10 Best Local Restaurants in Calgary

Calgary Farmers' Market South is a lively spot to sample an array of local dishes in a single visit. You also won’t have to choose from just one style of food. For a Cowtown classic, try the mother-and-son endeavour Big T's BBQ. Their pulled pork poutine is a must-try. Make sure you leave room for the Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich at Flavours of Quebec, and round it off with the Jarred Cherry Cheesecake at Yum Bakery.

While you're at it, pick up some farm-fresh produce, fair-trade coffee or even artisan apparel from local vendors. A trip to the market is also a great opportunity to explore the culinary side of Calgary while doing some souvenir shopping.

Hayden Block Smoke & Whiskey serves up a juicy beef brisket alongside whiskey cocktails in Calgary. It embodies the cowboy spirit of Calgary like no other in town. It draws big eaters who mostly go for the beef short rib – a hefty meal with a price tag to suit.

Try the pulled pork, turkey breast or pork spare ribs by the half-pound if you’re not that into beef. The cornbread – moist, sweet and buttery – is the go-to side dish. Expect happy hour and daily deals, like their Brisket & Bourbon on Mondays. Craft cocktails include the Smoked Old Fashioned to help all that meat go down easily.

Cravings Market Restaurant in Calgary combines a restaurant and an urban market in one. You’ll find loads of dishes from around the world like Thai green chicken curry and roasted pear and blue cheese pizza. The lobster ravioli comes highly recommended. You’ll also enjoy comfortable seating and table service.

Cuisines are separated into different stations so everyone can get what they want, making it great for families. Monthly specialities and events like the Seafood Boil keep things exciting – just one of the reasons why locals love this eclectic restaurant.

Model Milk offers a modern fine dining experience in Calgary that blends vintage, weird and fancy. Adventurous dishes like the house-ground hominy grits with red shrimp are creatively plated using locally sourced ingredients. Try the BBQ Wagyu Brisket with coconut-kaffir broth or the charcoal-grilled Alberta Striploin.

Model Milk is located in a converted dairy. Its rustic-chic interior creates a comfortable and exciting atmosphere for exploring new flavours among friends. Don’t forget to try their whacky cocktails – the Bubbles for Your Troubles with sparkling wine is one that embodies their “tradition-meets-topsy-turvy” experience.

Rouge serves farm-to-fork food in a restored 1890s house in Calgary. The historic home was barely converted into a restaurant, so it seems as if you’re dining in someone’s home at the turn of the century. Their fine-dining selection includes cured trout, charcuterie with peppered elk sausage and, for dessert, a sumptuous blueberry mousse. The menu does change often, though.

When the weather's warm, enjoy drinks and dinner on the cosy patio. You're sure to feel exceptionally comfortable looking out over the lush backyard with a glass of wine in hand and a century between you and the rest of the world.

Blue Star Diner serves classic diner fare in Calgary with an atmosphere to match. The booths and aprons may lead you to believe the food is processed and greasy, but Blue Star sources all of its ingredients from local farms.

Among the delightful selections to try are the banana cream pie stuffed french toast, the kale caesar salad and the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich. On the drinks side, they take pride in their cocktail craftsmanship, so be sure to try an Old Fashioned or Classic Margarita. Don’t miss this diner experience in Calgary for rich comfort food and plenty of real maple syrup.

The Selkirk Grille serves classic, chef-driven dishes like steaks and halibut, all with convenient outdoor seating right next to Heritage Park. Come here to try something new like rabbit ravioli or have a no-nonsense meal of burgers and fries. Either way, you'll taste the quality of the fresh, local ingredients.

The Selkirk Grille is upscale but casual, so it’s a convenient spot to grab a quick lunch or to open a bottle of wine for a long evening. To end your meal the right way, try their raspberry and peach strudel for dessert. The central location makes it a great place to take a break after visiting Heritage Park Historical Village.

The Coup is a Calgary restaurant that offers vegetarian dishes prepared in ways you’ve probably never seen before. The roasted rosemary yams and tandoori cauliflower wings are great finger food options to share with your friends, as is the Alberta wild rose pizza. Menu classics include peanut satays and tempeh shawarma.

The Coup strives to make every dish filling and delicious, despite the lack of meat, to leave you feeling light and guilt-free after. Service can include a refreshing non-alcoholic apéritif that sets the stage and cleanses the palate for the flavours ahead. Try the hot pot if you want a more communal dining experience, and save space for their Cool Dark Midnight vegan chocolate cake for dessert.

The Beltliner serves elevated diner food in Calgary, combining comfort and innovation in dishes like tater tot poutine. Chicken and waffles may be a diner staple, but The Beltliner adds a maple chilli sauce that makes all the difference.

They've got something for everyone, including for vegetarians, like the quinoa and lentil health bowl or the pepper jack and aged white cheddar grilled cheese on sourdough. The charming diner-like interior is always bustling. Stay for another cup of coffee – or better still, a breakfast cocktail with vodka, Kahlua, coffee, egg white and maple syrup.

Holy Grill is a popular local burger joint in Calgary that believes that fast food can be great food. From the moment you hold one of their burgers, you can feel the fluffiness of the bun and the heft of the meat. Holy Grill puts a lot of care and craftsmanship into each burger because they know the Cowtown locals are quite demanding when it comes to high-quality meat.

The Gourmet Burger with blue cheese and avocado comes highly recommended. They have a brunch menu that includes eggs benedict and a prime rib burger. If you want pure quality without pretentiousness, Holy Grill fits the bill.