When you’re in Calgary there’s one thing you simply have to stuff yourself full of: beef. Also known as Cowtown, the city is overflowing with juicy, meaty delights, so be sure to get your fill of steaks and burgers.
Downtown
As well as vibrant shopping and culture, Downtown Calgary has got it all when it comes to food. Whether you desire a flashy and refined restaurant or some quality pub grub, the choice is endless. Downtownfood Modern Bistro is a great place to tuck into elegant, innovative dishes crafted using vegetables grown in its own rooftop ecosystem. Meanwhile, Blink Restaurant & Bar serves contemporary fare like crispy-skinned confit duck. When spring kicks in, al fresco dining provides the perfect opportunity to bask in the bustling vibe of the street.
• Downtownfood Modern Bistro, 628 8 Ave SW, Calgary; • Blink Restaurant & Bar, 111 8 Ave SW, Calgary;
Kensington
Calgary’s trendy Kensington Village has a distinctly cool feel about it, and during a break from scanning the countless stores for the latest fashions you can grab and sample all sorts of tasty morsels. Vendome Café churns out delicious meals in a sleek ambience and holds regular live music events. You can gorge on sumptuous paninis and oozing melts for lunch, and browse a simple evening menu, with roast asparagus and plump poached eggs perhaps the pick of the lot. Vero Bistro Moderne cooks up a lip-smacking taste of the ocean with its signature seafood platter – suitable for those with a sturdy budget.
• Vendome Café, 940 2 Ave NW, Calgary; • Vero Bistro Moderne, 209 10 St NW, Calgary;
17th Avenue
17th Avenue is one the city’s brightest and most vibrant tourist hotspots. Known also as the Red Mile, for its association with Calgary Flames fans, this sprawling street is lined with fabulous restaurants for budget eaters and spendthrifts alike. Model Milk is right up there with Calgary’s finest. Set in a historic dairy, this unique diner deals in innovation and local produce. Mouth-watering portions of fish tacos and smoked brisket for sharing will send your taste buds round the twist. For anyone with a hankering for rich and succulent beef, Clive Burger might just knock your socks off.
• Model Milk, 308 17 Ave SW, Calgary; • Clive Burger, 763 17 Ave SW, Calgary;
Inglewood
Perched on the curve of the Bow River, Inglewood is Calgary’s oldest and perhaps most alluring district, and together with the bordering Ramsay it’s crammed with some darn fine eateries. At Spolumbo’s Fine Foods and Deli you can shove as many gourmet sausages into your face as possible before stocking up on top-notch and reasonably priced Italian meats. For an authentic mouthful of fragrant Asian deliciousness, Dragon Pearl Restaurant is just the ticket. This small and unpretentious establishment offers few frills but plenty of punch. The pork dumplings – either pan-fried or steamed – are hot property.
• Spolumbo’s Fine Foods and Deli, 1308 9 Ave SE, Calgary; • Dragon Pearl Restaurant, 1223a 9 Ave SE, Calgary; Tel: +1 403 233 8810
