Over the next week, Calgary tourists and residents will be scrambling to choose from dozens of free Stampede breakfasts. If you need some guidance, the slam-dunk winner is the marvellous Ismaili Muslim breakfast July 12. 

But you still need to eat lunch (maybe) and dinner. How about pizza? Not the greasy slices on the Stampede grounds, but the best artisan pies in the city.

Sorry if you’re a fan of deep dish or New York or Chicago styles, but this is my list, and I prefer thin, blistered crusts, with one exception. I’ve just reviewed Pizza Culture and will be covering four more pizzerias in the next few days, culminating in a declared winner. Here is the first of the other contenders.

I’ve been told the margherita is the perfect test for judging a pizzeria. That’s because its simple ingredients can’t hide under a bombardment of toppings or distract from the primacy of the crust. In fact, I’d happily chew an unadorned crust if it meets that high standard. 

Which brings me to Calgary’s UNA Pizza + Wine. It aces the margherita test with only five ingredients: certified San Morzano tomato sauce, fior di latte, grana Padano, basil oil and Maldon salt. There’s still ample room on the edges for chewing the slightly blistered, thin California-style crust.

Marvellous margherita at UNA Pizza

UNA offers 11 other pizza styles, with toppings ranging from fennel sausage and roasted cremini mushrooms to smoked mozzarella. Make sure to leave room for a famous, mountainous kale Caesar salad, topped with crispy prosciutto and a hard-boiled egg. 

Note: Both the margherita pizza and a small Caesar salad are available at the happy-hour prices of $10.50 and $7.50, respectively, from 2-5 pm and after 9 pm. 

UNA has grown to seven, mostly Calgary, locations, since it opened on 17 Avenue SW in 2010. 

Broadcast is one of five UNA locations in Calgary

UNA Pizza + Wine
618 17 Avenue SW and four other Calgary locations Opens daily at 10:45 am
403-453-1183