Yayyy! Congratulations on choosing one of the most beautiful cities in Canada for your trip. I am sure you’ve got your hotels booked and activities planned. But are you still confused about where to eat? Worry no more; you’re at the right place to find the answer based on your palette and liking. With new establishments opening every week, the Calgary restaurant industry is in great shape right now. So, there are a tonne of choices based on what you’re looking for. I have picked the top dining destinations for your convenience here.
1. CHARCUT Roast House
Location– 899 Centre St S
I must start my list with Charcut. Because it is one of the highly acclaimed restaurants and the self-proclaimed provider of rustic urban cuisine in the city. You must know that it is run by co-chefs John Jackson and Connie DeSousa, who has also appeared on Top Chef Canada. The restaurant allows group-friendly and family-style dining.
Talking about food I must say everything is just superb. The dishes are created from scratch using seasonal and local ingredients that are sourced from small artisan farmers, ranchers and fresh herbs.
2. Calcutta Cricket Club
Location– 1213 1 St SW
I love Indian food. In fact, my day is incomplete if I don’t have any Indian dish at least in any one meal. At the Calcutta Cricket Club, you get Indian vibes as if you are visiting India. Here, the fusion is at its best. It applies modern cooking techniques and serves classic Indian dishes by putting a unique twist on them
The restaurant also offers a blend of Chinese and Hakka flavours with lovely street foods here. The classic English chips stuffed into fennel–cream curry is awesome. You must enjoy the three tasty course items, from Kathi rolls to curries and tandoori veggies to several bar snacks, to delight your taste buds.
3. Beirut Street Food
Location– 7220 Fairmount Dr SE Bay C
Beirut Street Food attracts all types of hungry travellers. It provides a street twist on Lebanese food. Wow! I mean, I am always crazy about street foods and if you are also, visit this one.
The falafel wraps, salads, pita wraps, poutines, and platters are the most commonly ordered items in this restaurant. It also serves coconut cream pie, rice pudding, brownies, baklava and various other mouth-watering desserts.
4. Roy’s Korean Kitchen
Location– 2024 4 St SW
Roy’s Korean Kitchen is one of the fine dining restaurants in Calgary. And as the name suggests, it features Korean-style tapas and traditional Korean fares. Korean food is prepared with several staple techniques to bring out all the possible flavours.
Get your favourite Korean meal, including various noodle dishes– stir-fried and grilled noodles, pork belly, and fried chicken. Authentic rice and soup dishes are also served here. Charred shishito pepper, Oxtail Tortellini, and KFC sliders are famous snacks here. Enjoy the cocktails and craft beers in the bar area and have an amazing dining experience.
5. Purlieu Bistro
Location– 3109 Palliser Dr SW #14
Purlieu Modern Bistro serves seasonal ingredients with a modern twist on classic foods and drinks. The interiors are designed with stained wood shelving displays and half-frosted windows that look great. If you want to impress someone, I suggest you take them to this restaurant. The reason I am telling this is because its ambience is very welcoming and charming and this highly-rated modern bistro is an ideal place for a romantic night out.
It is the perfect hunt place for foodies as it offers cuisines of European, French, International, Contemporary and Canadian influence. A perfect steak house that offers delicious steak frites, steak tartare and other classic steak recipes. You must try the Spring rolls, fried chicken and plates of pasta there. Moreover, a lot of desserts and beverages are available. Excellent cocktails and the wine list is provided with impeccable service.
6. River Cafe
Location– 25 Prince’s Island Park, SW
Next on my list is the famous River Cafe. It has a beautiful rustic dining room specializing in creative and sustainable food. It offers an ever-changing seasonal menu and the wine list is truly phenomenal. The well-decorated place with its extremely wonderful staff makes it an extremely delightful place to visit, especially in summer. The overall magical settings near the waters and delicious foods give you an exceptional dining experience.
Their menu keeps changing with the seasons, but they always focus on fresh produce. Most of the raw foods and seasonal ingredients are picked from local farms.
7. Bridgette Bar
Location– 739 10 Ave SW
Bridgette Bar is a chef-driven bar and restaurant that will absolutely delight your taste buds. Their carefully curated wine list, crushable cocktails, high-octane originals, craft beers and even sake from Japan are too good. Go with your family and enjoy lunch, happy hour, dinner and late nights at affordable prices in this beautiful and lovely place.
It provides a playful menu for your meal that is prepared on a savoury wood-burning grill. The salami pizza, garlic bread and rigatoni are exceptional.
8. NOtaBLE- The Restaurant
Location– 4611 Bowness Rd NW #133
I want you to visit NOtaBLE at least once. it is highly specialized in innovative Canadian cuisine served in generous portions and made entirely in-house. It has a wood-burning rotisserie and an open kitchen.
Most Canadian cuisine is prepared from local ingredients and local sources. Classic dinner items such as lamb sirloin with mint couscous and organic salmon with confit potatoes are all sophisticated in taste and still very familiar. If you haven’t got time to sit down to dinner, NOtaBLE also gives you an option to-go menu, with a selection of their most popular dishes from the rotisserie grilled fresh to order and wrapped up for you.
9. Una Pizza + Wine
Location– 618 17 Ave SW and 8529 Broadcast Ave SW
What if I tell you a place where you can grab your favourite pizza with a wide range of cocktails? Isn’t this a perfect combination? Una pizza has a carefully curated wine list. It highlights the small producers who are just as dedicated to quality as Una. It declines reservations and prefers to welcome its guests on a first-come, first-serve basis. This way, everyone is treated equally.
A must-visit place for all pizza lovers as you will get to have your favourite pizza with creative toppings and a variety of wines.
10. Deane House
Location– 806 9 Ave SE
Deane House is also considered a Calgary icon. The restaurant offers a fine dining menu of contemporary Canadian cuisine sourced locally. It’s the only building that is now left from the original Fort Calgary site. The view is charming, with two rivers flowing nearby. There are beautifully manicured gardens covered on the ground. I am sure you would love the whole setting.
The Deane house keeps changing its menu on a seasonal basis and focuses on the quality and freshness of its food.
11. Alloy
Location- 220 42 Ave SE
If you are happy with the fusion idea, I suggest you visit Alloy. It serves up an exciting and amazing fusion of Mediterranean, Latin American and Asian flavours in a warm atmosphere. The restaurant’s décor gives it a definite Japanese feel, with cherry blossom trees, bright pink trellised walls and pale bamboo woodwork. Once you look at the menu, you will find that it’s not just limited to Asian fare; rather, it extends far beyond.
Alloy restaurant offers an extremely unique and fine dining menu to the customers. You can begin your meal with starters like spicy ahi tuna on crispy rice paper, truffle gnocchi with black truffle buttercream, or beef.
12. Vintage Chophouse
Location– 320 11 Ave SW
I have seen many steak lovers travelling around complaining that they can’t find a perfect steakhouse. Guys! In Calgary, you don’t need to be upset about it. If you are a steak lover, then Vintage Chophouse is the perfect destination for you. This restaurant has a dark decor beautifully designed with a fashionable bar. Live music is also played mostly during the weekends.
They serve lamb, seafood, wedge salads, and the very popular lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. They have an award-winning wine list featuring more than 600 wines from around the world. If you are looking for a happy hour spot, go to the Vintage chophouse and enjoy the spread of calamari, Italian meatballs or assorted cheese board and make your day.
13. Cluck N Cleaver- Beltline
Location– 1511 14 St SW
Cluck and Cleaver restaurant is considered the best option for fried chicken in Calgary. The restaurant is owned by sisters Francine Gomes and Top Chef Canada All-Stars winner Nicole Gomes. It is family-friendly and offers counter service with several dining options for lunch.
A number of food options prepared from scratch are available for you. The quality of chicken meat is really great. Its top-secret spice blend, buttery biscuits, and indulgent gravy make the food simply delicious.
14. Model Milk
Location- 308 17 Ave SW
Model Milk is an award-winning restaurant set in a historical dairy building in the heart of Calgary. It is very cozy, with a rusty chic ambience and impeccable service. It is mostly crowded, so it’s better to book it in advance before coming.
The menu of Model Milk insists more on showcasing local and seasonal ingredients at their best through simple and refined dishes. Skinny Fries and Hot Fried Chicken are also absolutely fantastic.
15. Major Tom Bar
Location– 700 2 St SW #4000
Next on my list is Major Tom bar. Because it has been able to maintain its high standards to meet the expectations of its customers. Being sophisticated, glamorous and stylish, the restaurant has a very friendly earth atmosphere that will make you feel instantly at home. The interiors are designed with natural wood and marble materials, walnut modular built-ins, and a brass bar giving it a very elegant and stylish look.
16. Bolsa
Location– 180 94 Ave SE
Bolsa is a Vietnamese restaurant that offers authentic traditional cuisine with a blend of modern tastes. So if you want something easily delicious and also affordable, then I must say this Calgary restaurant is the best choice for you.
Some of their famous dishes include rice vermicelli, coconut rice, seafood congee, sizzling hot with vegetables, beef or chicken. Don’t forget to enjoy the delicious and spicy soups there.
17. Pizzeria Gaga
Location– 1236 12 Ave SW
The restaurant has been successfully operating for the last 10 years. It offers exquisite and delicious pizzas at reasonable prices. This Calgary restaurant offers a variety of soups, pizzas and Italian sandwiches. The Greek salad and burek are absolutely amazing.
18. Eight
Location– 631 Confluence Way SE
I must end my list with Eight. It is the perfect spot for you to have an amazing dining experience with your date. This sweet place has only eight seats; that’s why it got this name. The daily menu here is cooked and served by the famous chef Darren MacLean.
The twenty dishes on the course menu are prepared on a seasonal basis, mostly from local ingredients. And do you know it is the only restaurant that allows you to interact with the chef directly?You must book your seat months before, and if you are lucky, then only you will get the reservation and chance to have food in this intimate place.
Calgary is considered one of the cultural capitals of Canada. It is a buzzing metropolitan city, and there is absolutely no shortage of fine-dining restaurants along with various cultural venues, shopping centres, nightclubs, malls, beautiful locations and much more. I hope my selection of top restaurants there will be helpful for you.
Last Updated on April 19, 2024 by Pragya Chakrapani
