Hard work, consistency and a terrific staff have been the simple recipe for success.
Red Rock Pizza Okotoks cooked up a half dozen awards in the 2023 Western Wheel Readers’ Choice Awards, winning gold for Family Restaurant, Wings/Appies, Lunch Spot and Fast Food in addition to silver medals for pizza and pasta and favourite restaurant in Okotoks.
“I want everyone to know it’s not just my doing, if it wasn’t for the awesome people that work for me, we would not be where we are,” said Red Rock Pizza Okotoks owner Faustina Jokl. “My manager Gabby, she’s just an angel and helps with everything she can, my cooks, my servers, everybody is 10 out of 10 and I cannot not say a single bad word about them.
“The customers see it the same way, they keep coming also because of the servers and the face of the business. I’m incredibly thankful to my staff.”
In addition to the service, the restaurant has a product that’s grown a quick following in the Foothills.
Diners will see an abundance of options on the menu beyond delectable pies, from pasta, mac and cheese, wings and salads to stromboli sandwiches.
Jokl, from Slovakia, has also added some European culture to the restaurant.
On the east facing wall in the restaurant is a Slovak library with Red Rock Pizza also adding new Slovak pizza items on a monthly basis and hosting cultural events out of the restaurant.
Additionally, Red Rock features a kids corner with games and activities.
“In Slovakia, it is quite common to have a little kid corner in a restaurant where kids can spend time playing while they’re waiting for the food or if the parents want to have some adult conversation,” she said.
“I’ve been getting excellent feedback on it, moms come here with kids saying that we can finally eat with both hands.”
Red Rock Pizza Okotoks was established in the fall of 2020 with Jokl getting the opportunity to open a second location to build on the original spot in Canmore.
“We found this and thought this is a great place and we can make it look the way we want to make it look,” she said. “People seem to like the food, the people that work here, the atmosphere and they keep coming back so I guess it’s a good sign.”
