Who’s Behind It
Founder/proprietor Sal Howell
The Dish to Eat
The Farming Worx duck breast with a squash fondant and carrot purée
When Sal Howell opened River Café as a year-round restaurant on Prince’s Island Park in 1995, outdoor dining was non-existent. “The naysayers back then said I had to be out of my mind to open a restaurant in a park and expect people in all weather to walk there,” says Howell. Fast-forward 30 years and River Café is not only a much-loved institution, but a regular on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants and France’s La Liste, in addition to enRoute and Avenue’s best restaurants lists. Howell created a restaurant that not only reflects its surroundings, but also looks as if it has always been there. The welcoming dining room features an open-concept kitchen, fieldstone fireplace and repurposed wood floors. Well-spaced tables allow for intimate conversations while paddles and fishing baskets decorating the walls add to the fishing lodge-esque charm.
River Café owes its longevity to a variety of factors, including a roster of talented chefs (of note, recently appointed executive chef Kristen Livingston is its first female chef) who stay current and committed to a mandate that champions seasonal, sustainable and especially local ingredients. “When I started the restaurant, ingredients came from anywhere but locally,” explains Howell. “Not only did we put an emphasis on quality local produce, but we helped nurture our suppliers’ businesses, as well.”
As a result, menus are seasonal and hyper-local, and might start with the silky red lentil hummus (a year-round staple), followed by duck breast sourced from Farming Worx, a farm just outside of Calgary. With the absence of locally sourceable pantry goods like olive oil, soy sauce and citrus, chefs rely heavily on River Café’s gardens, and its curing, butchery and fermentation programs. And don’t miss the serious wine pairings found here. Cellar manager and sommelier Bruce Soley sources well-crafted wines (favouring small, sustainable artisanal producers) that pair well with the regional, seasonal cuisine.
25 Prince’s Island Park, 403-261-7670, river-cafe.com, @rivercafeyyc