Battista’s Calzone Company

11745 84th Street - Monday to Friday 11-3

Battista’s Calzone Company broke ground in Edmonton in October of 2010 and quickly established a solid reputation as a delicious purveyor of – as its name suggests – calzones. A calzone, for the uninitiated, is a bit like a pizza that has been folded in half, baked, and then eaten like a sandwich. Six flavours prevail on Battista’s concise menu; the most popular three feature homemade meatballs, spicy Italian sausage, and Italian cold cuts. A nutella version slathers tender dough with rich chocolate-hazelnut spread and fresh
strawberries.

The restaurant is small but brightly decorated with vivid colours, a mural of the city skyline, and a Roman column that depicts the Coliseum (in Rome, not in Edmonton) and mythical twins Romulus and Remus plus their she-wolf adoptive mother. Battista’s celebrated its first anniversary on November 19th. The anniversary party saw the premises packed with both regular and new customers who noshed on a delectable variety of
calzones. Owners Battista and Liv agree that the city’s response to the restaurant over the past year has been humbling and amazing. The pair hopes to have a calzone food truck on the road next summer.

Calzones, which have been popular in both eastern Canada and the eastern United States, are still growing in popularity and recognition in the western reaches of North America. Battista’s has become an Edmonton destination for these folded and baked entities. Rumour has it that a breakfast variety that contains scrambled eggs, pancetta, green peppers, mushrooms and cheese will be offered in the new year.

-LS Vors