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The restaurants below have been divided into four different pricing categories and are listed alphabetically:
$$$$ (over C$70)
$$$ (C$55 to C$70)
$$ (C$40 to C$55)
$ (under C$40)
The prices quoted are for a three-course meal for one, including taxes and tip but not drinks.

Alloy
Calgary’s newest cool restaurant sports a retro design, with Asian décor and an oriental garden. The menu reflects Asian, Mediterranean and Latin influence and is fresh, organic and healthy. Very popular with the business lunch crowd.

220 42nd Avenue SE
Tel: (403) 287 9255.
Website: www.alloydining.com
Price: $$

Avenue Diner
Experience true urban diner setting, with table or counter seating on popular pedestrian Stephen Avenue Walk. Breakfast is available all day and features gourmet waffles, pancakes and egg dish combinations. The diner serves up locally grown organic produce.

105A Eighth Avenue SW
Tel: (403) 263 2673.
Website: www.avenuediner.com
Price: $

Belvedere
Award-winning stylish downtown restaurant serving modern Canadian food made from locally sourced ingredients. Game and seafood feature prominently on the menu. New York-style atmosphere. Elegant décor, flattering lighting and skylights provide a stunning view of the Calgary Tower above. Belvedere has been rated by Wine Spectator magazine for five consecutive years as one of top 500 wine lists in the world.

107 Eighth Ave SW
Tel: (403) 265 9595.
Price: $$$$

Buzzards Cowboy Cuisine
Authentic cowboy restaurant, with a casual and cosy ambiance. It features a live outdoor stage during Stampede and the famous Testicle Festival in June/July. The servings are generous, and the bison strip steak outstanding. The restaurant’s signature Caesar cocktail is a Calgary original, while the adjoining Bottlescrew Bill’s Pub serves over 200 different beers. Food served until 0130.

140 10th Avenue SW
Tel: (403) 264 6959.
Website: www.cowboycuisine.com
Price: $$

River Café
Canadian seasonal, wood-fired cuisine in attractive Prince’s Island Park location near the Eau Claire Market. Organic and locally grown ingredients feature in dishes that are further complemented by an award-winning wine list. Fresh seafood flown in daily. Voted Best Ambiance for 2007 by WHERE magazine. Closed in January.

Prince’s Island Park
Tel: (403) 261 7670.
Website: www.river-cafe.com  
Price: $$$-$$$$

Silver Dragon
This Chinatown establishment has been around for more than 30 years. The traditional menu, prepared by a small army of Hong Kong-trained chefs, features over 200 dishes, including delicious dim sums.

106 Third Avenue SE
Tel: (403) 264 5326.
Price: $-$$

Teatro
This smart restaurant next to the Center for the Performing Arts occupies a beautifully restored 1911 bank building on Olympic Plaza. Teatro serves modern Italian cuisine featuring local organic products. There’s an extensive award-winning wine list; the wine cellar holds over 10,000 bottles. Reservations recommended.

200 Eighth Avenue SE
Tel: (403) 290 1012.
Website: www.teatro.ca  
Price: $$$

Vintage Chophouse Tavern
This contemporary steakhouse in a vintage building in the business district is a meat lover’s paradise. The house specialty is the Alberta Angus beef, although seafood, salads and tapas are also available. Live blues and jazz at the weekend. Voted Best of Award of Excellence for 2007 by Wine Spectator.

322 11th Avenue SW
Tel: (403) 262 7262.
Website: www.vintagechophouse.com  
Price: $$$



Nightlife:

Calgary’s nightlife is better than what you might expect of a cowboy and oil town in the middle of the Canadian prairie. Locals are friendly, festive and always ready to put away a big Alberta steak or a few drinks, especially on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. However, during the Stampede, Calgary transforms into a true party city.

The city is best explored through its various neighborhoods. Downtown is a fine place for a drink during the day or early evening and the partying continues at bars and clubs dotted throughout the area. If you want your action more concentrated, stick to areas like Kensington (known for its streets lined with a diverse range of cafes, bars, restaurants and clubs) or 17th Avenue SW (west of Fourth Street), a quieter setting where the pubs have more character and the restaurants veer more towards the ethnic.

Alcohol can legally be served in Alberta until 0200 and the minimum drinking age is 18 years. Dress at most bars and clubs is casual, although more upmarket establishments may refuse entry to those wearing ripped jeans or trainers, for example. Admission to bars is free, unless a band is playing. Pints of beer usually cost around C$4-8, and mixed drinks around C$6-12. Pick up a free FFWD Weekly (website: www.ffwdweekly.com) or WHERE (website: www.where.ca) for information on club nights and gigs.

Bars: The Barley Mill Eatery and Pub, beside Eau Claire Market at 201 Barclay Parade SW, is a lively bar offering a multitude of draught beers and whiskies, with a great patio in the summer. Nearby, The Garage Billiards and Sports, 200 Barclay Parade SW, has 17 pool tables, rock music and a grill menu. For a straightforward pub, you could do worse than The Ship & Anchor, 534 17th Avenue SW, with occasional jam sessions and gigs.

The Wildwood Grill & Brewing Company, 2417 Fourth Street SW, is a brewery offering its own ales, lagers and seasonal beers, as well as ’Rocky Mountain’ cuisine. Another bar worth checking out is Aussie Rules, on 1002 37th Street SW, famous for its duelling pianos on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. For a hip martini bar, try Ming, 520 17th Avenue SW. Flames Central, 219 Eighth Avenue SW, is a new sports bar and restaurant, satisfying the Canadian passion for ice hockey.

Clubs: Nightlife in Calgary is more suited towards bars, pubs and live music than clubs. Those looking for a nightclub, however, will not be disappointed (unless they are under 21 - the minimum age for some). Tantra Nightclub and Lounge, 355 10th Avenue SW (website: www.tantranightclub.ca), has live music and dancing and caters to a corporate clientele. Plush Lounge, 205 Ninth Avenue SE (website: www.plushlounge.ca), has sensual opulence and intimate appeal. Also worth a mention is Bungalow, 524 17th Avenue SW, on the Red Mile, open from 1700-0200.

Live Music: Not surprisingly, Calgary is a great location to take in country and western music. You can take free dancing lessons at Ranchman’s, 9615 MacLeod Trail South, a famous and always packed honky-tonk bar. Likewise, you’re sure to meet a cowboy or girl at the enormous and ever-popular Cowboy’s Dance Hall, 826 Fifth Street SW (website: www.cowboysniteclub.com), which is always packed during Calgary Stampede. Beat Niq Jazz & Social Club, 811 First Street SW (website: www.beatniq.com), is the best spot for jazz, while Booker’s BBQ Grill and Crab Shack, 316 Third Street SE (website: www.bookersbbq.com), has live blues at the weekend.

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