| Restaurant | Rating | Type of Food | Style | Description | Information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A & W |  | Hamburgers | Fast Food | This was Grant's first experience of fast food back in the time when servers on roller skates put trays on your car windowsill. We still like to go back for the sake of nostalgia, but unfortunately the fries and onion rings are bland and the burgers are OK, but only in a 1950's sort of way. www | MacEwan Hall, U of C 289-1569 North Hill Mall #79 - 1632 14 Ave. NW 282-8222 Northland Village Shoppe 286-9205 518 - 16 Ave. NW 220-9027 Crowfoot Centre 239-8896 Market Mall 286-9008 5120 Shaganappi Tr NW 247-0603 | 4608 - 16 Ave. NW 286-9788 Beddington Co-op 8206 Centre St. N 275-9319 | |||||
| Baskin Robbins |  | Ice Cream | Informal | The fine details of the name of this 31 flavour ice cream parlour vary from the northwest to southeast, but the quality and choice of the ice cream are the same. And there is frozen yogurt too if you are not of the true faith. (That is an ice cream freak.) Needless to say, there is a good vegetarian selection, until they come up with flavours like beef vanilla or chocolate with deep fried pork. | Bay 106 - 4625 Varsity Dr. NW at shaganappi 288-8790 | 516 10816 Macleod Tr. S in Willow Park 278-6611. | www | ||||
| Big T's BBQ and Smokehouse | | Grill | Informal | Here is barbecuing right from the deep south, slow cooked over applewood coals. The secret for economy and pleasure is to go with friends, order one of the big platters that include a taste of everything and pig out. | 2138 Crowchild Tr. NW (across from McMahon Stadium) 284-5959 | Daily 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. | |||||
| Broken Plate Kitchen & Bar |  | Greek | Informal | Large, tasty portions of good Greek food. Good vegetarian selection. www | 159-1829 Ranchlands Boulevard NW 239-8887 | ||||||
| Casa D'Italia Ristorante | | Italian | Informal | A long–time staple of the Calgary Italian eating scene, Casa D'Italia still serves great classic dishes in Dawson sized portions. | 2820 Centre St. SE 403 277-7556 | ||||||
| Chianti Café and Restaurant | | Italian | Informal | Remember that we judge restaurants by what they are supposed to be. So with that in mind, we went to Chianti expecting a "reasonably priced" basic meal. And that is just what we got. The service was friendly. The bread was warm and tasty, and the food was good no-frills Italian fare. Watch for their specials, and you can make the experience even more reasonable. Good vegetarian selection. | #300 20 Crowfoot Cr. NW (Crowfoot Crossing) 547-5020 | ||||||
| Chili's Texas Grill |  | Grill | Informal | Here is a restaurant that at first glance seems to have it just about right. The space is bright and well-kept. The service is friendly, and the menu is broad. But the little things take it down: The ribs—without handi–wipes or finger bowls—were cool, the corn was over-steamed, and the salad was right out of a package from Co–op. We'll be keeping our eyes on Chili's, waiting for those little changes to happen. | North Hill Shopping Centre 16 Avenue & 14 Street NW 210-2438 | ||||||
| Da Guido Ristorante |  | Italian | Informal | The extensive menu gives you an excellent choice of fine Italian dishes. Although now in a relatively new location, this eatery has been at the forefront of Italian food in Calgary for many years. The menu has some vegetarian selections, but Guido will make a dish just for you. Reservations are recommended. | 2001 Centre Steet N 276-1365 | Su Closed M to F 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. from 5:00 p.m. Sa from 5:00 p.m. | |||||
| Earl's | | General | Informal | Earl's serves good food at reasonable prices, but among the good dishes are some very ordinary ones, and some of the small details, like homemade fries are missing, and the hamburger buns don't seem strong enough to support the hamburgers. Good vegetarian selection. | #600 5005 Dalhousie Dr. NW 547-5723 | 1110 - 16Ave. NW 289-2556 | www | ||||
| Extreme Bean Café | | General | Informal | As the name implies, this started as a small coffee house just outside of the downtown area, but has grown over the years to a spot frequented by Foothills Hospital staff, residents of the area and many downtown drones wanting to escape the usual eateries in that area. It has become known as a place of sandwiches—hot and cold—soups, salads, smoothies, milkshakes, and daily specials of all kinds. Unfortunately for this review, we had been told that the wor won ton soup was the best in Calgary, so we all tried it. It wasn't. But we have promised ourselves to return and try some of the other goodies and maybe up the rating a bit. Good vegetarian selection. | 3303 - 3 Ave. NW (off Memorial Drive just below Foothills Hospital) 283-6820 | All Day Every Day | Garden Cafe | | General | Fast Food | This probably isn't a restaurant that you would set out to discover, but there will probably come a time when you will eat here. It is in the General Services Building at Foothills Hospital serving fast, inexpensive, bland, predictable food to the staff and visitors. Surprisingly there doesn't seem to be any stress on wholesome choices. But then again if you eat wholesome food, the hospital won't get you as a patient as often. Wear your CRHA badge and get 10% off. | Foothills Hospital (Frist Floor in the Special Services Building) | 24/7 |
| Ginger Beef Peking House | | Chinese | Buffet | A large selection of average Chinese dishes. | 5 Brentwood Village Mall 282-5090 | ||||||
| Harvey's | | Hamburger | Fast Food | Our favourite we-put-on-it-what-you-want hamburger outlet. Watch though; the rating can fluctuate a little between outlets, but this usually stems from the service, not the food. Good vegetarian selection. | Brentwood Village Mall 282-2230 400 Country Hills Dr. NW 226-9546 (Home Depot) | www | |||||
| Hawkwood Palace Restaurant | | Chinese | Informal | Friendly staff in a pleasant setting make this a sure destination for those in the area. Our decision was split on the food, however. There are some very good dishes, but these are balanced by some quite ordinary ones. So we're sitting on the fence with a 4 rating. You can come to your own conclusions. Good vegetarian selection. |
555 Hawkwood Blvd. NW 241-1888 | ||||||
| Hi-Ball Restaurant | | Chinese | Informal | Their $6.50 lunch buffet has a wide variety and their food in general is good at a low price, but unfortunately quantity and cheapness come at the expense of quality and taste with too much batter and dough and not enough meat and vegetables. Good vegetarian selection. | Stadium Shopping Centre 29 Street & 16 Ave. NW 284-3324 284-3325 | Su and Holidays 4 p.m. - 10 p.m. M to Th 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.; 4 p.m. - 11 p.m. Fr, Sa 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.; 4 p.m. - midnight | |||||
| Highwood | | Gourmet | Buffet | SAIT houses one of the world's great schools for chefs as shown by the number of Olympic medals our cooking teams have won. The Highwood gives these students a change to show their strength. The buffet is one of the largest we have seen. Some of the dishes do try to hard to be new and different, but the overall impression is one of elegance and good taste. Good vegetarian selection. Reservations recommended. |
at SAIT 1302 - 16 Ave. NW Enter off 16 Avenue; use the short-term parking lot. The Highwood is in the John Ware Building to the south of the lot. 284-8615 Ext. 2 www | M to F 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Buffet Th 11:00 a.m. Dinner M to Th from 6:00 p.m. F, Sa Catering 210-4492 | |||||
| Joey Tomato's Mediterranean Grill | | Italian | Informal | The food is filling, trendy "Mediterranean", but the service can be slow. www | #50 Crowfoot Way NW 547-5639 | ||||||
| Joey's Only Seafood Restaurants | | Seafood | Informal | From their original emphasis on seafood, they have now branched out into Tennessee Jack's Rotisserie Chicken & Ribs at many locations. This attempt to be all things to all people seems to have lowered the general quality over the years. Even the original fish and chips are becoming more and more like a packaged frozen entrée you might heat up at home. www | 2120 Crowchild Trail NW 284-4968 620-20 Crowfoot Cr NW 241-8877 3625 Shaganappi Tr (Market Mall Food Court) 288-5639 | ||||||
| Jugo Juice | | Juice | Informal | The staff is friendly and have a good knowledge of what they are making—especially those strange extra ingredients. If you just want a quick, wholesome drink, or even a complete meal with one of their wraps or sandwiches do drop by. Good vegetarian selection—of course. www | Market Mall 202-1224 | University MacEwan Hall 210-3080 | Market Mall 202-1224 | ||||
| The Keg Steakhouse & Bar www | | Steak | Informal | A good medium-priced steak house. Note: They do not take reservations—for reasons we do not understand—so expect long waits at key times. | Stadium Shopping Centre 1928 Uxbridge Drive NW 403 282-0020 | ||||||
| KFC | | Chicken | Fast Food | Some foods are difficult to rate because their taste is unique and can't be compared to anything but other brands that have imitated them. Yes, we know we can't call it "Kentucky Fired Chicken" anymore, because someone might think about the fat content, even though now it is vegetable oil. The gravy and coleslaw have changed from the good old days when the Colonel was alive, but still the taste is addictive, and you get what you expect. | 5012 - 16 Ave. NW Brentwood Mall NW Crowfoot Crossing NW | Home delivery: 296-0000. www | |||||
| The Lazy Loaf & Kettle | | Bakery | Informal | Let's begin with the good stuff. This bakery provides excellent breads and cakes, cookies and squares, and situated just off Memorial Drive below Foothills Hospital, it affords an easy opportunity to take something yummy home for dinner. Some evenings there is live music, and works for sale by local artists hang on the walls. The coffee, however, can dip into the ordinary and the tables tend to be a bit crummy---literally. Sadly on our first visit as sit down customers, two staff members chatted while a line up formed at the till, but we shall continue to drop by, so watch for further developments. Good vegetarian selection. | 8 Parkdale Cres. NW 270-7810 | Su, Holidays 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. M to F 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Sa 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. | |||||
| Leavitt's Ice Cream Shop (LICS) | | Ice Cream | Informal | Here we found everything from cones to milkshakes, from sundaes to fracés--if you have to ask, try one. And for a summer snack or during those winter months when most ice cream parlours go dormant, there are hot dogs, sandwiches, subs, and even donairs. Good vegetarian selection. | 3410 - 3 Ave. NW (just off Memorial below Foothills Hospital) 383-3578 | Weekends 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Weekdays 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. | |||||
| Matador Pizza & Steak House | | Pizza / Steak | Informal | This is another of those restaurants that seem to have been around forever, and in this case, the longevity appears to be deserved. The setting is fresh and bright. The service is friendly, and the thin crust pizza is made with the freshest and tastiest of ingredients. The steak side of the menu we found rather ordinary, so the compromise was a "4" right on the category cusp. | 4625 Varsity Dr. NW (just north of Market Mall) 286-3133 | Su & Holidays 4:00 p.m. - 10 p.m. M 4:00 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. Tu to Sa 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 a.m. | |||||
| Mongolie Grill | | Mongolian | Buffet | A choose–what–you–like–and–they–cook–it–for–you restaurant with a good selection of meats, vegetables, noodles, sauces/condiments and friendly service. Soup, rice and wraps are included as a part of the meal; the cost is based on the weight of what you pick up. There is a 20% discount if you choose vegetarian. They do tend to be a little understaffed. Good vegetarian selection. | 405 - 5005 Dalhousie Dr. NW 286-7779 | M to Th 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. F, Sa 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Su and Holidays 4 p.m. - 10 p.m. | |||||
| Montana's Cookhouse Saloon | | Steak | Informal | This is a main line just-what-you-would-expect steak house with the usual cowboy and logs overlay. And if it hadn't been for the crumbs on the table when we arrived on our last visit, the score may even have been higher. | 112 Crowfoot Terrace NW (Crowfoot Plaze) 241-9740 www | ||||||
| Moroccan Castle | | Moroccan | Informal | The atmosphere of a Moroccan hideaway surrounds you in your private eating space, but this restaurant doesn't do the details as well as The Sultan's Tent. For example, the water for hand washing isn't scented, and there is no bread provided, making eating properly with one's hands more difficult. We also found the dessert rather heavy. But we did appreciate the separate dining area for smokers. Good vegetarian selection. But stairs will limit your access to certain parts of the restaurant. | 217 - 19 Street NW 283-5452 www | ||||||
| Moxie's | | General | Informal | With everything from burgers and sandwiches to pasta and pizza on the menu, restaurants like Moxie's are difficult to grade. Often one or two superb items are dragged down by numerous bland ones, or "home style" can mean you should just have stayed at home and made the sandwich yourself. However, we believe the Moxie's does do things well, and deserves a try if you want a wide variety of items from which to choose at reasonable prices. Good vegetarian selection. www | #13 3625 Shaganappi Tr. NW 288-2663 | ||||||
| Nick's Steakhouse and Pizza | | Steak | Informal | An old Calgary stand by in the traditional steak house mold. | 2430 Crowchild Tr. NW (across from the stadium) 282-9278 Delivery 282-9278 Catering 263-2377 www | ||||||
| Osteria de Medici | | Italian | Informal | Excellent, but overpriced. | 210 10 St. NW 283-5553 | Su 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. M to Sa 11:30 a.m. - midnight | |||||
| Papa John's | | Pizza | Take Out | Good pizza, a little over-priced for what you get. | #230 177 Country Hills Blvd. NW 567-2000 |
3172 Sunridge Blvd. NE 219-8400 | Westmarket Square 1851 Sirroco Dr. SW 217-7373 601 - 17 Ave. SW 693-7272 | Bonavista Square 12101 Lake Fraser Dr. SE 2715757 | |||
| Pelican Pier Seafood Bar | | Seafood | Informal | The service is friendly in a pleasant strip mall location, but the fish was rather bland and the sauces just ordinary. Though we do give them credit for their no smoking time from 5 to 8 nightly and for their daily specials. | 4404 - 14 St. NW 289-6100 | M to Sa 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Su noon - 9 p.m. | |||||
| Quizno's Subs | | Sandwiches | Informal | They're toasty hot with just enough bread. For a fast sub, they are hard to beat. But don't feel you have to pick the large size unless you want two meals worth or have a Dawson–sized appetite. Good vegetarian selection. The name does vary slightly from one store to another, but let the business people worry about that.  Dorothy and Grant prefer the Angus beef, while Scott, the vegetarian in the family gives his approval to the Cheese Melt.www | 59 Crowfoot Terrace NW 547-6886 # 500 5149 Country Hills Blvd. NW 208-0179 Northhill Mall 220-1930 | ||||||
| Red Devil Barbecue & Grill | | Grill | Informal | This is one of those restaurants that stands right on the cusp between two categories. Would we return or wouldn't we? The ribs and other meat dishes were excellent. However, on the other hand, the extras were weak: buns not quite sure if they were warm or not, potatoes that were ordinary and beans right from the can. Reservation are taken on weekdays | 131 Crowfoot Terrace NW Crowfoot Crossing 208-0303 | ||||||
| Red Lobster | | Seafood | Informal | Sea food, but as with many such Calgary restaurants, deep frying and pan frying seem to be the most creative they can get. | 2316 - 16 Ave. NW 282-0952 | Su to Th 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. F, Sa 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. | www | ||||
| Ricky's All Day Grill | | Grill | Informal | The setting is homey; the service is fine; the food is good. All in all, though, this is a pale imitation of other better rib places, and the difference in price would make us shun the pale and take the real. | Crowfoot Crossing 208-3000 5149 Country Hills Blvd, NW 547-9362 | ||||||
| SAIT 4 Nines Cafeteria | | General | Fast Food | Having enjoyed the haute cuisine of the Highwood at SAIT, we decided to see how the common people eat, so joined the students and staff at the cafeteria around the corner. OK, it is campus fast food, but it squeaked into the 4 rating with a good variety of dishes including the unusual at prices even students can afford. | SAIT 1302 - 16 Ave. NW The cafeteria is in the basement of the John Ware Building. www | M to F 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. | |||||
| Salt and Pepper Mexican Restaurant | | Latin American: Mexican | Informal | The setting is pleasantly Mexican, which in itself can warm you up on a blustery Calgary day. The service was good, and so was the food. But it still tended to be a little bland. Perhaps the name is a hint that you need to add the salt and pepper yourself. Good vegetarian selection. | 6515 Bowness Road NW 247-4402 | ||||||
| The Second Cup | | Coffee | Informal | The coffee was a bit strong, and we don't know where the spoons were, but this is an adequate place to pick up coffee for the office or grab a cup while shopping. Good vegetarian selection. | 720 - 1000 Hamptons Dr. NW 208-2333 3625 Shaganappi Tr. NW 286-2060 North Hill Centre 282-6778 5111 Northland Dr. NW 288-9109 | 2025 - 16 Ave. NW 282-6778 | |||||
| Starbucks Coffee Comapny Ltd | | Coffee | Informal | For a good cardboard cup of standardized coffee from a limited menu, this is the place to go. Good vegetarian selection. |
#232a 3630 Brentwood Rd. NW Grentwood Mall 282-6113 919 Centre St. NW 230-7844 #195 - 5005 Dalhousie Dr. NT 202-1555 Crowfoot Centre 208-7100 5149 Country Hills Blvd. NW 241-5501 Sunridge Mall 280-8499 | ||||||
| Sultan's Tent | | Moroccan | Informal | Here is where you go for that slightly different dining experience. Be prepared to eat with your hands and spend the evening taking in the ambiance in your own private “tent". Reservations recommended. | #107 4 - 14 St. NW (off Kensington Rd. and 14 St.) 244-2333 | Sa, Su 5:00 p.m. -10:30 p.m. M to F 5:30 p.m. -10:30 p.m. | |||||
| Tony Roma's www | | Ribs | Informal | Great ribs and other grilled things. What more can one say? | 131 Crowfoot Terrace NW 403 264-7427 |
