Best Restaurants Honourable Mentions
These restaurants didn’t fit into any of our categories or maybe just didn’t quite make the cut, but our Best Restaurants judges deemed each of these eight restaurants more than worthy of an honourable mention.
Gwendolyn Richards picks Naina’s Kitchen.
Photography by Erin Brooke Burns
Karen Anderson’s pick: Nawab
Nawab is an Indian restaurant hidden (and I mean hidden) away in the southwest neighbourhood of Springbank Hill. Once you start eating the garlic naan and tandoori chicken, it sticks in your mind and taunts you ’til you can return for more.
3126, 288 St Moritz Dr. S.W., 403-282-1002, nawabrestaurant.ca
Rosemary Bacovsky’s pick: Charcut
For the house-made charcuterie, hunter’s pie and other delicious meat treats, there’s no place that does it as well as Charcut.
101, 899 Centre St. S.W., charcut.com
Dan Clapson’s pick: Oak Tree Tavern
Oak Tree Tavern is a great pub in Kensington that has really won my heart over. The food is easily some of the best pub fare you can find in Calgary and it’s just a warm, cozy place to spend a couple hours relaxing with friends. Try the dill pickle soup.
2, 124 10 St. N.W., 403-270-3347, oaktreetavern.com
John Gilchrist’s pick: Thai Nongkhai
Easy to miss in an awkward Macleod Trail strip mall, Thai Nongkhai is nonetheless a busy place, and rightfully so. King and Pern Promcharoenwatana serve the richly flavoured dishes of northern Thailand with grace and charm, and it has a fine wine list to boot.
10, 7400 Macleod Tr. S.E., 403-705-3329, thai-nk.com
Jennifer Hamilton’s pick: Sugo
Sugo serves classic, authentic Italian cuisine in a quiet, elegant and unassuming atmosphere in Inglewood. The Caesar salad is my favourite in the city, and the hearty ragu is as authentic a Tuscan dish as you’ll find in Calgary.
1214 9 Ave. S.E., 403-263-1115, sugo.ca
Vincci Tsui’s pick: Szechuan Restaurant
Szechuan Restaurant serves the best authentic Sichuan (Sichuan is now the official spelling) cuisine in the city, if not the province. The spicy dried chilies and numbing Sichuan peppercorns aren’t for everyone, but, if you’re looking for bold, flavourful and inexpensive food, this is it.
320 16 Ave. N.W., 403-276-8876, szechanrestaurant.ca
Gabe Hall’s pick: Buon Giorno Ristorante Italiano
Buon Giorno Ristorante Italiano is an example of unabashed Canadian-Italian dining. Checkered tablecloths, wood panelling and a hearth fireplace accentuate the nostalgic menu that includes more than 40 simply prepared Italian classics, including a breaded and stuffed veal scallopa parmigiana with red sauce and a satisfying layer of melted cheese.
823 17 Ave. S.W., 403-244-5522, buongiornoristoranteitaliano.ca
Gwendolyn Richards’ pick: Naina’s Kitchen
A beef patty on a bun is my idea of bliss, so Naina’s Kitchen, where that patty is stuffed with cheese, fried onions, pulled pork or whatever else one desires, is some kind of burger heaven. The definition of a hidden gem, this Ogden spot proves food made with heart – and stuffed with cheese – can keep me coming back.
8, 2808 Ogden Rd. S.E., 403-263-6355, nainaskitchen.com