Food is very hearty and authentically Italian. They did an amazing job with making their food flavourful and addictive. I can see why people come back regularly. It's hard to pin point a favourite when the level of consistency is across the board.
Much better concept than the previous one of Italian/Japanese.
Compliments to the chef. Maria is a ROCKSTAR.
Loved it! Absolutely authentic!. We came to Villa Maria for my sisters stagette and did a cooking class. We absolutely loved the atmosphere and the one on one cooking lesson. The food was fabulous and authentic, we couldn't have asked for anything more. I will recommend Villa Maria to everyone!
My fiancé and I discovered Villa Maria two year ago and have been about 4 or 5 times. Food is absolutely amazing, we have never been disappointed and the food isn't knock off italian. Pasta is cooked fresh by hand and the bruschetta is to die for!! It's genuine food you would expect in Italy ! But what makes it outstanding is the fact that Danny remembers us even after not visiting for more than a year! I appreciate the fact that we are remembered and are more than customers.
Wonderful experience. Had a most wonderful time being treated to absolutely delicious food and service. Will make it a regular family go to spot as well as a quiet couples relaxes evening spot. Can easily take out of town friends there for a wow evening. Fed body and soul. Thank you Danny and Maria.
Really really good food and awesome service! The server knew the menu very well and have awesome recommendations! The place was really calm and quiet I was really impressed
Meal before concert. Had a great meal, best cannelloni ever!! Staff was very personable and efficient, great service. It will be our go-to place whenever we attend events at Saddledome.
Real Italian!. For years we lived in a predominately Italian community and were spoiled with great food and atmosphere. Villa Maria is the closest we've found since moving to Calgary in terms of food and ambience. Our meal began with awesome bruschetta for which quickly ordered a second helping. We had the Caprese salad as our appetizer. My husband ordered pasta in a red sauce with seafood, I chose the lasagna. I was really happy with my meal. My husband found his a bit bland. Nevertheless we will return and try other dishes!
BACK BABY. After the Calgary flood this year, Villa Maria is back up and running. New décor looks fantastic, wait staff is friendly and charming, and above all else the food is fantastic!!! best Italian restaurant in Calgary by far, you have to try this
Great food. So good. Loved it.
WOW!!. I love ,love, love this place! The wonderful, charming staff, tha atmosphere and the food was the best italian food I have ever had!! I would highly recommend this place! Can't wait to go again and again!! Yummy!!
Best Italian Food in the City. If you are looking for great Italian food and friendly atmosphere Villa Maria is your place. The owners Danny and Maria are quite a team. Maria's cooking is the best (especially the Penne Puttanesca)! Danny makes you feel from the moment he comes to your table to see how your meal is like you have been invited into his Home. It's an absolute favourite of my husband and mine. I would highly recommend to anyone.
Great Food Fantastic Service once again. We dined at Villa Maria -once again - last night and were not disappointed. The food is fantastic, service is prompt and friendly, and our server was knowledgable regarding both the food and the wine pairings. Maria is a fantastic chef and Danny is the warm and welcoming host every time we visit. We have introduced many of our friends to Villa Maria and will continue to do so, as they are always impressed
Molto Bene!. We visited this restaurant earlier in the week and I have to say that the service was phenomenal - Danny was attentive, funny and helpful in suggesting a wine that was perfect for our dinner. The food was also very good. I rely on reviews on urbanspoon and see a couple reviews of people that didn't like this restaurant. I can't say what they ordered but we ordered the mussels and scampi for starters, which were delicious drenched in a garlic butter sauce (the scampi), my salad was well-balanced and tasty (caprese), and entree's ordered were chicken with mustard sauce, which I found very flavorful and moist, friend had a spaghetti dish (which she was impressed with) and he had salmon with rice (I tasted it and it was fantastic). I would recommend to friends wanting good italian.
I took my wife here to celebrate her birthday and we were both very impressed with the food and the staff. I don't know how many times we have walked by this restaurant and said "we really want to eat here sometime", so we are extremely glad that we finally decided to visit Villa Maria. We started off the meal with the calamari in a spicy tomato sauce. Loved the sauce! Then we both had veal dishes paired with a simple pasta in tomato sauce. My wife had the veal in white wine lemon sauce, which was extremely tasty and light. I had the veal with portobello mushrooms and white wine in a demiglace sauce. This one was quite rich and full in flavour. Great contrast between these two veal dishes. I should also mention that the staff were extremely friendly and welcoming. We will be back!
A Great Meal!. My husband and I ate at Villa Maria for the first time tonight. As mentioned in other reviews, the service was great! We asked for suggestions on the menu and the owner helped us pick the perfect dishes. We strated with the calamari, then both had pasta dishes. The servings were ample (we booth took home doggybags) and the sauces complimented the fresh pasta. I was too full for dessert, but took a tiramisu home. The tiramisu was wonderful - traditional and moist.
Can't wait to go back and try other menu items.
Great homestyle italian food. Very friendly, really good food (the scampi are my favourite). Lots of parking for lunchtime and dining before Saddledome events.
Perfect food. Cooked perfectly, large menu, awesome ambience, perfect service.
Relly liked it. Food and service both very good. Ample free parking. Highly recommended
Fantastic!. From the second we walked in the door the owner had us laughing and made us feel welcome. The food was AMAZING! The baked mussels were to die for! And our pastas were phenomenal. It was all around such a great experience and I'm already excited to go back....
Just like da Paolo's in the old days. I used to love da Paolo's - the food, the ambience, the great service, it was my favourite italian restaurant. When the original owners moved on I thought the food went seriously downhill. I hadn't been back for a couple of years, and I wasn't too broken up when they closed six months ago.
I happened to notice driving by that it had reopened as Villa Maria and tried it - the interior has been redone in beige, black and burgundy, and the coat closet at the entrance has been opened up into the dining room, a big improvement - before you had to walk into the dining room before anyone could see you were there. The food was great - apparently it's owned by the same people as il Pescatore. The service was friendly, prompt and professional, the prices were very reasonable and they still have the huge parking lot in back. I'll be back often.
Great Food; Great Atmosphere. We have been there several times. Love it. Food is fantastic - try any pasta. The service is welcoming. We enjoy going there and will continue to!
Not only their food was a taste of Italy, the service was phenomenal and you get treated like family... Be prepared to laugh, ribbed and get hugged by Danny!
This is our favorite Italian restaurant in the city and have been visiting as often as we can for the past two years of living in Calgary. The owner makes you feel apart of the family in true Italian culture. I don't know any other restaurant owner that that knows the majority of their patrons by name and we are always greeted with a hug. All this and I haven't even mentioned the food yet! My god, the best lobster ravioli you will ever eat! Much of our family has tried other items on the menu and have been equally satisfied but that dish is a must try!
I can't say enough good about this place - go there and you will understand.
Villa Maria is hands down the best Italian Restaurant in Calgary!! I've been here a few times and can't say enough good things about the staff and the food. Both are amazing! The prices are bit higher than the Chiantis chain, but the food is so much better here. If you're looking for quality Italian cuisine, this is the place. Highly recommend.
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Recommend you make a reservation. Glad we did.
Friendly welcome at the front door, shown to our table immediately and looked after for the evening by pleasant, friendly wait staff and were brought a free delicious bruchetta appetizer once we had ordered beverages, which we eat while we comtemplated the menu.
The bruchetta was just a teaser for the wonderful meal that followed: For the appetizzer we each ordered a Caesar Salad, which had a very nice light dressing and shared Calamari Alla Napoletana. We picked the red sauce option for the calamari and the sauce was so good we were spooning it up like soup and dipping our bread in it, as we didn't want to leave a single drop. For our main course, my husband ordered the Fettucine Di Mare, which was pasta with shrimp, scampi and garlic in a creamy sauce. I tasted his and will try it next time. I ordered my favourite Italian pasta option, the Penne Puttanesca, which is penne pasta with garlic, capers and black olives in a tomato sauce, also very good; nicely spicey, but not too spicey. The meal came with warm Italian rolls and there was no problem getting extras when we asked. We used up our first set on the calimari sauce! We were offered the dessert menu, but declined as we were deliciously stuffed! Maybe next time.
The restaurant is lovely inside with ample free parking in the lot behind. We were there in the evening and the lighting was low and intimate, just right for our date night, but there was a large family group there enjoying the atmosphere as well. Although, it got much quieter in the room after the family group left. Unlike some restaurants, we never had a problem hearing each other across the table nor did we feel that we were being overheard by nearby tables. There were large windows on the north and east sides of the restaurant, which I'm sure make for a well lit atmosphere during the day, perfect for the lunch crowd.
Not only was the food delicious, but the price was right. We shared an appetizer, each had salad, and an entree for $85, including tip and GST. I think that is pretty good for fine evening dining in Calgary.
We will definitely eat here again.
Had a wonderful time for supper at Villa Maria on December 30, 2013. Splendid service. Splendid food. They are BACK in business after closing it down for renovations due to flooding in Calgary on June 20, 2013. The new decor is beautiful. Come back because they're back and enjoy!
Quick, easy & convenient while providing an excellent eating experience to be both enriching and stomach filling. I did the pick up order so to eat at home at short notice on a slow Saturday evening.
I had the Cannelloni with veal in it which was good and the rose sauce was great. I only prefer that it had a greater ratio of vegetables included to balance out this meal. I also like it if the sauce or the meal itself have some nice olive oil/balsamic drizzle ontop of it so to add in the extra Italian punch. But that's just me..
Tiramisu was great. It tasted juicy and balances richness and sweetness very well and the slice was large so I liked that a lot.
Yah, I'll be back for sure..
What an amazing place! It is by far the best Italian food in Calgary! The atmosphere is so friendly and the owner is incredibly attentive to all the customers. We will definitely be going back!
Restaurant is a family run establishment that caters to a semi-fine dining crowd. They will opt for a fixed menu on nights where there is an event or big concert at the Saddledome (which is often), but when you can order off the menu, the food is delicious and is prepared quickly. The owners and their staff are pretty friendly too.
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