Amazing Food and Elena is so warm and inviting! Been there 3 times in the past 4 months and never dissappointed Carla

Went for my birthday dinner! Food is good, service is a delight!! Space is a bit small but very cozy! Love the ambience A bit pricey but worth it!! read more

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Unappealing from the outside, the restaurant will transport you to Italy and back. Food is authentic and place is family friendly. Would recommend. Food: 5. Ordered a pizza and a pasta. Both were delish. The dough was bang on and the crust was cooked to perfection. Ingredients were fresh and complimented each other well. Pasta was slightly overcooked but the sauce was quite flavorful and had depth. Service: 4. Was the only table seated. Friendly and attentive, though they failed to mention that the tortellini was filled with beef, which my wife doesn't eat. Ambiance: 4. Feels like you've escaped Calgary and into a homey family restaurant in Italy. Kinda weird that they had someone folding pizza boxes in the restaurant even though it wasn't busy. Value: 3. Prices were reasonable. Pizza on the more expensive side but can easily feed 3-4 people, depending on if you are the Hulk or Rocket. Family Friendly? Yes. TV on wall kept my kids seated, though now they won't stop talking about MLB... read more

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The food is amazing here; also I really like the atmosphere of this place. There is not a single thing that I could name that went bad about visiting. Customer service was really good, and I love how kind the staff are. read more

We have dined here often. Last night, Saturday February 8, waited two hours for our main course while the lone waitress tended to a large table of 14, leaving smaller tables untended. She finally brought our food, saying " it's not my fault ,we are so busy " while servicing the large table and assisting 12 Skip the dishes delivery people. You need another server, kitchen help and must decide if you're a sit down restaurant or take out. We will not return. read more

The food is ok here, not sure I'd call it that special but why really puts me off is the exotic massage parlour Pamper Yourself directly above them. I just can't eat when I know men are paying for a rub, tug and whatever else right above me while I eat my dinner. At least they have discreet signage and a locked door that you have to buzz to get in, hate to walk into their place by accident. read more

Ok, to start the review off, I'd like to say the owner is not that nice. She is not very friendly and super intimidating. We ordered the bruschetta, margherita pizza and the special pasta. Bruschetta was fresh, garlicky, herby, just extremely delicious! The pasta was so delicious! The pasta was house made and the texture of the pasta noodles were AMAZING. As for the pizza, let's just say we've had better. The pizza was very overpriced while the taste was very underwhelming. read more

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To start I have to say the food was just ok, pizza was super dry , sauce was dried, pasta was good , and bread was hard and cold. its way overpriced. Service was awful, she owner lady served us, seemed in a rush and walked away before even finishing to answer questions, felt really rushed. she started telling me the wine special was an 85$ bottle, I wouldn't call that special. i had to get up and get my own salt and pepper. read more

If your focus is great food, this place deserves nothing but a five. You do need to ignore limited parking and slightly dated decor, but the food is so good here that that's easy to do. The pasta dishes are relatively large and hearty. I've never had the pizza, but I have watched regretfully as neighbouring tables chowed down. Next time for sure! read more

Hands down, the best and most authentic Italian gnocchi I've had in years. The sauce tastes as if it comes straight from my zia's kitchen. Incredible. This will be our only restaurant to meet our Italian cravings! Can't wait to bring my family and come again! read more

Il Centro - Generous and filling portions! I'll have delicious leftovers :) This is the gnocchi pomodoro. - Italian Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

I am having to remove some of my exuberance for this establishment a bit. Eight five dollars for an insalata caprese, two individual portion penne dishes and a single beer is just too much. I would pay it if Lidia Bastianich made it, but not Il Centro. It is good if price is not an object. read more

Met a friend here a couple of years ago and it is one of those surprise gems you stumble across sometimes. We were both amazed at how good the food was. We had the caprese salad, spaghetti bolognese and fettuccine Alfredo. The tables were close together but it felt quite intimate and it added to our dining experience. If you get a chance and like Italian this is a must go to. You won't be disappointed. read more

Post Covid update. Went for lunch on a Tues at 1:15. Quickly order a pizza to go, as ovens off at 2 till 5. A quatro formaggio, a cheese lovers delight. Once dinner was ordered we ate lunch. Mushroom veal and veg for me and a fettuccine alfredo for my guest. Calamari for an appy. Squid was tender, just not as much sauce as I would have liked. Veal and veg was tasty. Alfredo sauce was not as creamy as my guest would have liked but I noted none of the large portion was left. Solid 4, geat service and food. read more

Great food, meh service, and (IMO) super expensive. $24.00 for my lunch pasta is over the top...

Probably my favourite Italian lunch or dinner place when close to Chinook Mall. Have time for a glass of wine? Pair it with one of their AMAZING pastas with homemade sauces, noodles, sausage and LOVE!!! Friendly family service from staff who are not just good at their job but GREAT!!! I've been coming to I'll Centro now for 4 years and I'm never disappointed. They've even added a new artichoke pasta that is bueno! The only things is that this place is so busy that it is sometimes hard to get in. So go early, call, or wait in line. And try the bruschetta while you are waiting for your meal...or the calamari...or the sausage...oh my, I'm getting hungry! read more

I love this place.......great service.....great wine.....great pasta dishes....pizza to die for..... Low ceiling so noise can be a bit much but , more than anything it needs air conditioning....very warm during winter months and HOT HOT HOT in summer months. read more

This little hole in the wall has to be my favorite spot for Italian food in the city. You'd never know by looking at it from the street, but it's always packed! You really need to make sure you have a reservation if you want to get in on the weekend. It's a family owned, and I think run, restaurant. That explains the amazing service. Your glass is never empty and they make sure that everything you could want comes to the table. My wife and I couldn't pick from the menu because everything looked so good! We had to ask for help with menu and ended up picking a stuzzichina pizza and the gnocchi rose. Man, they were both amazing! The pizza had an amazing flavor with the prosciutto, tomato, and cheese, the crust was perfect, and the sauce tied everything together. The gnocchi was amazing. It was so dense and the rose sauce best I've ever had. We finished up the meal with tiramisu. It was creamy and not overly sweet. A perfect end to a great meal. Definitely going to be coming back again to try the rest of the menu! read more

All though this is a small place that is a little tricky to find, it is a great place to eat. I would definitely start out with their calamari. It is a great way to start a great dinner. The next question is do you go with a traditional meal or one of their pizzas. They have a nice selection of pizzas in two different sizes: to share and not to share. I have only had their pizzas, but can't wait to go their to try another menu item. It will be hard, since their pizza is very good. They have a nice selection of wine by the glass and bottle and are willing to help with your selection if needed. read more

Very good food. So so service. We made a reservation. The hostess seemed more interested in arguing with us than in accepting our word for it. After several minutes of debate she discovered we had made the reservations. It took an hour for food without even bread on the table. This place could be great. read more

I love this place, it's a hidden gem for Italian food in the city. Very small and cozy and the service is great. The pizza comes in 2 sizes small and large. I recommend this place for Italian food lovers. read more

YELP you did it again (to the tune of Oops I did it again , by Brittany Pears)! Having a heavy carb load was important tonight to prepare for the Alberta Ride to Conquer Cancer, that starts tomorrow. So my fiancé and I did what we do best - YELPED a pasta place in Calgary. Lots and lots of choices, but I didn't stop looking till I found one with a lot of reviews and min 4 star. We came across II Centro, a place we had never heard of or come across and I began to read the reviews. Most said hidden gem, and yep dead on accurate. Most said great food, you got that right. One reviewer went so far as to say she had to fight the urge to knock out her husband so she could have his pasta dish that was so good. I mean who would knock someone out that you love for pasta, so it had to be good. Well if my fiancé tried to take mine- I may have had to resort to violence too!!! :-) Ok I'm being factious and so was she I am sure - but Wow we LOVED THIS PLACE. We shared the Penne Arrabbiata and a Pepperoni and Green Olive Pizza. Pizza - PERFECTION. Best in Calgary The pasta dish w spicy sauce was just simply amazing too! We will make this a regular spot!!! read more

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Thin-crust authentic Neapolitan-style pizza made with fresh, high-quality ingredients? Chef Fedele certainly knows how to craft them, and one of the signature variations is called the Gilchrist, after CBC food critic John Gilchrist, who is a regular--which should tell you something. Great for groups--a large pizza can easily feed 3-4 unless they're really starving. read more

I heard a lot about Il Centro. It's a favourite among Italians that know their food. I did enjoy the food. The calamari was a huge portion and tender. Second best calamari in the city (#1 goes to La Luna Rosso). The pizza was delicious though next time I would order a pie without raw tomatoes, as it made the crust soggy. Big portions, good quality pizza in a homey, busy restaurant. If you're a regular, you get service. If you're a newbie, you got to work you way up ( I guess). The service we received was rushed and abrupt. Just my personal experience/opinion. read more

Lovely place and fantastic pizza. We went the first time for lunch and were greeted like we were regulars.

This place is fantastic. Due to its odd hours this restaurant eluded us for several years but was worth the wait. We had the Gilchrist pizza and it was probably the best pizza I've had in Calgary. The crust was perfect. I thought the wine list was expensive for a restaurant of this type. They would do well to offer an inexpensive Chianti or Val by the litre. read more

Specifically sought this place out to give it a try. Finally got there and there was a sign on the door saying it will be closed from 2-5 on Thursday and Friday....we got there at noon on Tuesday and the doors were locked. I'll give this place another try and possible edit this review, but until then..... read more

A nice little family Italian place with great homemade gnocchi. Don't be fooled by the outside which looks more like a hot table - it's homey inside. The house wine was our second choice, but quite good and excellent value. Overall, a good choice for a family meal. read more

Where have you been all my life Il Centro? Actually just sad I never noticed you there all this time when I drove by. My apologies and will visit you more frequently. So glad that this restaurant was chosen for Yelp International Supper Club and we got to try so many items. Everything was served family style in what I assume was slightly bigger than normal portions for our group. But saying that I saw meals going out to other dinners and the portions all looked huge. Started with bread rolls that they seem to make from pizza dough. Served plain and just unbelievable tasty on their own. Glad I saved one for some of the sauce later on to help scoop up every mouthful. For appetizers we tried 4 items: 1. Spicy jalapeno peppers they do with roasted garlic - hot hot hot tasty. I dipped some bread in to get a taste and it was hot but such a great flavour on it to. 2. Fried calamari rings - these are not those rings you have eaten anywhere else. Batter is very light and just enough to coat each ring. This is one restaurant that believes your calamari should be melt in the mouth soft and they get it right. Comes with a small drizzle of tomato sauce on top that just gives it great flavour. 3. Bruschetta was on thick cut Italian bread piled with fresh tomatoes, basil and garlic. Yum garlic! Love that the flavour came through with the basil. Not sure how many pieces come in a regular portion, but each piece was huge. 4. Calabrese sausage in the most delicious tomato sauce. They make the sausage themselves. It is well spiced but not spicy, great consistency sliced into pieces and covered in the tastiest of tomato sauces. We asked if they sell the sausage which unfortunately they don't. Guess we will have to be back for more! I would happily have eaten appetizers again for round 2, but it was on to mains which were a couple of different pizza's and pastas. Note that all the pizzas we had were large and HUGE: 1. Penne Rose, came with a light just creamy enough rose sauce that was super smooth and tasty. Mushrooms in the sauce were thinly sliced and plentiful. 2. Penne calabrese was that delicious sausage meat in the same great sauce. More of that please! 3. Calabrese pizza which had the ground sausage meat, spicy peppers and mushrooms 4. Stagioni pizza which had ham, olives, artichokes and mushrooms 5. Stuzzichina pizza which was the star of the show. If you will only every try one pizza here, this is it. Tomato paste, slices of fresh tomato and bocconcini cheese gets put in the oven until cooked. Once it comes out, the freshly (that's right it is cut to order) sliced prosciutto gets piled on. Piles of delicious prosciutto on top of a thin crispy pizza is the way every meal should be. The owner and his wife were serving everyone out front while family works in the back. If memory stands they have been doing this since 1980 and they have been doing it well. Open everyday for lunch and then Thurs - Sun evening. They were pretty busy for a Thursday evening. Recommend reservations to make sure they have space for you and come hungry. Thanks to Dale for organising! read more

Haven't had the calamari as of yet but looks damn good. Last time I had the caesar salad which was good and the linguini clams white which was very food. Finished off with homemade Limoncello. I'll go back again. read more

This place is a hidden gem!! Delicious pizza and amazing gnocchi !! The wine is really good and the service is just excellent!!! Very well deserved 5 stars!! The pizzas sauce has the original Italian flavour ... This small restaurant is one of the best Italian restaurant in the city ! Owned by Italians with the original recipes!! All taste like real homemade food!! Definitely a must try hidden gem!! read more

My favorite casual Italian restaurant in Calgary. Don't just have pizza, their fish and veal are excellent!

Went here for the Yelp Elite 2016 food event, totally worth it! I drove by the place by accident as it is very discrete (probably to keep it from getting too popular, cause it is such a hidden gem!). When I finally arrived I was welcomed with some fun music in the air, and tables with actual red checkered table cloths (Lady and the Tramp anyone?) Although there was no romantic spaghetti slurping that night, we did enjoy some other amazing, home cooked Italian food! The owner of the restaurant (circa 1989) and his wife helped serve us and present each dish. We were poured glasses of red and white wine, then the food arrived dish by dish. Our appetizers consisted of a jalepeno garlic oil with freshly baked bread rolls to dip in, calamari with red sauce, bruschetta, and homemade sausages sliced in red sauce. All delicious and cooked perfectly, the calamari was really great, I have tried many calamari dishes and this one was done the best. I also loved the brushetta, my family loved to make it way back when at home, and we always ended up with mushy bread. This bread was thick and fluffy, and could handle to tomatoes pilled on, which were perfectly flavored. Next we had our main course! We were given two full bowls each of a penne rose pasta and calabrese pasta. Then 3 different kinds of pizza, the Stagioni, calabrese and a prosciutto pizza. I tried the Stagiono and prosciutto, and both pasta dishes, the prosciutto and penne rose were definitely my favorite. The owner was lovely and lively, talking with us and shared a homemade liquor drink with us as a treat. We all left full and satisfied, like you leave home after a visit. I would love to go again and try some of the other dishes, and maybe take a pizza home, cause damn that crust was just perfect! read more

I've been going to Il Centro for 12 years now and every time it's delicious. Awesome calamari and fantastic pizza. A bit on the pricy side but it's worth it!!! Definitely my favourite pizza. read more

A real Italian place, i go there when i am homesick!

The most unpretentious authentic Italian cuisine with superfragilistic service. Pietro is an absolute delight! Talk to him! Listen to him! Nick too! Eat pizza! Eat caprese salad! Calamari! Have fun here! They're awesome, have fun!!!! read more

Are we really out of our of minds ????? How much is a pizza?I am really starting think that a pizza is only worth $10.00 flour a lot of water some sauce and cheap mozzarella why are these people charging $50.00 for a pie? read more

Went here for the first time on a Thursday for lunch with a couple girlfriends. Was greeted immediately as we entered. We started with mussels, calamari and jalapeno peppers. Appetizers came out quickly, maybe 10 minutes or so. Mussels were perfect in a delicious sauce, calamari was ridiculously good and the peppers were fantastic. Both waiters were very attentive, our drinks were never empty and they checked on us a few times. We order a large half Stuzzichina, half Calabrese. Toppings were rich in colors and flavor, crust was crispy and fresh. Il Centro is authentic Italian, great place with friends and family. read more

Ok, so I have been going to Il Centro for almost 17 years. And it was my go to place for basic good italian food, esp pizza. Food is still not bad and I would continue to go there but my family cannot support this restaurant anymore. WAY too expensive, I had to pay $120 for: calamari, scampi (4 pieces), one piece lasagna (average), 2 glases of house wine. Sorry but this is not acceptable!!!!! read more

Everything tasted and enjoyed at this establishment was authentic Italian! From sauteed garlic and jalapeno in olive oil appetizers, to simmered calabrese sausage in robust tomato sauce, to pasta with rose sauce, and of course, signature margherita pizza, among other delights. The owner and his family followed up this lovely expanse of food, with a delightful espresso and a shot of Lemoncello! Great memories of Italy from days gone by were recollected! Will definitely make it a must stop from now on! read more

This is the best pizza place in the city. It's not very big and fills up fast so you might not get a table. Try the calamari. It's not what you expect. read more