D.O.P.

Updated: Dec 31,2023:

A second visit to DOP confirms the brilliance of the ricotta and bread, meatballs, and tiramisu (though the amount of cocoa powder was a little too generous). The anchovy plate was true fine dining, though its appeal is likely limited, while the egg yolk raviolo was overpriced, oversized, and drowning in an overpowering leek sauce. Go with the recommended dishes above, and you’ll leave delighted by both the food and the price. Incredible value at easily one of Alberta’s best.

Original review: Flashes of brilliance somewhat spoiled by an overly noisy setting - from music to the cacophony of the small kitchen and bar. But don’t despair, DOP is about to move locations…

Recommended dishes include the ethereal bread and ricotta, perfectly textured meatballs in a lovely sauce, and the best tiramisu in Calgary. Things fell apart somewhat with the pasta main dishes of a thin truffle cream sauce and a too-many-things-going on tajarin. I would also skip the overly tart panzanella salad and the overly complex gelato with pollen (!)

But the recommended dishes are some of the best bites in Calgary at a very reasonable price. This is the closest Calgary has to Edmonton’s venerable Bar Bricco and foodies shouldn’t miss it. Sit as far away from the kitchen and bar as possible if you are noise sensitive.

As the youth of today say, it do be hitting. Bless yourself with immense carbs. Drink olive oil. Deal with the consequences of lactose intolerance at a later date. Drove down from Edmonton for this. Worth.

Hey I gave five stars cause I just want to share feedback without affecting score.

Service - very good

Appetizers - wonderful. We got the bread, anchovies, pickled tomatoes (a standout) and whipped ricotta. The mortadella beef fat cracker thing was kind of a strange concept but tasted good. Reminds me of something I would make when really drunk

Pasta - we found the rigatoni special to be overly spicy and a bit boring. The chicken tortellini in chicken stock were better because the broth was really nice, but there didn’t seem to be enough seasoning in the pasta

Wine - great!

Dessert - This is why we came and we were so disappointed. Tiramisu was so so salty. All I was getting was corse salt. My gf and I love tiramisu and try it everywhere. You need that delicate balance of custard, liquor, chocolate, and some saltiness to bring out the other flavours. In my opinion this was at least three times too salty

We would still come back and try other stuff though! Overall a good experience because the bread and starters were so nice

The most delicious food but also a good scene. Amazing wait staff, we never leave disappointed!

Best Italian food in Calgary, small menu but they do everything right. Good wine and great service.

Everytime I've gone to D. O. P. I've had a wonderful time. Great atmosphere, fantastic and super attentive servers who go above and beyond to make you feel welcome without ever being overbearing, and absolutely delicious food.

I live nearby, so I come here often. Every time I visit, the service is top-notch. It's a great place that I always recommend. If you're in the area, you should definitely check it out!

Maybe I just got unlucky, but the food i ordered (raviolo, meatballs, and another pasta dish) was ok. The raviolo had a very interesting flavour profile, it was not good. The meatballs had ok flavour and texture, I can follow recipes and make better ones. The other pasta was decent.

The music was extremely loud which made ordering & understanding the servers quite difficult.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at DOP, an Italian restaurant that exceeded all of my expectations. From the moment I stepped through the door, I knew I was in for an extraordinary culinary experience.

The ambiance of DOP is nothing short of charming. The warm and inviting atmosphere immediately transported me to the heart of Italy. The rustic decor, soft lighting, and tasteful Italian music created the perfect backdrop for a memorable evening.

Now, let's talk about the food. Oh, the food! Every bite at DOP was a delightful revelation of authentic Italian flavors. The menu showcases a remarkable selection of traditional dishes, crafted with the finest and freshest ingredients. Each plate was a work of art, meticulously prepared and presented with care.

The pasta dishes at DOP are a true testament to the mastery of Italian cuisine. From the classic favorites to unique creations, every dish was a symphony of flavors. The pasta itself was cooked to perfection, with a beautiful al dente texture that showcased the skill and attention to detail in the kitchen.

The service at DOP was impeccable. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about the food they served. They provided excellent recommendations, ensuring that every aspect of the dining experience was tailored to my preferences. The attention to detail and genuine care for the guests truly set DOP apart.

In conclusion, DOP is a gem among downtown Calgary restaurants. It offers a culinary journey that transports you to Italy with its ambiance, authentic flavors, and exceptional service. Whether you're seeking a romantic dinner, a family gathering, or simply a memorable meal, DOP is the place to be. I wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for an unforgettable dining experience.

Kudos to the entire team at DOP for creating such a remarkable establishment. Five stars simply don't do justice to the excellence and passion that radiate from every aspect of this joint.

The place is quite small but it's really cosy. Food and service was phenomenal! Definitely recommend getting a dandy soda, the bread, green tomato pickles and whipped ricotta. And if you have a chance to try their featured rigatoni, ITS SO GOOD!

This restaurant is a GEM. The patrons, the servers, the food, the decor.too amazingly for words.just go and see yourself.it's like welcome to my house.dinner and wine and a good time!

Phenomenal service. Pryia and Kalya were a vibe and honestly worth coming for alone.
The food was outstanding, we started with the bread, whipped ricotta and confit garlic which honestly was a 5 star rating in itself. The meatballs were fantastic and each pasta dish we said we wished we could almost bathe in the sauce.
If you want a dining experience with phenomenal food and service that matches look no further.

Had dinner here and service was 5/5, but food was 3/5. Based on the ratings, we had the whipped ricotta and grilled bread, which honestly felt slightly bland and could have really been elevated by an acidic twist like lemon or roasted tomatoes with the ricotta. Was excited for the ravioli based on all the reviews and photos but the sauce is now this rosemary red wine sauce which was a bit salty and not very sophisticated in taste, but the ravioli itself was good, would have been better with a simple white sauce or pomodoro. The one saving dish was the Conchiglie which was absolute perfection. No complaints with that dish - sauce, pasta and filling were amazing! For the price, the old fashioned cocktail was very disappointing. But the service was outstanding, kind and attentive servers, which would make us consider giving this place another try maybe after some updates to the menu.

Calgary really has developed a diverse and inspiring restaurant scene. Today we came for an important occasion, over two days we have experienced fabulous dining at Wednesday Room, Klein an Harris, Modern and even the hotel lobby restaurant. Each experience our service was always forefront and servers were patient and kind.

Perhaps this is an industry favorite for a reason we did not get to experience. Maybe this is more of a restaurant about who you know, as was demonstrated by the cringe worthy things they said about some of their guests. We arrived armed with the knowledge the space has 28 covers with an expected turnover rate, our reservation being at a bar would have limited space. We were seated with 3 pairs, a lovely couple to one side and like us they crammed themselves in and tried to keep a semblance of personal space. The other couple who appeared to be VIP guests visiting with staff however did not. I proceeded to spend a meal trying to cling to my dignity while being shoved and elbowed to the point of feeling actually sore and unwelcome was the most unpleasant experience I have had in any restaurant. Sitting at the kitchen counter at Ten Foot Henry is also not spacious yet a wonderful and worthy experience.

We attempted to try several drinks and upon departure had 3 siting there unfinished. We choose to spend our money deliberately and carefully as we are averge middle aged people that only treat ourselves occasionally. We tend to be incredibly midful and selective and do not waste.so be warned if you are not a part of the crowd they cater to you will be interupting and may not enjoy the best attention and execution to your choices.

The food was interesting and perhaps we experienced a rushed dish not on par with their average guest.we had the raviolo which I have been following and obsessing about for some time. The center was cold and the edges were dry. I love Italian and live for the toothy chew of an amazingly done pasta. This was not it. I have never in my years of dining in nearly every "top" rated restaurant been so disappointed. My partner had one bite and was horrified. We left it also uneaten. The other food was good and perhaps I'm being unjust by not feeling it redeemed the experience.

Disappointing after so many amazing meals throughout the city is an understatement. My partner left hungry and humiliated after being chastised at one point for asking for the wrong thing. So no, we were astonishingly uncomfortable and did not air our concerns. An attentive host perhaps would have known and cared. If we look at other reviews there are certain trends we will be aware of in the future. We look forward to our continued dining journey in Calgary and hope to use this experience to help us choose establishments that promote inclusivety and are welcoming.

Food was 4/5
Service was 5/5
Cleanliness was 5/5
Atmosphere was 5/5
Location 5/5

Description: Great little spot for an evening out and near plenty of cocktail bars. D. O. P is an Italian themed restaurant that has a simple menu with great recipes. All of the food is sharable which is very authentic to the Italian style. I gave them a 4/5 on food only because options were not as broad as other menus.

Notable mentions -
-The bathroom was pretty cool; it had a pretty awesome wallpaper.
-The food, as good as it was, was almost out shadowed by the bartender. I didn't catch here name, but I strongly suggest letting her make you something special. She did not disappoint.
-Service was great, very friendly and quick.

BEST ITEMS TO EAT
1- smoked olives were awesome as long as that's your jam!
2- Raviolo - was awesome!
3- The tiramisu is a homemade recipe and is worth it, seriously save room for desserts.they have a 4.8 rating on open table that also gives you the history behind this unique family-owned business.

I will be back for more!

Thanks to the staff for a wonderful experience.

Please not this review is my personal opinion and I have not been sponsored by D. O. P or any other group to complete this review.

Amazing place for a date night with great food, ambiance and friendly service. Would DEFINITELY go back for their tiramisu

Cozy Italian place. Must try Nduja spread. Could do better with the quantity. Overall great experience.

They specialize in spreads on bread. We got the spicy sausage and white anchovi to spread on. It's interesting as I don't have this often. I recall the sausage was super spicy but tasted pretty good.

Also got the raviolo which looks cool but I didn't like it that much.

D. O. P is everything. It's a vibe, it's the atmosphere, it's the service and the food. The place is small but has this special "only I know about this place" feeling. We've been there at 4: 30 when the doors just opened and have had amazing experiences. The special was sold out but chef had the same thing in an agnolotti version. He served us it on the house. We've been there at 9: 30 on a Friday night and have had the same attentive service and knockout food when the place is packed. I love how the menu bends and flexes. The favourites will be there but different interpretations. The specials are always amazing but also leaves you with separation anxiety; "WHEN WILL I HAVE THIS AGAIN? ! ". Don't ever change D. O. P. I love you exactly as you are.

Came her for date night and had the best experience.food, cocktails and wine were all absolutely amazing. Zach was our server and he was fantastic though the whole staff was super warm and welcoming.atmosphere was top notch and delightful; romantic and intimate.worth every penny. (even the olive oil is like unreasonably good)

Pretty spectacular. The price point obviously makes this a special occasion meal, but the service was fantastic (thank you for the guidance on pairings and dishes), the food is beautiful and delicious, and the Amaro to finish was something entirely new. We've had the dinner come up on several occasions already as a call back experience, which is the goal.

Run, don't walk here!

We were big fans of Bar Von Der Fels and DOP is living up to its predecessor. Everything that we ordered was the best version of that item that we have ever had. Spectacular food, phenomenal service, overall a 10/10 experience.

I absolutely love the food here. The bread is TO DIE FOR, and all the pasta dishes I've had have been incredible. Definitely worth checking out!

The meal was good but I didn't think it was that good. Maybe my expectations were too high.

Another reason the experience was less than ideal was that I showed up an hour early. I asked if I could have a drink at the bar but I was told to go somewhere else and come back in an hour. I'm sure they were hoping to serve meals at the bar, but there was only one person sitting at the bar eating.

I'm not in a hurry to return.

Absolutely amazing place, we loved it so much! Cozy atmosphere, great service, every dish is so unique and different, lots of flavor: we tried whipped ricotta, panzanella salad, mushroom truffle pasta - just wow! Will definitely come back!

Our food was amazing! However, we don’t recommend ordering their cocktails. They were 15-17$ each and came in a can that they poured at our table. I don’t mind paying for expensive cocktails when they’re done by hand, but poured out of a can was extremely disappointing. It should be put on the drink menu that is how it’s served.

Won't go back. 7pm brunette bartender on Oct. 7th, 2022, very rude. I am an easy going guy, but this was over the top.
Update: response from the supposed owner; didn't even get my description right or circumstance there of. Disappointing because I did hear good things.

I have walked by this place a number of times and was looking forward to checking out what seemed like an intimate little spot. We enjoyed the food but it was anything but intimate - servers shouting over AC/DC at full blast - we couldn’t even have a conversation over our meal.

We arrived 5 minutes late (5: 45) to be greeted with “over there is your table and we have another booking for 6: 30 so you must be finished prior to that”. The server was amazing and did her best to space out the food. An Italian tradition is to savour and experience your visit not to be rushed out within 75 minutes. D. O. P needs to reevaluate their dinning experience and align it with their Italian story because this is not it.

My family went to DOP last night for a delectable meal and we had only what I could describe as an elevated Italian dining experience.

The menu is small, but everything is executed in a very special 'family tradition' way. The uniqueness of the family style meal is very appealing and the appetizers of bread with whatever toppings appeal to the table.

We ordered the bread for the table with straciatella and pickled green tomatoes. Both options for the bread were amazing and I would highly recommend them.

For mains, the raviolo was appealing on the menu but it had a sourness that was unappealing to the table. The other pasta (tajarin) and the the veal parm however were both delectable and cooked to perfection. I would order them both in a heart beat.

To finish off the meal, the taramisu is a must! It had a nice sprinkle of sea salt for the perfect sweet and salty bite.

With the majority of the menu and the exceptional service, DOP deserves nothing less than 5 stars and I will definitely be coming back to try more on their menu.

I cannot explain how delicious of a meal we had at D. O. P. This restaurant is truly a hidden gem, you would never notice it if you just walked by, but you would make a regrettable mistake because this has got to be one of the best Italian if not the best in Canada. I live at the Italian border in France and I am no stranger to authentic Italian cuisine and that was exceptional. Whatever you pick on the menu you won’t be disappointed. Do no go, run to this beautiful place and you will be transported to Italy.

DOP has been on my bucket list for awhile. Great to see places like this in Calgary. Starting with the good: The whipped ricotta with the grilled bread is INSANELY GOOD. The hand rolled spaghetti was cooked perfectly, and creamy and tasty without being too rich/overpowering. The panzanella salad was well-balanced, though definitely could've had more than a few cherry tomatoes.

The not-so-great: The cavatelli was mediocre; seemed a bit soggy/overcooked and way too much tomato sauce. The portions are pretty small, especially for the prices. The bread and the whipped ricotta were $10 each. The service was friendly-ish, but not amazing. We were scarfing down our food, because we were told we only had limited time; we felt really rushed by the server, and honestly barely had time to enjoy our meal and chat.

Food 5/5
Service 5/5
Atmosphere 5/5

My wife and I went for lunch today at D. O. P and it was awesome. The atmosphere was great and it really reminded us of some of the small restaurants in downtown Toronto.

Garlic bread was so fluffy and was amazing. Meatballs were also very good and the tomato sauce that was covering it were fantastic! Lastly, the Cavatelli was great and the pesto sauce with the chewy handmade pasta was very delicious.

We usually take our dessert somewhere else (and skip it sometimes for lunch) but based on the food we ate, we wanted to see what they had in store. We ordered the tiramisu and it was one of the best tiramisu's I've ever tasted. You can really taste the coffee flavor mixed with the sweets and once in a while a salty taste would trigger your tongue to give it a good twist.

We will definitely be back to try the other menu items!

Oh this was just the best experience. Treated with the best service and food. They accommodated us being annoying changing the time and number of guests Cannot stress enough how outstanding everything was. Small plates to start, followed with a few pastas to share. The raviolo (one hugeeeee ravioli) was an absolute standout as well as the green tomato. Thank you having us and treating us so so well 10/10 cause five starts aren’t enough.

A little hit and miss for us on Thursday lunch. Service was excellent, as usual.

Anchovies were worth the price of admission - salt of the fish, citrus, slightly pickled onion, olive oil. Balanced. Delicious.

Eggplant was overwhelmed by the Balsamic vinegar, its all we could taste. Texture was nice, though, especially with that toothy bread.

Fried broccolini was excellent, didn't need the aioli at all.

The homemade pasta in the Carbonara was spectacular- extra al dente without being hard. Amazing. Sauce was too heavy for my taste though.
I want to see that handmade pasta shine a little more on it's own. Next time?

Last night we had to the most fantastic dinner connecting with friends and family. The wine suggestions were amazing, service was perfect and the food omg.the food! So DELISH. If you want to have a great night out in cool downtown space I highly recommend D. O. P!

The ambiance is young and fun. I loved the food here. Not a large menu, but everything (from appetizers to dessert) was delicious and fresh. They are extremely busy most of the time. Decent portions. Service was friendly and fun. The only thing i didn't like was the the music; it was extremely loud tonight, we barely were able to have a conversation at all. But overall, worth it.

Affordable, delicious, and authentic. I will always come whenever I'm in town, I'm just IN LOVE with this food. And the tiramisu? So hard to find something as good and authentic as this. Definitely a MUST

It was such a great experience! We brought our friends from Montréal; they were throughly impressed. Our server was a sweet angel! 10/10 experience. Staff were amazing all around. Would absolutely recommend to anyone near or far.

We will be back - Considering we live less than a 2 minute walk away?

Wow! Soooooo delicious! From the appetizers (MEATBALLS… spectacular), to the main course, to the dessert… Off the charts good Tiramisu! … No wonder this place is so hard to get in to. Make a reservation… and enjoy! Can’t wait to get back!

Located at the former Von Der Fels space, it has all the right ingredients but so very disappointing. Small intimate space, locally-owned independent and affordable restaurant but some major missteps during our evening.
Food - First off the panzanella and
cherry tomato salad with ricotta was off balanced in so many ways: the dressing was exceedingly acidic and the few pieces of bread were not uniformly cut/torn so some parts were rock hard and dry. On the plus side, the cherry tomatoes were fresh. The next dish was the tajarin pomodoro with burrata. The pasta was dripping in sauce and the favour of the burrata got lost, in fact everything was lost in the face of the overwhelming amount of garlic. I noted to the server that there was enough garlic to keep vampires at bay. I thought of ordering something else, and the server did ask if I wanted to order something else, but at this point, I couldn’t stomach any further disappointment. In all fairness, just had dinner at Uccellino the night before so my expectation were high.
Atmosphere - A small intimidate space with so much potential. Unfortunately the hard surface and crazy high music volume made it difficult to converse let alone think. It’s a great place for loud casual drinks but not for dining.

Exquisite meal in a small, unassuming space. Incredible food from first to dessert and excellent, friendly service. So good that we went twice in 3 days and we were only in town for a week. We'll never visit Calgary without eating here!

Flavorful comfort food with fresh ingredients. Great service, jovial atmosphere.at the exception of the FOUR reminders by email / in person that we need to finish dinner within 2h30, even before we arrived at the restaurant! Our favourites were the anchovies, ricotta, bread and tiramisu.

A small and unassuming venue with a great vibe that was packed with customers; easy to miss. The menu is simple and all dishes were wonderfully and quickly prepared. We had a business dinner here staff were all friendly and enthusiastic. Were were able to share everything. The bread was wonderful.

Some people may scoff at the idea of Calgary Alberta having some serious culinary chops. They are missing out by doing so.
D. O. P.is a smaller and more intimate setting. The kitchen is part of the space as is the bar.
Imaginative dishes are in store for anyone who takes a shot at this place
We had a few different glasses of wine offered to us by the staff. Both were very good.
We also got a taste of some shells w roasted yeast (instead of cheese I think) it was very creamy and delicious. Perfect for the white wine we tried.
We also had a spicy spreadable sausage dish with amazing fresh bread to dip into it.
It paired nicely with the red.

Go support independent small business in the city. Get out and enjoy the hidden gems tucked into older spaces around the city.

This place is excellent. The prices are worth it for a high quality dining experience. The space is really tight so you need to reserve well in advance. Might get a little rowdy late in the evening, great night vibes.

We love D. O. P! When we first visited there many of the dishes created some nostalgia for us from being in Argentina (lots of Italians in Argentina!) We left so satisfied that I booked us again 3 weeks later and we ordered the exact same thing. Cocktails are great and the food and service are great as well! One of my favourite restaurants in Calgary!

D. O. P.offers high prices for the authentic charm of an Italian grandmother's kitchen, assuming she lives in a tiny Vancouver apartment and tries to feed a family of 22 with only two burners in her kitchen.