Avitus Wine Bar
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Look for this new wine bar in the Avenue Thirty Four Boutiques in Marda Loop. Inside, you can choose from a selection of cheese, meats, pickled vegetables and spreads, or opt for dishes like house made gravlax or oven roasted cheese.
1934 34 Ave. S.W., @avituswinebar.yyc
Clay Pot Asian Food Kitchen
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Located along Crowchild Trail N.W. in St. Andrews Heights, the newly opened Clay Pot Asian Food Kitchen is the sister restaurant of Clay Pot Rice. Tuck into dishes like grilled and braised pork spare rib, beef tartare and shrimp cracker nachos while taking in the videos and moving imagery playing on the walls while you dine.
2122 Crowchild Tr. N.W., 403-452-9855, @claypotyyc
Congress Coffee
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“Strong Coffee. Good Company. Great Music.” That’s what you can expect at this new coffee shop in northeast Calgary, which takes guests back to the ’90s café scene. Along with tea and coffee (including pay-what-you-feel drip coffee), the menu features a few snacks like a turkey sandwich, chickpea curry salad and the Brekky Burrito. Look for live music, comedy and other events starting in March.
1A, 215 36 Ave. N.E., 403-452-7320, congresscoffeeyyc.com
Hitman’s Bar
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Located within Cowboys Casino, this new bar is the latest venture from wrestling icon Bret “Hitman” Hart. Between hosting wrestling and sporting events and the mix of Hart’s memorabilia on display, this space is a wrestling fan’s dream. Try cocktails like The Hart Foundation or The Hitman while snacking on casual fare like spicy tuna cakes, steak sandwiches and jerk fried chicken.
421 12 Ave. S.E., 403-703-2903, hitmansbar.com
Jam’s Diner
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Breakfast and brunch fans may recognize this Airdrie diner, which recently opened a second location in the former space of Kane’s Harley Diner in Inglewood. The new location has you covered throughout the day, whether you’re craving pancakes and a Denver sandwich for breakfast or a smoked chicken sando for dinner.
1209 9 Ave. S.E., 403-452-5174, jamsdiner.ca
Lina’s Italian Piazza
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With three Calgary markets to its name already, Lina’s Italian Market has opened a new location in Bite’s former space in Inglewood. Lina’s Italian Piazza offers a substantial grocery area, a coffee bar, gelato and more, not to mention a dine-in restaurant.
1023 9 Ave. S.E., 403-960-1007, linasmarket.com
Monga
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Calgary is now home to Alberta’s first Monga location. The Taiwanese fried chicken chain offers chicken fillets topped with house made chilli powder, salt and pepper seasoning, teriyaki sauce and seaweed powder, and plum powder. You can also opt for nuggets, popcorn chicken, crispy chicken or the Chee-z Signature. Wash it all down with a refreshing fruit tea.
103, 303 Centre St. S.W., @mongaalberta
The Plate
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This new upper-level restaurant in downtown Calgary offers a substantial menu of tasty Korean fare. Come with a few friends to try a bit of everything, with options like sweet soy braised chicken, japchae, spicy noodle rice cakes, bibimbap, pancake plates like kimchi jeon and more.
201, 1104 6 AVe. S.W., @theplate_ca
Primary Colours
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The team behind Monogram Coffee has opened a new restaurant and café called Primary Colours, which is located right beside Monogram’s Britannia coffee shop location. Chef Matthias Fong, who you may remember from his time at River Café and Deane House, is behind the menu here. The morning brunch menu provides options like a shrimp omelette or French toast with a mushroom and brie filling, or you can dine on plates of ginger beets, charred squash ravioli and seafood chowder at dinner. There’s also a small selection of toasts and sandwiches at the counter that you can get to go or enjoy at the café throughout the day.
802 49 Ave. S.W., primarycolours.cafe
Ranchi Cafe + Bistro
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There’s a new spot for breakfast and brunch in downtown Calgary. Ranchi Cafe + Bistro offers a wide range of savoury and sweet options to start your day with, including a fried chicken apple compote waffle, lobster eggs Benedict, omelettes, sandwiches and more.
475 8 St. S.W., ranchicafe.com
Taqueria El Chefe
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Head to 17th Avenue S.W. to dine on Mexican street food at this new restaurant, which celebrated its grand opening on February 8. On the menu, you’ll find a wide range of tacos with fillings ranging from grilled steak to a beer marinated vegetable medley, as well as a selection of birria tacos, pizza, nachos and more. You can also try mains like chorizo con queso or pollo asado.
1438 17 Ave. S.W., @elchefecalgary
More Restaurants That Opened This Year
4.2.4 Bar. Kitchen. Social.
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This new restaurant in Mount Pleasant offers a wide range of casual and hearty pub fare including an onion ring tower, potato skins, burgers, nachos, pan and thin crust pizza, wings and more. Try to swing by during 4.2.4’s happy hour that runs from Mondays to Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m., and keep an eye out for trivia nights starting in March.
101, 2411 4 St. N.W., 403-300-2424, 424yyc.com
Egg & Spoon
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There’s a new spot for breakfast and lunch in Kingsland. At Egg & Spoon, executive chef Jason Moore and his team will help start your day off right with hearty dishes that include carrot cake smoothie pancakes, breakfast huevos nachos, a forest mushroom and smoked cheddar omelette and the restaurant’s signature eggs Benedict with pork belly. At lunch, you can opt for items like a house-smoked pork belly sandwich or the spicy albacore tuna poke bowl.
7729 Macleod Tr. S.W., 403-300-3347, eggandspoon.ca
Iyycburg
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Iyycburg, which has locations in Sundance and Sage Hill already, now has a third location in Hillhurst. This has become a popular spot for smash burgers, bubble tea and milkshakes over the past few years, so stop by to try items like the fried chicken sandwich, a lychee bubble tea or an Oreo milkshake.
234 19 St. N.W., 403-289-3289, iyycburg.com
JoyTea
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This new bubble tea spot in Kensington offers a wide range of refreshing drinks in flavours ranging from passionfruit yakult to creme brûlée tapioca milk tea. If you’re really thirsty, you can even order the Fruit Party Bucket Tea. There are also snacks like chicken wings and tea soup eggs.
130 10 St. N.W., 587-352-7555, joyteayyc.com
Milpa
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Led by chef Elia Herrera, who has competed on Top Chef Canada and Top Chef Mexico, Milpa is a new Mexican small plates restaurant and cocktail bar in the Beltline. Upon arrival, the first thing you’ll notice are the eye-catching turquoise arches in the space. Once you’re settled in, expect a selection of creative cocktails and dishes like coconut ceviche or the Tres Marias that comes with three dips and house made chips.
3, 1531 5 St. S.W., milpa.ca
Mumbai Bites
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You may have already tried Mumbai Bites through its food truck or takeout kitchen, but now you can also dine in at its new restaurant space in Inglewood. The restaurant specializes in progressive Indian cuisine and offers a mix of small plates like vada pav and dahi puri, tandoori kebabs, curries and more.
1214C 9 Ave. S.E., 587-319-6600, mumbaibites.ca
Native Tongues Taqueria
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If you love Native Tongues Taqueria in the Beltline, you’ll be happy to hear that there is now a second location of the popular Mexican restaurant. Located in A1 Cantina’s former space in Britannia Plaza, this second location features the same great menu as the original and will eventually have an all-seasons patio as well. Stop in for a salsa tasting, some tostadas and of course, some tacos.
829 49 Ave. S.W., 403-454-8976, nativetongues.ca
Pizza Face
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Operating out of Community Natural Foods since fall 2020, this popular pizzeria has moved into its own storefront along 17 Ave. S.W. There are nearly a dozen pizza flavours to choose from, ranging from Tony’s Classic Roni to the popular Mikes Pickle pizza. If you’re not sure which one to try, this location does offer pizza by the slice. Pizza Face also serves a few salads, sandwiches (meatball or mortadella) and snacks like meatballs or marinated olives.
140, 515 17 Ave. S.W., 587-585-8669, therealpizzaface.com
Poutinarama
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Specializing in Montreal-style poutine, this new eatery offers the popular dish in several flavours including classic, butter chicken, pulled pork, classic Italian, smoked meat and more. You can also add burgers, hot dogs or a Montreal smoked meat sandwich to your dining experience.
718 Edmonton Tr. N.E., 403-454-1168, poutinarama.com
Zaks Eatery and Market
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Located in the Acadia neighbourhood, Zaks is both a market and an eatery. Patrons can shop for a wide variety of products at the market, including halal meats, produce and grocery items. There’s also an eatery with Middle Eastern, Pakistani and Indian cuisine, which is where you can enjoy dishes like fish pakora, AAA striploin steak, a lamb rack chops platter, chicken karahi and more.
8906 Macleod Tr. S.E., 403-263-0663 (market), 403-692-3099 (eatery), zakseateryandmarket.ca