By Jordan Pizzuti
Elgin Street is full of restaurants and bars and has been for decades. It is a hub for all things delicious, boozy, and fun. Giulia is a project by the well-known El Camino Group, which has its namesake taco restaurant along with the upscale Riviera, the Asian-fusion Datsun, and other projects that have come and gone over the years.
However, Giulia brings something different to the table. It feels like there is a new upscale pizza joint on every corner in Ottawa nowadays, but I’ll tell you why you need to drop everything for a reservation at this Elgin Street standout.
When you walk through the glass double doors, you’re greeted by a rustic but charming atmosphere. To the right is a bar full of amaros and other Italian aperitifs that give a classic Sicilian wine bar vibe. To the left is abstract art above booths full of happy people eating and drinking wine. Straight ahead is where the magic happens: the open-concept kitchen where you can watch pizzas being stretched, fresh bread being baked, and dish after delicious dish leaving the pass to hit the tables of delighted guests.
Fresh anchovies. Photo: Ashley from Evolve.
Now, I’ve been to Giulia several times (they know me by name at this point…), but let’s talk about my most recent experience. The Giulia experience is best with multiple people, where you can share a couple of appetizers, two or three pizzas, dessert, and a nice bottle of wine or cocktails.
Giulia boasts an impressive wine list, with wines by the glass that rotate regularly—and if you’ve never had an orange skin-contact wine, this is the place to try it. Giulia also has a list of unique cocktails that range from sweet to refreshing to alcohol-forward—you can even get an espresso martini (but don’t tell Hector I told you that!).
Coppa. Photo: Ashley from Evolve.
Okay, now for the important stuff. This particular evening we started with a classic—the house-made sourdough bread with all the fixings: cultured butter, Sicilian and white anchovies, coppa, and a big piece of burrata. This is how you start a meal with bread. Salty, fatty, creamy, acidic… it hits all the notes.
Bread and all the trimmings. Photo: Ashley from Evolve.
In addition to the bread, we started with a plate of the tuna crudo topped with olive oil, pickled Fresno chilies, grated cucumber, and toasted bread crumbs. The fresh and light cucumber paired with the bright and spicy chilies made for a perfect combo, and the crunchy toasted breadcrumb lends itself to a fatty tuna. This one is a must-try.
Tuna crudo. Photo: Ashley from Evolve.
Onto what we’re here for—the pizza! Giulia serves a take on a Neapolitan-style pizza, hand-stretched to order and made in minutes in the wood-fired oven. The pies are broken up into two sections: your classic red sauce pizzas and your white sauce pizzas, which are a base of ricotta cheese and Fior di latte. I’m partial to a red sauce, so that is how I went for both pizzas.
First up is the more classic of the two: the Sicilian. A traditional base of red sauce and fresh torn mozzarella is topped with Sicilian anchovies, fresh rosemary, Sicilian oregano, and Fior di latte. This is the perfect classic pie. The toppings merely accent the sauce’s flavour, and it’s done simply with high-quality ingredients.
The Sicilian pizza. Photo: Ashley from Evolve.
The second pizza was less traditional, but just as delicious. The Sweet Tony starts like the last with a red sauce and torn mozzarella, but is topped with spicy soppressata, basil, hot honey, and anise seed. This pizza is meant for anyone with a spicy personality and who appreciates balance. The sweet honey mellows the heat from the chilies and the soppressata, the anise seed provides a textural change that is subtle but welcome, and the basil ties it all together with a freshness and familiarity to make this pizza a winner. Add some house-made garlic parm dip, and you can’t do much better.
The Sweet Tony pizza. Photo: Ashley from Evolve.
Now for what the Italians call the crescendo, the finishing touch, the final bite: dessert! You cannot go wrong with dessert at Giulia—the Tiramisu and soft-serve gelato (rotating flavours) are two incredible desserts that I frequently order, especially when you can add a shot of amaro. But this particular evening, I opted for the trifle. With two of my favourite flavours as the base of this trifle, pistachio and lemon, I knew this was the one! The olive oil cake was moist and tender, the chantilly cream and lemon budino created a silky, creamy addition, and the toasted pistachios brought that classic flavour and crunch that tied each spoonful together.
Lemon and pistachio trifle. Photo: Ashley from Evolve.
Ultimately, Giulia is one of those restaurants great for a date, a group of friends, or even to take your family!
Giulia is located at 350 Elgin St. They are open Tue-Thu and Sun from 5–10pm and Fri & Sat from 5pm-12am. The restaurant has very clean, individual unisex washrooms, and the patio is wheelchair accessible. The inside of the restaurant can be accessed by wheelchair as well, but is a tighter squeeze between tables.
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