Looking for the best restaurants in Calgary to visit during your visit?
Calgary’s food scene is actually super diverse, and you’ll find amazing foods from all kinds of different cultures.
Since my husband’s family lives in Calgary, we get to visit frequently, which means we get to try tons of different food spots every time we visit!
Whether you’re looking for casual eateries or upscale restaurants, here are some of the best restaurants and places to eat at in Calgary, Alberta.
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Hotels in Calgary
If you’re looking for somewhere to stay during your trip to Calgary, here are some of the best hotels to stay at:
- The Alt Hotel is an eco-friendly 3 star hotel located right in the middle of downtown Calgary, in the East Village neighbourhood. It’s a quick walk over to the Bow River, where you can do all kinds of fun activities during the warmer months.
- Hotel Arts is a beautiful and modern 4 star hotel in Calgary’s trendy Beltline neighbourhood, and there’s an indoor pool, outdoor pool, and fitness centre.
- The Fairmont Palliser is a 4 star hotel located right in the heart of downtown Calgary, right beside the Calgary Tower. The rooms are a little more traditional, but the indoor pool is absolutely incredible.
Plan your Calgary trip
If you’re planning a trip to Alberta, here are some other posts to help you plan your perfect trip:
- Looking for more things to do in Calgary? Check out the most fun things to do in Calgary or my 24 hour Calgary itinerary.
- Searching for places to eat in Calgary? Hit up the best brunch spots or best ice cream spots.
- In the mood for a road trip? Here’s the perfect 6 day Vancouver to Calgary road trip itinerary.
- Visiting Banff and Jasper? Check out my spring guide to Banff & Jasper, summer guide to Banff & Jasper, or my winter guide to Banff & Jasper, as well as the best restaurants in Banff.
Tours & activities in Calgary
Spending all your time in downtown Calgary? You might enjoy these tours and activities:
- Floating down the Bow River is one of the top activities to do in downtown Calgary, and you can choose between different rafts depending on the size of your party (including your pets!)
- If you’re looking to explore the Canadian Rocky Mountains, you can do a guided day tour from Calgary! Explore Banff, Lake Louise, and Moraine Lake with this private sightseeing van tour, or visit Lake Louise, Yoho National Park, and Moraine Lake with this guided one day tour.
Best restaurants in Calgary
Sso Yummy
Find this highly-rated mom-and-pop restaurant in Chinatown, where they serve up fantastic kimbap and other Korean comfort foods.
It’s a very no-frills spot, but the food is delicious and the staff is very friendly.
I’d recommend the Yummy Combo, which comes with kimbap, tteokkbokki (spicy rice cakes), and boong uh bbang (fish-shaped pastry similar to Japanese taiyaki).
Beware that the tteokbokki is super spicy, but it’s oh-sso-yummy.
The menu is also quite affordable, and you can enjoy a meal for under $14!
LOCATION: 128 2 Ave SE Unit 117, Calgary, AB
Pho 26 Restaurant
This Vietnamese noodle house dishes up the best pho in Calgary.
My favourite soup dish is the spicy Pho Sate (satay beef noodle soup), but you can’t go wrong with a classic pho.
They even have a lot of unique dishes you won’t typically find at other Vietnamese restaurants, like Banh Tom Chien (crunchy fried shrimp cake) and Chim Cut Chien Don (deep fried quails).
I usually go for the Avocado Shake anytime I visit a Vietnamese restaurant, but they’ve got a Soursop Shake that’s really good!
And if you’re wondering what “26” is in the name, it refers to the 26 ingredients used to make pho!
LOCATION: 4019 17 Ave SE, Calgary, AB
Ramen Ichinen
Ramen Ichinen serves up authentic, made-from-scratch Japanese ramen in Calgary.
Their ramen is completely MSG-free, and they use fresh ramen noodles from a local small business!
The Tonkotsu Red Ramen is absolutely amazing, and they’ve also got vegetarian and vegan ramen.
You can choose the cut of meat (pork belly or shoulder), veggies (green onion or mixed greens), and noodles (thin or thick).
They get pretty busy, so be sure to arrive early for lunch or dinner if you want a table!
LOCATION: 3132 26 St NE #349, Calgary, AB
Spicy Amigos
Spicy Amigos is your spot for authentic Latin American food, all made completely from scratch without any canned or pre-made ingredients.
You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but my favourite dish has to be their Birria Tacos.
If you haven’t had Birria Tacos before, they’re absolutely amazing.
They’re stuffed with shredded beef and cheese, dipped in birria broth before being grilled, and paired with an incredible birria broth for dipping.
They’ve also got an extensive drink menu, and their spicy margaritas are fantastic – we love the Passionfruit Margarita!
They also have daily specials and “Spicy Hour” everyday from 2-5 PM with a variety of food and drink specials.
LOCATION: 821 4 Ave SW, Calgary, AB
K Town Fried Chicken
If you love fried chicken, you’ll love Korean fried chicken even more.
K Town Fried Chicken marinates their fresh chicken for 12 hours each day using 12 secret ingredients, and all of their sauces are made in-house.
A full order of chicken is enough for two to share, or you can get a half order for one person.
Definitely go for their Sweet & Spicy BBQ – it’s delicious, and comes with deep-fried rice cakes.
LOCATION: 919 Centre St NW, Calgary, AB
The Himalayan
The Himalayan serves up authentic Nepalese food in Calgary, and the food is absolutely incredible.
I’d definitely recommend getting the Dal Bhat, which is a traditional plate popular across Nepal and India.
It includes your choice of protein, lentils and curry, pickled veggies, rice, and bread!
I’d also recommend the Butter Chicken and the Pork Momos (Nepalese dumplings).
They also have some vegan and gluten-free options on the menu if you have dietary restrictions!
LOCATION: 3218 17 Avenue SW Calgary, AB
Last Best Brewing & Distilling
Last Best is a poppin’ brewpub that serves up amazing beer and food.
The Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich is fantastic, and definitely one of the best KFC dishes I’ve ever had.
They offer both in-house made craft beer and gin, and they’ve got plenty of fruity stuff if that’s what you’re into (I’m into it).
If you’re a cocktail lover, they’ve got a small selection of cocktails made using their batch-distilled gin!
LOCATION: 607 11 Ave SW, Calgary, AB
Big Fish & Open Range
This casual fine dining restaurant has been serving Calgary for over two decades, offering up quality meat and seafood dishes.
They’ve got a Seafood Platter that features smoked and cured fish, trout pate, and beer battered prawns, as well as a Local Game Meats and Cheese Platter featuring gam season available meats.
We came here to celebrate a birthday, and we loved it here!
They’ve got locations in both Marda Loop and Renfrew!
LOCATION: Various locations
Ten Foot Henry
If you’re looking for a more upscale restaurant to visit while you’re in Calgary, Ten Foot Henry is the perfect spot.
Their menu is vegetable-focused, but it’s not all just about veggies – they’ve got amazing dishes like Tuna Crudo, Jerk Chicken, and Flat Iron Steak.
The aesthetic of their restaurant is also beautiful with Scandinavian elements and plenty of greenery, and they’ve got a lovely patio!
LOCATION: 1209 1st Street SW Calgary, AB
River Café
Hidden on Prince’s Island Park is the River Café, which serves up regional Canadian cuisine using locally-sourced meat and seafood and seasonal ingredients.
Order a-la-carte or go for their Chef’s Tasting Menu, which is $120 per person.
We came to celebrate a birthday, and we loved our meal and experience here!
The restaurant is housed in a rustic-chic restored park concession building, and it’s stunning.
Fun fact: the River Café was #47 on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants 2025, which is really awesome!
Afterwards, you’ve gotta take a lovely stroll around Prince’s Island Park.
LOCATION: 25 Prince’s Island Park, SW, Calgary, AB
Shokunin
I actually discovered Shokunin through Final Table on Netflix, a reality series where top chefs around the world compete to get a seat at the Final Table.
Darren MacLean is the mind behind Shokunin, and he was actually my favourite chef on the show.
His Japanese gastropub offers up yakitori (skewers), shareable plates, and craft cocktails, all using fresh and seasonal ingredients alongside traditional Japanese techniques and flavour profiles.
The chickens they use for their skewers are butchered daily, so they’re super fresh and very limited!
LOCATION: 2016 4 St SW, Calgary, AB
EIGHT
Tucked away inside the Alt Hotel is this intimate restaurant serving up innovative Canadian cuisine.
The menu changes up daily, and it’s influenced by the many diverse cultures across Calgary.
The restaurant only seats 8, so it’s tough to get a reservation!
Sadly, they decline all dietary restrictions, so it may not be for you if you’ve got any.
Chef Darren MacLean is also behind EIGHT, which was #6 on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants 2025!
LOCATION: 631 Confluence Way SE, Calgary, AB
Best restaurants in Calgary:
- Sso Yummy
- Pho 26 Restaurant
- Ramen Ichinen
- Spicy Amigos
- K Town Fried Chicken
- The Himalayan
- Last Best Brewing & Distilling
- Big Fish & Open Range
- Ten Foot Henry
- River Café
- Shokunin
- EIGHT
These were some of the best restaurants and places to eat at in Calgary!
What are the best Calgary restaurants you’ve tried? Let me know on Twitter or Instagram!
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