Model Milk: Inside the restaurant within Calgary's historic dairy building

Model Milk has been a highlight of the Calgary dining scene for years.

Since 2011, it’s gone through different iterations, changed ownerships, mentored some of the city’s best chefs and restauranteurs, and seen popular dishes come and go (and come back again).

In some ways, it feels like we take it for granted. Maybe it’s because it’s still at the beginning of 17th Ave instead of right in the heart of the action. It could also be because all of the new restaurants have cast a long shadow (some even from the 40th floor).

After all, there are so many fantastic places to eat in Calgary.

This brick-built restaurant inside the city’s historic dairy building is a Concorde spot, the team behind places like Bridgette Bar, Lulu Bar, and Lonely Mouth, to name a few. As is Pigeonhole, another one of our faves which is actually attached to Model Milk. But we aren’t going to compare here — only highlight the chic Model Milk that after more than a decade of service is at the top of its game.

Celebrities have been shouting it out on Instagram (and talk shows) recently, and we felt compelled to revisit it.

Dished recently had the chance to sit at Model Milk’s kitchen bar. We watched the dedicated kitchen team cook up and delicately plate the elevated comfort dishes while friendly and knowledgeable servers picked them up and delivered each one to excited guests, whether they were sitting on the intimate ground level with the bar, in the main dining area surrounded by conversations, or on the top mezzanine surrounding it all.

The entire meal/experience, highlighted below, convinced us of something we may have already known: Model Milk is still the best restaurant in Calgary.

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We started with drinks because not only is the food the best in the city, but the entire drink menu qualifies this place as a cocktail bar.

For first sips, we opted for the You Mezcal Not Pass! (Los Siete Misterios Mezcal, pineapple Campari, lime) and the High Plains Contraband (Alberta Premium Whisky, Contrabandista Sherry, vanilla rye bitters, brandied cherry). After that, we moved on to wine, because — surprise, surprise — that list is fantastic as well.

Dished Calgary

For starters, we ordered the charred shishito peppers with tofu and miso cream and dill zaatar; the endive plate topped with pickled cantaloupe, stilton cheese, macadamia nuts, and mint; the hamachi crudo with a yuzu vinaigrette and fresh grapefruit; and the tartare which was made with Wagyu beef mixed with black pepper sabayon and parmesan, and served with crispy lavash crisps.

The shrimp toasties were a fun dish as well, with fresh and cold shrimp salad mixed with chili aioli and pickled celery, all stuffed inside warm bread.

Dished Calgary

Dished Calgary

We also had the iconic potato buns, an absolute must-order. It was apparent the rest of the room knew this as well because they were flying out of the kitchen. The buns are essentially a small loaf of house-baked bread, served wonderfully warm, salted, covered in a honey glaze, and served with whipped butter. It’s delicious but also pull-apart, which makes it fun to share with the table and get your hands involved.

Another dish that seemed to be incredibly popular was the hot fried chicken, available in spicy or much less spicy. It’s an impressive plate and one that’s been a menu staple for a long time.

The bright red chicken comes with two massive pieces: a drumstick and a thigh. You can also opt for more if there’s a larger group. The sides include a fresh buttermilk biscuit, a crunchy dill pickle, and a cold wedge salad with house-made dressing covered in fried shallots.

The fried chicken here isn’t just an example of how Model Milk elevates comfort food, but the willingness to create something people will love, even if it’s a bit messy and you need to eat it with your hands. Like its neighbour Pigeonhole, the experience never feels stuffy or pretentious.

Dished Calgary

We tried the carrots as well, a fragrant dish dressed with whipped ricotta, smoked pepper, and dukkah, but it didn’t come until the end of the meal because our server advised us that it would pair better with our last main, and we’re so glad we listened.

That last dish wasn’t just any normal plate of food either. It was a 72-hour sous vide BBQ Alberta Brisket. You could cut it with a fork, but it still had a perfect chew. The char and spices on the crust were amazing as well, making it a mouth-watering dish perfectly exemplifying the time and care that went into it.

Dished Calgary

It was also served on a base of walnut muhammara, with sides of butterleaf lettuce, Turkish pickles, and flatbread to enjoy however you prefer. We used it all to make little mini-flatbreads, with the freshness of the sides cutting through the richness of the meat perfectly. Another spot might think the brisket was enough (and it was), but not here.

You’ve definitely heard of Model Milk. You’ve definitely walked by it if you’ve ever strolled down 17th Ave. You may have even eaten here once or twice. If you’ve been here recently, you already know how good it currently is, and if it’s been a while since you walked through the door and up the steps, it’s time for a return.

Just make sure to order the famous slice of Model Milk apple pie with a cheddar crust and house-made vanilla ice cream.

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Model Milk

Address: 308 17th Avenue SW, Calgary

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