Review Vaticano Cucina - Edmonton

Went here for a Sunday lunch with a good friend. Great pricing and portion sizing. Food was fresh and served hot. Our waitress was fantastic! She was attentive, pleasant, but not intrusive: we spent a good three hours here. The decor was nice. The parking was a little rough, but the restaurant was great!

Relatively good dinner! Went a few months back & the service was terrible - server had a bad attitude & was NOT friendly in the slightest. The pizza was good in flavour though the texture was a little soggy and wet for my preference. The cream based pasta was SEVERELY under-seasoned but the short rib lasagna was the saving grace! Awesome flavour, great construction & tasty tomato base! The arancini was also quite nice mainly because of the tomato sauce. I would probably recommend trying a red sauce pasta before anything else if dining here!

First time trying this place and we definitely wouldn't go back. We started with the bruschetta which at $16 is a complete rip off! The portion is absolutely tiny. To be fair it tasted good but the size is completely too small for the price. Service was very slow and we normally don't mind but the waitress barely checked on us so ran out of water quite a few times and didn't bother asking how the food was. For our mains we had the penne and the carbonara. Both were good but for the higher price wasn't a very big portion either. This is also the only Italian restaurant in this price range that didn't offer parmesan for the pasta. So overall the food was good but price and service wise wouldn't go back.

Very inviting atmosphere, service was quick, our server Cole was very friendly and personable, and made the experience feel very homely. The food was good, their St Anthony pizza especially. Only complaint I had was that their tiramisu was a little too sweet and creamy for my liking but that’s a personal preference. Great date night spot

We tried the focaccia bread, which wasn’t fresh. Also tried the butternut squash ravioli, which was delicious. Also the margarita pizza was okayish… the base was lil to thin for our taste. Over all the prices are a lil too high for the portion size. So overall average place considering the price to portion ratio.

Came here for dinner with the family. It was a bit tricky to get to the restaurant using google maps. Restaurant was not busy when we got there. Sever was friendly and took the time to go over items on the menu and make suggestions. The Insalata Cesare was amazing. The bacon bits and the fried capers really made the dish. Lettuce was nice and fresh and not overly dressed. The Chef's Arancini which is a risotto ball was delicious. I highly recommend you try this. It is a must try. The rice ball was crispy on the outside and nice and soft on the inside. Joe's bucatini carbonara - Is one of their popular dishes and it did not disappoint. The al dente of the pasta was perfect. I really enjoyed this pasta with the Italian crumbled sausage. It was a really nice portion Porchetta - The pork was well cooked and well seasoned. The vegetables that came with the dish was okay. Just a few carrots, broccoli, and some microgreens. Also came with house made gnocchi. Great value for the quality of food. We enjoyed our meal for sure and would come back again. If you are a pasta lover have to try them out.

Another neighbourhood gem. Been in business for over 5 years and did not notice this restaurant. Food tastes great and very friendly services. Good place for friends and family get together. Highly recommend their appetizer Chef’s Arancini.

Absolutely lovely restaurant! Perfect for a romantic date, special ocassions, a company event, or a short visit to Italy! The restaurant has been tastefully decorated, the service is super friendly, and the pizzas we tried were absolutely delicious, the wood oven gives them the perfect touch and flavor. Plus they have a great selection of wines. Highly recommended. Bravo!

The pizza here is amazing. It’s the closest thing I’ve had to Neapolitan pizza in the Edmonton area. Very, very good crust and sauce, and that’s what it’s all about.. cannot say enough about the crust. A lot of places with wood fire ovens char, overcook, and dry out the outer crust too much, where as this place gets it just right.<br/><br/>The staff is also very accommodating and friendly. <br/><br/>This is my new favourite pizza spot in Edmonton, and I’m already planning a weekend trip so my partner can try. Definitely like going back to Italy!

4.5/5    3 of my friends and I went yesterday for a celebration. First thing we noticed when we walked in was the wonderful smell  We ordered the all meat pizza, Lasagna, Tortelli and Gnocchi.  All of which were wonderful. (lasagna was a huge portion and delicious btw) The service was great.  Atmosphere was cool.  Be sure to look at the frescoes on the ceiling.  Although we ate inside, the patio looked nice. The prices were reasonable. (nothing is cheap anywhere anymore) Definitely will go back. I highly recommend checking it out if you love Italian cuisine

My new favorite restaurant! Unsuspecting restaurant because of the location, but loved the atmosphere inside. The kitchen is open, but not overly noisy. You can see them prep the pizzas in an impressive wood fired oven.  Arancini in a tomato sauce was sooo good. We devoured them and scooped up the sauce which was soo flavorful. Went with the St.Teresa pizza and was not dissapointed: Prosciutto + Arugula +Fontina + Anchovy Vinaigrette.  I am a big fan of arugula on pizza. I can't wait to return and try more.

Honestly every time I come here, it takes me back to Italy! I’d have to say so far the Bucatini Carbonara is my favourite (so is everything else). It’s all amazing and staff are extremely nice! I came with a friend who had a baby and our server made sure we had a table that was accommodating to make us feel comfortable.

Guy at the door......is not a nice person....Other then that the place is great.   1st impressions key in the service industry, and this guy is not a helping your business.

I’m from Seattle so I’ve had some great Italian. This place out does them all! I was impressed by the service and food. I was staying at the delta near the area and was told that I had to head to This restaurant. I was not disappointed.<br/><br/>Pizza 5/5 marks<br/>Pasta 5/5 marks<br/>Drinks 5/5 marks<br/><br/>This is the only place we are during our entire stay

Happy to report this place lived up to its stellar reputation. We were recommended by friends and were not disappointed. The inside is fun and creative. There’s a lot of choice on the menu and some Italian words but our fantastic sever Rachel was there to guide us through and happily answered questions. Food and drinks came out quickly. <br/>We tried a pizza, pasta and a salad to start. All terrific. Then the “cherry pie” cheesecake for dessert along with a couple of nicely made cappuccinos. <br/>This place offers the works for as reasonable a price as you’ll get. Check it out!

<br/>For the first time, my husband chose the place for our dinner date. He is neither a big foodie nor a lover to explore new places to eat. I was little bit skeptical about how this place will turn out to be. <br/><br/>When we reached, place seems really simple from outside but i was not aware of the reality that it is so classy from inside.<br/>I totally went waoo when i entered. It is a fine dining restaurant with a live kitchen. It’s better to reserve your seats beforehand. We were lucky enough to get a last table for two, but luck will not always work😉.<br/><br/>Being an italian food lover we ordered our favourite food from menu, Pizza and pasta.<br/><br/>Bucatini Carbonara: Enjoy the Delectable combination of pork sausages and eggs. Texture was creamy and we thoroughly enjoyed every bite of this lovely pasta. Also portion size is good enough.<br/><br/>St.Anthony Pizza: If you are a huge non-veg lover and are not particular about specific meat, then go for this pizza. <br/><br/>Tiramisu: After such a big meal, you definitely deserve a dessert. Well we were expecting this one to be rocking too. They presented it really well, but tiramisu was little bit disappointing as i have had amazing one earlier.<br/><br/>Rating:<br/>Taste: 4/5 (I wish tiramisu could be much better)<br/>Service: 5/5 (They greet and treat you so well)<br/>Ambience:4.5/5 (Totally wow)<br/>Portion size: 4/5 (Good enough)<br/>Value for money: 4/5

Excellent main courses. Sub par appetizers. Really distinct atmosphere.<br/><br/>Vatican Cucina has a really conspicuous location on the long drag that is gateway boulevard, tucked in near some dated hotels. I wasn't really expecting much, but the main course dishes were excellent. They all have the option to add an extra protein or some such but don't let them upsell you on it. The pasta dishes Can stand on their own, and I thought the addition of shrimp to my dish and chicken to my companions dish only served to distract from the strengths the dishes had to begin with. The appetizers were also a bit of a bust. I feel like the salads were over priced and though the starters have interesting concepts, the execution leaves something to be desired.<br/>I'll also note that the atmosphere was neat. They have replicas of famous Italian paintings done on the ceiling and the TV's loop thematic videos of Italy, which can give you something to talk about with your dining partner.<br/>If Zomato still had .5 ratings available I would have pegged Vaticano at 3.5 but I'm rounding up for it if only because of the pleasant surprise of this gem being in such an unassuming location.

Very cool ambience, the paintings on the ceiling are really eye catching. The owner was very polite and kind, he took time to greet us and talk about the food- it’s easy to see he has a real passion for the food and menu created. The caprese salad is very unique using a whole tomato, it is smoked so it has a very interesting taste. I really enjoyed it. The carbonara was really fantastic, I prefer pancetta but it had great flavour and was very creamy. The bottles of wine are decently priced and they had a great selection.

Loved Vaticano right from the getgo. Prompt courteous service was the theme all through lunch. Food was absolutely awesome with flavors very reminiscent of our trip to Italy. It's one of those special restaurants where you already plan your next visit while there and what you will be ordering. Ambiance through the roof and I can't wait to see it in the evening hours. I recommend for sure!

Have been to this restuarant since it opened. 9 year old sons birthday, family meals, daughter with soccer buddy for a quick tiramsu. Have been to italy and great italian resturants all over europe and the u.s. top draw service, great food and great location. my daughter is having her sweet sixteen supper here. i asked her and she said DAD cucina. wife and kids will only eat at this resturant 5stars from us.

Just came back from lunch at Vaticano. My friend and I went there expressly to try their pizzas after reading the glowing reviews.  Service was prompt and adequate. We ordered  a St. Luke and a St. Joseph which were brought to our table just out of the oven ( unlike most places in Yeg where the pizzas come to the table tepid). From the first bites the pies felt doughy, soft and sticky even though the surfaces were nicely charred. The soppressata in the St Luke tasted as if  it had been pre-sliced a few days before. The rest of the toppings were ordinary and could not lift the pies from their mediocrity (12/19/2017)

Went for lunch and had a great experience.Service was fine, and the bread was tasty. Recommend Vaticano Cucina for the best food and atmosphere!

The food is consistently good, and their super duper pizza is probably the best I've ever had. Big like Vaticano! I recommend this restaurant!

Vaticano is located just off gateway and awkwardly tucked behind a Travel Lodge so you may drive right past it without even knowing. The restaurant itself is very nice with a modern design from recent renovation. I believe the venue prior to Vaticano taking over was a Greek restaurant. Anyways as soon as you enter you see the endless posts/pictures of newspaper accolades and such so you can safely assume this place is stellar and knows what they’re doing.....<br/><br/>It was my sister birthday dinner so we went with quite a variety. We started off with their Cozze Lucifero, PEI mussels with marinara sauce and focaccia bread. Now they were decent except for the 5 dead unopened mussels that we also got which is a big no no especially when that’s 40% of your mussels right there. Their Zeppole Calabrese faired better. Deep fried potato dough balls essentially and these were probably the tastiest dish of the night. Perfectly fried and springy. <br/><br/>The mains didn’t fair any better but we got their St. Benedict pizza with Prosciutto Cotto, olives, red pepper, artichokes and Fior Di Latte. The pizza was just okay, the toppings were nice but the pizza dough did not hold up well. The crust was crisp but the inside was soggy which ended with total pizza collapse. I got their Carne Brasato and the beef short rib was delicious. Cooked nicely where it wasn’t falling apart completely with a nice mellow beef red wine taste. But the risotto was bland and worst of all undercooked. Biting into uncooked rice grains is probably the least satisfying thing you can eat. My auntie got the Pesce Spada. The swordfish was pretty bland and rubbery even with the anchovy butter. The veg you get with the swordfish does not warrant $26. My sister got their Mezze Maniche Bolognese. And it was decent apart from the undercooked almost al dente pasta. To the tooth literally as you can feel the undercooked hard pasta hit your tooth as you eat. For dessert we got their Pistachio Panna Cotta and Tiramisu. The Panna Cotta was decent with good texture, not too much gelatin and a slight hint of pistachio flavour. Their Tiramisu was just okay, lacked real punch and almost comparable to Tiramisu from Costco. <br/><br/>Overall dinner was below average and far from enjoyable. Many dishes were either undercooked, bland or just poorly executed (dead mussels). Probably wouldn’t go back as there are way better Italian eateries to choose from.

Great food and great service. Didn't catch our waitress name but took very good care of us. Will be back for sure.Thank you very much! Like Cucina!!!

The service is impeccable! It couldn't be better.  I went here with my sister for my birthday dinner but it's a perfect date place as well, very romantic.

Great ambiance, stellar service and the food is beyond tasty! This is my new favorite restaurant south side! Not to mention that the prices are very reasonable and you get hefty portion sizes. We went for our anniversary yesterday and they made it very special for us. Top notch!

I ordered from here on the skip the dishes app the food came pretty fast & looked delicious but was disappointed with the meal. I seen they had arancini so ordered them & the bucattini carbonara pasta with the Saint Matthew pizza. I was so disappointed with the arancini not much flavour with very little sauce, the carbonara had some good flavour but the bottom part of the pasta was soaking in oil was a bit much. The pizza was not great had no flavour beyond the meat & the crust was pretty dull.

I've actually gone back and edited this place up to a 4.0.  I agonized over it, but overall I think the 4.0 rating is more representative of our experience than my original 3.5.                        We went here for our anniversary, and overall I enjoyed it, but there were a few things they did not seem to have ironed out.  The service was fine and the waiter friendly, all the delays were reasonable, so no issue there. The appetizer (a daily changing arancini) was absolutely delightful, though for mains we were a bit. . . less happy.  Don't get me wrong, they were by no means bad, but my food was a little undersauced for my taste and the noodle choice for their seafood pasta was just a little off (it was kind of like a fuscili, but longer and closer to spaghetti in length.  Fine, but seemed to offer the worst of both types of pasta), while my wife's caramelle was very good, but the stuffing of the pasta seemed underseasoned to us.The biggest let down for my wife was dessert (a big problem with her) in that her lemoncello strawberry cheesecake had no lemoncello flavour either of us could determine, and the dominant flavour was the thick dark chocolate sauce on it (though there was some strawberry syrup on the plate).  I tried it and found it fine, but it definitely was not what she was expecting for flavour in a negative way.We also had some cocktails, and by my taste they were both good, so no issues there!Overall, the place seems to have a lot of potential, and is doing a lot of stuff right.  We'd probably go back to try some of their other stuff (not sure why, but for some reason our menus didn't have the Secundi, or Meat Course, dishes listed that we noticed even though they are on their website), but even with the "$$" rating it was still over a $100 night for us.

The food and service is consistently very good here. We try to come every few weeks.Relaxing atmosphere and Has never disappointed. Thanx!!!

This place was recommend to me by a friend, must say they have the best food in town. The service was also excellent. I'm definitely going there again.

This is always so reliable, you are guaranteed a lovely meal. Service is always speedy and friendly, nothing is too much trouble, high quality food in superb surroundings.

This is a great Italian restaurant with tradition Italian entrees.Food was made to perfection. Specialty dish of lasagna was the best ever. Desert to die for tirmisou out if this world.

I just wanted to make you aware of the gluten-free pizza at Vaticano Cucina. My girlfriend is recently gluten sensitive and we've had trouble finding a pizza place that has good gluten free crust. Vaticano's GF pizza crust is incredible, and as someone who doesn't have to eat GF, I really do enjoy their GF crust.

Few places in the city can provide you with the ambiance and quality of food that a place like this can. Come Vaticano Cucina a new restaurant born out of seemingly no where taking over the old space of a Greek restaurant. It is a welcome to the location and to the City. <br/><br/>An unpretentious, relaxed atmosphere with a caring staff and a professional attitude from online to offline. <br/><br/>I give this place 5 stars on all counts for the food, presentation, price, atmosphere and service. <br/><br/>Great job Vaticano!

Food and service is exceptional<br/>Decore is beautiful <br/>Will be back <br/>Try the pizza and the cozze lucifiero they were very good <br/>Carbonara I brought home and it was excellent<br/>Tiramisu the best

Family friendly, friendly service and tasty Neopolatian style pizza baked in a wood fired oven where the pizza gets popped into the "mouth" of a lion on the front if the oven. The cocktail and food menu cheekily plays on a religious theme with all the pizzas named after saints. We enjoyed the pizza with a nod to the chef for popping on some fresh in house made ricotta that added a refreshing touch of cool creaminess to the pizza studded with lean but flavorful mini meatballs, a fresh tomato sauce and melty mild fior di latte cheese. I usually love rich super salty carbonara pastas but all I could taste after 3 bites was only salt and extra virgin olively olive oil.. maybe an off night as it needed much more egg yolk and a much lighter hand on the olive oil and salt. The extra shrimp I added to the pasta was nicely sized, and cooked to a nice tender crisp. The tiramisu redeemed the night with a good balance of creamy rich marsapone cheese, espresso soaked lady fingers and cocoa powder. Overall, not a bad showing for one of Edmonton's newest faces on the Italian scene. Would recommend reservations on the weekends as they tend to be busier (and they offer brunch). The frescos on the ceiling don't really go with the odd cafeteria like vibe in the center of the restuant and ikea drapes, but ignore the decor cuz you cant eat it..get the pizza.. and do pay an extra $2 to get the pizza dough lighrly fried before going into the oven to get a crisper crust. Worth the extra calories!

Neapolitan pizza is fantastic and the service is excellent. These owners have done something amazing and they put there heart and soul into the place.

Great place for pasta and pizza.food is fresh and the owners are always there to make sure you are well taken care of! Also, it's brand new so everything is shiny and new!

Great food and great service.  This new restaurant is very good and the price is in a nice sweet spot.  Beautiful presentation and great food.

Great new restaurant in town! This place is up there with the Corso's and Cibo's for half the price. The atmosphere at this location is great and the food is exceptional. I went here after an OK review from the Globe and Mail and some really great reviews from the Edmonton Journal and The Sun. This place is great. I really enjoyed my meal. Highly recommend.

Very clean and fantastic new eatery! I ate here for the first time tonight and I will be going back. The owners make sure you are having a good time and love making small talk. The food was exceptional and the service better.

Best Italian restaurant in the City. Excellent service and excellent food. So impressed with the renos! I had the strozzapretti and it was excellent! Try the panna cotta, seriously amazing. Doesn't contain that gelatin taste.

Dinner with a dear friend at Vaticano Cucina tonight. Made reservations yesterday for our table of two. Seems to have been a good idea as the restaurant is full. First thing we notice is the lack of Italian aroma. No garlic, basil or tomato in the air. <br/>We get a table looking into the kitchen. Where you can see a wood fire oven for pizza and calzone. We order boccacino radicchio wraps, butter nut squash stuffed pasta and carbonara. Butternut squash pasta filling is smooth and cream unfortunately the pasta is undercooked. Carbonara is spicy, lots of sausage, pasta is cooked correctly but eggs seem to be missing. <br/>Parmesan salt and pepper are missing from all tables. <br/> Service needs improvement. Staff do not return to table enough, no Parmesan delivered, no water bottle refills, hostess does not make any menu suggestions, introduce wait staff or check table throughout meal.<br/>We will not be back.

The food is amazing, the staff is super nice and wonderful. Loved the whole experience. There are lots of menu options, including gluten free which is great since my mum is celiac. I can't wait to go back and try the different dishes! The pasta is beyond delicious, but the one with pancetta, italian sausage, and shallots is definitely worth ordering!

I drive past Vaticano Cucina all the time but never had the opportunity to stop in until recently! They opened in May and this place is amazing – family run and owned, beautiful interior and delicious food. It might just be the new ‘spot’ as I really enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere.

Came here for lunch for the first time, I work around the area.  Very impressed - this used to be an old greek restaurant.  The food was great and came out fresh.  I had a pizza and my friend had the pasta - I think I will be going there tonight too.  Great job!

Family friendly ... friendly service. Great pizza. Clean, but still some work to be done to be great. <br/><br/>Decided to head here with the family to celebrate my oldest daughters grade 6. I also have 2 other kids grade 4 and 1.... so naturally we looked to the bambino menu 12 and under. Average price $9.00 includes drinks...didn't seem that bad. Adult prices reasonable ranging from $14-30 depending on the dish. <br/><br/>Server took the orders quick...drinks came out. Food took a little longer. In fact my wife mentioned it took longer to bring the food out than it took to eat. <br/><br/>Kids orders spaghetti and meatballs. A little disappointed as the serving size was pitiful. I could have easily eaten the whole thing in 2 bites...so having a 12 year old attempt it would be a joke. I would suggest the bambino menu to be 9 and under. <br/><br/>My oldest daughter went off the adult menu....better choice for her..little better for portion size. Had some left overs but that didn't last long since the younger kids had to get at it to fill up. <br/><br/>The adults ordered the pizza and muscles...decent size...actually to be honest...great portion. Tasty, crust was crispy and thin...fired fresh, hot and tasty. Muscles were also a hit. <br/><br/>Side note. Had to hit the bathroom after, men's washroom toilet had a wall held together by tape. Any lean on that wall and it would have fallen over. Wife said the ladies washroom had a whole wall missing. Soap dispenser almost fell off the wall too....so I had to do a little repair. <br/><br/> A few more weeks for this place to fix the little things and it's gonna be a great place.... great environment and friendly staff. Fix the kids menu or make it more age appropriate or at the very least...toss in another handful of noodles. <br/><br/>Will visit again...but maybe just for the pizza.

Can I just start off by saying this might actually be my new favourite Italian pizza place in Edmonton??? Sorry Famoso but this was an unbelievable dinning experience here. <br/><br/>Located at the old Koutouki Taverna near Travelodge on gateway blvd, this adorable restaurant has absolutely stunning interior. From the beautifully painted ceilings and to the open kitchen design, this place is visually appetizing. <br/><br/>My friend and I came in around 8pm on a chill Saturday evening for some small eats. We ended up ordering an appetizer, a salad, pizza and individual desserts. We were greeted warmly, quickly seated and the waiter was already swinging by to introduce himself and take our order for drinks. <br/><br/>To start off our meal, we went with the Zeppole Calabrese which is deep fried potato dough. It reminded me of deep fried gnocchi, extremely soft, pillowy, tender and fluffy. They were so good and especially dipped in the marinara sauce, the appetizer was complete. <br/><br/>Next was the Caprese salad, however it is unlike any Caprese I have tried. It was a literal whole tomato with a distinct smokey aroma stuffed with bocconcini (mozzarella) and served on top of a beautiful home made pesto sauce with balsamic caviar. I didn't know what to expect, but my first bite was a mouthful of something dark, creamy, tangy. It came together well and all the flavour came together in harmony. <br/><br/>Next up was the St. Francis, consisting of figs, lots of arugula, goat cheese, onion jam and balsamic vinegar. The combination sounds a bit weird, and I was hesitant because a lot of the ingredients I dislike individually. However, I was pleasantly surprised, nothing was overpowering each other. The usual strong arugula flavours was kept in check with the sweet fig. Then, you get a nice creamy taste of the goats cheese with the slight balsamic vinegar peaking through. I highly recommend this if you are looking for something different to try. <br/><br/>Lastly we ended off with desserts, my friend decided on the pistachio panna cotta while I opted for the mango sorbetto. The mango sorbetto came with two scoops and was refreshing. My friend said that her pistachio panna cotta was really good, creamy, light and the pistachio was distinct. However it was a bit on the sweet side, but nothing the gooseberry on the side wouldn't solve haha. <br/><br/>Overall, we had a lovely dining experience starting with the attentive, friendly and welcoming service, to the appetizing, filling and delicious food served. We will definitely be back for more!

Amazing restaurant, new flair on Italian fare. Delectable deserts, adorable décor, staff are skilled and attentive,  an overall a wondrous dining experience. Highly recommend the Zeppole Calabrese deep fried breaded potato dough, my mouth waters just at the thought. Looking forward to my next trip to Edmonton and visiting the Vaticano Again!

I met Joe (one of the owners) and Holly (his wife) and they were the kindest people in the world. These are the types of people that need to be restaurant owners. The service and quality of food was beyond my expectations.

This is an amazing new Italian restaurant in town, it's so different and really amazing.  Best Italian pizza I have ever had in my life and the pasta is so good.  Try the Carbonara, you will not be disappointed.

Just enjoyed a wonderful dinner! Ceaser salad was amazing! Pasta with brocollini and pesto was outstanding. Owner was very engaging and went out of their way to speak with us and even called us a taxi!!! Wish you the best!!!

Refreshing and model atmosphere. Food are decent with affordable price. I am quite sure they use fresh-made pasta. If you are tired of old spaghetti and want to try somewhere new. This is a good place to try.