The word brasserie translates literally as “brewery,” but these beloved French institutions are not dark rooms for swilling large tankards of beer and eating battered and deep-fried snippets of meats. Rather, patrons of brasseries can always expect an impeccable, yet casual ambiance and service, highlighted by an extensive menu of classic dishes that are available any time of day, any day of the week.
Parc Caf and Brasserie brings this much-beloved French dining institution to Mount Royal Village. The expansive menu covers dishes representing every corner of France: think onion soup, croque madame, gougres, bouillabaisse, cte de boeuf, cassoulet and, of course, the cornerstone of any respectable brasserie menu, steak frites with roasted shallots, butter and mushrooms. Patrons sitting in the sun-filled front room of Parc have a comfortable vantage point from which they can watch the day’s activities unfold on one of Calgary’s busiest streets while enjoying a glass of wine with their meal.
818 16 Ave. S.W., 403-454-2700, parccalgary.com, @parccalgary
Restaurants in the Best New Restaurants category opened by the end of summer 2015. It gave each restaurant time to find its groove and our judges time to eat there before the deadlines for our March issue. Other restaurants have opened since and they are on our radar for next year.