Who’s behind it Head chef Jeff Lusis, founder and CEO Bryce Parsons
What’s on the menu Live-fire cooking and craft spirits in a historic Calgary building
When it opened November 2024
Microdistilleries are popping up all over the city, but they can feel like they’re missing something — without full restaurants on site, these spots may not fit the bill for either a casual meal or a special occasion. True Wild Distilling rises above the rest, thanks to its focus on creating a great restaurant that stands on its own (and inside a historic landmark, no less — Calgary Power’s first substation).
True Wild’s opening narrowly missed last year’s cut-off for Best New Restaurants. But the fact that our judging panel still had it on its radar says a lot about the quality of food here.
The kitchen at True Wild is helmed by head chef Jeff Lusis, who spent the eight years previous to the restaurant’s opening working in Sydney, Australia — most recently at Poly and Ester, both famous for live-fire cookery and elegant dishes. He brought that exciting live-fire cooking experience to True Wild, with a menu that feels distinctly Albertan and his Australian experience clearly evident in the simple and brave dishes.
Lusis works with local producers to find the best ingredients and allows them to shine, with a tinge of fire-kissed flavour in almost every dish. And meat and veg are placed on equally high pillars, including the cheeseburger (one of the city’s greatest) and the simply plated pickled vegetables and aioli. Even the bread, a malted barley sourdough, is incredibly complex — and possibly the tastiest I’ve had.
True Wild goes well beyond a tasting room. While its cocktails are fantastic, True Wild is a true gem of a restaurant.
3115 11 St. S.E., 403-245-8269, truewilddistilling.com, @truewildresto
