John Gilchrist: Calgary's best Neighbour Day eats

The Calgary Eyeopener | CBC News | Posted: June 19, 2015 9:33 PM | Last Updated: June 19, 2015

The Calgary Eyeopener restaurant reviewer's favourite places to dine by quadrant

Image | John Gilchrist

Caption: CBC Calgary's food columnist John Gilchrist runs down his top twenty restaurants of 2017. (CBC)

In advance of Neighbour Day on June 20, restaurant reviewer John Gilchrist decided to list off his favourite eats in Calgary's four corners.

John Gilchrist's best new restaurants in Calgary this year

"What we've seen lately in the city is a lot of good restaurants, interesting restaurants, open up in the suburbs. Avoiding the high-rent districts of 17th Avenue, Mission and downtown," said Gilchrist.

Gilchrist says a true "neighbourhood restaurant" is family run and fairly small. Not a big box, chain restaurant.

Northeast

All of these eateries are located in the same place — the Interpacific Business Park at 3132 26th St. N.E., which Gilchrist says is not "the friendliest looking place, but is packed with multi-cultural restaurants."

Inti (Peruvian)
Clay Oven (Indian)
Fat Kee (Chinese)

Southeast

Gilchrist say the Big Rock Grill at the Big Rock Brewery is good spot for a business lunch in the deep south.
Moroccan Tent in Douglasglen at 11566 24th St. S.E. is run by the former owners of the Moroccan Castle.
"Cheap, cheap, cheap. Not much on the service side, not pretty, but Pho Binh Minh is a great little place," said Gilchrist about the Vietnamese diner in Forest Lawn Plaza located at 4710 17th Ave. S.E.

Northwest

The Block at 2411 Fourth St. N.W is run by a group of experienced restaurateurs who helped open Notable and National beer halls.
Pelican Pier (Seafood) at 4404 14th St. N.W.
Cadence Coffee in Bowness if you don't mind the "fight through the racks of bicycles parked in front to get your coffee and your carrot cake," said Gilchrist.

Southwest

Although the Himalyan on 17th Avenue at 32nd Street S.W. recently stopped serving lunch, the Nepalese restaurant is still open for dinner.
Though Kinjo Sushi and Grill has three Calgary locations, Gilchrist's favourite is at 4000 -150 Millrise Blvd. S.W.

Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus serves up sweet and savoury Dutch pancakes. But beware, the popular south Calgary breakfast favourite gets busy on weekends.