5 Incredible Calgary Restaurants You Wouldn't Expect to Find in Hotels

For travellers, the hotel restaurant is often more of a necessity than a destination. Typical hotel restaurants provide us with a place to grab breakfast or a late-night dinner to fuel a day’s explorations. These restaurants in Calgary are much more than mere hotel amenities - they represent some of the city’s more vibrant places to eat, attracting locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re coming from a room upstairs or a friend’s house across town, the atmosphere and food at these buzzy restaurants will make you forget you’re even inside a hotel.

Hawthorn Dining Room & Bar

The Fairmont Palliser’s restaurant space underwent a major overhaul in 2019, reopening as the splashy Hawthorn Dining Room. Its vintage-chic decor pays homage to the century-old hotel’s past, with a proper lobby bar extending into the main foyer. While the atmosphere is classic, the food at Hawthorn celebrates contemporary Canadian cuisine with a “modern prairie theme” celebrating Alberta’s considerable bounty. Look for large format meat platters (this is Calgary, after all), salads and sides comprised of locally grown produce, and some surprises representing the city’s culinary history.

Address: 133 9 Ave SW

Nupo

Tucked into the East Village Alt Hotel, Nupo explores chef Darren MacLean’s love of vegetables and sustainable seafood. While the food and decor are roughly Japanese in style, the restaurant is also very Canadian in nature, with much of the menu made up of domestically sourced produce and fish. In addition to an a la carte menu made up of sushi, carefully constructed small plates, and other delights, Nupo boasts an intimate omakase counter serving exclusive sushi selections and seasonal snacks. As an added bonus, Eight — MacLean’s exclusive eight-seat tasting menu restaurant — and its sister speakeasy After Eight are accessible through a door inside of Nupo for those lucky and organized enough to snag reservations.

Address: 631 Confluence Way SE

Fonda Fora

It’s impossible to miss Fonda Fora when walking into the Westley Hotel — the sprawling modern Mexican restaurant takes up much of the boutique hotel’s main floor. Light and bright, the spacious room signifies a fresh take on Mexican fare and a menu highlighting succulent seafood and the importance of corn in Mexican cuisine. There are plenty of tacos and tostadas to make use of the restaurant’s excellent corn tortillas as well as tasty versions of Mexican classics like aguachile, ceviche, pork pibil, and enchiladas. The restaurant also does a great Mexican breakfast as well as a popular taco-forward happy hour.

Address: 630 4 Ave SW

The Wilde on 27

One of Calgary’s most prestigious restaurants, The Wilde sits on the 27th floor of the very well-appointed Oscar Wilde-themed Dorian Hotel. Gorgeous city views here are a given — particularly if the weather is nice and the rooftop patio is open — but the food is more than enough reason to take the elevator to the top of the building. The fine dining-style menu changes seasonally, making the most of spectacular Canadian-grown ingredients. High-level chef technique is a definite highlight here, with beautiful presentation and a wow factor to every dish.

Address: 525 5 Ave SW - 27th Floor

Charcut

One of Calgary’s most beloved restaurants, Charcut has two locations: the original in the downtown Le Germain Hotel and a newer outpost in University District’s Alt Hotel. Both locations showcase co-chefs/owners Connie DeSousa and John Jackson’s passion for both working and playing hard, featuring housemade charcuterie and big format meat dishes designed for long, indulgent meals. While the restaurant has long been known for meats like its whole pig mortadella and Portuguese sausages, there’s much more to explore, with impossibly flavourful salads, fish dishes, and pastas. If you’re on a tight schedule try the ‘Lunch All At Once’ feature, designed to get the lunch crowd in and out quickly without compromising on flavour.

Address: 899 Centre St S and 4150 University Ave NW