Canada Guide
Alberta and the Rockies
Cafés and restaurants
1 Bistro Jo Jo 917-17th Ave SW 
403/245-2382 If you want to eat good French food, but balk at the typically high prices, try the exceptional cuisine in this marble-tiled and red-banquette-filled restaurant. Here you can choose between entrées like halibut in creamy white wine and lemon sauce with capers ($22) or duck with blackcurrant berries and Calvados ($25).
2 Caesar's Steakhouse 512-4th Ave SW 403/264-1222 Best place for a huge, perfect steak ($30–45) in the sort of wonderfully cheesy steakhouse – think dimly lit "Roman" decor – that's been around for decades. The rib-eye is considered by many to be the finest slab of meat in town. Opening time: Closed Sun
3 Chianti Café and Restaurant 1438-17th Ave SW 403/229-1600 www.chianticafe.ca A favourite local spot for years: dark, noisy, well priced and extremely popular (try to book ahead), with no-nonsense pasta basics and the odd fancy dish (mains $8–16). Patio for summer dining outdoors.
4 Divino's 8th Ave SW
www.crmr.com/divino Café and wine bar with good Italian food and particularly noteworthy desserts.
5 Earl's 315-8 Ave SW 403/265-3275 Ever-reliable mid-range chain, serving North American food at average prices.
6 
Galaxie Diner 1413-11th St SW 403/228-0001 www.galaxiediner.com Very popular place with authentic diner decor, great breakfasts and fine open grill served at moderate prices. Opening time: Daily 8am–4pm
7 Hy's Steakhouse 316-4th Ave SW 403/263-2222 www.hysteakhouse.com This deep red-carpeted institution has been serving prime Albertan beef in vast quantities since 1955; charbroiled steaks are the house specialty. Fairly expensive, with steaks priced from around $30, and reservations recommended.
8 Joey Tomato's 208 Barclay Parade 403/263-6336 www.joeysmedgrill.com This inexpensive Mediterranean-style grill is part of a small chain, but no worse for that, and is a lively, informal place for a good meal among the plethora of choices in and around the Eau Claire market.
9 Nellie's Kitchen 738B-17 Ave SW A laid-back, popular and informal café. Especially busy at breakfast – which they do superbly; try its notoriously good eggs Benedict ($8.25), two poached eggs on an English muffin with hollandaise sauce, hash browns and fruit. Opening time: Daily 8am–3pm
10 River Café Prince Island Park 403/261-7670 
www.river-cafe.com With Teatro (see below), this is the best of Calgary's restaurants: innovative Canadian cuisine – including game, smoked fish, roasted beet and crab apple borscht and flatbreads – and an informal atmosphere on Prince's Island Park, across the bridge from the Eau Claire Market. Be sure to book ahead. Entrees average $20.
11 The Roasterie 314-10th St NW near Kensington Rd Nice café and hangout attracting an artsy crowd – no meals, but newspapers, notice board and twenty kinds of coffee and snacks.
12 Silver Dragon 106-3rd Ave SE 403/264-5326 The first choice in town for a Chinese meal: this place has been around for over 30 years and uses a team of 15 Hong Kong-trained chefs to conjure up a menu of some 200 dishes. Dim sum is served from 9.30am to 2.45pm, and involves no ordering, just picking hot, tasty tidbits off circulating carts and chasing them down with a bottomless pot of tea. Prices are moderate.
13 Teatro 200-8th Ave SE 403/290-1012 www.teatro-rest.com This is the place to come if you want to dress up a little and drop a little money: the fine Italian-influenced food (mains start at $20) is on a par with that of the less formal River Café. Booking is essential.