DOPO and Bar Rocca are Redefining Dining in Calgary
If you know Calgary food, you already know D.O.P. If you don’t, that’s alright. You’re just a little late. D.O.P. is gone now, but the man behind it (Tony Migliarese) didn’t disappear…he doubled down.
Now he’s running four spots: DOPO, Bar Rocca, La Hacienda, and Pizza Face. All are always packed. All humming with that thing most restaurants chase but never catch: real energy. These restaurants are trying to feed you the food he grew up on, the way it was meant to be eaten…with your hands, your friends, and a glass of something great.
And here’s the thing: it’s working. DOPO landed on Canada’s 100 Best in less than a year. Bar Rocca has a small hidden room and more buzz than most chains with twelve locations. And Pizza Face? It started as a pop-up with a heavy oven and a dream and is now slinging some of the best slices in town. In a great food city that’s hard to break into if you’re not part of a restaurant group, Tony’s building something different. Something loud. Something that feels like it’s truly changing the way the city dines.
We spoke to Tony Migliarese about his favourite way to approach each menu, and he may have also told us about two new more spots opening up….
DOPO
When we first walked into DOPO, hoping it would resemble the magic of the “original”, the room was immaculate. Tuscan tile, soft light, a little brass, grown-up, but not stiff. The host greeted us like we’d been there before. Maybe we had, in spirit. This place is the next chapter of D.O.P., the tiny Italian spot that once ruled Victoria Park. DOPO means “after” in Italian. But it feels like during. It feels present. Intentional.
The menu is tight. Pastas, antipasti, a steak that smelled like it came off a grill in Florence. Service is always sharp and casual with no script. We ordered the giant raviolo and the pesce del giorno, two of the most beautiful dishes in the city.
“Everything on the menu is close to my heart and Chef David Leeder is magic in the kitchen,” Migliarese told us. “I would say the pickled green tomatoes as they are my NONNA’S recipe and with the grilled bread they are both from the old location. I love chef’s gnocchi in a vodka rosè sauce with chili crunch.”
“Also order whatever fish feature we have for that day, the team kill it with the fresh seafood,” he added.
DOPO made Canada’s 100 Best. Number four in the country for new restaurants. Calgary doesn’t usually get that kind of love, but it’s starting to. DOPO earned it. It’s real food, and real feeling has something to do with that shift in thinking about the food here.
BAR ROCCA
Upstairs from DOPO, there’s Bar Rocca. No signs screaming for attention. Just a small hallway, a soft glow, and the smell of warm wine and good cheese.
There are maybe thirty seats available, if you count the outstanding patio. There’s a fireplace out there. Blankets, too, if it’s cold. It’s like someone built a bar in the back of a ski lodge — but Italian, and cooler.
We sat down and the vibe shifted. No tablecloths. No pressure. Just a leather-bound wine list and a server who knew their stuff. They poured us something funky from Sicily and slid over a plate of anchovy toast that we ordered immediately. Salt, fat, acid, crunch. The menu is snacks and sides. Think olives, meats, bread, cheese. But it’s not filler. It’s what you want to eat when the lights are low and the music’s good.
“The team there all have amazing wine knowledge, so I would order the carne crudo (beef tartare),” said Migliarese. “It’s served on East End sourdough bread and has the right amount of horseradish, and then ask the team to pair it with a wine by the glass.”
“Sitting on the patio and having that combination takes you far away from the everyday.” We agree with him completely.
Calgary’s a great food city. But this is something else. It’s not just about the food. It’s the feel. It’s the place you go after work, after dinner, after everything to sit, sip, and slow down.
Bar Rocca isn’t just a wine bar. It’s the place everyone’s talking about. And for once, the hype’s real.
PIZZA FACE
You walk into Pizza Face, and it smells like garlic, dough, and good decisions. It’s loud, casual, and fast. A little Brooklyn, a little Calgary.
The counter’s lined with pies. Slices under heat lamps, but not in a sad way. These ones still crackle when they hit the plate. The logo — a weird but adorable little face — makes you smile. Someone behind the counter says “Hey” like they mean it.
We ordered the pickle slice. Yeah, that one. The internet-famous one. Garlic cream, mozzarella, crunchy dill pickles, black pepper, fresh dill. You think it’s a joke until you take a bite. Then it’s not. It’s sharp, creamy, salty…but the crust is what gets you. Thin but chewy. Burnt in the right places. Foldable. Real slice-shop energy. Honestly, the kind Calgary’s been missing.
The rest of the menu slaps too: Toni’s Roni, Quattro Formaggio, even Hawaiian if you’re into that kind of thing. Pizza by the slice isn’t new. But doing it this well? That’s rare in YYC.
Tony hinted at his favourites here too, even if they’ve changed over the five years since opening. “Currently, I love the jerk chicken pizza,” he told us. It’s 11/10 and get a side of pineapple habanero hot sauce to go with it.”
Pizza Face used to be a pop-up. Now it’s permanent. And if you ask around, it’s already a classic.
LA HACIENDA
You don’t walk into La Hacienda. You find it.
There’s no big sign. No glowing entrance. You text a number, get a password, speak it into a phone on the wall, and boom — the door unlocks. Speakeasy stuff. But not cheesy. Inside, it’s dim, tight, and weird in the best way. Twenty seats. Feels like your grandma’s basement met a Barcelona bar. Low ceilings, good lighting, vinyl playing something jazzy, maybe a little funky. It’s not trying too hard…it just is.
We ordered a smoked cocktail that came out like a magic trick. Then a second one with tequila, citrus, and fresh herbs that made us rethink our usual drink order. The food’s not an afterthought either. Tapas-style: olives, hummus, toast, meats and cheese. The pan con tomate was the sleeper hit.
“The staff are super knowledgeable about tequila, so I just let them pour me whatever, and I’m basic, so a spicy margarita is all I need,” said Migliarese. “Hacienda is a great place to have a good conversation, it’s small, cozy, and the service is attentive.” Basically, this isn’t the place for vodka sodas. This is where you drink slow and talk long. La Hacienda doesn’t scream for your attention. It whispers. And in a city full of loud, new, same-same bars, this one actually feels like a secret worth keeping. (Oops).
Those in the know
What Tony Migliarese is building isn’t just three restaurants. It’s a movement. A reminder that food can still feel personal. That it can be loud, messy, shared, and damn good. And he actually told us what might be coming next…
“We are opening a new spot across from DOPO on the North side of 34th Ave close to Avitus,” Tony Migliarese told us. “The name is Penny Crown - a place where the community can gather over lunch or dinner - half reservations, half walk-ins. Have a meal or some wine and a snack. We want it to be the social gathering of the community. In terms of food it’s more like a traditional American tavern. Think Red Hook in Brooklyn - great quality food in a more casual environment than, say, DOPO.”
“More info to follow as we get closer to open in Nov,” he added.
We can’t wait.
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