CALGARY, AB

BRIDGELAND

Shiki Menya | slurp some exceptional ramen while listening to hip-hop classics | drink icy green tea or their collaboration beer for hydration | B | visit

Cannibale | it may sound oxymoronic for a speakeasy to have a patio, but believe us, you’ll love the paradox | exceptional cocktails and nachos that’ll haunt your dreams | visit

Lil Empire | flat-top burgers made with the best local ingredients | you couldn’t possibly support nicer people | visit

JINBAR | korean-inspired fried chicken and pizza that’ll confound and delight simultaneously | we’d suggest grabbing some takeout and crushing a bottle of gamay by the river | BW | visit

First Avenue Corner Store | truly hedonistic katsu sandos and curry buns you’ll want a dozen of | frozen items to take home | B | visit

Diner Deluxe | modern take on a classic diner | an unpretentious place to eat hilariously delicious breakfast sausages and drink local beer | visit

Seahood | completely astounding chinese seafood dishes unlike anything we’ve ever tried before | if you’re opting for take-out, we’d suggest having plenty of riesling on hand | B | visit

Deepak’s Dhaba | wildly complex aromatics and masterfully balanced dishes | their frozen foods and pantry items are unbeatable | drink more gewurztraminer | B | visit

Rau | this family-run vietnamese restaurant packs electric fresh flavours into every bite | their infamous ‘beef 7 courses’ is one of many standouts | B | visit

Made by Marcus | charming ice cream shop serving up inventive flavours to legions of loyal fans | visit

Village | beautiful ice creams in a charming plant-filled space next to the park | new location for this calgary classic | visit

Bridgeland Market | adorable market with all the best produce and sundry items | this is your spot for cheese, flowers, take-home meals, baked goods, and coffee | visit

Spark | this interactive science center has plenty of ever-changing exhibits to keep you entertained | keep an eye out for their adults only after dark events | visit

Tom Campbell Hill | off-leash dog park with one of the best views of downtown calgary | visit

INGLEWOOD / RAMSAY

Raindog | an eccentric beer bar with one of the most compelling lists we’ve ever seen | house-made and thoughtfully sourced provisions to keep you drinking forever | visit

Deane House | located in a historic building, this restaurant focuses on spiffy canadiana made from local ingredients | their diverse wine list has a couple of natural wines for the hawkeyed diner | W | visit

The Eden | the epitome of a welcoming family restaurant | comforting classics alongside a thoughtful wine list | visit

Dandy | the original gangster of calgary’s micro-brewery scene | rotating taps and pizza whose crust you’ll mirthfully finish every time | visit

88 | 90s-inspired brewery serving up some of our favourite beers in the city | home to Mixtape, a pop-up sandwich shop with spectacular handhelds | visit

Ol’ Beautiful | wonderful warehouse and courtyard space to drink crowd-pleasing beers and boozy slushies | the brewery hosts A1 Burrito for all your outlandish quesadilla needs | visit

Eight Ounce | a showroom filled with all the wildest coffee gear someone could ask for | grab a refresher from their gorgeous new bar or snag a bag of rare beans to take home | visit

Oak & Vine | this small liquor store always seems to have the rarest beers when I’m the most thirsty | dashing little wine collection including a handful of natural leaning producers | N | visit

NAQP | a tiny clothing shop focusing on ethically made garments built to last a lifetime | denim geeks rejoice | visit

Plant | wildly successful local plant store whose friendly staff can help you build your own terrarium or choose a new succulent for your home | well-curated collection of housewares | visit

Knifewear | the sheer number of masterfully made, hauntingly beautiful japanese knives in this shop has been known to cause uncontrollable joyous weeping followed by the immediate spending of one’s life savings | visit

Recess | if you’re prone to accidentally buying an entire primary school worth of stationary, avoid this shop at all costs | the best writing utensils and notebooks you’ll ever need | visit

Kent of Inglewood | a shop packed with things that you didn’t know would make your life better | straight razors with horn handles, milled portuguese soaps, handmade axes, mesmerizing perfumes, oil to make your beard glisten, and so much more | visit

Silk Road | exotic chiles, fragrant herbs, perfectly plucked saffron, gin botanicals, salts from regions you can’t place on a map, and fine-tuned spice blends | visit

Recordland | cancel your plans, you’ll be up to your eyeballs in this windowless music mecca for hours | includes a small but well-curated section for new releases | visit

Fair’s Fair | a caverness used book store you can easily get lost in for hours | i’ve made some thrilling discoveries in their poetry section | visit

NVRLND | incredibly inclusive local gallery giving up-and-coming artists a place to show their work | visit

Esker Foundation | this top-floor gallery always has awe-inspiring exhibitions | visit

Bird Sanctuary | this birder’s paradise follows a gently flowing river with paths meandering through the forest | worth visiting year round if you need a peaceful dose of nature | visit

The Dark Crystal | technically called ‘harvie passage lookout’, this riverside hangout is ideal for dunking your feet on a hot day | if you’re into kayaking, this is your chance | visit

KENSINGTON

Wine Bar | this basement bar has been a cornerstone of the Calgary wine scene for as long as we can remember | perfect bistro snacks to accompany a wide array of bottles | N | visit

Dairy Lane | breakfast of champions in this fifties diner | they work with an all-star list of local suppliers to bring you the most delicious bites | visit

Fuwa Fuwa | these obscenely fluffy japanese pancakes are as delicious as they are novel | the matcha white chocolate is worth the long wait times | B | visit

Pepino’s | og italian sandwich shop for no-frills submarines | hard to beat a legend | visit

Kensington Wine Market | one of calgary’s original independent wine shops | a world-class collection of rare spirits | N | visit

Vine Styles | small bottle shop with the kindest and most caring staff | you can always find great value on the shelves as well as a few thoughtfully selected natural options | NW | visit

Peasant | cheese nerds doing what they do best | their selection of charcuterie, preserves, oils, vinegar, crackers, tinned fish, and other treats dazzle me every time | W | visit

The Plaza | newly refurbished vintage movie theatre showing old movies and serving local beer, cocktails, delicious baked goods, and popcorn with real butter | one of the most beautiful renovations in the city | visit

Sunnyside Natural Market | my personal favourite grocery store in the city | incredible seasonal produce from farmers they’ve cultivated long relationships with | includes a Sidewalk Citizen Bakery if you need a baked good while shopping or a loaf for the dinner table | visit

Riley Park | one of the nicest places in the city to have a picnic or play cricket | hit up the wadding pool if it’s hot and you’ve got little ones | visit

MISSION

Carino | tragically underrated and inventive italian-japanese mashups | outrageously good ramen served alongside a stoic list of vinous classics | the tea service is next level | B | visit

Roy’s | the third iteration of our friend’s joyous and soulful take on korean comfort food | give me gochujang and riesling or give me death | B | visit

Bincho | japanese izakaya with all our favourite drinking foods | order a dozen skewers and drink too much sake | B | visit

Yann | pastries sent directly from heaven to your mouth | chewy baguette, macarons, and gorgeous cakes | visit

Peasant | cheese nerds doing what they do best | their selection of charcuterie, preserves, oils, vinegar, crackers, tinned fish, and other treats dazzle me every time | sensational sandwiches for lunch | W | visit

Bin 905 | beautiful wine shop with a superb selection of high-end classics and sneaky natural wines | check out the rarities room for big bottles | N | visit

Lindsay Park | beautiful riverside park with a small disc golf course, playground, and lounging area | next to a gorgeous workout facility, olympic swimming pool, and running track | visit

THE BURBS

SW

Empire Provisions | butcher shop with spectacular frozen meals and pantry items | excellent place to grab a leisurely lunch | visit

Our Daily Brett | extensive collection of home and pantry goods from local legends and international icons | frozen and fresh meals to go | conservas, natural wine, chocolate, coffee, and anything else you can think of | visit

Actually Pretty Good | ultramarine pizza shop with a coy selection of natural wines | featured pies are always incredibly inventive | wild fermented gf crust available | visit

Garbonzo’s | chickpea-centric falafel joint serving satiating bowls and pitas | convenietly situated inside Neighbour Coffee so you can get energized simultaneously | visit

SHIMIZU | an adorable little japanese restaurant specializing in ramen, mazesoba, and donburi | B | visit

The Himalayan | nepali food that will absolutely alter your mind | fresh flavours that pair best with crisp mineral white wines | B | visit

Yim Siam | thai restaurant serving up hard-to-find classics like hoi tod, haw mok pla, and laab moo | get take out and crush some cider | B | visit

BeeFun | hot-pot restaurant serving up premium cuts from aaa alberta beef as well as offal for more adventurous eaters | B | visit

The Greek Corner | wildly satisfying food made by a sweet family of first generation greek immigrants | you’ll be blown away by the kleftiko, moussaka, calamari, and dips | visit

CSPACE | gorgeously renovated and repurposed historic building hosting gallery space and workshops for local artists | keep an eye on their weekly events including artist talks, classes, and a farmers market | visit

SE

Establishment | micro-brewery cranking out some of the most complex and drinkable beers in the city | crush a pint in their tap-room or grab something to go | visit

Annex | consistently crowd-pleasing beers served in a beautiful space | burger wizards Lil Empire have taken over their kitchen making this a match made in heaven | visit

Confluence | a craft distillery whose gin and aquavit we can’t get enough of | grab a cocktail and order Una Pizza directly to the bar | visit

Beirut | fresh lebanese food including charcoal grilled meats | grab some takeout for your white burgundy cravings | B | visit

Zushi | a tiny omakase counter with access to incredibly fresh and diverse seafood | inventive and expertly crafted sushi in a market next to superb vendors like D Dutchmen Dairy, Man’s Eggs, and Pioneer Charcuterie | B | visit

Hue Thuong | vietnamese restaurant with some fantastic specialties like the bun bo hue and bun hen | perfect pairing for aromatic orange wines | B | visit

Krazy Jerk | wickedly flavourful caribbean food including some of our favourite jerk chicken in the city | our pairing suggestions include champagne and tall boys of cider | B | visit

Banh Mi Nhu Y | when I get a craving for these vietnamese sandwiches, nothing can stop me from making the trek to international avenue | take home frozen cha gio dong lanh and bo la lot for an amazing lunch | B | visit

Ba Mien Quan | heartwarming vietnamese dishes including rarities like snails and crawfish | bowls of aromatic broth and wonderful takes on spring rolls | B | visit

SUPREME DOSA | these satiating crepe-like fermented indian specialties are served with wickedly aromatic dips | a cult classic for those who know | B | visit

Bravo | when I’ve got a hankering for pupusas, this is my spot | ideal pairing for low alcohol chilled reds | B |visit

My Tho | vietnamese deli with a killer selection of barbecued, cured, preserved, and fresh meats | order one of their boxes in place of charcuterie for parties or grab a sub if you’re passing by | B | visit

Hiep Hoa | one of the best grocery stores in the city | fresh seafood, hard to find condiments, obscure fruit, and adventurous snacks that’ll keep you coming back | B | visit

Meta4 | the original oyster yoda selling some of the finest aquatic edibles money can buy | if you’re lucky, you’ll also find truffles, foraged mushrooms, maple syrup, grass-fed butter, wild greens, and top-tier mustard | visit

BLDR | the ideal bouldering gym fully equipt with a coffee shop and snack bar | ideally located next to too many breweries | visit

Workshop Studio | ceramics studio with wonderful classes | some of our favourite local artists work out of this space | W | visit

NE

Azzuri | it doesn’t get more family-run than this little pizza shop | two kids and their momma making the most underrated pies in the city | visit

Song Huong | vietnamese restaurant serving classic dishes with popping bright flavours | pho dac biet and banh loc tom thit are amongst the dozens of great options | B | visit

Golden Sands | these dim sum specialists have all the rarities including squab, beef tendon, and trotters | call ahead for corkage because you’re going to need some top burgundy on the table | B | visit

Thai Siam | phenomenal thai food prepared by an adorable couple | pad kra pao, mo ping, and pork jowel larb were huge standouts | B | visit

NW

The Artist Lounge | cocktail bar inside the ruberto ostberg gallery | small plates and a handful of tasty wines by the glass | N | visit

Market Wines | located a few blocks from the university, this wine shop has one of the best selections in the city | thoughtfully farmed classics are the name of the game | next door to Monogram’s impeccable café | N | visit