FinePrint
Calgarians may remember the space that now hosts FinePrint as the former Divino restaurant. But only those with very long memories know the Stephen Avenue sandstone building was originally constructed in 1893 as the headquarters for the Calgary Herald. The restaurant pays homage to that legacy by integrating some of the original brickwork with its clean, modern design, along with whimsical newsprint-themed artwork on the walls and newsroom/writerly references on the menu.
113 8 Ave. S.W., fineprintyyc.com, @fineprintyyc
JinBar
The 114-year-old de Waal Block in Bridgeland is named after a Dutch family that owned the building for the better part of a century. It’s fitting that JinBar’s Jinhee Lee, who is originally from Korea, carries on the tradition of newcomers to Canada making their mark on the city with her restaurant on the building’s main floor. Lee’s Korean fried chicken, pizzas and other flavour-packed bites nicely contrast the room’s classic tin ceiling and other original details.
24 4 St. N.E., jinbar.ca, @jinbaryyc
The Nash
The space that is now The Nash was for a time, one of the most infamous venues in the history of Calgary’s nightlife, the National Hotel. Built in 1907, the three-storey hotel earned a reputation as a place for ne’er-do-wells to lay their heads after a visit to the downstairs dive bar. Later a punk rock-friendly music club, the once dingy National is now a classy restaurant, but its rebellious spirit lives in the Prohibition-era vibes of the space-sharing Off Cut Bar.
925 11 St. S.E., thenashyyc.com, @thenashyyc
Deane House
One of Calgary’s most historic sites, the Deane House was named for former resident Richard Burton Deane, the last-serving North West Mounted Police Superintendent in Calgary. It was built in 1906 on the site now known as The Confluence and moved across the river to its current spot in Inglewood in 1929. In 2015, the Fort Calgary Historic Preservation Society redeveloped the Deane House garden, grounds and historic home. In 2016, restaurateur extraordinaire Sal Howell opened the space as an elegant dining destination, paying reverence to the building’s pedigree in both design and concept. The Hunt House — officially Calgary’s oldest building still standing in its original location — is on the grounds of the main house, giving a visit to Deane House extra historical oomph.
806 9 Ave. S.E., deanehouse.com, @deanehouseyyc
