John Gilchrist's top 10 new restaurants in Calgary
It's John Gilchrist's most anticipated column of the year — his list of the best new restaurants in Calgary. Competition was so tight for the best restaurant, Gilchrist declared it a tie.
- Listen to Gilchrist's interview on CBC's Calgary Eyeopener as he goes through his year-end list of Calgary's best new restaurants. Click on the "Listen" button.
1) Candela
Candela — which means flame in Spanish — is a tapas-style restaurant featuring a lively atmosphere with a food concept of what the owners call global small plates.
1919 Fourth St. S.W.
1) Avec
Run by industry professionals, this place is a lovely, classy French bistro.
#105-550 11th Ave. S.W.
3) Carino
This Japanese-Italian bistro combines some interesting flavours, and features a great teriyaki Kobe beef burger.
709 Edmonton Tr. N.E.
4) Thai On Zon (Cochrane)
Run by two Thai sisters, Thai On Zon — meaning awesome Thai — has opened a vegetarian restaurant in Cochrane with bright, lively food and rich flavours.
115 Fifth Ave. West
5) Downtownfood
This restaurant features a young chef from Innisfail, Alta., who is really into local, seasonal fare and doing a great job.
628 Eighth Ave. S.W.
6) Cibo
It's lively, it's big, it's loud and it's brassy, and has a big pizza oven in this restaurant that features casual Californian-Italian style cuisine.
1012 17th Ave. S.W.
7) Cucina Market Bistro
It's a rustic eatery that looks like an "odd little Italian farmhouse," and John Michael Macneil — one of the top chefs in the city right now — is doing some really interesting things.
515 Eighth Ave. S.W.
8) Bar C
With a bit of new style, this restaurant features big screens and a bar with some great southwest, contemporary cooking like grilled salmon with a red quinoa salad.
340 17th Ave. S.W.
9) Fine Diner
One restaurant taking a different spin on diner cuisine is out in Inglewood. This eatery cooks up eggs benedict six different ways — including a seared duck breast egg benedict.
1420 Ninth Ave. S.E.
10) National Beer Hall
This new beer hall features more than 100 craft beers, and "really good food" — everything from pickled eggs to oysters.
550 17th Ave. S.W.