Travis & Lee on 
Erica B. on 
are you gonna eat that? on 
Ed on 
Jackie on 
This has got to be Edmonton’s best-kept secret. This is pranzo (Italian for lunch) and it’s magnifico! For a measly $17, you can feast on seven courses at the Santa Maria Goretti Community Centre.
The menu changes every Sunday and is served family-style on platters.
Of course, this is God’s reward for those who attended Sunday Mass next door, but I’m sure He would embrace us heathen too.
The hall is fairly empty when we seat ourselves at 11 a.m. right when pranzo begins. Coffee and water soon appear on the red-checkered table but we notice the regulars straggle in with bottles of red wine from the bar.
“I feel like a Soprano,” says Timmy.
Antipasta with salami, ham, and cheese comes first with a huge loaf of crusty bread. But I shall not let the bread defeat me. There are six more courses to come.
Thin rings of lightly battered calamari arrive on a silver platter with lemon wedges. It’s not too oily or chewy. So simple and so delicious that I cave a little, taking second helpings.
At this point, the hall has started to fill with well-dressed Italian families. The wall of shimmery streamers is shakin’ and the big screen TV has switched from Fox News to baseball.
Penne with tomato sauce comes next. Like the calamari, it’s simple and delicious.
The next silver platter holds amazingly lean and tasty Italian sausage with grilled red and green peppers. This is by far the dish of choice for the men of the table.
We ladies however lean more toward the moist chicken breast stuffed with cheese and heart of palm. A separate veggie platter features green beans, carrots and roasted potatoes. Our table is overflowing.
A iceberg lettuce salad with a punchy vinaigrette arrives last. It keeps my tummy from bursting.
We get strawberry shortcake for dessert. But we also get a surprise from Chef Sergio Re. He was so tickled with us asking to take a photo with him earlier that he sends over shots of grappa.
Never mind that it smells like paint thinner or that it’s barely 1 p.m., it’s still a nice surprise. Salute!
Santa Maria Goretti Community Centre, 11050-90 St. (behind Commonwealth Stadium), Edmonton, Alberta, (780) 426-5026. Brunch every Sunday 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. CASH ONLY!
[...] Sandra’s birthday we took her to the Santa Maria Goretti Community Centre for Sunday pranzo (lunch). She looks amazed and appalled by my [...]
This is the second time I have heard of this place. I am definitely going to have to try it out now, especially since it’s right close to my house in the Norwood area. Perhaps I should see if some of my neighbours want to go. It seems that it’s a good event to go with a group of people. Should we dress up though? I take it ‘non-church-goers’ are welcome? Thanks for the review!
Non-church-goers are definitely welcome. Most of the later customers will be from the Mass at the church next door, so they will be dressed up in their Sunday best. (Ladies in dresses, kids in dress pants)… Up to you how you want to dress, but I wouldn’t wear ratty jeans and flip flops. Nice jeans and a clean shirt would be fine. The atmosphere is relaxed family-style so don’t worry about it feeling too “fussy.” Have fun!