Eating Edmonton: UNA Pizza + Wine

Freshly opened this November, UNA Pizza + Wine has added a new location in South Edmonton Common. Known for their California-style pizzas and hand-picked wine selection, I decided to stop by for a sip and a bite with my partner for date night. 

The restaurant itself was beautiful. The array of unique light and wood fixtures and the touches of greenery made for a visually-pleasing dining experience. The odd, narrow shape of the restaurant did mean you were sitting very closely to your fellow patrons, so there wasn’t much of an opportunity for an intimate dinner.

The drink menu was robust, with plenty of beverage options to choose from. I landed on the Sangria Flight ($20), which allowed me to sample each of their three sangria options: red, white, and pink.

While the citrus slices were a nice touch to the overall appearance, I was slightly disappointed that the drinks did not come out on an actual flight board. The three glasses took up an immense amount of space on the small table and were not as aesthetically pleasing as the presentation could have been.

Nonetheless, the white sangria was both refreshing and delicious. Made up of white wine, lychee, triple sec, simple syrup, and lime, it was an easy sipping beverage.

The pink sangria was a mix of rosé wine, sparkling wine, apricot brandy, triple sec, simple syrup, and lime. However, it was much too tart and dry for my liking. It was ultimately a difficult drink to swallow.

To my surprise, while not typically being a red wine fan, the red sangria was my favourite of the three. The fruit juices pulled through wonderfully which resulted in the perfect mid-sweet, floral refreshment.

The food menu consisted of small plates, salads, meat, pasta, dessert, and of course, pizza. There were plenty of vegetarian options, and there were also gluten-free substitutes and vegan cheese at an extra cost.

We decided to try out UNA’s Margherita pizza as well as a pizza titled “The Local.” Both pizzas had a solid undercarriage with crunchy, floury crusts. The Margherita was a stand out because of its beautifully rich tomato sauce and flakey cheese pieces. The pizza carried a bit of a spice to it, although it was not unbearable. Ultimately, it was a great take on a classic.

“The Local” was a sweet masterpiece. While the crispy bacon was nothing short of delicious, the fat pieces of fennel sausage stole the show as the stand-out meat. It paired extremely well with the maple syrup drizzled on the pizza pie. More cheese would have made this pizza an absolute slam dunk.

My dinner at UNA Pizza + Wine was a well-rounded dining experience. It was filled with good sips, beautiful atmosphere, and delicious pizza. The Harry Potter audiobook playing in the washroom at the end of our meal was the icing on top of a pretty wonderful cupcake. If you are looking for some good ‘za and a cold beverage, head over to UNA Pizza + Wine!