Villa Maria Ristorante Italiano — Restaurant in Town of Carstairs

I find it curious to have had such a vastly different experience at this restaurant as compared to a very recent review.

I have frequented this restaurant at least four times monthly since moving to Carstairs over two years ago. It is indeed highly unusual to find an establishment of this calibre in a town of this size. When this restaurant was in Calgary, it received many awards of excellence across all areas.

The service at Villa Maria is absolutely top notch! The owners, Danny and Maria are friendly, down-to-earth, and they hold themselves and their staff to the highest of standards, all whilst making everyone in the establishment smile. The staff they have hired feel like family in this building. Beyond their excellent service standards, they both have a very natural way of interacting with both their staff (whom they clearly adore), and with all patrons.

I've also noticed many other repeat patrons dining at Villa Maria during my own visits over the years. Repeat business on a regular schedule is only possible when the restaurant (all aspects of it) is of the very highest quality. "Authentic Italian Food" may not be for everyone, but if it is to your liking, this place is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

As for the food... It. Is. Incredible. The sauces are unreal, the meat is always cooked to perfection, the bread is baked fresh on a daily basis, the pasta is "al dente" every time. I have literally never had a meal there that I was dissatisfied with. Danny and Maria ensure this every time. I have never ever (not even once) finished all the food on my plate.

I'll also mention their service to the community in this small town. From fundraisers, to wine-tastings, to New Years events with live music, Villa Maria is an important part of the fabric of Carstairs.

Oh... and one last thing. I was one of the "three" people in the restaurant when the previous reviewer came into the restaurant to pick up her food shortly after 4:00. I witnessed the entire situation, and it's safe to say that there are two versions of the scenario represented in that review.

Villa Maria is highly respected and comes highly recommended. I'll be...

Sadly, we did not enjoy our experience at Villa Maria's. When they first opened, their food was magnificent. The presentation was beautiful and the owner friendly. We have seen that quality change over the years. I ordered Bruschetta as an appetizer and the Squash Ravioli as my main dish. The Bruschetta was flavorless. I can understand that at this time of year in Alberta, it would be difficult to get wonderful tomatoes but there was no care in making sure there were enough of the other ingredients that make a beautiful Bruschetta pop. No discernable basil, hardly any garlic, where was the parmesan the Balsamic vinegar! And my dish was coated with oil(and I don't think even a good one). The bread was dry and slightly burnt. One clunky slice of bread covered in tasteless tomatoes. That is what came to my table quite a while after we ordered it. The Ravioli appearance was drab, but massively DELICIOUS. The pasta was homade, and the flavors were wonderful. The chefs pasta making is a bit clunky, but her flavors here were sublime. It is the only thing that puts even one star on this review. I might have shared this with the owner, but he went to every single table welcoming customers more than once...except to our table. I don't know why we did not warrant a welcome, but there it is. The service was friendly if inattentive. The restaurant is aiming for fine dining, so everything should measure up to that, not...

If you don't mind taking a leisurely drive to Carstairs, I strongly suggest setting a reservation to Villa Maria's. With social distancing protocols in place, the restaurant was quite busy. You could also do takeout and pickup, but order in advance as there was a continual line of people coming in for takeout. Danny and Maria ran I'l Pescatore restaurant in Calgary in the recent past so they have really good experience with Italian cuisine. The menu is classic Italian and I highly recommend the specials as you can't go wrong with whatever Maria cooks up for the day. I ordered the Osso Buco (Veal Shank) with risotto and veggies. My wife ordered stuffed ricotta ravioli with Pesto sauce and added chicken. WOW! Both dishes were exceptional! The veal was slowly cooked for 24 hours and just melted off the bone and the Ravioli was cooked to perfection and the homemade pesto cream sauce was delicious. They also have a diverse Al Forno pizza menu which we will try another time. Danny and the staff are great and made the experience great for us. We ordered the Chicken Parmesan and another Veal Shank (pictured) for the next day. The pricing for these meals were excellent and didn't break the bank. I highly recommend...