Olia

A memorable evening at Olea that naturally flowed into a quiet, meaningful finish at Mimi Bar. We arrived for dinner at Olea, where the service was warm and attentive from the start. Maria, Alyssia, and Stacy took wonderful care of us — gracious, present, and perfectly timed. The food was exceptional: The arancini was crisp, creamy, and unforgettable. My crab ravioli was rich, delicate, and beautifully balanced — easily one of the best dishes I’ve had in the city. Partway through the evening, I stepped out to use the washroom and discovered Mimi Bar, tucked behind a sliding wall — an intimate, stylish space that feels like a secret. We ended the night there with martinis with olives — a classic for Harry whenever he, Carmen, and I went out for dinner. It felt right to honour that ritual. I followed with a prosecco, and he had a chianti, a simple, familiar rhythm between old friends. Kao’ia, the host, and Nich behind the bar made the space feel warm and unpretentious. In that quiet moment, Harry shared how his daughters joined him in Lethbridge, where Carmen was born, to lay her ashes to rest — a gentle reminder of how food, memory, and human connection weave together. A beautiful evening that moved naturally between two connected spaces, each with its own charm but sharing the same heart. Highly recommended.

10/10 experience all around. Atmosphere, service, drinks, food, all were great! Whipped ricotta is a must. Even the bread is phenomenal. Lamb ragu, tagliatelle bolognese, pesce, and chocolate torta is what we had. Lamb was easy 10/10 for me. Don Vito was delicious as well. Definitely will be back!

We were able to find free parking behind the apartment, not sure if that’s okay but we didn’t see any signage. Our reservation was 10 minutes after they opened, it was nice and quiet and within 30 minutes it was fully packed and so loud. I ended up having to put ear plugs in so I could have a conversation with my husband. If you’re sensitive to sound this is not the restaurant for you, with how busy it is. To go to the washroom, it is a bit of a walk and you do need to walk through a lounge/bar that is attached to them. Gender-neutral washrooms, with bird song/nature music & very unique lighting. The server was friendly and educated us, letting my husband know the seafood ravioli has a very strong fishy taste to it. He really enjoyed it. My gnocchi was great. The server also described the hen dish very well, again very unique textures and flavours going on in that dish as well. We had no room for dessert. Several friends recommended the place, it was nice to experience but I wouldn’t go back again

This is one of the most highly recommended Italian restaurants in Edmonton. The service here is top notch and super friendly. Their cocktails are also well made, which makes sense as they are located next to a cocktail bar. The food is decent, I would say it’s very well made pasta, but for the price and hype, there are others that you can get a similar experience with. Overall, this is a good spot to have a nice celebratory dinner or special night out.

Olia creates a warm and cozy atmosphere with nods to Italian culture and cuisine. The pasta and meat dishes are great, although for the price, did not absolutely wow me. The Whipped Goat Ricotta, however, is the best appetizer I’ve had in a long time and I can’t stop thinking about it! Service is amazing and the staff are very knowledgeable of the menu. Overall, perfect for date night!