Dished Neighbourhood Gems: Calgary's Inglewood
Calgary is home to some amazing gems, longstanding classics, and under-the-radar establishments when it comes to stellar food and beverage.Â
We’re doing the digging for you by highlighting the best local destinations to check out in each neighbourhood (if you haven’t already).
Here are our Dished Neighbourhood Gems for Inglewood.
Every city seems to have that one charming community that becomes more vibrant with each passing year. Maybe it’s not quite downtown, but close enough that everyone goes there all of the time, but far enough from it that it keeps its own charming identity. In Calgary, that’s the community of Inglewood.
Once you leave the downtown core, through the short stretch along 9th Avenue that offers a whole lot of nothing, and across the Elbow River, you’re in Inglewood. Here, there are shops to explore, art installations, cafes, plenty of food spots, and a staple community of breweries.
Calgary has iconic streets like Stephen Avenue that feel mostly made up of chain restaurants (nothing wrong with that, just saying), or 17th Avenue that seems to change by day (easygoing, friendly) and night (vibrant, busy), but it’s 9th Avenue that runs through Inglewood that feels quirky, vintage, and fashionable.
There’s a bit of hipster energy here. People grab a few pints before heading to a live show, order coffees after a day looking through vinyl records, or enjoy beers at a brewery that might have a food truck inside of it, or allows outside food and dogs.
From some of the best brewery food in the city to iconic YYC diners, this area is a long walk of great food spots. After all, Inglewood does have the city’s original Main Street and is known as “Calgary’s Boldest Neighbourhood.”
There’s no way we could mention them all, but here are some of our favourite food and drink gems in Calgary’s Inglewood neighbourhood.
- You might also like:
- 12 of the best neighbourhood food gems in Calgary's Kensington-Sunnyside
- Popular snack brand says its products are no longer available in Canada
- 10 of the best neighbourhood food gems in Vancouver's Chinatown
Classic burger joint: Inglewood Drive-In
View this post on Instagram
Sometimes, you just want to go back in time and have a simple cheeseburger, fries, and an old-fashioned banana split. It’s the type of thing you instantly want as soon as you think of it (like right now) and the Inglewood Drive-In is the go-to place in YYC for it.
Address: 802 12th Street SE, Calgary
Canadian fine dining: The Nash
View this post on Instagram
The Nash is one of the best local restaurants in the city, and it still feels like it might not get the recognition it deserves. It seems just as common for someone to have never been there as it is to be someone else’s favourite food spot.
That’s why it’s so special and so quintessentially Inglewood.
Serving Canadian dishes and cocktails in a renovated hotel space, this is always a great idea for brunch, lunch, or dinner.
Address: 925 11th Street SE, Calgary
Neighbourhood pizzeria: Inglewood Pizza
View this post on Instagram
A pizza stable in the neighbourhood since 1994, this is a great spot to grab a few pies or just a few slices.
Besides serving nearly 30 different types of pizza, there are also starters, pasta, souvlaki, and more.
It’s also one of the most popular places to bring food into the Cold Garden Brewery which allows for outside food.
Address: 1225A 9th Avenue SE, Calgary
Authentic Colombian Street Food: Norley’s
View this post on Instagram
There are not many YYC spots to treat yourself to authentic Columbian street food, but luckily for anyone in Inglewood, it’s right here on the iconic 9th Avenue.
Dishes like the Patron Con Todo, a flattened plantain that is deep-fried and then topped with shredded beef, chicken, guacamole, and cheese, are hard to pass up… but for us, it’s the homemade empanadas.
Address: 1314b 9th Avenue SE, Calgary
Iconic Sausages: Spolumbo’s Fine Foods
View this post on Instagram
Spolumbo’s is a fixture of the community, whether it’s finding them at a local sporting event, school lunch, or otherwise.
It’s a deli and market, and also is an amazing place to grab housemate sausages in a bun, wrapped, and ready to takeout.
The Spicy Italian is the flagship go-to sausage, but there are also interesting options like Brazilian BBQ, English Banger, and Chicken Blueberry, to name just a few off a very long list.
Address: 1308 9th Avenue SE, Calgary
Blue collar bistro: The Eden
View this post on Instagram
This family-owned bistro-style spot feels fancy without ever feeling stuffy. It’s got a great food and drink menu, and it’s easily one of the best date spots in the Inglewood community.
With mains like the kampot peppercorn steak served with taleggio cream,
horseradish, parsnips, and potato mash, or appetizers like beef flank tartare mixed with capers, red onion, tabasco, dijon, and comté cheese, served with paillasson duck fat fries, every meal here is impressive.
And what’s better than wine and oysters at an intimate table?
Address: 1219 – 9th Avenue SE, Calgary
Plant-based Mexican: Vegan Street Taco Bar
View this post on Instagram
This one is for diners on a plant-based diet, but really, it’s for everyone.
No meal feels like a sacrifice of flavour or quality here, quite the opposite actually. Vegans, vegetarians, meat lovers, and every person in between tend to think very highly of this Mexican-inspired spot.
Classic comfort food like tacos, chicken wings, fish sandwiches, and sushi bowls might not sound vegan, but at the Vegan Street Taco Bar, they take on the challenge and completely succeed in making delicious food for everyone.
Address: 1413 9th Avenue SE, Calgary
Beer and food: Rain Dog Bar
View this post on Instagram
Calling itself a “wine bar, for those who prefer craft beer”, Rain Dog Bar has an ever-changing food menu to go along with both.
Different options for charcuterie, conserva, and other sharable small plates offering everything from hot dogs to Picanha steaks make this a popular place to have a drink and a gnosh.
Address: 1214 9th Avenue SE, Calgary
Comforting throwback: Blackfoot Truckstop Diner
View this post on Instagram
First starting in 1956, the Blackfoot Truckstop Diner is an Inglewood icon, sitting near the edge of the community. It was even featured a few times in the recent Tegan and Sara show based on their childhoods in YYC.
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this is a no-frills, no-nonsense diner that serves its food fresh, fast, and affordable.
Come for the tacky toy train on a track that still runs high on the wall, but stay for the time-tested comfort food.
Address: 1840 9th Avenue SE, Calgary
Southern cooking: The Blues Can
View this post on Instagram
There have been rumours lately, sparked by a change in building ownership, of what the future of The Blues Can looks like. Hopefully, it’s here to stay for many more years to come because this issue till one of the most fun and traditional small live music venues in the city.
The food menu is also a great one, with a pub-style concept that also serves Po’boy sandwiches and other Cajun specialties.
Address: 1429 9th Avenue SE, Calgary
Hidden speakeasy: Business and Pleasure
View this post on Instagram
Located in the heart of Calgary’s Inglewood community, this low-key but very hip cocktail bar has an alleyway entrance, tasty snacks, and incredible drinks. It’s also a relatively new addition to the scene here.
The menu has snacks to share and meals to enjoy all to yourself. Taking inspiration from all over, the concept appears to just be “great bar food ideas.”
The montaditos use an East-end sourdough crostini with feature toppings. pan-fried shishito peppers, crispy tofu salad rolls, and ahi tuna tartare with gyu, soy caviar, wasabi tobiko, pickled shimeji mushrooms, and fried shallots served with wonton chips are great to pick at over cocktails.
For drinks, cocktails are where it’s at here, even though there is a great wine and beer list. the bartenders certainly know how to mix and shake up the classics, but we suggest going for one (or more) of the originals, like the floral and bright Marigold mixed with vodka, black raspberry liqueur, crème de cassis, fresh lemon juice, b&p Schisandra berry soda, and rose bitters.
Address: 1327a 9th Avenue SE, Calgary
If you have a neighbourhood gem in or around the city that you want to shine a spotlight on, let us know at [email protected].Â
Follow Channels and Categories