

7 years ago

Great people, great food. Try off the menu specials, absolutely wonderful.

Franca's Italian - italian - Updated July 2026

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We went to Flores and Pine for a meal with another couple that I did not know very well. As a…read moreresult I did not want to be "that guy" and raise an issue at the restaurant and even if we were on our own, I likely still don't raise the issue but just simply not return to the restaurant. We dine out a lot so this was not a case of not having comparables. Service was very pleasant and attentive. 3 out of 4 meals were fine. All salmon based dishes that were enjoyed. The fourth was the Alberta Lamb Top Sirloin. I wish I would have taken a picture of the meal. The price was $62 for the entree which I find is in line with mid to higher end restaurants in Calgary and expected. What was surprising was that the entree consisted of two pieces of lamb that each would be slightly above the size of a golf ball. I actually cut it into small pieces just so that it would last longer. There were a couple of slices of potatoes and a small amount of seasonal vegetables. In my head I was saying, "seriously" or "that's it". I would say that since Covid occurred, prices at restaurants have risen about 40% higher and given that we still dine out quite a bit, I have been accustomed to this new pricing but I simply would not return to Flores and Pine given the complete lack of value. It is a shame because the room and ambience was nice and this restaurant had been on our list to try since it has opened. I don't believe I have ever written a review of a restaurant and I have certainly have had worse meals at a restaurant but these were likely at a pub or chain restaurant where I have few expectations. Anyway, as mentioned the other 3 in our party enjoyed their meals and it was only I that had an issue.

Disappointing. The appetizers arrived before the wine was even opened. The fries were luke warm…read moreand only 2 slices of bread for 3 people. My guests order sirloin and bison. They were very pleased with their meals. I ordered the Icelandic Fish which was cod. Very small piece on a bed of Luke warm shredded fennel and onion. 2 patties of something that had been grilled but were cold. The plate was also cold so everything was a disappointment. The dessert was a small tablespoon of fresh fruit on the whipped egg white wasn't even close to a serving. At $18, it was not value for money. The wines were good, but we were refilling our own glasses, which was poor service for a meal at a rop restaurant. When one pays $500 for a meal for 3 people, one expects top line. This was not.

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My wife and I chose the Austrian Canadian Cultural Centre for dinner Sunday evening. The Centre…read morealso now doubles as the Danish Canadian Club (we've been DCC members for years). Ambiance was fun as several Austrian Canadians were politely cheering on Austria in a FIFA match. We decided on Austrian cuisine for the evening, not Danish. Service was prompt and friendly. We started with a soft pretzel with sausage (ok it was a Danish pork sausage) and both were fabulous. My wife chose as main course hunter style schnitzel with vegetables and egg spaetzl. I tried the braised beef roulade with spaetzl and red cabbage. OMG - both were amazing, and I'm not a cabbage fan. We agreed the braised beef was best . For dessert we shared my wife's choice, a traditional layered chocolate cake, and my choice raspberry dream composed of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and warmed raspberries with a raspberry schnapps. ONE OF THE BEST MEALS WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN AGES!

We arrived Saturday for a evening dinner, since we haven't been here in quite some time. The…read morethought was to get some good German Food, for our date night. Ordered food and beer in the lounge part of the Austrian Canadian Club. Sat there for 2 hours for poor service and over priced Food that came out cold. We ordered chicken schnitzel with spatzal 2 small cauliflower florettes for vegetables. Hubby ordered a Kalbsrahmschnitzel and spatzal with a good amount of veggies. Both came with a small variety salad to start with a few beers. The one star is for the salad the was small but great flavour! The Kalbsrahmschnitzel tasted a little off, Chicken Schnitzel was tender but cold. We made our second drink order that never came, we finally had to ask another server where our drink order was. Then our server finally brought them out a half an hour later. And another 45 minutes to get our bill. We left still hungry. The lounge is small with limited tables and seating. -Inside was run down European pictures and knickknacks all around. -plenty of parking Will not be returning due to the poor quality food and service. This place as really gone down hill over the years.

SALTLIK Calgary.

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Suggested by our hotel desk, we went to Saltlik in Calgary for an Alberta steak dinner to celebrate…read moreour last night in Calgary. We sat at the bar and were served by Chantel. She welcomed us and asked a few questions to help her to make wine and dinner selections. We selected a bottle of wine based on her suggestions that matched our individual taste preferences while also complementing our meal. And she suggested steaks and sides that were Saltlik specialties. Orders were placed and we enjoyed our wine while waiting on our meal. When our meal arrived, she treated us to a surprise side that Saltlik is known for. She continued to check in on us throughout our meal. Chantel was the epitome of excellence in service. Our meal was wonderful, even exceeding the high expectations we had set. The manager, Dillon, also checked in on us and spent time with us to learn about our experience. This was a fantastic dinner, made even better by the service we received from Chantel and the personalized attention by Dillon. Highly recommended.

Cora

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Absolutely delicious! The service was outstanding, and our family truly enjoyed the experience…read more Hats off to the manager, who sincerely praised her staff behind the scenes.

I took my mother here on a cold and rainy summer day, and Rohan was a ray of sunshine. He was…read moreattentive, very friendly and always asking for preferences right down to whether we wanted ice or no ice in our water (I never get asked that). He went above and beyond to make us feel like valued customers. The food was delicious and the other staff there were friendly too. Thanks for a lovely experience.

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We started with tapas--chili mushrooms, garlic shrimp, and patatas bravas. Every bite was packed…read morewith flavor! Absolutely delicious! We heard rave reviews about the paella, seafood pasta, and fish soup--definitely on the list for next time! We had the Hungarian goulash with spaetzle, and wow--so much tender, flavorful beef! The portions are generous, and the menu features everything from cabbage rolls and Moldavian stew to Vienna schnitzel, a Transylvanian burger, Osso Bucco, and Cordon Bleu.

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This place is incredible! We are just visiting on vacation and this was the closest place to our…read moreAirbnb. We enjoyed the lamb shank, octopus salad (special), margarita, and the rose slushy. Each item was so delicious! Service was great and the atmosphere is cute.

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