Tesoro Caffe Bar

Tesoro is hidden in Oliver Square, just beyond Hudson’s. You can’t really see it from the street or the parking lots, so I actually had no idea where it was until I wandered through for a bit. A few of my friends raved about it so much that I had to go and check it out for myself.
The restaurant itself is very nice and modern — very high ceilings and clean décor. It’s a little bit sparse, so it’s difficult to settle in and feel comfortable and enjoy a nice long meal, but the Café vibe goes just fine.
I ordered a pizza and it wasn’t my favorite — being a big Famoso fan, Tesoro disappointed me with a very bland pizza, and a dry thin crust. The menu itself was quite small and moderately priced. The service was unbelievably slow — waiting almost twenty minutes for drink orders and another half an hour to actually see our food arrive — and it’s not like the place was exactly jam packed. The server was indifferent and slow, not very friendly at all or receptive to our needs.
I had a coffee as well and it was the best part of the evening — wonderfully aromatic and creamy. If I was going to come back for Tesoro for any reason, the coffee would be it.
Overall, the experience was quite lackluster — average food topped with below-​average service.

Tesoro means «treasure» in Italian and is often used as a term of endearment. I’m not sure if this is the reason behind Tesoro’s name, but it certainly is one of the better places to eat in the Oliver-​MacEwan area. Points for bubbly water: Tesoro is the only place in Edmonton I’ve found that serves San Benedetto bubbly H20, which trumps any other bottled water I’ve tasted. Ever. Their pizza is quite good: crisp, thin crust, not too much sauce. I recently had the pizza Margherita. Quite tasty, but the taste of fresh basil was lost. Good coffee — espresso, cappuccino, etc. One sticking point: the ambiance. There is something about Tesoro’s room that feels unfinished. The ceiling is too high. The colours are drab. The room is just missing something and I cannot quite put my finger on it.

I stopped in for quick bite and coffee and found the way the service is set up a bit awkward. I waited at the counter for some ladies in front of me got their coffees to go. I wanted soup and a coffee to eat there. I was told to sit and order from the server. She was very slow to take my order. I had the soup de jour which was a beef vegetable noodle. The cappuccino was great, Italian style and served at the right temperature, much better than the usual piping hot Starbucks. Anyway, the soup was ok but nothing great, the broth tasted canned an it seemed like «leftover» soup which is what I make to clean the fridge before the organic box arrives for the week.
All in all, it’s a pretty cool place and has potential but I’m just not sure what they ate, a restaurant or café. It is a nice change from Starbucks but I just find for a solo bite and coffee, it’s awkward and slow with the table service, an also tips are required and I really don’t feel like tipping on a quick coffee between errands.

Where can I start. The only reason I am even giving this ‘café’ a 1 star is because of their delicious red rooibos iced creations. Everything else is horrid. I’ve attempted to give this place 4 chances now and everytime I’ve vowed not to come again. We ordered a pasta that could have come from low grade soup can for all I know. We also ordered a caprese salad… omg! I am not easily offended but the amount of salt blew both of us away. It was actually inedible. The panini we had along with our late lunch was alright but again not the best I’ve had by far. The complete meal which included 2 bottles of water, 2 red rooibos creations, one panini, salad and pasta ended up costing just under $ 70. Not acceptable for what we got in return. Lesson learned. Will definitely NOT be returning again.

Tesaro is a little gem tucked away in Oliver Square. I used to come here for lunch fairly often when I worked in the area, and while the food might be a bit pricey, it’s still pretty good. Panini’s, pizza, pasta, etc. I’ve heard they have some really tasty muscles but haven’t tried them myself. They don’t serve regular coffee, but will make what I suppose would be considered an Americano (espresso and water). They also make a mean latte.

Tesoro is a place that felt like it could be something but is missing something. The place looks boring inside, not very welcoming. It is an OK café located in Oliver Square and being in downtown I was expecting something more.
They have a TVs set up on the walls, which was one of the things I liked about this place. The service is really good and the prices are not. It is expensive for a café.
They do have really good coffee though.

I used to live by Oliver Square and I had intentions of checking out Tesoro for quite a while, but unfortunately never got around to it before I moved. I finally decided to wander in this past week for a cup of hot tea during one of our first snowfalls. I was not overly impressed with the décor when I walked in. It was rather cold and bland, with a big screen TV on one wall. I looked over their menu which includes pizzas, pininis, cakes and some pastries as well as a full bar and various coffee concoctions. I decided on a green tea and went to sit at a table. The place was not overly busy which may have added to the perceived blandness of my surroundings. My tea arrived quickly, but I was quite shocked that it was just a cup and no pot even though the tea was close to $ 3. I sat and drank and listened to the big screen TV overshadow and attempts I had at reading a book. I may give this place another try at a different time of day, but for now there is nothing in particular that will make me race back.

I used lo live close to Oliver Square where Tesoro café is located, and yet I never knew it was there. It is when a couple of my good friends raved about this place have I decided to go and check it out, and see what the fuss is all about.
I like Tesoro’s exterior– it’s clean and modern. The interior is even better– leather chairs, flattering light from the lamps (if you go at night), big screen TVs on the walls. As soon as you walk in, you hit a bar where you can order coffee or alcoholic drinks. If that is all you came in for, you can sit at the little tables by the window right away, and wait for your order. We came for lunch, and since the place was not packed, we were seated at fabulous leather sofas at the back of the café. Very cozy! The menu is not very long but you are sure to find something to your liking. Tesoro offers pasta, pizza, panini and salads. Everything is priced in the range from $ 10 to $ 15. Me and my companion went for a chef’s specials that day: mussels with chorizo sausage in a broth, and potato gnocchi in a rich tomato sauce. We also ordered wine and beer. Let me tell you something: the best mussels I have had were in one the restaurants in Seattle marina. I thought that I would never experience the same amazing taste ever again. But guess what — Tesoro’s mussels were just as amazingly delicious! And there were lots of them on my plate, so my happy oohing and aahing lasted for at least half an hour while I was enjoying my food. The wine was also great. And my companion really enjoyed her gnocchi.
When we were done eating, Tesoro’s owner came up to us wanting to know how everything tasted. Instead of answering, we cried tears of happyness:)

A great little café in Oliver Square, Tesoro has a variety of coffee drinks and Italian dishes (in particular pizzas, pastas, and grilled panini sandwiches). There is also a full bar. Each cup of coffee is brewed to order and is a shot of espresso with water, with cream (or milk) and sugar added upon request. Very strong, but very good. Two television sets displayed sporting events, and the atmosphere was relaxed. It is quote spacious in there and seems to attract a young business crowd. Cheap it isn’t — sandwiches are around $ 12 but are large and served with a salad and pastas $ 15. My cup of coffee was $ 2.50. The service was excellent. I would recommend Tesoro for power business meetings or the occasional get-​together — but coming here too often would definitely break my budget.

It has potential menu is so limited. We ended up with a simple glass of wine and pizza. Does not compare to modern Italian Restaurants of Milan or Roma at all… but could evolve if there is effort. Over priced simple menu — nothing substantive on it.

This Italian café downtown in the Oliver complex is a great little haven away from your hectic work day. Lots of people come here to conduct business or grab a quick lunch. It’s hard not to linger. The outdoor patio is right next to a strolling bridge and water fountain and gets plenty of afternoon sun. The inside is bright and spacious with leather couches at the back for more casual lounging. The menu has pastas, salads, panini sandwiches, pizza and desserts and the coffee and espresso are as you’d expect from an Italian café — perfecto. It’s nice to go somewhere besides Starbucks or Second Cup. It feels good to support small business, and at the entrance there’s a rack of postcards and flyers promoting other local establishments. The power of community is alive here, not surprisingly in one of Edmonton’s first downtown sidewalk communities, where you can walk to your local café, bar, supermarket, flower store and spa in 5 minutes from your condo door.