änkôr
Fans of chef/owner Danny Beaulieu’s 36-seat restaurant änkôr may find it harder to reserve a table now. Since opening in November 2020, änkôr has secured a place on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants, including the People’s Choice Award, and has been named to Open Table’s Top 100 Best and received a Wine Spectator award two years in a row.
Built on contemporary Canadian cuisine, änkôr puts out an array of inventive, artfully plated dishes like tartare with cheese foam and cauliflower with fermented rhubarb and a cashew crunch. “Techniques such as fermentation and pickling allow us to transform one ingredient as many ways as I can,” Beaulieu says. He insists on several texture profiles, something crunchy, chewy, soft or silky. And a new Coravin wine preserver makes glass pours of more expensive labels possible, so sommelier Julie Hélie has introduced an elevated wine pairing with the tasting menu. Beaulieu also plans to do more chef-collaboration dinners to “keep the creative juices flowing.” — Karen Ashbee
1430 2 Ave., Canmore, 403-675-2424, ankorcanmore.com, @ankorcanmore
Pigeonhole
More than a decade in, Pigeonhole’s still going strong. The restaurant now has two locations, where it leans into its French roots with eclectic sharing plates and an array of cocktail offerings like an Earl Grey martini, Pastis and French 75 with calvados.
Carrying over a selection from the 17th Avenue S.W. location, including the charred cabbage covered in mimolette cheese, hot chicken sando and Nathan’s Famous wieners, this new downtown space in the Pinepple Hall food hall also has new dishes that cater to the corporate crowds and date-night couples.
Start your day with the Goliath’s Full Breakfast or a delicious house-made sourdough topped with nduja or the crab toast. For dinner out, go with butternut squash tarte tatin or mafaldi pasta with harissa butter, basil and Grana Padano, or any of the time-tested fan favourites. Whatever you choose, you will savour every bite. — Patricia Sealy
205, 225 7 Ave. S.W., 403-880-8620 (text only), pigeonholeyyc.ca, @pigeonholebar
Made by Marcus
Oddball ice cream parlours aren’t necessarily unique to Calgary (see Portland or Seattle), but Made by Marcus (MBM) still feels like a complete original. The Marcus doing the making is owner/creator Marcus Purtzki, who holds a university degree in food science and has a passion for both process and flavour, giving him a particular knack for creating ice cream that is both extremely high in quality and refreshingly adult in flavours. Sure, the MBM scoop shops (four in Calgary and two in Edmonton) carry signature flavours suitable for the tamest of palates, but MBM fanatics know to order from the monthly seasonal selections. These combinations range from unexpected to downright absurd — Coffee Tequila Cigar or Lox Bagel, anyone?
Last year, Purtzki released his first cookbook, Made by Marcus, Made by You, featuring over 100 recipes so ice cream aficionados don’t have to wait for seasonal favourites to reappear.
No ice cream machine at home? No problem! MBM hosts ice cream-making workshops to help keen customers whip up pints of their own. — Elizabeth Chorney-Booth
Multiple locations, madebymarcus.ca, @madebymarcus
Lonely Mouth Bar
On a typical Friday, more than 100 servings of udon noodle soups are sold at Lonely Mouth Bar. It’s an “if you know you know” kind of dish. With rich and satisfying broths that steep overnight and that chew from daily house-made udon noodles, Lonely Mouth Bar was a natural choice for this year’s Honourable Mentions. The hearty curry udon is a favourite, featuring a seasoned gravy made with apples, carrots and caramelized onions. Add the five-hour-braised Alberta short rib, and you’ll forget it’s cold outside. In warmer months, the cold Hiyashi Udon is incredibly refreshing, with a bright and flavourful yuzu broth.
Other must-eat dishes: the bluefin tuna tartare, the tonkatsu sando (a breaded sous vide pork with Bulldog barbecue sauce), and the tempura — made to a crispy standard that is not the least bit oily. Happy hour means half-price rolls, drinks and nearly half-price soups. — Liz Middleton
528 17 Ave. S.W., lonelymouthbar.com, @lonelymouthbar
Scozzafava’s Deli
When Scozzafava’s Deli opened in September 2024, Calgarians responded in droves to the pop-up-turned-restaurant. Folks lined up to get a taste of the first-rate Italian deli-style sandwiches, and for good reason. Owner Nick Scozzafava didn’t seek out sandwich fame, but it sure found him.
The sandwiches are simplistic and brave in their execution. There’s nothing particularly fancy, just good ingredients and classic flavour combinations, all done exceptionally well. Hot and cheesy meatball or chicken parms on a crispy roll will always be crowd-pleasers, and it’s hard to go wrong with a classic Italian deli-meat sub with shredded lettuce, tomato, oil and vinegar, dubbed the Hoagie. Don’t be discouraged by the lines — these sandwiches are worth it.
The instant popularity meant that, for the deli’s first few weeks, it was hard to score one of these handheld wonders as they always sold out. Scozzafava’s has caught up with the action, but, be forewarned: the sandwiches still sell out consistently. — Chris Landry
1004 17 Ave. S.W., 403-454-3354, scozzafavasdeli.com, @scozzafavasdeli
Prosperity Bar
Just a few doors down from its sibling, the Vietnamese-themed speakeasy Paper Lantern, Prosperity Bar is a fun, new immersive experience in the former space of the legendary Golden Inn in Chinatown. Stemming from owners Nhi Tran and Tanner Ennis’s love of tiki bar culture, Prosperity Bar is a reimagination of a classic 1960s tiki bar, minus outdated elements of cultural insensitivity and sexualization, making it a welcoming and comfortable space for all.
Every aspect of this tropical bar was intentional — from the island decor to the tiki-style drinks and the North American/Chinese fusion menu. Served in unique mugs with tiny umbrella garnishes, cocktails like the Zombie and Painkiller are classics, strong and precisely executed.
Historically, tiki-bar food was a blend of Polynesian-inspired flavours in North American and Chinese cuisine. Staying true to these roots, the dishes here are a playful and inventive Pan-Asian mix, with silly, yet delicious mashups like the BLT fried rice and Big Mac egg rolls. Come for the tasty and creative food and drink, and stay for the cheeky and nostalgic vibe that perfectly blends escapism and a touch of kitsch. — Patricia Lau
107 2 Ave. S.E., 825-540-1232, prosperitybar.ca, @prosperitybar