visiting calgary
Hi everyone! This is Emily writing this part — Calgary is where I was born and raised and where we now spend every Christmas.
We’re looking forward to welcoming you to the blue sky city, so I've put together a few of my local recommendations to enhance your stay. I can’t take all the credit though, my brother lives downtown and helped me with the restaurants (thank you, Ben!).
Below covers food and bev, stuff to do, and one I know is going to be popular post-wedding, Banff.
Food & bev
Coffee shops
Calgary is home to a lot of wonderful local chains and I do believe I’ve vetted 95% of them, so these are my top two (several locations across town each).
Phil & Sebastian
Started in the farmer’s market I worked at in high school — while their regular coffee stuff is very good, I always get their espresso & tonic. They’re also known for their delicious Hoopla donuts, which they sell at most locations and pairs very well.
Analog
I personally believe they do the best americano in the city. The vibe in their Inglewood location (cool area, see ‘Stuff to do’) is very comfortable and is a great place to start your neighbourhood exploration.
Ice cream
Those who know me well understand that ice cream is the most important food group and I take my role as a self-appointed connoisseur very seriously. Therefore, everyone must make a stop at Made by Marcus in my honour — get what you want, literally everything is incredible, but do not miss adding a homemade marshmallow to your order.
There are those who will say “but Emily, Village Ice Cream is better” and it’s okay to be wrong. It’s still very good though, they do do an incredible earl grey.
Fun fact: Calgary is apparently home to the most Dairy Queen locations globally so maybe loving ice cream (i.e., IYKYK, going for dry cleaning) is cultural.
Brunch
The second most important food group is brunch, so this is another area of self-proclaimed expertise. A few favourites below; I recommend making a reservation in advance!
OEB — couple downtown locations
With such delicacies like breakfast poutines, Montreal smoked meat eggs benedict, french toast trifle, and gnocchi breakfast carbonara, there’s a lot of reasons that OEB went from a local Calgary spot to beloved locations across Canada (I’ve personally vetted Saskatoon, Vancouver, and Toronto). For the poutine, you can do half arugula or spinach instead of all fried potatoes, which Oliver has tried somewhat against his will. But, as they say, in sickness and in health, and I’d prefer health.
Red’s Diner — couple downtown locations
These guys do classic breakfast really well with diner vibes for those looking for some Americana feel.
Blue Star Diner — Bridgeland
Another nice diner, with a focus on local ingredients and options for basically any diet, including veggie and vegan. They also apparently do dinner!
Other restaurants & food
Calgary is home to excellent food and a huge variety of cuisines. You’ll probably find something great for whatever you’re looking for, but below are a few options in more of the downtown area.
For something more classic North American, try Comery Block or Palomino Smokehouse. To try Alberta’s world-renowned beef in its most classic forms, try Hy’s.
For French, try Francine’s. For good Japanese, try Curtis Creek. For Italian, try Barbarella Bar or Mercato.
For an incredible pie, sweet OR savoury, head right to Pie Junkie. Really good for lunch, dinner, or a snacky pick me up.
Fun fact: the Caesar was invented in Calgary! If you see it on the menu, give the drink a try.
Hoopla donuts.
Aforementioned homemade marshmallow.
OEB breakfast poutine.
A Caesar — different than a Bloody Mary!
Stuff to do
While you’ll find lots of good advice on the various ‘things to do in Calgary’ pages to suit your travel tastes, here are a few other recommendations to fill out your itinerary in the city centre.
There a few neighbourhoods that are great for a stroll, window (or actual) shopping, and food — Kensington, 17th Ave, and Inglewood.
Inglewood is right across the river from the Zoo and home to a lot of lovely local businesses. Some of my favourites are Fair’s Fair used books, Purr clothing, TUU by COUTUKITSCH affordable jewelry, Silk Road spice company, Plant garden shop, Recordland, STASH craft and yarn boutique, Calgary’s famous Spolumbo’s deli, Analog coffee (see ‘Coffee Shops’), etc. etc. etc. Fans of HBO’s Fargo will notice some familiar frontages during their walk.
It’s also home to a few really great breweries offering both alc and non-alc beverages; our favourite is Cold Garden! With indoor and outdoor seating, they allow dogs, games, and sell cool local art. But most importantly, the drinks are some of the city’s best.
Fun fact: our engagement photos were in Inglewood, with most outside Cold Garden despite it being -25°C.
For drinks, pinball, and arcade games, try PinBar. For cozy retro vibes, try Sound Room. For a swanky 60s lounge themed like The Shining’s Overlook Hotel, try The Wednesday Room. For an authentic Guinness, try St. James Corner —apparently if you reach 100 Guinness, you’ll get your name on their 100 Pint Club plaque and a t-shirt.
For local Calgary goodies (great for souvenirs and travel gifts), try Lukes Drug Mart. While it is Calgary’s oldest independent pharmacy, they also do GREAT soft serve!
Finally, if you want a 360° of the city, including the beautiful rockies and foothills, the Calgary Tower offers a glass floor and stunning views. If you want a bite while you’re there, the rotating restaurant isn’t too bad.
Cold Garden.
Views from the Calgary Tower.
Banff
Weeeeeeeell, we all knew it was bound to end up here. If I had a nickel for everyone who’s said to me “Oh, I’ve been to Calgary!! ….the Calgary airport. I actually just went to Banff”, I’d have a lot of nickels.
Banff is lovely!! Go, enjoy, be free, check off your bucket list!! If you want to visit, Oliver’s out of towners guide has some info on ways to get there. And if you want a few “off the beaten path” things to do when you arrive, continue your reading.
If you’ve looked at hotel prices in the area, you may have noticed a specific spot that asks not only for your kidneys, but also your first born in exchange for a stay. For those wanting to experience the grand, historical glamour of the Fairmont Banff Springs, it is in fact free to go there and wander around the gorgeous interior. According to my dad, they may try to trick you into a nice smelling $90 travel-sized lotion, but if you keep your financial wits about you like he does, then you can walk away with just some beautiful $0 photos.
Those looking for a deeper cut that’s also free, local legend has it that the world’s first-discovered mer-creature lives in the Banff Trading Post. Wander into this historic store and spend some time with the Banff Merman in his not-so-natural habitat. I promise you if you do this without pre-Googling, it will be worth it.
General tip: If you’re going to buy something that looks Indigenous anywhere in Canada, but especially in touristy places like Banff, please do confirm with the store that it’s from an actual Indigenous company and/or artist before purchasing! Always worth the ask to make sure your money goes to the intended place.
If you’re in a slightly more money-spending mood, there’s a thrift gem on the other side of the main street, so it usually still has some goodies left — Last Temptation Village.
Banff has a lot of good and not-so-good restaurants, so I recommend you do some vetting before choosing a spot. Most people will eat in the actual town, but if you have a car and enjoy delicious, decently-priced local cuisine with a good beverage list, take yourself across the highway to the Juniper Hotel Bistro for brunch or dinner. It’s a well kept secret with seating looking directly at the iconic Mount Rundle, so I usually tell people to book their reservation just before sunset for the best experience.
And, finally, dessert. While obnoxiously branded Canadian and actually made of carbs and not rodents, Beaver Tails are a sugary delight and very worth your money. My favourite? The classic cinnamon sugar.
The iconic Fairmont Banff Springs .
View from the Juniper Hotel Bistro.