Congratulations to Proof who have been unwaveringly living and breathing cocktail culture for ten years. And they’ve been included in Canada’s 50 Best Bars list seven times in the last eight years and The World’s 50 Best Bars Discovery List for the last four years! 1302 1 Street SW, Calgary, proofyyc.com
Do you know of any Alberta restaurants/bars having big anniversaries this year? Let us know too!
Acme Pizza has levelled up - after being a staple in Calgary’s Sunalta and Renfrew communities for over three years, the much-loved pizza spot has expanded into a full-fledged Italian restaurant in the old Vendome location, bringing its signature comfort food to Sunnyside as Acme Pizza and Pasta. While you’ll still find their seriously good pizzas on the menu, owners Dean Symonds and Jason Wankel have introduced a bold and elevated Italian menu, crafted with the help of pasta chef Elyse Trimble and executive chef Alex Row. Don’t miss Italian staples like the fresh burrata salad and the beautifully executed chicken cacciatore, but do try the new dishes - Mare e Monte squid ink pasta with prawns, calamari, and oyster mushrooms is rich and flavourful — and the real standouts? Prawns Fritto with salami marmaletta (a surprising and delicious pairing you won’t soon forget) and Chili-Crab Capoletti with Dungeness crab, lemon-ricotta stuffed pasta, and chili-basil lobster sauce – it’s a plate-licker! 940 2 Avenue NW, seven days 4-late, acmepasta.ca
At the time of writing, we’re still crossing our fingers for Tu Le, owner of Edmonton and St. Albert’s Jack's Burger Shack. Seven competitors started competing on The Big Burger Battle (streaming on the new Flavour Network and Stack TV) for $25,000, an all-inclusive vacation for two, as well as of course - for bragging rights! Calgary’s Andrew Phung is hosting the show with fellow Calgarian, Charcut/Charbar’s Connie de Sousa, who is judging the competitors along with author, burger expert, and TV personality George Motz. Le is the only Albertan on the show against stiff competition from Montreal and America, and while it’s all ups and downs on TV, Jack's Burger Shack has been declared Best Burger in Edmonton (by the Edmonton Sun), and Best Burger in the World (by the Edmonton Journal). No pressure!
Edmonton’s Next of Kin Cocktail Bar is getting rave reviews, even though they modestly say they’re ‘just a neighbourhood bar’. Open in the former Shojo Izakaya space at 10425 121 Street NW, the latest project from Ben Staley (of North 53, Alder Room, and Yarrow), is first and foremost a bar creating masterful and memorable cocktails and while Chef Brett Barger insists Next of Kin is not a dinner spot, everyone’s absolutely loving the snacky plates: the crisp celery pickles, charred cabbage, cheese covered churros, olives, tuna sourdough, long tots, and Kin burger, are elevated and carefully crafted – and don’t leave before having the soft serve. Sit at the bar in this stylish room, and watch the very professional and knowledgeable staff, and watch out for ongoing collab pop-ups with guest bartenders. No reservations, walk-in only Tuesday-Saturday 6 pm-late.
OTTO Food and Drink has a new concept at lunchtimes. Nine years after opening Edmonton’s OTTO (for us that’s Otto ‘the sausage spot’, and we love that concept too!), Ed Donszelmann has launched Tulip Sandwich Shoppe at his Otto location at 11405 95 Street NW, offering elevated and delicious sandwiches to eat in or take away. Using local ingredients, such as Fuge chorizo, choose from ‘Slappy Joe’ (Otto’s veggie version of a Sloppy Joe!), Tonnato Melt (think Italian tuna melt!), whatever the ‘strata’ of the day is when you visit (Bacon Jalapeno Popper Strata, yum!), or a Roasted Red Pepper Bisque – you’re going to be happy with whatever tickles your fancy on this small menu! Thursdays-Sundays 10 am-1 pm, ottofoodanddrink.com
Edmonton’s Don’ya Ukraine’s Kitchen is growing! Not long after launching Canada’s first Ukrainian Kitchen to support newcomers affected by war, Janice Krissa and her daughter Jorgia Moore, have opened a second location in the former Julia’s space at 10405 Jasper Avenue, where you can get your fix of traditional varenyky (cabbage rolls), Ukrainian borscht, Ukrainian perogies, desserts and more, all handmade by Ukrainian newcomers. 8am-3pm, Monday-Friday.
Welcome Cavernus, Calgary’s new wine club and lounge, hidden in the historic Alberta Hotel basement (previously The Cellar) on Steven Avenue. Len and Angela Gostick, along with partner John King, took two years to find the perfect space to create this relaxing atmosphere. They’d wanted a historic building with character and energy - exactly what they achieved with this beautiful sandstone landmark. There’s even a table with four chairs in the centre of the lounge that is rumoured to be where the Big Four sat, drank, and discussed their new venture, the Calgary Stampede! What makes Cavernus unique is that membership brings exclusive benefits if you’re looking to build a wine collection or have a Cavernus wine concierge source exclusive and rare finds for you, and store them in your private locker. You’ll always have a table ready, no corkage fees, and access to member-only events, private rooms, and special tastings. Public reservations are welcome too - try the ever-changing wine flights of three 2.5-ounce pours, with optional food offerings. 137 8 Avenue SW, closed Sundays, cavernus.ca
Bizarre Gastro Pub has officially opened its doors in Ramsay at 2016 Spiller Road SE, and if you’re looking for a unique experience, this is the place. Prepare to be spoiled by the variety of food options and blown away by the creative (and seriously tasty) drinks. So when you hear from Executive Chef Anshul Narula that a molecular menu is on the way, you know things are about to get even more bizarre! While happily delivering on comforting pub favourites, it’s Bizarre’s standout dishes — like the firecracker calamari, strawberry champagne cheesecake, and perfectly crafted lobster rolls — that really steal the show. And you’re sure to love the colourful murals and thoughtfully curated decor that give the space a distinctly stylish, creative vibe. Seven days 11-late, bizarregastropub.ca
Enigma Bar & Kitchen is open in Edmonton’s former On Edge Brewery, with a food and drinks menu designed for everyone to find something that appeals to eat and drink here. From tacos, wings, nachos, and an ‘enigmatic’ selection of warm handhelds (chicken tikka hotdogs!), to pizzas (gluten-free too) and pastas with no shortage of options and add-ons, there’s an extensive selection of cocktails, both alcoholic and – we’re pleased to see, plenty of alcohol-free choices too. 10308 81 Avenue NW, seven days, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. enigmabarkitchen.com
The six Jerusalem Shawarma brothers have opened their fifth Edmonton location! The new central location is at 11305 104 Avenue, serving up the same healthy and flavourful, Middle Eastern dishes (more than 50 choices!) of halal meat and veggie plates, skewers, shawarma and wraps, poutines, salad bowls and rice bowls, as their twelve Calgary locations and four other Edmonton locations! Mmm… just writing about them is making us hungry! Seven days, jerusalemedmonton.com
Pie Junkie’s new Calgary location is now open, just in time for their new summer menu, and the return of their fan-favourite, cookie crumble ice cream pies! Nishant has been chef at Pie Junkie for five years and worked in every location: Mahogany, Crowfoot, Spruce Cliff, and the recently closed Kensington store (insider information: there’s a new one coming soon in the west!), and makes sure that the range, quality, and standards, are consistent throughout (consistently excellent, we’d say!), and now you’ll find him here at 180 Legacy Main Street SE. We’ve aways been impressed at Pie Junkie’s choice of sweet and savoury pies, hand pies, brownies and cookies - and now in the freezer, along with the take and bake tart shell, soups, frozen desserts, and a whole gluten-free range, there are single-serve, half savoury/ half sweet, TV dinners to bake at home! Seven days 10-7, piejunkie.ca
There’s no stopping Holy Grill’s Nick Yee – he has a knack of being in the right place at the right time, and making quick decisions on new locations – and along with 10 Avenue SW, 5 Avenue SW +15, Bow Valley Square, and Silverado, his fifth store is open at 1000 Centre Street N in Calgary. It’s beautifully bright with a 25-seat southwest facing patio (and a liquor licence), serving up all day breakfast, super generous paninis and burgers (the focus is on the filling not the bread!), five types of fried potatoes, the crispiest and biggest onions rings in the city, and two dozen add-ons. Come hungry! Banker’s Hall location coming soon… 7:30-8/9 pm, holygrill.ca