Who’s Behind It
Concorde Entertainment Group, head chef Bastian Mayer.
What’s on the Menu
Contemporary Mediterranean-inspired shareable dishes.
Why We Love This Place
The Concorde Group dominates Calgary’s dining scene with restaurants ranging from the glittering jewel that is Major Tom, to chef-driven concepts like Model Milk and Pigeonhole. Through it all, Bridgette Bar has maintained comparatively muted-level buzz, but, even so, it remains a local favourite, with a following so strong, it’s still wise to book dinner reservations several weeks in advance, even a full seven years after its initial opening.
Why, in an oversaturated market of restaurants doing contemporary share-plates, does Bridgette continue to float above the pack?
The warmth of the room, with its exposed brick, mid-century flourishes and comfy seating certainly helps. But it’s the food — an eclectic collection of big-flavours dishes designed to be shared — that keeps ’em coming back. Part of the genius here is that the menu is always evolving, albeit slowly, so there’s always something new alongside perennial favourites. The crispy eggplant fries with green harissa yogurt, wood-grilled strip steak with Béarnaise and the now-iconic banana-caramel pie always hit the right balance of bringing culinary comfort, while remaining fresh and fascinating. It’s a formula that has paid off so well that it’s now being exported elsewhere: Concorde opened a Bridgette Bar in Canmore in the spring of 2023, with an expansion in Toronto planned this year.
739 10 Ave. S.W., bridgettebar.com, @thebridgettebar