Drawing on inspiration from the flavours, culture and geography of Northern Italy, Chris McKinnon (of Cilantro) and his partners Keith Luce (formerly of Corbeaux Bakery on 17th Avenue) and Tony Migliarese (of Proof Cocktail Bar) developed an Italian dining experience that offers more than the traditional spaghetti and meatballs. The restaurant that emerged in May 2017 out of their collective efforts was Tavernetta, which opened near Bridgeland – Calgary’s historical Little Italy.
“We found there were a lot of comparisons between southern Alberta and the northern part of Italy – it’s a mountainous region north of Rome, near the border of Austria and Switzerland,” Chris says. “You see game meats, fishing, those kinds of things. And a lot of the food is the same style as you’d find here in the foothills of Alberta.”
All three partners brought different types of restaurant experience to the project, working together to come up with several versions of what would eventually become Tavernetta’s menu. Along with chef Josh Cocca, they settled on a range of flavours that would inspire their signature dishes – including a unique gluten- and pork-free meatball, charcoal-grilled calamari with horseradish cream and homemade ricotta gnocci with a house-made walnut pesto. “We really wanted to create a more casual atmosphere, a tavern where you could come and order a litre of house wine while you enjoy some little bites – or, where you could have a whole meal of delicious homemade pasta,” Chris says. “The response has been amazing, the neighbourhood has found us and they’re really enjoying how we’re using the space.”
