The Occasion

My husband and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary at Teatro last year and it was an incredible evening.  We knew we wanted to do something special for our anniversary but didn’t want just a typical date-night at a restaurant we’d been to a ton of times before.  We thought it would be fun to get dressed up and go somewhere upscale.

The Ambiance

The ambiance of the restaurant was fantastic.  The restaurant features a bar as well and that night it was alive with nicely dressed after-work cocktail hour patrons as well as some out-of-town businessmen enjoying refreshments.

The atmosphere held the perfect amount of buzz and activity with the space to have an intimate and romantic meal.  Everything from the architecture of the building (the old Dominion Bank building constructed in 1911) to the way the tables and booths are structured and positioned to the background music just made the night perfect.  Everyone was there to have a good time in their own and the staff facilitated this brilliantly.

The Menu

Although their menu boasts so many wonderful items, we decided for the special occasion to try the Chef’s Tasting Menu.  This menu can be alone or with wine pairings, which is a lot of fun if you’re into that sort of thing (we are!).

We really wanted to indulge in something like the Tasting Menu that night and the chef was able to accommodate my food allergies upon request so that I was still able to enjoy the dishes.

I love that this tasting menu changes frequently, so if this style of dining is something you’re really into, you can return to Teatro often for different offerings!

The Wine List

Wine lists matter to me.  Nothing upsets me more than going to an Italian restaurant only to find there are very few actual Italian wines on the list.  Teatro did not disappoint in this department and we fell in love with the bottle we ordered so much that we asked our favorite wine shop (Vine Styles in Calgary!) to order a few bottles in for us and they happily obliged (thanks, ladies!).

The restaurant has a certified sommelier on-staff and he just happened to be one of the staff who was taking care of us that evening.  I appreciate someone who knows what they’re talking about and is informative without being pretentious or condescending.

The Service

I’m a firm believer that the service at an establishment can often make the meal.  Although the food was delicious (I’m not sure I’ve ever been that full in my life!), the service was outstanding.  I love when staff know the menu inside-out and when they tell you about dish-specifics when they’re presented to you.  Every person who took care of us, whether it be for water, wine, food or anything else was top notch!

Overall Experience

The building itself features such stunning architecture, it would be the perfect backdrop for a wedding reception or private party (with food that your guests would rave about for years to come!).  The food is incredible, the bar is well stocked and the wine list is well-curated.  I would happily return to Teatro for a special occasion, date night or even a cocktail or two!

Info:

Address: 200 – 8th Avenue SE, Calgary, AB
Contact: Teatro Ristorante