D.O.P. was a cornerstone of Calgary’s dining scene — the eating-at-grandma’s atmosphere, the close-quarters dining room, and the excellent Italian dishes made from owner Tony Migliarese’s family recipes all made the restaurant a hit. So when it was announced that D.O.P’s building was being demolished and the restaurant would be closing, many Calgarians were hit by the loss.
But with bad news comes good news, and Migliarese’s next venture, DOPO, was announced to the world.
“We didn’t want to live in the past too much,” says Migliarese. “[D.O.P.] holds a special place in my heart, and a lot of people’s hearts, but it was a place in time, and it was time for new beginnings.”
DOPO (meaning “after” in Italian) is the next evolution of D.O.P.’s concept. DOPO’s new space is located in the basement of a multi-unit redevelopment in Marda Loop. “We were just trying to find something with character, something that was small like [D.O.P.],” said Migliarese. “We looked at [the space] and it looked like a Tuscan basement. So I was like, ‘This is our spot.’”
The soul of D.O.P. still remains at DOPO — the dining room is equally small and intimate (with seating for about eight more patrons than its predecessor), but the decor has grown up to more closely resemble a humble Italian countryside osteria.
Some crowd-favourite dishes remain, like the giant raviolo, the breads and spreads, and Migliarese’s mom’s green tomatoes, though with some new refined touches from DOPO’s new chef. Chef David Leeder brings a Michelin star pedigree to the restaurant with his experience at Per Se, Noma and more of the world’s most recognizable restaurants.
Other items on the menu include an appetizer of winter squash and prosciutto, a variety of hand-rolled and stuffed pastas, and veal chop milanese (another updated holdover from D.O.P.).
The other part of Migliarese’s new venture is Bar Rocca, a small wine bar located above DOPO. The bar’s name holds many meanings. In Italian, the word rocca means a type of hilltop fortress or tower, which is fitting given its location on top of DOPO. The wine bar is also named after the “tower” tarot card, which represents destruction and new beginnings.
At Rocca, diners will find a more casual menu of small plates and Italian wines to enjoy either before or after a meal at DOPO, or even by itself.
If you’re one of the many Calgarians who already miss D.O.P., don’t despair — DOPO and Bar Rocca feel like mature older siblings, and continue to bring next-level Italian dining to the city.
1907 34 Ave. S.W., dopoyyc.com