Dining
Dining in Alberta is an eclectic culinary experience. Choose an eatery that reflects our rich multi-cultural heritage or try one of the many restaurants committed to using local produce. From down home to uptown, food festivals and farmers' markets, gourmet vegetarian to our famous Alberta beef, there's something for every palate.
Calgary
Fine Dining
Calgary fine dining cuisine choices are hard to beat. Start with the locally grown, fresh-from-the-field produce, wild game, mouth-watering local cheeses and homemade sausages—all of which grace the tables of the many fine eateries in Calgary, including a restaurant rated by the Michelin Guide as one of the best in Canada. We don’t skimp on atmosphere either—try a heritage ranch house in the middle of the largest urban park in Alberta or an architectural wonder on an island in the Bow River in the heart of downtown.
For those who crave the classic steak house where chefs prepare AAA Alberta beef to perfection, you’ll have some legendary spots to choose from. Then go international. From Ethiopian to Hungarian, from Vietnamese to Mongolian, Calgary dining has what you’re looking for.
Home Cooking
For the freshest Alberta produce and a chance to chat with local farmers, pop by Calgary’s Farmers' Market (year-round on weekends), where you will find stands laden with seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh herbs, handmade preserves, fresh or dried flowers, baked goods and our famous Alberta honey. Local protein producers offer everything from ostrich steaks to bison burgers as well free range poultry and eggs. Take a break at a food court that caters to all tastes, and browse through locally handcrafted clothing, quilts and so much more.
Festival Feasting
Summertime is outdoor eating time. To sample the best of everything, visit the Taste of Calgary festival in August, where you can buy tickets to sample offerings from restaurants and local beverage companies. Sit back and enjoy the fine fare accompanied by free entertainment.
To discover our competitive nature, come to BBQ on the Bow. This annual two day event on Labour Day weekend in September attracts grill chefs who compete for the Alberta Championship. It's fun for the whole family with live entertainment, activities for children, and the most mouth watering bbq fare you can imagine.
Our multicultural culinary roots are also evident during the annual festivals, where the food often steals the show. GlobalFest, Afrikadey, Greek Festival, Expo Latino, and the Salsa Festival are but a few of the foodfests so popular in Calgary.
Edmonton
Fine Dining
There are many opportunities for fine dining in Edmonton. Try our seasonal prairie Alberta cuisine—wild boar or bison, locally raised lamb or ostrich. And of course you won’t lack for beef in all its myriad forms—from tenderloin tip to juicy homemade hamburgers. Edmonton’s culturally diverse Old Strathcona historical area is home to a multitude of trendy cafés and ethnic eateries. Work off some of that fine food while exploring the boutiques, antique shops, music stores and artistic attractions on Whyte Avenue.
Home Cooking
Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market is a must visit on Saturdays. Local produce, baked goods, flowers, meat and eggs are a given. Stroll around the booths where you'll find jewelery, pottery, homemade furniture and foodstuffs. Pack a snack to take out, or have a meal onsite while listening to the harmonies of local musicians.
Festival Feasting
A Taste of Edmonton spans 10 days in late July and is one of the City’s most anticipated festivals. Here is your chance to sample the food and beverages from over 40 restaurants, each one offering something savoury and something sweet. Held at Sir Winston Churchill Square, there are licensed areas so that patrons may sample a wide variety of wines with their meal. Enjoy the free entertainment on three stages.
At the annual Edmonton Heritage Festival visitors and locals come from near and far to sample the cuisine of more than 70 cultures from around the world.
Around Alberta
Alberta’s swankiest “foodie” event, the International Wine and Food Festival, is held at Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel every October. For novice wine lovers and connoisseurs, get ready for two amazing days of wine tastings, seminars and fine cuisine.
Another culinary extravaganza is the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival, which tours Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer in October. The event features local and celebrity chefs, cooking demonstrations and seminars that offer unique educational tastings at affordable prices.
No matter where you travel in Alberta, you'll find fairs and festivals that celebrate all kinds of regionally grown produce including Fort McMurray blueberries, sweet Taber corn and famous Fahler honey. Some serious competition goes on in the "world's biggest" department—you won't believe the size of the pumpkins they grow in Smoky Lake.
Rocky Mountain Cuisine
Rocky Mountain Cuisine refers to dishes using indigenous ingredients of the mountains, and it’s served at resorts in the Rockies and the more upscale eateries in our gateway cities. This is your chance to try such delicacies as bison steak, elk medallions, local wild mushrooms and juniper berries—guaranteed to surprise and delight the discerning palate.
For a current listing of our restaurants that specialize in regional cuisine, visit Dine Alberta at Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.
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