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What’s new in Calgary? A whole lot, actually. The recent redevelopment of East Village has transformed a once‑neglected neighbourhood into prime waterfront. Studio Bell, the National Music Centre’s new home, bridges museum space and live‑performance venue. And the freshly minted Central Library downtown has architecture critics worldwide talking.
Where to Stay
Tiki cocktails and vegetarian foie gras at Lulu Bar Picture a Pacific Rim surf shack designed by Ralph Lauren. Ceiling fan spinning lazily; outdoor patio in high revelry and tiki drinks on the move. Welcome to Lulu Bar on a summer evening. Beyond the mahogany and surfboard wall art, pineapple makes a (menu) statement, from a Negroni made with aged pineapple rum to lightly pickled in a raw salad served atop macadamia butter (a vegetarian foie gras cooked with liquors and puréed with butter) to a wood-fire-grilled branzino with pineapple apple garum (a saucy combination of pineapple, chili, maple and a little fish sauce mixed with grilled chunks of pineapple) garnished with dill and toasted peanuts. Even the sparkling sake screams summer with Fukucho’s citrusy, champagne-like Seaside Junmai. Lulu Bar was a contender for Canada’s Best New Restaurants in 2019.
All the wine at Bar Von der Fels A mod little wine bar on 1st Street is home to some sneaky-serious good cooking. The tiny open kitchen serves aioli black with activated charcoal and ink to accompany grilled Humboldt squid. The assertively oenophilic owner plucks an open bottle of creamy Jura chardonnay from the 200-year-old enamel ice bucket. Call him over again and he’ll pair something biodynamic with a 10-year-old baked Cortez Island oyster flavoured with tangy yuzu kosho paste and house-dried scallop.
Chicken and dumplings at Pigeonhole Pigeonhole serves favourites that have been on the menu since day one, such as chicken and dumplings and red Kuri squash with burrata and honey. Don’t miss the Hakurei turnips with pear and chawanmushi (a delicate egg custard) or the duck, parsnip and sea buckthorn.
Alberta beef at Charbar Executive chef and part-owner Jessica Pelland puts the focus on locally sourced meat, vegetables and fish. Pelland knows her way around the restaurant’s 900°F hardwood coal-fuelled parrilla: There are short ribs, grass-fed butcher steaks and ultra-dry-aged porterhouse steaks as well as the accompanying Argentine-inspired pit sauces and sides. (Hello wood-roasted beets with seeds and queso azul.)
Egg-and-smoked-meat sandwiches Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters Start your day with a trip to Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters for a single-source-origin espresso and an egg and crispy smoked meat sandwich. This Calgary chain’s latest outpost in the Mission neighbourhood is decked out with white-marble countertops, blond walls, original art and a state-of-the-art Kees van der Westen “Spirit” espresso machine.
Take-out chicken at Cluck N Cleaver Former Top Chef Canada contestant Nicole Gomes has partnered with her sister Francine to open Cluck N Cleaver. Choose from quarter, half and full rotisserie chicken dinners, fried chicken sandwiches and several sides, including potato salad, coleslaw and handmade buttermilk biscuits.
Mai tais at Ricardo’s Hideaway Just off 17th Avenue, Ricardo’s is loved for its kitschy island vibe and $10 cocktails. Rum is the house act, with a list that features favourites like mojitos, mai tais, piña coladas and dark ’n’ stormies. Dishes are casual and include a variety of snacks and tapas-style starters, such as plantain and yucca chips and ahi tuna ceviche, with jerk chicken and spicy curries rounding out the mains.
Comfort food with a view at Deane House Relax on the enclosed veranda at a century-old farmhouse overlooking the Elbow River. The pros behind the River Café cater to a sophisticated crowd with smoky Laphroaig-forward Foibles & Sins cocktails and panzanella salads with walnuts, housemade ricotta and Red Fife sourdough croutons. A shallow bowl of Artisan sake rice and shiitakes swimming in a rich mushroom dashi is a comfort-food adventure in umami.
Contemporary art at Esker Foundation Inglewood’s once empty warehouses and packing plants have given way to a mix of design stores, cafés and contemporary galleries. Check out the custom suiting for men at Espy, then stop by the Esker Foundation, located on the top floor of the Atlantic Avenue Art Block, a four-storey building dedicated to retail and art galleries. An integral part of the Art Block, the Project Space is home to a rotating series of displays visible from the street 24 hours a day.
Gold-medal thrills at Canadian Olympic Park On winter weeknights, the Canadian Olympic Park is a favourite skiing spot for Calgarians looking to keep their legs in shape for weekend excursions to Banff. If you visit in the summer, try the perfectly safe (but harrowing) indoor luge course.
Designer clothes and accessories at Gravity Pope This Edmonton shopping staple recently upgraded to a larger, five-storied contemporary space on 17th Avenue Southwest. Browse through racks of labels, like Acne Studios, Paul Smith and Maison Kitsune, as well as shoes from Fly London, Fluevog and hard-to-find Aigle boots. Owner Louise Dirk’s effortlessly cool offerings also include bags from Montreal’s Want Les Essentiels and a selection of jewellery and fragrances.
Facials at Stillwater Spa After a deep clean facial, a trained aesthetician at Stillwater Spa at the Hyatt Regency Calgary will apply a Luzern rescue remedy serum. In addition to Vitamin B5, it contains essential fatty acids to ease dryness – a notorious side effect of Calgary’s high elevation.
Wine tastings at Metrovino This large, airy room attached to the Cookbook Company carries an excellent selection of wines and spirits. With the spotlight on family-owned French and Spanish wineries, Metrovino hosts unique tastings and events at the Calgary Wine Tasting and Education Center next door.
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