What’s New and Opening Soon Around 17th Avenue S.W.

So much is happening on 17th Avenue S.W. that is is hard to keep up, so we wrote it all in a list.

In the last five months, 17th Avenue S.W. got a new furniture store, a pop-up clothing store and several new restaurants. And we know of at least five more spots opening up in this area before the end of 2015.

Opening soon on 17th Avenue

Buttermilk

Scheduled opening: May

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Calgary is getting its first waffle house and the city is buzzing with excitement. The restaurant will offer perfectly engineered waffles with a variety of traditional toppings, including maple syrup, curds and caramels. Pair a plate of the comfort food with freshly squeezed orange juice or coffee, all while watching a film that’s being projected onto the wall.

330 17 Ave. S.W., buttermilkfinewaffles.com

Cru on 17th

Scheduled opening: mid May

Lovers of cold-pressed juice will be happy to know that another Cru Juice location is opening up, this time in Mount Royal Village. As well as the same juices that can be found in the Bridgeland location, the new store will also have raw shakes and raw food. Chef Stephen Smee, who has worked at restaurants like Bonterra and Mercato, was Cru’s menu consultant. Unlike the Bridgeland location, the Mount Royal Village location will have a space for Calgarians to sit down with their food and drink and socialize.

816 16 Ave. S.W., crujuice.com

Freshii

Scheduled opening: May

Healthy food that you can take to-go will soon be part of 17th Avenue. Calgary’s first Freshii location will offer the same nutritious products the other locations in more than 60 cities offer: wraps, salads, juices, burritos and frozen yogurt. (Keep your eyes open for a second location in Kensington, too.)

1708 8 St. S.W., freshii.com

Trolley Five Restaurant and Brewery

Scheduled opening: late November

At the end of the year, 17th Avenue will welcome its first local brewery. The team is made up of Wayne Leong (the founder of the Melrose Caf), Ernie Tsu (previously the owner and operator of 1410 World Bier Haus), and PJ L’Heureux (the president of Western Canada’s Craft Beer Market). The restaurant portion will seat 200, the bar will seat 70 and there will be a 30-seat private dining room. The building, which is three floors with a skylight, 30-seat patio and rooftop solarium, is currently being constructed.

The name pays tribute to the fact that 17th Avenue used to be the city’s first street car route. It was known as Trolley 5.

728 17 Ave. S.W., @trolleyfive

West Elm

Scheduled opening: late summer

West Elm’s fourth Canadian location will be here in Calgary, although the specifics are still hazy. The store is advertising for a general manager for the Calgary store, so shoppers can expect to see the store’s doors open before the fall.

Mount Royal Village, westelm.com

What’s new on 17th Avenue

Kit and Ace

Opened: December

This clothing store is the brainchild of JJ and Shannon Wilson, the son and wife of Lululemon founder Chip Wilson. The store sells casual, comfortable shirts made out of technical cashmere. Even though it’s a pop-up now, Wilson says that Calgarians can expect a permanent store by the end of this year.

101, 1019 17 Ave. S.W., kitandace.com

Modern Duke

Opened: Late December

Paul and Elmira Barry own and operate One Cycle Spin and two hot yoga studios. Last winter, they also opened this home furnishings store on 17th Avenue. The store offers a range of luxury brand furniture, bath products, lighting and decor, all of which have been sourced from across the globe.

808 16 Ave. S.W., 403-283-3598, modernduke.com

Le Parc Caf and Brasserie

Opened: April

Parc comes from Creative Restaurants Group, the same group that brought Calgary Bonterra, Cibo and Posto. Unlike the majority of the group’s other restaurants, Parc focuses on French cuisine. Find dishes such as croquettes, gnocchi la parisienne and steak frites, as well as an impressive dessert menu that includes baked-to-order madeleines. The restaurant seats 120 and has a street-side patio that seats an additional 20 diners.

818 16 Ave. S.W., 403-454-2700, parccalgary.com

PDR

Opened: January

PDR, which is short for Private Dining Room, is an extension of Model Milk and focuses on private and special events. The gorgeous room, which was designed by the Calgary-based company RAD Architecture, seats 60 and boasts an open kitchen concept and minimalist decor. Keep your eyes peeled for information about special events happening here.

308 17 Ave. S.W., 403-265-7343, modelmilk.ca

The Village Flatbread Co.

Opened: April

The Village Flatbread Co. specializes in rustic, flatbread pizzas. What’s most unique about this restaurant is how the pizzas are named. Each pizza is named after a Calgary neighbourhood or BRZ. The Bridgeland pizza is loaded with salami, pepperoni and sausage; the Sunnyside pizza is topped with potato, bacon and fresh cheese curd; and the Kensington pizza has chicken, goat cheese and bean and corn chili. (Other pizzas include the Marda Loop, the Bowness and the Mission.) There are also buns (Dover, Aspen and Parkdale) and bowls (Connaught, Montgomery and Ramsay.)

2511 17 Ave. S.W., 403-888-1200, myvillageyyc.com

Tropical Latin Street Food and Cocktails

Opened: February

Owners Dalila Rubio and Fabio Ferrer moved their Latin restaurant from Centre Street to 17th Avenue just a few months ago. For more than five years, Tropical has been selling a range of authentic Latin menu items. One of the most popular menu items sold here, according to the owners, is the ceviche trio made up of marinated salmon, scallops and tuna. The venue itself is also a celebration of Latin street culture.

1424 17 Ave. S.W., 403-453-1214, tropicalon17.ca