New Restaurant: The Guild

Focused on live-fire cooking and locally sourced meats, The Guild is Oliver & Bonacini’s first restaurant in Western Canada.

Photograph by Cindy La.

It’s been a long time coming, but one of the latest additions to Stephen Avenue was well worth the wait. The Guild opened in the Hudson’s Bay building last month, three years after Toronto-based restaurant group Oliver & Bonacini officially announced that it would be opening its first restaurant in Western Canada.

This is the 14th restaurant for Oliver & Bonacini, whose other eateries include Canoe, Bannock, Luma and Biff’s Bistro in Toronto. Open for lunch and dinner, The Guild initially opened its doors in early July with a Stampede pop-up menu before launching its regular menu on July 21. The two-level restaurant also has a large patio that overlooks Stephen Avenue.

In the kitchen, executive chef Ryan O’Flynn and his team are serving up a menu centered around live-fire cooking and locally sourced meats. Beretta Farms steak frites barnaise, Braised Jacob’s ladder bison, slow roasted pig’s head and a melt in your mouth maple glazed brisket are just a few of the meaty dishes available. If you’re not in the mood for red meat, the gin and tonic salmon, beefsteak tomato, calamari and four different salads are other great options on the menu.

The bar, which faces the kitchen, is a great spot to order a drink and bar bites like the deep fried mac and cheese, fire-roasted kielbasa and more. The drink menu features several signature and classic cocktails, beer, and wine by the glass and bottle. The Guild’s happy hour runs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and from 9 p.m. to close.

The Guild isn’t quite finished growing yet, either. The restaurant will be opening a separate bar area soon, and come October, a cocktail-focused speakeasy-style space will call the basement home.

200 8 Ave. S.W., 403-770-2313, theguildrestaurant.com, @theguildcalgary

A view of The Guild’s dining room, featuring a mixture of table and booth seating with brass accents. Photograph by Cindy La.

 

Grab a seat at the bar to catch a glimpse into the kitchen while you sip on a cocktail, glass of wine or a beer. Photograph by Cindy La.

 

Those sitting at the bar may also catch a glimpse of the live-fire cooking going on at this grill in the kitchen. Photograph by Cindy La.

 

One of the most visually arresting dishes on the menu is the slow roasted pig’s head. Meant to be shared, the dish comes with choucroute of apple, turnip, cabbage and mustard. Photograph by Cindy La.

 

The gin and tonic salmon, which features organic salmon, Irish soda bread, cucumber, creme fraiche and tonic gel, makes for a great starter. Photograph by Cindy La.

 

[Correction: A previous version of this story stated that The Guild is Oliver & Bonacini’s 11th restaurant. In fact, it is their 14th.]

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