We went here for a birthday dinner and were very disappointed. We started with the meatballs which were dry and had little taste. The pastas we ate were OK but nothing that you cannot make at home. We wanted a special night out and we were done in 1 hr. Do not waste your money. read more

We went here for a nice birthday dinner on a rainy summer night. The restaurant is now run by the original owners son who was also the waiter. They were not busy, but had had a large private party earlier in the day. We took the advise of the owner and tried the calamari appetizer which was breaded, fried then put in a tasty tomato sauce. Different than our usual but was great. We also had the bruschetta which was also different than usual for us. It was made with a pillowly soft brioche bread and mascarpone cheese topped by fresh tomato and basil. For our pasta courses we shared a lasagna and mushroom pasta both were excellent. The wine parings as suggested were perfect. We would recommend this to anyone looking for an upscale night out and would suggest locals who haven't been back in a while give it a try. read more

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Nice little busy restaurant with very friendly staff. The owner is very friendly & engaging with the customers. The food is superb ! read more

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Great spot to catch dinner without reservations and also have the intimate romantic dinner feeling. The space is small, it's formally a house and hard to miss. It comes with a small lot for parking off to the side, but street parking is easily found. On the few occasions I've been here the service has been great. Marco the owner is usually found cycling through the tables, checking in on the food and chatting up the regulars. The menu is not too big and everything I've tried so far has been mouth watering flavorful. Special notes to the warm house bread, brushetta, lasagna bolgonese, and anything with their rose sauce. They carry only a handful of wines to select from which isn't so bad either. My only offputting experience was a one time experience when the food was over salted, but that was quickly resolved. Overall great experience and becoming a regular place to dine after work. read more

The food was ok but nothing special. The penne pasta was quite plain. Although the home style atmosphere is nice, a bit of a classier look and more attention to detail with regards to the food would improve the restaurant. read more

A great stop for lunch, a restaurant I had never really considered for anything other than supper before; and since my friend and I have been going for lunch I figured we might as well give it a try! While I know from experience a reservation is often necessary to get a table with no wait at supper time, I was shocked to find only a handful of tables at lunch. I ordered their Pollo Parmigiana, as I have never had it before and loved every bite of it. It was as rich as it should be, with a fine layer of breading; something often overdone at most restaurants! The chicken was delightfully moist, as were the vegetables that it came with. As usual Marco was found wandering around checking in to ensure that the service was fantastic; he made an extended stop at our table, discussing what had brought me by for lunch when he has only ever seen me at dinner (I found it astounding that he would even recognize that I had been there before, given I am certainly no regular). He also offered us chilled limoncello, which they made from scratch, positively magnificent - frozen shot glasses to keep it ice cold, it did not hit the palate as strong as you might expect, the cold subdued the alcohol and allowed you to taste the exquisite sweet lemon taste that is often masked by the alcohol. All in all, a magnificent experience, as usual! read more

La Brezza Restaurant & Cafe - The "house" wine isn't what you would get at most - almost always a Chianti, subbed for a superior bottle if they run out! - Italian Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

We went for my stepson's birthday dinner on a Sunday evening. The service was terrible. The food was even worse. My son had mussels. They arrived cold. Half of them had nothing in them. He used a number of napkins because he uses his hands to eat the mussels and we asked for the dirty ones to be taken away and for new clean ones. They were never taken away. New clean napkins never arrived. The mains arrived cold. The veal was horrible and the pasta (its is really hard to mess up a pasta with a tomato and basil sauce) tasted like dish water. One our tables mains was supposed to come with garlic and olive oil and it didn't arrive that way. We had to ask to see the menu because we were told we were wrong. When they actually checked m, they saw we were correct. We were asked whether we wanted dessert and the server left without waiting for our hot beverage order. We told the server it was our sons birthday and asked her to surprise him with a candle in his dessert. They staged it where he could see it. It was handled so unprofessionally and without any grace whatsoever. When we were missing a spoon, one of the waitresses wanted to hand it to me over the counter. This not what I expect when I am paying $400 for a dinner out. read more

My fiance' and I enjoyed dinner at La Brezza. The bread given while we waited for our dinner was delicious! My fiance' ordered the Carbonara Pasta with sausage added. His pasta was very very good and flavorful! I ordered the lasagna which was pretty good too but could have used a bit more flavor. Overall, we enjoyed our dinner and the family oriented atmosphere. read more

My favorite restaurants are the ones that make me feel l had a home cooked meal. Made with love, care, passion and history. That describes the food and atmosphere at La Brezza. We were greeted as we opened the door with a warm introduction by Marco the Manager. He described the restaurants' highlights after finding out it was our first visit. We were given a cute window table with enough space to have a conversation. Brad, our very attentive waiter, helped us work through the menu and meal specials with confidence and energy. His recommended selection of the Italian red wine was perfect for our chosen dinner selections. We started by sharing a Caprese Salad that was good but could have used more basil leaves we thought. I had an excellent cioppino (seafood stew/soup) which was one of the specials. The tomato sauce was delicious and there was an ample amount of seafood. Glad I got some before it sold out which Brad warned me about. The stew came with some bread to sop up the last drops from my bowl and some spaghetti with roasted garlic/olive oil and parmigiana. They both were excellent. My wife had fettucine carbonara and said that it was one of the best that she has eaten. Brad mentioned that you could get an add on to the dinner like chicken or other upon request. I also had a taste and really enjoyed it. We are going back for more of this. The desserts sounded interesting and yummy but we just didn't have room! Thank you Filomena (the owner), the chefs and especially Mama Angela who has been preparing and guiding the prep for all the recipes and sauces for La Brezza. read more

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Now! A bridgeland eatery that has good food! Yes you are paying for it but it's really good! The service is off the hook and their chef gets it. I had a Caesar salad - yum! And a spaghetti Bolognese , I know pretty boring but it's my fav and it did not disappoint! Also the sever recommended a Caesar, the drink with whiskey, wozet, it was awesome! Try it sometime. This is a definite pass! read more

La Brezza is one of our favourite restaurants. We haven't been out to eat in 9 weeks! Decided that it was time to get take out! We ordered the linguine that is one of the takeout specials. It took 22 minutes to get it home and pasta was still hot and delicious! Buttered chicken linguini, caesar salad, bruschetta with focaccia bread and tiramisu all for $28. My belly is very happy and I feel a nap coming on! read more

La Brezza Restaurant & Cafe - This was takeout! - Italian Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Feels like home, tastes like home, and heck, it even looks like home! In fact, before it became this delicious, feels-like-family, Italian restaurant, this old Bridgeland Bungalow was in fact the owner, Marco's home. How do I know this? Well, after a meal at La Brezza I was sharing good conversation with what felt like old friends, not restaurant staff. Once seated in the small and intimate dining room, we were greeted by a friendly man with one heck of a genuine smile who shook my hand earnestly and said "welcome home." That's exactly how I felt. All of a sudden I was eating a delicious home cooked meal with the Somalian Italian family I never had. While I wolfed down some of the best freakin' calamari* of my life, I watched him buzzing attentively among the other tables making sure everyone was included, having a great time and treated like family. At a restaurant like La Brezza, you want attentive service mixed in with good amounts of private time. The line between too much and too little can be tightrope thin but the staff and owner walk it effortlessly. *Back to that calamari! Where do I even begin? Seriously, I don't even know how to do this... Hey, foodies! Please go eat the La Brezza Calamari and write me a description because I am beyond words. I loved it. As I was putting on my coat and exclaiming to one of the servers what a great experience I had, she said "With Marco, it's more like dinner AND a show." I couldn't agree more. What a great show it is. read more

Was expecting big things from this little place in our new neighbourhood... We made a late reservation for 2 people, same date and that may have been why they fit us stuffed into a little corner beside a party for 7 people. The service was as good as could be for a packed house. Glad we went but I give it maybe a 7 out of 10. We had the escargot to start. Very tomato-ey and a bit sweet but good, cheese was sparse on top but fine. Focaccia bread fresh, but not my fave. For mains, my fiance had the chicken and jumbo shrimp with scallops. He liked it a lot. The chicken was tender, pasta (penne) was cooked to perfection as were the scallops. The shrimp was large, meaty and juicy. I liked the sauce accompanying the pasta as it was a bit spicier. The sauce in my seafood lover's pasta was back to the sweet again. I am so happy I carry my own cayenne pepper! Saved the day! Some of the clams in my dish were not open all the way and a bit gritty but overall the seafood overloaded the pasta and that is always a good thing! I like my food served hot and it was! We were sorry we had to skip dessert (maybe next time as I think we would go back) but the cappuccino was great but $4.50 for a very small cup. Oh and the wine - the house wine, both red and white are nice, $9 a glass. A glass of Pinot to switch it up a bit was $13.75! What? Oh well, we paid our somewhat overpriced bill and at about $130, voila you have 2 people fed from La Brezza with leftovers. A nice enough evening although it would have been more enjoyable in the dining area out front - we will make reservations more in advance next time. Thanks to Marco who came to our table and made us feel welcome and was very complimentary. Also thanks to the waitress that saw me dying of heatstroke in there and turned the A/C on! Cheers! read more

Sorry La Brezza. We ordered nachos, calamari, and bruschetta. Nachos came cold and soggy, calamari was rubbery and bruschetta bread was stale and dry. I want this place to be so much better, I hope you take this feedback and turn this around. read more

Quant little restaurant. Food was fantastic. I had the carbonara it was creamy with chunks of bacon! and it is the best I've had in Calgary thus far. Service was good and the owner Marco was very personable coming around to each table and having a chat. Would recommend and already planning on coming back soon to try out other dishes or the 5 course meal. read more

La Brezza Restaurant & Cafe - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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The boys and I were craving Italian food last Thursday, so we decided to drop in (without making dinner reservations like we usually do). Luckily, there were several tables available and we ended up sitting in a cozy corner by the front window of this converted bungalow. Our server was extremely pleasant and attentive throughout the entire evening. Halfway through our meal, the owner, Filomena, came over to our table and greeted us warmly. She also visited with the other customers and made everyone feel welcome. Calamari Brezza: lightly floured (not breaded) and lightly fried with a mildly spiced tomato and fresh basil sauce. This was the best calamari I've ever eaten; it melted in your mouth like butter! Red snapper, mussels with a side of penne and vegetables: the snapper was perfectly cooked and meltingly tender. The asparagus, carrots, and red peppers acted as a wonderful complement to the snapper; as did the penne (which was just al dente and lightly tossed in a tomato sauce). Steak special: my hubby had the filet mignon, grilled prawns with a side of penne and button mushrooms. The kitchen was a bit overzealous with his filet and it was medium well instead of medium rare. However, the steak was still juicy and flavourful. Fettuccine Carbonara: our son liked this so much that he almost didn't want to share with us. The fettuccine sauce was as smooth as silk and super creamy (without being too heavy). Combined with the smoky bacon/pancetta and bruschetta (he won't eat fresh tomatoes but he loved these), he thought this was a truly awesome dish! We even had room for dessert... Crêpes alla Brezza: vanilla ice cream wrapped in crêpes with orange glaze. It was wonderfully refreshing and the glaze was not too sweet. Tiramisu: ladyfingers with espresso with mascarpone cream filling and chocolate dust. Mmmmm... They've won me over with this dessert, even though I'm not a big coffee fan. We had an amazing evening and will certainly be back! read more

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Came to LA Brezza with several others for a work / team dinner. All six of us agreed that the food here was just ok, and that the service was poor. Considering that this restaurant was ranked #1 on Trip Adviser for all restaurants in Calgary, it was a big disappointment. Speaking for myself, I had the Caesar salad and the veal saltimboca. The Caesar was ok, but nothing special. I highly doubt the croutons were made in house (likely from a box). The dressing had a lot of garlic (ok for me but maybe not for others). The saltimboca was REALLY salty and overpowered the dish. This coming from somebody who rarely says that about food. The side pasta that came with the dish (penne with a marinara sauce) was uninspiring, mediocre, and very plain. FYI - portions are pretty good size overall. I would recommend DaGuido or La Casa d'Italia over La Brezza for Italian in Calgary. For the same money you'll get a better meal and better service too. My colleagues and I do not plan on revisiting La Brezza. read more

We took our visiting niece to La Brezza for dinner last week and the whole meal was beautifully handled. As a celiac I had an excellent Caesar salad sans croutons and the calamari though listed as an appetizer made an excellent main course. My husband had veal parmigiana which he thoroughly enjoyed and our niece had a pasta dish topped with shrimp which she too really liked. There wasn't much room left for dessert so we just had coffee and tea. The service was efficient and we weren't kept waiting for any length of time for any of our meals. All in all it was a good choice especially as we had a guest from out of town read more

Pros: Food did not disappoint; calamari was awesome (not covered in battered and rubbery) and came with a great sauce. Wife had tons of clams in her linguine and my arrabiata was very good. Everything tasted fresh and the portions were pretty generous. Cons: Felt forgotton the whole night. Waited 10 minutes after we sat down before being offered water. And each course took quite a while to come out. What was most baffling was that the table next to us got all their courses ahead of us, even though we had ordered first by a good 15 minutes. Seating was so tight that everyone kept kicking my chair as they walked by. Not a relaxing and comfortable dining experience. After nearly 2 hours, we got out of there and said "no thanks" to dessert. Would definitely be back if based on the food alone but will have to think twice considering the other factors. read more

Tonight this place took gold in Italian food for me! I went there with my staff members for our staff meeting. Couldn't have left without grinning from ear to ear. The food, the ambience, and the staff were over the top amazing. I was in a borderline food coma by the time dessert came. When you get your menu try not to take too much time deciding. It all sounds so great that you could get lost choosing your items for hours! Their wine selection is spectacular as well, and don't even get me started on their Creme Brule! A Calgary Must! I will return! read more

My favourite traditional Italian food is found here; in this sweet home where everyone is taken care of like family. Pastas are all phenomenal especially the carbonara. Three of us shared three types of pasta and could not choose a favourite. Finish with Tiramisu and coffee and be a happy human again. You can taste Nonna's love in all of the food. read more

Their calamari: no breading, melt-in-your-mouth, balsamic reduction lick-your-plate awesome. I tried the featured filet mignon with grilled prawns, vegetables, and button mushrooms; the meat was slightly more done than I would've liked, but the dish as a whole was delicious. Their tiramisu oozed espresso goodness onto real mascarpone. My second visit, looking forward to more! read more

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I was there last night - August 25, 2017 - first time. The major problem is - COMPLETE IGNORANCE FOR MY REQUEST. I am a lactose intolerance and can not eat all kind of food that contains dairy with no exceptions. I told the waiter - Michael - about that right the way and ask to take care of my order and make sure it does not have cheese. So, I got pasta with cheese. They ruined my romantic evening completely. 1. What really shocked me - not welcoming stuff. We had these feelings from the first second. They looked overwhelmed and always treated us as we were a burden. 2. That was as noisy as we could not hear each other at all. 3. We asked for a table and they refused to let us get it because "....it going to take 20 minutes to clean it...". Really???? For an adult man it takes 20 min to move four empty glasses takes 20 min??? 4. Then, a lady came to out table and started asking about how we are and the food is. She did not introduce herself and simple interrupted us. I was told she is the owner. Very different approach to guests and unusual style of communication that I am not able to accept. Never go there again. There is lots of other nice places in Calgary where you will be welcomed and treated as the most desirable guest and not like a dummy burden. read more

La Brezza is the closest restaurant to where I live in Bridgeland. In fact, it is so close, I could sleep walk to the place, thinking that the bungalow is still part of the old Red Light District of the past. The restaurant is in an old converted bungalow whose windows are prominently lit with LED's. Personally I find the space small, cramped and tight. I guess if you're in a romantic mood, with the candles lit and smoking, you could describe it as intimate and inviting. If this was Nice or Cannes, I would agree. But it's not. So let's get a grip on reality here. This restaurant is in the heart of Little Italy and the Italian competition up and down 1st Avenue is stiff. The only thing missing on the Avenue are the touts loudly encouraging you to enter their versions of Roman culinery splendour. But I digress. The ambience at night (I have not had the plesure of sampling their daily atmosphere) is acceptable and pleasant. After many years in Calgary, they have weathered the storms and energy peaks, and continue to attract a hardcore group of ardent and loyal customers who relentlessly return for more pasta. Season after Season. Obviously they are addicted to the large, heavy, generous and to be fair, zesty servings, offered by the Owner, who like his neighbour on the next block, personally and regally, (somewhat authoritarian?) intervenes in the affairs of the restaurant. Food generally well prepared, very tasty, attentive and pleasant service, and a so-so wine list. My difficulty therefore, as I have the choices that I have, is whether I walk to the nearest restaurant, the lazy option,or whether I walk a block or two, past La Brezza and go to an equal or better choice. Tough decision, but usually I walk past this restaurant! of course, In the interest of my health. If you havent eaten there however, and you like variety, and an out of africa italian colonial experience, try it, you will not be disappointed. read more

Disappointing Although the owner came to apologize 1) We were told to be done within an hour since we didn't have a reservation. When we left, the place wasn't even 1/3 full 2) We ordered a meal that we saw on the online menu that they apparently don't make and don't update their online menu. They agreed to make it for us, very nice we thought, but it came out cold and under cooked. We were told that the kitchen staff were probably overwhelmed and didn't know how to make a meatball sandwich. They reheated it but it took another 20 min 3) The beer came out with a lime resting on top which the server pushed into the bottle with his bare hand in front of us. When we complained, the owner apologized but the server said " that's how we do it, we wash and what did we expect- for him to use tongs?" Very argumentative and rude. He said that we should be thankful that he sat us without a reservation. 4) The server never came back to our table (until he brought the bill), another person brought our food and the owner came when we complained. The server said that he "didn't want to bother us" 5) We ordered nachos with a meat sauce and it came with sausage. We would have had it changed but our server never came back. The nachos were actually good, however cold as well. We were told by the owner that the kitchen staff probably made the mistake because no one ever orders it with meat sauce and maybe they didn't have any. The rude server said it wasn't his fault because he put the order in correctly. Maybe if he would have come back he would have known the mistake. 6) The owner was very apologetic and took off the sandwich from the bill. She said that people need to be more kind and understanding during the pandemic. She has "cried more this year than since her husband died". While I definitely sympathize, this is a business we were trying to support. We were paying for our meal and good service in which every aspect was incorrect with rudeness on top of a very disappointing meal. We will never be back and this will be a story shared with many. Having to pay for excuses, inappropriate TMI from the owner, inept service, incorrect meals and unsanitary handling was a hard pill to swallow. read more

A friend selected this restaurant - rated #2 on trip advisor, yet only 3.5 stars on Yelp - go figure. I had a very good meal of chicken saltinbocca. Everyone was pleased with their meal. The chef is Somali which surprised my friends. Having lived in Kenya a year or so, I was aware that Somalia was an Italian colony. Makes perfect sense. Cozy, good service, and very good food. Recommended. read more

Stopped for lunch. Food was fantastic and the service was even better! Very personable and friendly which is about as Italian as it gets.

Came here for my birthday dinner last month. We were the only table in the restaurant until about 7pm. The food was great, however the prices were a little much. The only reason I say that (I have no problem paying for quality) is the atmosphere was quite outdated. Felt very much like a 90s restaurant but not in a good way. Met the owner and she was delightful. Had the feature dinner made by the owners mother and it was fantastic. read more

My wife and I ate here tonight. The Goods - - Large portions, Calamari was amazing , great Lasagna. The Bads - - Service was not friendly at all, I also could here the entire conversation between our server and owner ( very un-professional I feel ) They were whining about how people that had reservations had not shown up. When we left we didn't even get a " thank you ". For a small Italian restaurant, I thought they would be more friendlier. With some many other options in the City, We won't be back. read more

So disappointed. After reading reviews, I was optimistic. Our server was inattentive. The food was mediocre. Go to La Vita E Bella. So much better. read more

I love Italian food. I could survive on only pasta and be a very happy girl. I had heard nothing but good things about La Brezza, so thought I would try it out. I had the Fettucine Carbonara, and it was unreal. It was nice and creamy, and had generous amounts of pancetta and bacon in it. My friend had the Fettucine a la Brezza, and loved it. I loved the casual feel to the place, almost like you were in your own home. Of course that's fitting because it used to be a house! We will definitely be back! read more

Oh yes! Jamaican owned ITALIAN restaurant. The food is to die for! The service is good. The wines available are very good. Rservations are a good idea as it's very popular even in the week. Does use OpenTable app and responds promptly. Just a great place. Oh and the lamb..... and the New York steak. Mmmmmmmmmm....... read more

Very good wine suggestions!!...the service was also great and the food was really good.. Maybe the location is not the best... But I really enjoyed this place!! read more

Try the calamari best I have ever had, the spaghetti carbonara was very disappointing

From the minute we walked in, we were greeted warmly and seated quickly. The food was fantastic. The calamari was unique and flavourful, the caprese was fresh and tasty, the homemade sausage was incredible and the cannelloni was delicious. Service was great as the servers were attentive with prompt refills on drinks and just the right amount of checking in. Of course I would be remiss without mentioning the wonderful and charismatic owner Marco wandering the restaurant ensuring all patrons are extremely satisfied. Thank you for the limoncello! We will be back. Highly recommended. read more

I had the pasta with clams which i have had at more than 50 Italian restaurants. This was definitely one of the better experiences, sauce and clams were fresh and pasta tasted homemade. The shrimp dinner was also great (and we are picky with our shrimp). The only downside was that we prefer our past al dente and it was a bit soft for us. Great experience and very casual dining. read more

Absolutely love the food! The appetizer calamari and the bruschetta are amazing. Homemade pasta also excellent, sad that Marco Abdi is no longer with us, however the food is the same and the atmosphere cozy and friendly, great place for am intimate anniversary meal. read more

Food was great but the atmosphere was terrible. A very rude and obnoxious woman arrived and dominated the entire restaurant, normally I understand this is a patroon and it is what it is and when you complain you hope the manager would politely ask the person to be more respectful, but the owner clearly knew her- and encouraged her loudness even well noticing we were upset. Both the servers apologized to us and the one behind us- but that was as far as it went. It was a lovely meal but when you have to ask your dinner guest to repeat what they said 3 times- that's simply ridiculous. Too bad, we were really excited to finally get to the restaurant and it was for a special occasion - but the owners clear concern for her friends trumped our few hundred dollar bill. read more

I am not entirely sure why this place is as well rated as it is. From someone who had tried a lot of Italian restaurants in Calgary and have eaten out a lot in the past, this place simply dumbfounds me. The food? It was edible, but not anything to write home about. If Olive Garden is your idea of fine Italian cuisine then this place is up your alley. The oddest part was the focaccia they provided, there was no oil and vinegar dip or even butter offered. To top it off, the bread seemed like it was cooked at too high of a temperature...kinda burnt and crunchy on the outside and doughy on the inside. But that was not the least memorable part. The most significant problem here is the service. There was a 12 person group which may have caused some issues, but it took almost 25 minutes to get a Caprese salad plus my entree was cold to boot. The worst part was how unprofessional everyone was. Our waiter was totally clueless and seemed to be in another world. The manager kept coming around, asked us if we wanted to move tables after we were half done because some reservation didn't show up. Never been asked that in my life. Then, once he saw my wife had an Apple Watch, proceeded to talk about his new watch for about 5 minutes. After that he tried to upsell dessert. At that point, we just wanted to leave. Worst of all was the staff and owner talking very loudly about their personal affairs. We were seated by the bar and heard everything. It was beyond unprofessional. Plus the volume was so loud I could barely talk to my wife. Again from someone who eats out frequently, I have never seen this before. As far as I can tell, the chef that opened the place had a good thing going until he passed away. I think that the new owner and management are resting on the restaurants laurels. It's time to move on from the past and show what you can achieve in a new set of circumstances. Want some great Italian food? Drive up Edmonton Trail to Il Chianti, you won't be disappointed. read more

Enjoyed a fabulous experience at La Brezza. Great people, food and atmosphere. One of the best places in Calgary.