I like it. It's got a little family diner feel to it. Probably because it is. It doesn't look like much from the storefront but the atmosphere is great! The pizza is delicious! Great dough. Perfect ratio of dough to sauce. Super cheesy! Also, they're a good size. Sides and appys are awesome. I like the bruschetta and calamari.
The gnocchi was my favourite. The rose sauce was creamy and sweet. The gnocchi was fluffy and soft. Everything just melted on your tongue. I thought Il Centro’s version was even better than Mercato.
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Delicious. The BF and I found ourselves here after a movie at chinook. This place does not look like it's a cute and cozy restaurant from the outside. When you get inside though it's adorable. Red and white checkered table clothes and a pretty decent ambiance save for the television. This is definitely a family business and you can tell they do what they do well but they also want to be comfortable.
We ordered a large pizza which we were allowed to half down the middle with two different flavours. We also ordered the calamari. Despite being expensive the calamari was well worth it. Delicious and also the portion size is massive. Pizza was also amazing.
The person that sat us who I assume was the owner checked on us several times and was very friendly and prompt. It was such a warm night when we were there that they had the doors open because it was a bit stuffy inside. Sadly this meant that the restaurant started to fill with mosquitos so though we wished we could have stayed longer we couldn't. It felt a bit like we were camping.
The restaurant had two large groups and it can easily accommodate that but is also perfect for two.
I would definitely eat here again.
Really good pizza in this hidden gem!!
Pizza is very good and authentic thin crust.
Make sure you order the jalapeños that are soaked in oil and garlic. Also the calamari is very good.
Il Centro makes hands down the best pizza in Calgary! Really I've never had a bad dish here but the pizza is the best you can get in this city.
I'm not a jealous girl. I'm not. But when my boyfriend's spaghetti pomodoro basilico was placed on the table, there was a part of my brain that methodically went through a step-by-step process of how I would knock him out and eat his plate of pasta before he regained consciousness. Just saying. Don't get me wrong, I was happy with my dish, but his dish...his dish was like the pasta angels got together and decided to create a dream come true (so they sprinkled moon dust in your hair and gold and starlight in your eyes of blue - name that song!).
Good stuff. Worth the praise. Calamari really is on another level.
Good food, Aware of Service. Food very tasty. A group of us enjoyed delicious pizza, lasagne, fettuccini, and gnocchi. Recommended a wine - enjoyed it very much. Delicious cappuccino and tiramisu. Service - food served promptly. One waiter shared good recommendations for meals. Appreciated this. Our waitress a little unfriendly.
** Bill end of evening - one handwritten bill for entire group. Would not split. Unfriendly in way was handled. We spend time deciphering numbers and calculating our own bill. A bit of a nuisance.
Suggestion: In future, staff could in a friendly way explain before meal served to groups. It was not what happened so much as how staff dealt with the situation.
This can't be the first time this has happened - being proactive a better way to ensure food and service continue to bring customers back.
This place is the best!! Wonderful service-like family. Excellent food!!!!
It's all about the pizza. A small family run place service can be brusque when the restaurant is busy and it is usually busy because people know how good and authentic this pizza is. A real Italian experience.
Great pizza thick crispy style, real toppings not canned
Caprese salad excellent
Calamari exceptional
Hours and days of operation erratic and at owners whim, call ahead as usually the only notice is a sign in the window
Tasty Food. Had lunch here and it was by far the best Pizza I've had in a while. The jalapeño peppers were my favourite.We had pizzas 'Rick' and 'All meat'. -Fabulous.It was good that we had reserved a table earlier in the morning cause when we went on a Friday afternoon, the place was packed. Would definitely go back here.
Best pizza in the city hands down. The prosciutto boccinchini is my favorite and they don't cheap out on the meat either. Yum!!
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Came here for dinner on a Saturday night with some friends. All of us wanted to try this place due to its high ratings and great reviews. It was not terribly busy for a Saturday night - there were quite a few empty tables through the night. We were seated right by the kitchen and after reading some reviews about the restaurant being extremely hot and stuffy I was afraid it would be an issue. It was a pretty hot day afterall. Luckily that wasn't the case. We started with bruschetta and the calamari. The bruschetta was excellent. The crispy baguette was topped with sweet and fresh tomatoes. The bruschetta was seasoned very well. The calamari was also quite good - very lightly fried with a small amount of marinara sauce mixed in. However I found the portion to be quite small for $16.50! We ordered two pizzas, the calabrese and the capopollo. The small pizzas are 10" (more like an individual pizza) and the large 15" (enough for two people). The crust was light and crispy and there was a good amount of filling in each. I preferred the calabrese over the capopollo. The sausage added a lot of umami flavor to the calabrese however the capopollo was a bit of a disappointment as it was not in the least bit spicy. Although the pizzas were quite good I do think they are overpriced for what you get. We ended the night with their tiramisu which was amazing! It was light, subtly sweet and had a nice espresso flavor. It was probably one of the best tiramisus I've had. I really hate overly sweet tiramisus as it takes away from the delicate nature of the dessert. The service was mediocre. Our waters only got topped up once through the whole night and our dinner companions were never asked whether they wanted another glass of wine or ceasar. The restaurant is kid friendly for those dining with little ones.
My daughter-in-law's Recommendation. Since we live out out town & like to stay in touch with all the great food Calgary offers.. My daughter-in-law had told me about II Centro be it was delicious and very busy at lunch because all the local Italian business me eat here. It was a bit hard to locate but we gave it several tries and it is wonderful. The best home gnocchi - with the taste is of farm fresh eggs perfectly married with that great Canadian wheat & potatoes prepared with optional sauces. My husband's white vongole was and I thought it was perfectly cooked, dry with EEVO - not too much butter. The subtle favour of garlic The tomato salad with the buffalo mozzarella what delicioso. Can't wait to go back. Thanks for the tip Vanessa
Really good food!!!! Love the pizza!! Service was okay but I think our group was too big. Perfect for two!!!
Great Pizza, Great Service. Highly Recommended. First time here today for lunch after reading good reviews and it did not disappoint. Got the stuzzichina pizza and it was fantastic. Crust was crispy and not greasy, had plenty of toppings and tasted very very good. Also was treated by a very nice server who offered a great service. Will definitely be back.
Great little Italian restaurant! Best pizza I've ever had in Calgary. If you are into fancy restaurants with snob atmosphere, this is not a place for you.
Great Pizza!. Best thing next to home-made. Crust is not greasy, has a crunch and is not too thick. The toppings are delicious. You MUST go here to taste a real Italian pizza!
Very nice!!!. We were looking for a Pizzeria and found this tiny unimpressive looking place, but dont let fool you this is a family run joint and they make some great pizza and small selections pasta at great prices as well. We gone with many times & will be returning. Mind you if you dont get there by certin time you may not get in on some nights. Give this place a shot we are sure you be back.
They make a great Pie!!!!!!
Great food and the service was fine. Love this place .... A gem
Don't be fooled by all these pizza comments. YES the pizza is great, but the gnocchi is to DIE for. Try it with the rosé sauce, far better than anything Mercato can do with their gnocchi dish!
Get the plain cheese pizza! Sooooooo good
Excellent Pizza and Pasta. It's always a good sign when you see Italians dining in an Italian restaurant. This is a small family-run restaurant with an authentic feel and taste. The pizza is thin-crust and chewy. The pasta is cooked al dente. The house salad is simple, fresh and tasty. It's best to call ahead and reserve. The smell of calamari is fairly prevalent. Nice house red wine.
Il Centro is one of the best Italian food places in Calgary. The pizza is second to none. The restaurant is very busy (speaks to the great food) and when it is busy it is very noisy. A great family atmosphere. I would recommend this place to anyone that enjoys good food.
The best calamari in life and the PIZZA IS DELICIO
Italian Perfection, HIdden Away. It may be small, and it may be in an unlikely location at the end of a dingy strip mall a few doors down from Battery World, not far off Macleod Trail near Chinook Centre, but this place is a cozy, authentic, mouthwatering Italian haven that the CBC's John Gilchrist calls one of his favourites. My second visit for lunch, this time with my family, confirmed my initial impressions from a year ago: for artisan pizza, expect to be delighted. Be sure to try the calamari and tiramisu!
One of my favorite spots in town, absolutely love their calamari and you cannot go wrong with any pasta they serve. It is a really nice and peaceful place to hang out with friends.
A group of six of us booked a reservation for Friday night at 6:30. The place was full. The restaurant is very simple, yet cozy. We were served immediately and the two ladies working this evening worked very hard to ensure that everybody had a great time. We ordered three different pizzas. Il Centro serves two sizes of pizza. The small have 4 large slices. A large pizza has 8 large slices. I do recommend large so you have takeaway. The pizza crust is very thin and light and all the ingredients fresh. Always reheat this pizza in the oven, not the microwave. Thank you for the great service and a great evening!
Excellent family run place, sad that I hadn't been before, glad I got to before any changes. Great portions, fast service (especially considering it's 2 people running the show). The tiramisu is exquisite. Would go again!
Great food, service and atmosphere takes you back to Italy. Menu has the basic pasta and pizza mains and big wine list. Ingredients are fresh. Pizza was amazing. Dough was crispy and chewy and melty cheese and fresh cuts of meat. Gluten free pasta was delicious and didn’t taste gluten free at all. You have to make reservations for this place as there are only about 10 small tables and this restaurant is always full.
Family run restaurant with really nice thin crust pizza and one of the best places for calamari I've tried in the city. Staff is friendly, simple decor.
Great little spot. From the outside you wouldn't expect much but some of the best Italian food in Calgary. I have never been disappointed.
The pizza being a wonderful choice in this small, unpretentious and authentic Italian eatery, a shout out for the Scampi!! Perfectly cooked and served on the shell atop a bed of lemony buttery rice with a dusting of garlic cracklings. Fantastico!!!!
Cozy friendly family style restaurant. The pizza was good, the squid was great.
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