Inside Calgary's newest rooftop restaurant and patio – and what to order first

While Calgary has plenty of incredible rooftop patio destinations, another has now been added to the ranks, and the views alone are worth the visit.

Bow & Bend, a new restaurant concept, has just opened at the Element hotel. Seating around 210 people, the new space aims to be a great spot for both locals and hotel guests to gather, whether it’s for a drink and snacks or a comforting meal.

Dished had the opportunity to check out the space, located on the 12th floor of the hotel, located at the corner of 4th Avenue SW and 8th Street SW.

Inside Bow & Bend

While the building is actually a converted office block, you would not be able to tell. The interior has been expertly designed to incorporate natural elements such as plants and polished stones that blend seamlessly into its modern design.

The space is incredibly comfortable, with large leather booths and cozy two-top tables, surrounded by large windows that offer a ton of natural light and views of downtown Calgary.

One of the most striking features of the restaurant’s interior is its ceiling, complete with curved panels to mimic the flow of the river, Ashutosh Salunke, head chef at Bow & Bend, told Dished.

The interior is impressive, but what makes it truly special is the large northwest-facing patio, with views that extend from the city’s West End, the Bow River, Kensington and well off into the distance.

It seats up to 40 people, with a mix of larger tables for those looking to dine outside as well as comfy couches surrounding its firepits, perfect for grabbing a drink in the sunshine. With stunning views of the Bow River and beyond, the patio is the perfect summer spot.

What’s on the menu?

The menu is packed with crowd-pleasing dishes, from share plates and snacks to larger main dishes. Everything is designed to be shared.

As we were sitting out on the patio, it seemed only right to try some of Bow & Bend’s signature cocktails in the sun. We ordered the Alpen Glow, featuring raspberry pisco, St. Germain, Cointreau, rose cordial, and a splash of lemon juice, which was incredibly refreshing, and the colour was out of this world.

We also sampled the Lavender Fields Lemonade, and while we were wary that it might be heavy on the floral notes, it was incredibly delicious.

With cocktails in hand, we turned to the food menu. While there is everything from salad, burgers, entrees, and house-made pasta, the dishes are designed to share for those looking to test out a few options.

To snack on, we started with the whipped ricotta, served with chilli-infused honey, a sprinkling of pistachios, and toasted sourdough. It was the perfect, creamy, sweet combo with just a hint of spice from the chilli. We’d definitely recommend sharing this to kick off the meal.

According to Salunke, two of the most popular dishes on the menu since opening are Bow & Bend’s truffle rigatoni and its braised beef, so narrowing down our choices was easy.

The truffle rigatoni is a vegetarian dish made with cashew cream, local mushrooms, herb panagrattato, and truffle oil. That classic earthy truffle aroma hit us before the plate even reached the table, getting our stomachs rumbling at the thought. The house-made pasta was served al dente, and the pangrattato breadcrumbs were an excellent contrast to the creaminess of the dish.

However, for us, the star of the show was the braised beef. While it may not be a conventional choice for a hot summer day, it was delicious. The beef was expertly prepared and melt-in-your-mouth soft, served on top of a bed of confit garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables.

Bow & Bend is open from 5 p.m. to midnight every day.

Bow & Bend

Address: Element by Westin Calgary Downtown – 833 4th Ave. SW, Calgary

Instagram

Still hungry? Discover Dished Calgary on TikTok