Food · Calgary · Canada
What to eat in Calgary
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Calgary, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: AceYYC, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Alberta beef, Ginger beef and Caesar. The Calgary Farmers' Market runs from Thursday to Sunday, with Alberta meat, cheese, Saskatoon berry products, bakeries and food stalls for lunch; there are locations in the south and west of the city. Dinner is early by European standards; many kitchens are busiest from 6pm to 8pm.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Alberta beef
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Tip about 15–20% in restaurants and bars, a dollar or two per drink, and about 10–15%…
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dish
1.Alberta beef
Alberta is Canada's cattle heartland, and Calgary's steakhouses serve grain-finished prime rib and steaks from provincial ranches. Many menus name the ranch or the ageing period.
Where: Steakhouses downtown and along 17th Avenue; butchers and the Calgary Farmers' Market for cooking at home.
Dish
2.Ginger beef
Crisp, deep-fried strips of beef in a sweet, sticky ginger-chilli sauce; the dish is widely credited to a Calgary Chinese restaurant in the 1970s and is now served across Canada.
Where: Chinese-Canadian restaurants in Chinatown and across the city.
Drink
3.Caesar
Canada's signature cocktail of vodka, clam-tomato juice, hot sauce and Worcestershire in a celery-salt-rimmed glass was created at a Calgary hotel bar in 1969. Garnishes range from a celery stick to elaborate skewers.
Where: Every bar and brunch spot in the city.
Dish
4.Bison
Lean bison from Alberta ranches appears as burgers, short ribs and steaks on many menus; it is richer and slightly sweeter than beef.
Where: Restaurants featuring Canadian or Rocky Mountain cuisine downtown and in Inglewood.
Breakfast
5.Stampede pancake breakfast
During the Stampede, businesses and community groups serve free flapjacks with sausages and syrup from chuckwagons and parking lots across the city, often with live country music.
Where: Pop-up breakfasts across downtown and the suburbs during Stampede week; listings are published before the festival.
Dish · Vegetarian
6.Perogies
Dumplings filled with potato and cheese, served with sour cream and fried onions, reflect the Ukrainian and Eastern European heritage of the Prairie provinces.
Where: Ukrainian church sales, farmers' markets and family-run restaurants.
Dessert · Vegetarian
7.Saskatoon berry pie
Saskatoon berries, a purple prairie fruit similar to blueberries with an almond note, are baked into pies and jams; the season peaks in July.
Where: Bakeries and the farmers' markets in summer.
Snack · Vegetarian
8.Taber corn
Sweet corn from the Taber area of southern Alberta is sold by the cob in late summer and is famous across the province for its sweetness.
Where: Roadside trucks and farmers' markets, usually from August.
Street food · Vegetarian
9.Mini doughnuts
Hot, cinnamon-sugared mini doughnuts in a paper bag are the classic Stampede midway snack, alongside an annual parade of novelty fair foods.
Where: The Stampede midway in July and summer festivals.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Alberta craft beer
Calgary has dozens of craft breweries, many in industrial areas such as Manchester and Inglewood, brewing with Alberta barley.
Where: Brewery taprooms in Inglewood, Manchester and the Beltline.
Food experiences
Calgary Farmers' Market
The Calgary Farmers' Market runs from Thursday to Sunday, with Alberta meat, cheese, Saskatoon berry products, bakeries and food stalls for lunch; there are locations in the south and west of the city.
17th Avenue food crawl
Walk the Beltline's 17th Avenue SW for a mix of steakhouses, ramen bars, taco counters, cocktail lounges and dessert shops within a few blocks.
Brewery taprooms
Inglewood and the Manchester industrial district have clusters of brewery taprooms that welcome walk-ins, many with food trucks parked outside.
Stampede breakfasts
During Stampede week, follow published listings for free pancake breakfasts hosted by businesses, malls and community associations.
Quick bites and street food
- Stampede pancake breakfast — Pop-up breakfasts across downtown and the suburbs during Stampede week; listings are published before the festival.
- Taber corn — Roadside trucks and farmers' markets, usually from August.
- Mini doughnuts — The Stampede midway in July and summer festivals.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Perogies, Saskatoon berry pie, Taber corn, Mini doughnuts and Alberta craft beer. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Dinner is early by European standards; many kitchens are busiest from 6pm to 8pm.
- Prices exclude 5% GST, which is added at the till; Alberta has no provincial sales tax.
- Book steakhouses and popular 17th Avenue spots for weekend evenings and throughout Stampede week.
- Brunch is a weekend institution, with queues at popular places from mid-morning.
- Restaurants serve alcohol to those 18 and over, the legal drinking age in Alberta.
Tipping
Tip about 15–20% in restaurants and bars, a dollar or two per drink, and about 10–15% for taxis. Card terminals usually suggest percentages.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Yahoo! | The Stampede greeting and cheer |
| Chinook | A warm, dry winter wind that can raise temperatures sharply |
| Plus-15 | The downtown skywalk network |
| The Red Mile | 17th Avenue SW nightlife strip |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Calgary famous for?
Alberta beef, Ginger beef, Caesar and Bison. Alberta is Canada's cattle heartland, and Calgary's steakhouses serve grain-finished prime rib and steaks from provincial ranches.
+Is Calgary good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Perogies, Saskatoon berry pie and Taber corn.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Calgary?
Tip about 15–20% in restaurants and bars, a dollar or two per drink, and about 10–15% for taxis. Card terminals usually suggest percentages.