Lina's, Italian Piazza — Attraction in Calgary

I have mixed feelings with this place. I’m from Poland, so I love Italian food (it is like our second national cuisine, lol) and I really appreciate that I can found some polish things here as well. I’m even ok that customer service has their good days and bad days, and it is not a big deal for me because in Poland it is like everyone is angry comparing to Canadians… I guess it can be an European thing. But I live very close so I tried to use TooGoodToGo to try some items without choosing and do something good for the planet as they will not have to throw food away. I know, that I will receive some second day or older things, but that is ok, in Poland it is also very popular so there is no surprise. But their packages in TGTG are like lottery. Sometimes it is a good package with variety of items so it makes sense, but sometimes it is just few very old items and I regret that I paid for it at all. I tried only once their afternoon package and was completely disappointing as they described it that I could find there pizza slices etc… there was only three almost the same subs. I never bought this package again, but I still tried morning ones when I’m working from home. After yesterday’s one I think that I’m done with this type of activity. When you open the app, it says that you pay $6 for a package of old items worth $18… my package was worth $12,5 (come on, there are prices placed on items!) and what is more, one of item when I opened it just few hours later had mold. So I paid $6 for old bread and small piece of cake… it makes me feel like a looser. Don’t be so greedy, if someone is buying something you need to throw away because no one will buy it for these prices, then maybe appreciate it and give more at least? It doesn’t need to be something you really need to throw away today, it can be something still good to eat as second day bakery. Customers prefer to buy the most fresh ones. I wouldn’t be so angry that one item is moldy if I receive more than three items for less than it should be according to the information in TGTG. $12,5 is quite different than $18 and still, it should be more generous than that as you are selling to someone old, almost expired products! There were two packages to buy on the app so I guess you could sell one but good enough and do not be greedy. Maybe that will change after this review, but I’ll not waste my money to feel like a looser 😅 “People will forget what you said and what you did, but people will never forget how you made...

I have Celiac Disease and I am also a chef. This evening I attended a function where the meal had been pre-ordered from Lina’s in Inglewood. While everyone else was able to enjoy a buffet-style meal with a variety of choices, I was handed an unappetizing foil container filled with (presumably) gluten-free rigatoni, red sauce, congealed cheese, carrots, and an unidentifiable meat.

As others served themselves freely, I found myself scouring Lina’s website, trying to locate ingredient information for their gluten-free options. Because the pasta I received was not listed on the menu, I couldn’t match it to any of the dishes with posted ingredients. Simply writing “GF Pasta” on a container is not adequate for someone with a serious medical condition.

The experience was not only frustrating but also embarrassing. I sat with a closed dish of food in front of me, unable to eat, while having to explain to those around me why I couldn’t join them for dinner. When I prepare gluten-free meals myself, I provide a complete list of every ingredient, even seasonings, to ensure safety. Here, I couldn’t even determine whether the meat was beef or lamb, or whether it was ground or a meatball, which could easily contain wheat crumbs. For a dish that was pre-ordered days in advance, with notice given of a serious dietary restriction, this lack of clarity is unacceptable.

I also called Lina’s for clarification, but they had already closed. For a business offering catering services, far more care is needed in how meals are prepared and communicated to those with dietary restrictions. At the very least, I strongly request that Lina’s update their website to include a complete list of ingredients for every item they prepare in-house including vegetarian and gluten-free options. Ingredient transparency is not just helpful; for people like me, it is a matter of safety.

Leaving 3 stars because I am a regular shopper and am happy with the quality and selection of their other products including pre-packaged dried GF pasta, bread, cookies...

I have visited this place multiple times and while it was good initially, my recent experience was disappointing.

I have one review for their cafe and one review for their kitchen.

For the cafe: During my last visit, I ordered two lattes to enjoy at the cafe. However, they were served to me in paper cups, which was not the norm as they used to serve it in mugs. When I brought this up with the barista, they simply poured the lattes into mugs without offering any apologies for the mistake. As shown in the photo, the presentation of the latte was also lacking.

For the kitchen: Around 6-7 months ago, when this restaurant opened its branch in Inglewood, I was one of their avid pizza fans. At that time, I could confidently say they had some of the best pizza in Calgary, and I had tried many of their delicious offerings.

However, my recent experiences have been quite disappointing. It seems that they have changed many of the staff in the kitchen, and unfortunately, the food and pizza no longer have the same quality they had during the initial months. On top of that, they have raised their prices, which is disheartening.

During my last visit, the pizza they served me was soaking in oil and extremely salty, resulting in a poor overall quality. It's a real shame to witness this decline in their food standards.

Considering these recent issues, I must regrettably give them a 1-star rating. I hope they can take this feedback constructively and work towards improving the quality of their...