Been awhile since I've been to cowtown so first stop was to try an Italian place for my visiting aunt. Didn't realize La Dolce Vita (LDV) Pizza Bar was right across the street from Shiki Menya and Bike and Brew. It's also the upstairs/extension of their main eatery, La Dolce Vita. The restaurant is up a flight a stairs but the inside is incredibly open and spacious. We came on a Friday afternoon (3:30pm) and snagged a seat looking out one of the open windows. Breeze was lovely along with the top notch, friendly service. Menu is short and sweet: pizzas, appetizers, salads, pastas and dessert. - Italian fries ($8.00) - these were great! Came with side of ketchup and truffle aioli. Crispy, crunchy addictive fries. Rosemary, garlic and parsley along with melting the Parmesan cheese in the oven was genius. Never would have thought to use rosemary for fries! - Crazy calabrese ($17.00) - thin crust pizza. Bit too soggy and soft in the middle but the pizza was light and easy to share. About 13" in size (8 slices). - Penne arrabiata ($18.00) - came with some delicious fennel sausage. Sauce is light and subtle but pairs well with the pasta. - Gnocchi ($16.00) - these are made in house. Pillowy goodness, not overly heavy. Solid spot. Will have to try the main eatery next time! 3.5 stars. read more

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Went here for the first time because the first place that wanted to go to had an extremely long wait time and was quite hungry so didn't want to wait there and decided to come here since had such a high rating and some really great review. Boy was I wrong! We arrived and no one greeted us at first and then once we told the hostess that we didn't have a reservation they put us in a table that was in a corner of the restaurant that was barely big enough for the food we order, the hostess said that if a table came available she would move us, we saw quite a few open up but never once did she come back and deliver on her promise. Once the waiter came to get out order he seem like he was in a rush and when asked to see if they had anything non-alcoholic he provide me with a beer that tasted like beer but no alcohol which was fine but tasted disgusting, the waiter should've provided me with the other options before I had to ask half way through my meal. Also the waiter never provided a second menu and felt like was rushing us to make a decision on the food and also when getting the bill he was giving the feeling like he deserved a tip but honestly if the machine could've allowed me to skip it I would've unfortunately I could only give the lowest which was 18% which I think is not right and should give the option of either a custom tip or no tip at all. Won't be back, don't recommend and will be definitely doing the wait for the other place when I am craving wood oven pizza read more

Do not order delivery from them on Skip the dishes. It's a $5.25 delivery charge and the pizza came cold. Honestly, if you can't prioritize your orders based on the deliveries, then don't bother. read more

My coworkers are pretty particular with food, so I let them decide where to go for dinner before our team build. Upon reading raving reviews on TripAdvisor (don't get me started lol), LDV was their venue of choice. We settled ourselves at a table by the cozy fireplace and enjoyed a couple bevvies as we waited for our sauteed mussels, San Francesco and Crazy Calabrese pizzas. The mussels were coated in a hearty helping of fresh tomatoes and herbs, I kind of wished we had more foccacia to soak up the leftover goodness. I love thin crust pizza, there's more topping to dough ratio. Which means you can fill up on more pizza and not be super bloated :) Of the two, I liked the San Francesco more - fresh arugula, cherry tomatoes and sliced proscuitto. However, there were notes of earthy/tart flavors we couldn't figure out. Until I went home (Googled) and realized that gorgonzola is in fact blue cheese . . . which I'm not a fan of, so I know for next time to ask for it without. Also, did you know that Bridgeland is referred to as Calgary's "Little Italy"? Makes sense now why there are so many great Italian places in the area - LDV included! read more

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One of my usual struggles is finding good food and good beer on a Sunday night (After 9 pm). Most restaurants are either close on Sundays or close very early. So after looking at our options for a Sunday night, we decided to try this place. The restaurant has a warm atmosphere and the wood burning oven in the background looked very promising. The beer menu is large, however, the tap beer options are not that interesting. Most of them are pretty standard (e.g. Heineken and Peroni, 8$/pint) . There are more interesting options on the bottle section but I usually prefer the tap. BTW, their tap beer menu on their website looks much more interesting than the real thing. I believe the online version is not updated. We ordered the bruschetta to start and three pizzas (Crazy Calabrese, Pizza al Pollo and capricciosa). The bruschetta was very good, the bread toasted in the wood burning oven with garlic and olive oil and the tomato topping were excellent. We all enjoyed it. The pizzas were all delicious. In my opinion, the most important part of the pizza is the crust which was perfect. All of the pizzas came with a crispy thin crust cooked to perfection. My personal favorite was the capricciosa, but I also enjoyed other pizzas a lot. I will definitely go back there to try other items on the menu specially appetizers. So next time, you are looking for a good pizza and beer on a Sunday night , I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

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We've been going there for years and years and the quality of food has never changed. We Loooove it!

Upstairs of La Dolce Vita is a LDV (La Dolce Vita) Pizza Bar. Since there are not many pics of the place on yelp or online, I came here blindly! The building is sooo cool! A big white building with Juliet balconies and vines climbing up the walls. I've never been to Italy but it seem very Italian! Inside of LDV is very cozy, dimly lit ambiance. There is a section with a fireplace, and the tables are set up so that it's not a giant room and you can have some privacy with your company. They have a fairly large selection of beer. Good service. The pizza is the thinnest pizza I've ever eaten. I would have liked it a little crispier but that's personal taste. The pizza prices ranged from $18-$24... avg being $21 / pizza. The pizza size is approx 10" pizza. Not a large menu but besides the pizza rhere are salad options, a few pasta options, and also side options (e.g. Truffle fries, etc). At 6pm we found parking outside with no problems. Great alternative to the other pizza places on 17th or Kensington if you don't want to wait in line or deal with crowds or finding parking! read more

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Delicious Pizza, decent pasta, and a well stocked bar. I came here recently with a group of friends after Calgary comic con. We had pizza the night before so most of us opted for the pasta. There were only 3 options but they were quite tasty. I personally ordered the "sausage pasta" (I don't recall the actual title of the dish) and I was very satisfied. Our server was excellent in some respects but seemed very busy so unfortunately missed the mark on others. She convinced us to order the calamari: we were not disappointed! The best part was the marinara sauce served with the calamari. A few people were only drinking water and had to wait until we asked for more to get refills (despite a dedicated water server patrolling the restaurant). read more

LDV Pizza Bar - "Sausage" pasta! - Pizza Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Tonight I went to the LDV Pizza Bar with a large group of friends. I had no idea what to expect but when I walked up the staircase to the second level of the restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised. Evening sun and fresh air were pouring in through the open balcony windows. Great for the beautiful summer weather! It was casual but could be a very romantic dinner spot as well. Our server did an excellent job of taking care of our large group. There were slight delays with everyone's food coming out but we were still very well taken care of. The pizza was classic Italian thin crust pizza and the fries and calamari we had for appetizers were tasty as well. My only complaint was with the dessert pizza. I shared the Nutella, mascarpone calzone with a couple of other people. Once it was cut up, the piece I received hardly had any of what I ordered, namely the Nutella and mascarpone. It was all dough! Only the people served the middle sections had the good stuff. Anyway, I've had better dessert pizza but overall, I was very happy with my experience at LDV Pizza Bar. The service, food and ambiance were excellent. read more

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For any visitors to the restaurant with lactose or dairy allergies, you will be disappointed with the pizza. The pizza here needs cheese, because without it the poor quality of toppings really shows. At most places I'm happy ordering a cheese-less pizza and hardly notice I'm missing out, or better yet go to places who have dairy free cheese options which is a bonus. No alternative cheese options at LDV, and sadly my cheese-less pizza from LDV was empty without it: sauce, one tiny piece of sliced pepper and about two small pieces of meat on each slice. I was looking to order a pizza with lots of toppings, but most only had the option for one meat and one veggie. There are much better pizza places in Calgary with a variety of pizzas to choose from and higher quality + amount of toppings. read more

Pretty good. Shared the Italian fries, San Francesco pizza and sausage penne. The fries were my favourite... they were lightly coated, fried with fresh rosemary and dusted with parm and truffle oil, served with truffle aioli! Pizza was good and the penne was flavourful too. Cute restaurant and atmosphere! Thanks Will return. read more

LDV Pizza Bar - Pizza Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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I was very impressed with the food. We had a table of 11 and we all ordered different pizzas, bruschetta and mussels. All were amazing! I especially recommend trying the mussels... delish! Great atmosphere and ambience. read more

LDV Pizza Bar - Pizza Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

I enjoyed my pizza! Tried some which is kinda spicy but over all it was good. In the nice community of Bridgeland, the place is kinda old but cozy and I'd love to come back here again. I'd recommend this to anyone or groups who'd like to indulge in an italian pizza. read more

LDV Pizza Bar - Pizza Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

As an avid diner and an industry veteran, I am passionate about receiving decent customer service in a restaurant setting. That noted, I had the WORST experience of my 42 years this past evening @ LDV Pizza in Bridgeland... - We sat for 20 minutes before being greeted/having our drink order taken (I walked to the bar and brought the next 2 glasses of wine to the table myself). - There was absolutely no check back on the food and our plates were not cleared the entire time we were there. Here's where it gets worse. On our way out, I asked to talk w the manager "Rocko." I shook his hand and explained to him... - That we just received the worst service I have ever experienced in the industry. - It was the 3rd time I had never left a tip in my life and could not possibly have seen myself leaving one in this situation. - I would never be back. - I would do my best to ensure that my friends and large social circle did not waste their hard-earned money on such a sub-standard dining experience. Now a decent establishment would take this type of feedback to heart and do their best to rectify the situation. "Rocko's response? This upstanding gent told me I was a piece of s#*t, he didn't need people like me in his restaurant and I should leave before he called the cops. Seriously...this did indeed actually happen! Now the food...if you like your striploin over-cooked, the thickness of a piece of bacon and the texture of a pork chop, then LDV might just be the place for you. An absolute disgrace to Calgary's dynamic dining scene. Update: Looking at "Rocko 's" response to my review it is evident (and not surprising) that he simply does not understand the concept of customer service. I have experienced his lack of business sense and his inability to properly staff a restaurant first-hand. He and his staff put out a poor quality product and apparently expect patrons to remain hush about it. I thank my friends, family and colleagues for the numerous comments I have received with regards to the fact that they will absolutely, under no circumstances provide LDV with their business. A boycott is a valuable tool with regards to informing an establishment that sub-standard service (and goodness knows there is enough of it out there) is simply not acceptable. In the event of ambiguity, let me once again make it clear that LDV will never receive another hard-earned $0.01 from me or anyone who asks for my opinion. The truth is that the restaurant industry is and always has been over-crowded. Those that put a good product on the table via sharp service in a comfy atmosphere survive. Those run by egomaniacs like "Rocko" who chose not to value their paying customers opinions fold. Lest I forget..."Rocko" is a big boy...I had no idea that he was incapable of handling a firm handshake. Unless I am recalling the situation incorrectly (which is quite possible given being so taken aback by "Rocko's" temper tantrum), I had to remind him of the definition of assault and ask that he remove his hands from my body...exactly the type of experience that the majority of restaurant goers are looking for I'm sure. For me and my gal, it was a most unenjoyable evening from which we will most certainly recover. For LDV Pizza it is their livelihood; if I were "Rocko," I would spend less time making up excuses and roughing up patrons and a little more time on fixing what is clearly a broken business model. read more

Best place for pizza in Bridgeland. We've been coming her for a few years and have had some hits and misses with the pizza and the service here, so had been going else where for the past year or so. Just the other day we had a gathering of several friends and couldn't get into our local haunt so decided to head to LDV. We were all so pleased with the food and service that it seemed only fitting that we pass our positive experience along. We all had appetizers followed by pizza, and our waitresses took excellent care of us even though we were eight people. We had the meatball appetizer, I'd highly recommend, several tasty meatballs in sauce with some toasted pizza bread. I'd forgotten what a great atmosphere the place had. There are some excellent smaller tables right next to the windows so you can catch a breeze on a hot summer day and watch the world go by on the street below. Great for a romantic dinner:) Everyone's pizza was great including ours, with nice toppings, a tasty sauce, with a crispy thin crust, with some of the burnt bits that I like. All in all it was a great dinner, and we all left happy and stuffed. I will say it is a little pricey $$$$. If you are a fan of double zero, you will find way better service and food here. read more

I come here often, and I don't even like pizza. No seriously, I could live the rest of my whole life and never eat pizza again, and I would look back on it, old and grizzled, without the least bit of regret... However! This place is great! The pizza is the thin crust Neopolitan style. It's pretty good, if you like fresh baked crispy thin crusts, fine cheese, and cured meat toppings... you know, fancy pizza. For me though, I don't even look at the menu anymore- I always get the chicken entree. No idea why it is so good, its grilled chicken breast with veggies and salad, but somehow the slice of grilled lemon they serve with it makes it all so good! I would eat that meal once a week for sure! They have a GREAT list of beers on tap, and exotic bottles too. A bit pricey on the beer at an average of $8 per pint, but it's crisp and cold, and i've always gotten a frozen glass, so I don't mind the extra buck for that service! the fancy parmesan-garlic fries are also amazing! Servers are generally fantastic, it's a real great local place. read more

This is the best thin crust fire roasted pizza in Calgary. Ordering a pizza here is fun and the location is great. Sitting on the second floor and looking out onto 1st street is a nice way to enjoy a pizza and a peroni. It's not a cheap date by any means but it is a nice place. An additional plus is the ability to walk around the neighbourhood to one of the many Ice cream places nearby. read more

Nom nom nom pizza. Great pizza and a great place to relax. Staff is awesome and so is the food.

Dale has been enquiring so I thought I would comply. Our friends will eat here at least twice a week, excellent beer selection (bottled or on tap) and the San Francesco pizza is actually to die for. Like, don't bother ordering any other pizza cause that is the real winner right there. If you go the LDV and order a pizza that is not San Francesco, it's like going to McDonald's and ordering the filet of fish, and you instantly regret your life and decision to consume that and you realize you should of just got franken-nuggets in the first place. I digress. Order the San Francesco pizza. They have also managed to find the best arugula in the city. I don't know how. I don't know who they are paying to obtain this, but it is an excellent crop. I really like the food here, the service is quick and amiable. We have enjoyed their bruschetta: nice big chunks of tomato accompanied with grilled (what they claim is pizza) bread. The dessert is also fantastic, the marco polo or the chocolate cake are real gems. The space itself is lovely, very cozy and you can see into the kitchen. LDV is what brings me to Bridgeland. read more

Probably a 3.5 experience but I'm rounding down for no particular reason. We ended up upstairs after finding the main dining room closed for what seems like a grad or wedding. The weaker rating is likely because I was hoping for something different for diner but ended up in a pizza bar and got pizza. The pizza is alright - it's thin crust from a wood burning oven similar to those from naples but not quite. When it comes to Napoletana there is only one kind for me - margarita. With that said my frame of reference for it is quite large now. It's all I ate in Napoli when I was there and it's my fav style of pizza. LDV cooks their pizzas a bit longer than ideal, possibly uses different crust (although they use double zero flour) but I found it tough and not as bubbly. They also cheese the pizza western style and the extra cheese really cuts the flavour of the sauce. Unfortunately pizza with no toppings MUST highlight the sauce or it's just filler. I wouldn't say it's bad, but it was a good try. I wouldn't order it again which might be a bit of an issue in a pizza bar. It was a nice day and we got to sit at an open window looking down on the street. It was almost like having a private balcony and was quite nice. We also tried the bruschetta here which I quite liked. My FI enjoyed his pasta dish but forgets what he ordered. Overall I'd go here again if invited but I'm not sure I'd seek it out specifically. read more

I came here for a birthday party last night; which was great considering I'm usually in the neighbourhood and still had not tried this place though it was on my list. It did not disappoint. Our waitress was attentive, the breeze coming through the window was lovely, and the decor throughout really made you feel like you weren't in Calgary anymore. A true urban escape! We had the fried mozzarella, the pizza al pollo, and the capriciossa (I think that's what it was called). All delicious! The fried mozzarella pieces were huge so they're only served in pairs. Being three girls our server recommended two orders and that turned out to be just right for us. They have an excellent selection of beers including fruli -- it is always a treat to see fruli on a menu. Another wonderful thing about the place is that the acoustics and environment never get too loud so you can always have a comfortable conversation with your table mates. That's a big deal for me as I am generally soft spoken and usually have to repeat myself a few times. Sound is so often overlooked when it comes to restaurant design, I find. I cannot wait to come back and try the tiramisu. read more

Did LDV go out of business? I just stopped by at 7pm on a Wednesday and it's closed, no sign on door .

I had a great pizza here! It was fabulous. It's expensive but don't let the price scare you, it's big and you probably won't finish it, they will pack it up for you. We had the meatballs too, yummy. This place is a hit. read more

I have always been a fan of this place... great pizza, friendly staff and best of all: Loud and lively as a true Italian restaurant should be! They have a fantastic private room which is ideal for bigger groups and private parties... along with a TV and sound system and all. read more

We went there recently to celebrate someone's birthday. I hadn't been there for over three years, and noticed that the food and drinks quality had gone be downhill. There are far better pizzerias now in Calgary. The quality of pizza was below average, but the prices were quite high. I will not go back and don't recommend it. read more

I don't even know where to start... LDV is as good as it gets for what they're trying for - LDV is the epitome of 'Neighbourhood Pizza Bar' - Kids are welcome early in the evening and it becomes more 'sport bar' like as the evening goes by... I personally think that the pizza is absolutely the BEST in Calgary (sorry Pulcinella, Without Papers, Una and Double Zero... LDV has you beat hands down...). Aside from Pizza, DO try: the meatballs - fantastic; weird to say but try the 'Italian Fries' - increadible with rosemary and some aioli on the side; and the Gnocci is ridiculous - there must be someone's Nonna working in the kitchen because it's THAT good! Just as an aside, it's awesome to see Rocco (son of Franco - from La Dolce Vita) get this place started and ROCKING(!) - it's often full of people from the neighbourhood and just people looking for a good meal... I just know that I'm lucky having another great place in my 'hood where I can have an excellent meal, good service and often see people I know. read more

My wife and I were married in La Dolce Vita 9 years ago, sadly Chef Francesco seems to have hung up his apron, however we starting going to LDV pizza bar, as the room we got married in is still there (yay) That said, we have gone back every year, like clockwork.. Last year we had a bit of an issue with food, but this time around it was So Good. As a descendant of italians, I can tell you that LDV tomato sauce is seriously good eats. We normally order the same 2 apps (parm fries and Fried Mozzarella ) then we debate what pizza. This time around we went with the San Francesco and what a great choice. I was originally concerned because gorgonzola can be like a one note tidal wave, smashing all other flavors in its wake, however I am amazed at how balanced and delicious it was. Fantastico! I would strongly recommend LDV to anyone. Great service and great food. Very attentive. See you guys next year. read more

Just a great place to go. Such good food, great staff and super atmosphere. And always do their best to find us a table. The menu is great, pizza is fantastic,and some GF items and vegan too. Now if they can just come up with a GF pizza read more

Great food! We usually order several different things and eat family style. Their gnocchi is amazing and so is their pizza. Not a fan of their meatballs though. Service is ok, parking good, prices reasonable. We always make this one of our stops when we are in town! read more

LDV Pizza Bar - Gnocchi and Margherita pizza, delish!! - Pizza Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Although they brought us the wrong pizza twice, they were apologetic and quick with our actual order. The food itself was delicious with plenty of options. Great to share! The "Italian Fries" are fantastic with rosemary and their aioli dip was perfect. Wine and beer list is extensive and the atmosphere is well-constructed and relaxing. Thanks for a great meal! read more

Jeremiah pizza so gooooood. The restaurant had great service. Make the trip! Wine menu was decent too. House red bottle tasted good. read more

We weren't hungry, so L and I shared the Salciccia ($15.00) pizza. However, if you have an appetite, you could definitely eat an entire pizza plus a salad. The crust was thin and crisp - the toppings consisted of a soft milky white layer of cheese, finely sliced red peppers and spicy, garlicky sausages. The pizza was enjoyable but the Argentinian wine ($9.00) was even better (Torrontes, Salta, 2010). Next time, I'll order it by the bottle ($34.00). The wine had fragrant floral notes with just a hint of sweetness. I thought for value - LDV offered more bang for your buck than Cibo. Add in the relaxed atmosphere and great wine prices, this was a place I'll return to with my friends. read more

Worst service ever!This is place has the slowest service ever. We waited for about 50 mins for a pizza and pasta. You'll lose appetite when the food arrives. read more

Love the food, hate the service. The service is really disappointing, it makes me not want to go back as I am always frustrated by the end of my meal. That said, the pizza is as good as it gets. read more

my favorite spot for pizza and gnocchi for family dinner. the gnocchi are some of the best I had, soft with a nice tomato sauce and finished with fresh basil.It s a family friendly place. highly recommended. read more

This was our first time at LDV and wow what an experience! It was amazing! Everything we ordered we loved! You have to try the forno fries and the fried mozzarella. We tried almost all the pizzas between the 4 of us but everyone agreed the pizza Jerimiah was by far our favourite! But really any pizza you order you can't go wrong! Our new favourite pizza place for sure can't wait to go back! read more

They don't offer their pizza with a gluten-free crust. We were super disappointed and left.

3 times so far and have yet to be disappointed. Pizza, salad, truffle fries need I say more?! I've moved LDV to my new favorite spot for pizza hands down. read more

I go there a lot and my favourites are San Danielle pizza, the Italian fries and fried mozzarella. The servers treat you like family. My favourite drink is Brio Chinotto and my parents like the beers. By far my favourite pizza place. read more

Was there last night. Service was above average but could there be anymore salt in the food??? I had oversalty calamari and bruschetta with Burnt bread and a bowl of olive oil with some tomatoes in it which they call bruschetta. Good location but I've had much better quality food for less expensive. read more