It’s been quite the year for Calgary food stories – from celebrity sightings to major openings to devastating closings, there’s been no shortage of things to talk about in 2022.
And whether the year felt like a flash in the pan or like one long slog (or sometimes a bit of both!), it’s always fun to look back and reflect on what we were eating, drinking, and talking about over the last twelve months.
These are the stories you read the most – the ones you shared with friends and gawked over, the ones that made you hungry and happy and angry and excited.
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We share a lot of food news here at Dished, and not everything sticks, but these – these stories slapped.
So without further ado, here are the biggest Dished Calgary stories from the past year.
Legendary rocker Alice Cooper spotted at Calgary restaurant
@buffocalgary/Instagram
The music icon, known for hits like Schools Out, Poison, and No More Mr. Nice Guy, popped into Buffo Ristorante for a meal.
Cooper ordered the Seafood Arrabbiata, easy on the spice, and Diet Coke. He then graciously took photos with some of the members of staff who were on shift.
Cooper was just in town for his show at the WinSport Arena at Canada Olympic Park on April 14. He is in the middle of the Alice Cooper 2022 Tour, with the next tour date today in Seattle.
The Burger’s Priest: HUGE lines gather for new food spot in Calgary
The Burger’s Priest
This opening was highly anticipated, and there were some major lines to show it. The lines were massive, extending outside the building and down the parking lot.
This is the franchise’s 28th location, and YYC was excited to finally try it out. Adding to the festivities, customers were also treated to a few extra goodies for the grand opening.
Two Alberta restaurants named on La Liste’s World’s Best Restaurants
@rimrockresort | @rivercafeyyc/Instagram
La Liste, a France-based awards program, is composed of an international advisory board that compiles information based on guidebooks, media publications, and millions of online reviews to present a list of the very best of the best around the world.
Eden at The Rimrock Resort in Banff scored the highest on La Liste’s international ranking, with 82.5 out of a possible 100.
The other Alberta spot was Calgary’s The River Cafe, which earned a score of 78.5 on the list. It also earned a spot on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants in June. Sitting along the river in the scenic Prince’s Island Park in the heart of the city, it’s a dining experience like no other in Calgary.
Sunterra Market bakery in Calgary closed by Alberta Health Services
Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock
A Sunterra Market bakery was recently closed after an executive officer of Alberta Health Services inspected the establishment.
The inspector found multiple violations at the Sunterra Market bakery located at 200 12th Avenue SE in Calgary that could be harmful or dangerous to public health. There were a number of AHS closures in 2022, and this was one of the most surprising. These aren’t the best Calgary food stories to read, but they are important to know.
Golden Inn Restaurant in Calgary reflects on shutting down next month
@golden_inn/Instagram
Having first opened in 1977, this spot for authentic Chinese dishes closed after 45 years in service. The last day of operations was on Saturday, August 27.
We will miss the massive menu of Chinese dishes, especially the famous salt and pepper squid that is well known as one of the best in the city.
The Hobbits from The Lord of The Rings were just spotted at a Canadian restaurant
@dom_monaghan_ | @modelmilk/Instagram
Elijah Wood (Frodo), Sean Astin (Sam), Billy Boyd (Pippin), and Dominic Monaghan (Merry) had a meal together on 17th Avenue’s Model Milk.
The four of them attended the 2022 Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, not too far from the popular restaurant. There’s no word what the four ordered for food, but we can only imagine it was probably something like a second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, or afternoon tea.
T&T Supermarket announces the opening date of its new Calgary location
Dished Calgary
This new location for the popular Asian supermarket was also the latest store to introduce the new dessert bar concept, serving trendy treats from Taiwan like bubble tea, ice cream, and shaved snow ice in three different flavours: milk tea, matcha, and mango.
It’s just the second T&T in Canada to offer this sweet service.
The Calgary Farmers’ Market is opening its second location today
@calgaryfarmersmarket/Instagram
This second outpost, located in northwest Calgary in the community of Greenwich across from Winsport, is an astonishing 50,000 sq ft, and it opened up in 2022.
Stay tuned for even more Calgary food stories about what it looks like inside this new market, like what are some of the best food products to buy there.
Iconic country bar Ranchman’s says it’s returning, and people are losing it
Ranchman’s Calgary/Twitter
Ranchman’s, the iconic Calgary country bar that closed in 2020, announced on Instagram on April 1 that it would actually be reopening.
It was on April Fool’s Day, so social media had strong reactions to the post, but thankfully it wasn’t a cruel joke, and we’ve been enjoying the return of Ranchman’s’s.
With files from Daryn Wright