Olia — Restaurant in Edmonton

I'm going to be giving an honest review and I will also visit this restaurant at a future date to see if things have improved. -Made a reservation for 2, for a Wednesday night, very busy almost at full capacity. Hard to find business since there's no sign but there is the name of the restaurant on a glass door. Walking in there was no one standing at the reservation desk and we waited almost 10 minutes for someone to ask have we been helped. Then a kind woman came over to help us with our reservation and seat us. first impression is the lighting is very nice in this restaurant. Once you start to look around you'll notice that almost every seat is taken and it seems like a very upscale modern place to have dinner. Menus were provided and were a stapled collection of paper. limited selection on the menu so I expected that each item would have lots of attention to detail. you have options to order appetizers, a first and second course and perhaps a desert. -My date and I ordered the arancini and ricotta on toast as appetizers. The ricotta was absolutely delicious with a very tasty olive oil and heavy generous serving of ricotta. The arancini, was not favored by myself or my date, we both agreed it was overcooked and had a very strong flavor that overpowered the dish. next for our first course we ordered the duck ragu and the Tagliatelle. Unfortunately both dishes were very salty, especially the duck ragu. Plating was basic and portions even though described as family style were in my opinion rather small. The Tagliatelle was fresh but the cheese sauce was not thick enough and did not cling to the noodle making the dish seem a bit watered down. when all of the dishes were brought to our table, no fresh pepper or cheese was offered as a condiment, service in a whole was a bit lacking, no ask of how our food was. Even when paying the bill our server hastily brought us the transaction machine and had no conversation. Almost like she knew it was a disappointing meal to us. We made no mention while we were at the restaurant of our disappointments. But we did not order dessert we just decided to leave, still a bit hungry. Our bill was over $100 for two plates of small pasta, some ricotta on toast and two overcooked risotto balls. Needless to say we were are not in a hurry to come back, expecting a fine Italian dining experience. But as I mentioned when I first started this review I will attempt to come back and try the second courses, hopeful there will be some improvement as this restaurant has...

Well I must be stupid. Tried Olia…again. Number 6. It started off pretty good. THEN….. 45 minute wait from app to main. Multiple apologies. One main didn’t arrive for another 15 min. We refused it when it did arrive. Apologies, apologies,apologies. Same as always. They took one entree of the bill and threw in some free cheap brandy. I DO NOT NEED FREE FOOD I JUST WANT MY DINNER!!! Apparently, as we’ve heard numerous times from Olia servers, the kitchen was backed up. FIRE YOUR CHEF ! As we’re exhausted from hearing it’s the kitchen’s fault, we decided to use a new tactic : no gratuity. The server lost over $100 tip. ! We hope that she will go to the owner, complain about this loss, he in turn will FINALLY address the problem in the kitchen. I think as service users we should all band together and say NO ! We’re not taking any more excuses.

Now ; the old review :

What a service decline. It was our 5th time to Olia. We’d had the same server a few times before. Always engaging, informative, seemed as though we were welcome. Not this time. Food , as delicious as it was , basically was dumped at our table. Perhaps opening 7 days a week is too much. Perhaps he was tired or it’s time to move along. Service, even though it was present, was robotic at best. Olia had ( has?) a motto for motivation of the staff. It’s a sign in the kitchen that says” every nights a dinner party “. More like a funeral. My last review of Olia was 4 star. Our bill was $700. Ive downgraded them to 2 -3 star because at this price point I expect a better attitude. We felt very unwelcome. I asked our server if there was a change in service model and he went into some kind of a mild rant indicating his tables, his sect, who does what. That was not my question. I did not ask him to describe the model, I simply asked if it had changed. I left a 25% gratuity and we...

Dining out with Celiac disease can often feel limiting, but this restaurant went above and beyond to make the experience safe, comfortable, and enjoyable. Our server, Denise, was incredibly knowledgeable about both gluten and nut allergies. Without me even needing to ask, she walked me through the entire menu, clearly explaining which dishes were safe, which could be modified, and where any cross-contact risks might exist.

The menu is very flexible, with plenty of options that can be adjusted to accommodate dietary restrictions. It was refreshing to feel like I had real choices, not just one or two "safe" items. While the menu does change from time to time, the staff is well-versed in the ingredients and happy to guide you through your options.

A standout feature for anyone gluten-free: they have a dedicated gluten-free fryer, which is rare and very much appreciated.

Service throughout the night was thoughtful and precise. When our food arrived, any gluten-containing dishes were clearly identified and placed away from me, near my partner. This kind of attention to detail made me feel truly looked after.

We ordered the olives, tuna crudo, beef tartare, brodetto di pesce, pork saltimbocca, olive oil confit potatoes, and an arancino (not GF, but perfect for my gluten-eating spouse). Everything was delicious—flavourful, well-executed, and beautifully presented.

The space itself is modern and welcoming, upscale without feeling overly formal. Service was warm and well-paced, and the overall vibe struck a great balance between refined and relaxed.

Bonus: you walk through Bar Mimi to reach the washrooms, which caught our attention with its ambiance, so of course we ended our evening there with a great cocktail.

Exceptional food, outstanding service, and a clear commitment to allergy safety. I’ll...