Restaurant Review: Cotto Italian Comfort Food


There has been quite a few changes in the Kensington neighbourhood this year and I think they’ve all been great changes. Lots of brand new construction, new gyms, shops and of course eateries. Its great because we live just up the hill and have had the opportunity to enjoy quite a few of the new amenities including when we stopped in to the new Cotto restaurant for lunch.

Atmosphere: Cozy Italian eatery that’s a great space for get togethers including a huge room in the back for larger groups.

Price Range: Mid $10s - $20s


Food & Wine: Our server had many great suggestions and we decided to go with a few including the Arancini made with grana pandano and arborio rice, crispy panko bread crumbs served in a cheese fondue sauce. The arancinis had a nice crunchy exterior from the panko and a soft gooey interior. There were 4 to the order so it was perfect for sharing.

Next, we had the Bruschetta which is topped with a creamy whipped ricotta, roasted tomatoes, basil pesto and drizzled with balsamic syrup. The flavour combination here was amazing! Sweet, tangy, garlicky and creamy all at the same time. Its great for sharing but I could easily eat the whole plate myself. There’s just something special about the whipped ricotta paired with the tomatoes and the basil pesto!


For the main we shared the Gnocchi e Pomodoro which are House made ricotta dumplings served with cherry tomatoes and a basil sauce. The gnocchi were soft without being overly doughy and the sauce had a nice tanginess to it. Another great sharing dish!

We couldn’t possibly pass on dessert and ordered the Coviglia, a chocolate semi freddo. If you’ve never had a semi freddo before, it’s essentially like an Italian ice cream cake. It wasn’t overly too sweet and the there was a good amount of chocolate flavour. A refreshing finish to a lovely meal.

I paired my meal with a crisp glass of the Masi Pinot Grigio. You can never go wrong with a nice glass of white when lunching at an Italian restaurant. Plus, this pinto grigio is light and crisp with notes of apricot and honey.


My Pick: Bruschetta

Overall: You can never have too many good Italian restaurants and I’m glad to be adding another one to the list. I am looking forward to going back with my husband so he can taste that bruschetta and so I can try some of the other dishes that I was eyeing that day. I’m so glad that it’s just down the hill from our house so we can swing by in the near future. Now if only the weather would stay nice and warm so we don’t have to brave the Calgary winter to do so!

Cotto Italian Comfort Food
314 10 Street NW
Calgary, AB
(587) 356-4088
Website: cottoyyc.com

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