Rigoletto's Cafe - Edmonton

Amazing food and ambiance. Staff is friendly and easy going! Recommended for the whole family!

My wife and I enjoy dining out often. We hadn 't been to Rigoletto 's for over 20 years and were looking forward to a nice meal and what would for us after all these years have been a new restaurant experience. When we entered the building, we were met (or, rather, glared at by a middle aged man with indifference ingrained on his face. He said nothing, didn 't acknowledge us, just stared as if to ask what hell we wanted there. Thankfully, after just a minute or two, a young lady arrived and asked where we preferred to sit. The restaurant had just one other table of diners on our end of the building, as well as a private event taking place on the opposite (west end of the space. We sat down and soon one of the rudest waiters we 've ever experienced in our many years of dining out came over and said drinks? When I ordered my preferred Malbec, which also happened to be the cheapest by the glass red on the menu, the waiter sneered and trundled off, only to return with a bubbling (yes, the bubbles never fully left the glass over the hour we were there glass of red wine. (I 've poured many glasses of red wine and I 've never seen bubbles that didn 't dissipate within a few minutes after a pour, so not sure what else was in the wine. It tasted slightly strange, too. Unfortunately, the rest of the evening was much the same. We ordered the shrimp and white wine appetizer to share. For mains, my wife ordered the Salmon and I ordered the pasta Puttanesca, immediately sensing our waiter 's drafty disdain. Thankfully, the snotty waiter eventually let the (hostess/bus girl young lady take over serving us, which we welcomed, of course. Ultimately, Rigoletto 's offers a beautiful space in the Albert Hotel building, as well as nicely prepared, hearty Italian cuisine. But the strange atmosphere created by the weirdo at the front door, along with the snooty waiter (and strange wine added up to an extremely unpleasant experience we could not wait to get out of there. Edmonton enjoys so many world class restaurants that offer food as good or better, along with beautiful spaces and excellent service. Don 't waste your money at Rigor mortos.

My husband and I stumbled across this restaurant while driving around Jasper Ave. We knew it was a lovely Italian restaurant based off the name and curb appeal. Upon entering, you’re greeted with an old school vibe. The decor is beautiful and the ceiling is embedded with stunning detailed crown moulding. This building must be historic because it had a classy traditional look to it. Our server, Alex, greeted us promptly and was a delightful person with his great sense of humour and kind persona. He was so knowledgeable about everything on the menu, providing suggestions on what pasta to choose from. The food came out in record time and everything tasted absolutely delicious. He recommended black pepper on the spaghetti carbonara, which elevated the meat in the dish. My husband and I agreed we’d be coming back and telling all our friends and family members about this place. We love supporting awesome businesses like this, with high quality food and service. We’re so glad we found this gem. I’d strongly recommend the ceasar salad, best one I’ve ever had hands down. I’d also suggest if you go, ask for Alex. He makes the experience so fun and has a wonderful personality. Thank you for this hidden gem in Edmonton. And thank you for having awesome people like Alex as servers to elevate the experience even more. We’re so looking forward to coming back soon and trying more delicious dishes.

We were at Rigoletto’s last night for a birthday, and all in attendance had not been there before. Everyone enjoyed the delicious food and in particular the large wonderfully seasoned steaks! There are large portion sizes and you definitely get what you pay for. Staff were friendly and accommodating, especially because they put the Oilers game on for us to watch our team win the Western Conference Final! The decor is beautiful and historical as it used to be the lobby of the old Alberta hotel. Parking was easy to find even though there was a hockey game near by. We will be back here again in the near future! Dietary restrictions: Gluten free pasta available.

This is my new favorite. Only my second visit and I can not say how much I and my wife enjoyed the meal, the ambiance, service, etc. Love this place, and the prices are quite reasonable.