Olia

When Olia opened in October 2024, it carried with it the legacy of Uccellino, the beloved restaurant that had occupied a spot farther down Jasper Avenue. Nearly two years later, that connection remains part of Olia’s story, but the restaurant has firmly established an identity of its own.

Created by Edmonton restaurateur Daniel Costa, Olia brings a familiar Italian warmth to the Citizen on Jasper building, but with a setting and style that are uniquely its own. The restaurant feels warm and refined, while the service is attentive without being intrusive. Guests have everything they need, but the experience never feels overly formal.

The food follows the same philosophy. The menu moves comfortably between rich and delicate, indulgent without becoming heavy, and traditional without feeling predictable. There is a clear interest in regional Italian cooking, with the kitchen leaning toward northern Italy for much of the year before moving south with the seasons.

Some dishes have become favourites, including thick slices of bread topped with creamy whipped goat ricotta and pools of olive oil, charred cabbage, and Pollo al Mattone roasted chicken. Pasta is a particular focus, with the selection changing seasonally, allowing the kitchen to explore different regional dishes and ingredients. The bistecca, meanwhile, has developed a following of its own, with diners coming specifically for this tender T-bone.

The team is continually refining how each dish is presented and served. A seafood dish that was once served in a bowl is now presented in individual small pots with a ladle, giving each guest their own portion and turning a familiar preparation into a more considered part of the meal.

That attention to detail is part of what has allowed Olia to settle into its own identity. Costa describes it as the most refined expression of Italian cuisine the team has created.

Olia may have inherited Uccellino’s heart, but it has spent its first years becoming something distinctly its own: a place where Italian cooking, thoughtful hospitality, and a sense of occasion come together.

olia-ristorante.ca