Downtown Calgary Lunch Map - Within Walking Distance

[MartinT]

I recently moved into a new Office in Downtown Calgary (near City Hall)

Where in this area are great reasonably priced lunch spots within Walking distance?
(Extra points for places on or near the plus 15 system so we can keep warm in the winter!)

I'll start off the map with a few of the places I know of.

[julzanderson]

It is on the other end of the downtown from you, but I recently tried Cafe Mauro and really enjoyed it. It is a casual place with Italian sandwiches. Huge portions but delicious food (999 8 Street Southwest)

[MartinT]

A Mucho Burito has opened at Suncor Energy Centre, #230, 150 – 6th Avenue SW.

I have stopped in twice, once for the 3 taco special and once for the soup. It is typical fast food, passable, but not fantastic.

The Tortillas were very much packaged and not as fresh or homemade tasting as I would have preffered. The soup was "build it yourself" (much like everything on the menu) and was pleasantly surprising, but of course it is very dependant on the items you add.

I still prefer the Taco Del Mar, but neither place is as good as your typical US taco truck...

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Taco Del Mar
420 2 St SW, Calgary, AB , CA

[aktivistin]

Adding:

- Gee Gong for cheap and cheerful, "authentic"-style Chinese food
- Jimmy's A&A for shwarma (behind the Central Public Library)

Also, coming from City Hall, you can jump on the C-Train and ride on 7th Ave for free. Opens up a world of lunch possibilities. The C-Train is how I can make it to Anju, Boxwood Café, Bumpy's, and Holy Grill for lunch, and to Brûlée for treats. (I work in the Sun Life Plaza building near Chinatown.)

If you are a reasonably fast walker, you can also make it to the aforementioned Taste and Giuseppe's Italian Market on 1st St SW.

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Anju Restaurant & Lounge
507 10 St SW, Calgary, AB T2P, CA

Giuseppe's Italian Market
1207 1 St SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0V3, CA

Taste Restaurant
1210 1 St SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0V4, CA

Gee Gong Restaurant
206 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 2B6, CA

Brulee Patisserie
722 11 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0E4, CA

Bumpy's Cafe
1040 8 St SW, Calgary, AB T2R 1K2, CA

[Alexa]

I think the Jimmy's A&A that you speak of is now Mezze. I spoke to one of the owners and she said that her and her brother bought the place off Jimmy, and that was over a year ago. Sooo good there and the owners are very nice, excellent service. It's just a little crowded, don't expect to eat in during lunch hour.

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Jimmy's A&A
1306 4 St SW, Calgary, AB T2R, CA

[MartinT]

A friend Suggested I try Ogam Korean Japanese 328 Centre Street SE.
Haven't been yet, but will add rating once I do!

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Ogam Korean Japanese
328 Centre St SE, Calgary, AB T2G, CA

[MartinT]

Tried Mezza today, Great Donair, will definitely go back.

I am also a huge Falafel King fan (and cant resist an inclusive slice of excellent Baklava!

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Falafel King
225 8 Ave SW, Calgary, AB , CA

[MartinT]

Figured out how to add places that don't yet reside in Chowhound - yaaay!
So will start to add all your Recs - Thanks all!

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Baraka Cafe
225 8 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0K9, CA

[23skidoo]

You can get Halifax-style donairs and great samosas at Amin Donair, 7th Ave between Centre St. and 1st St. SW. It's a different style than some of the other places downtown. Don't be put off by the appearance of the store, but do get your food to go.

Rise Bakery/Cafe has great grilled sandwiches on fresh bread. It's in Bow Valley Square, 2nd St between 5th and 6th Ave SW.

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Amin Donair
121 7 Ave SW, Calgary, AB , CA

[ybnormal]

+1 for Amin Donair.

Thai Bistro isn't too far away for some of the freshest ingredients for lunch, and then stop off at Bliss Cupcakes for dessert!

Scary Bill - I also posted a reply for your Seattle trip - hope it helps!

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Thai Bistro
102 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 2B7, CA

Amin Donair
121 7 Ave SW, Calgary, AB , CA

[MartinT]

Adding Bliss... or could also do

Fiasco Gelato 807 1 St SW
or
Yogen Fruz 150 6 Avenue SW

(too bad Bernard Callebaut has closed the McLeod trail location. mmm chocolate for lunch!)

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Bliss & Co. Cupcakes and Desserts
108 3 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0E7, CA

[maplesugar]

What?? No more chocolate tours? Say it ain't so!

[MartinT]

I know... sad.

Bernard Callebaut is in receivership and the Macleod location was closed. The retail stores are to remain open for now, but I am uncertain if it has (or will) reopen. Depends on the new buyer.

[23skidoo]

There are great sandwiches at the L'Epicerie, 1325 1 St. SE.

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L'Epicerie
1325 1 St SE, Calgary, AB T2G 5L1, CA

[23skidoo]

Is Fiasco still around?

[John Manzo]

Fiasco has been closed for years. You can get their gelato at Famoso.

There's a new Yogen Fruz opening in the Core very soon.

[MartinT]

No Gelato nearby? Time to relocate offices again!

Guess for now I can do Yogen Fruz at Suncor 150 6th Avenue SW
(it is still there right?)

[aktivistin]

Yup, it's still there. Another option for a cool dessert is bubble tea from Try Again. It's in the basement of the HSBC building in Chinatown. Try Again uses real fruit, not mix as at many places.

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Try Again
111 3 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0B7, CA

[MartinT]

Mapping Rise Bakery Cafe
181, 250 6 Ave SW

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Rise Bakery & Café
250 6 Ave SW #181, Calgary, AB T2P 3H7, CA

[23skidoo]

There's a second Rise Bakery at 207 - 9th Ave. SW (although I haven't been to that location).

[MartinT]

Tried numerous places on the map over the past week.

Rise - Great bread... tried the turkey sandwich recommended by the friendly clerk from Montreal. I would have liked more than just cheese and turkey on the sandwich but even this plain it was very good... and I'll be back!

Lotus Vietnamese - not on the map. Good (but not great), although I frequent numerous Vietnamese restaurants in the NE which are difficult to beat.

Yogen Fruz - hmmm.
I'm a fan of any rich creamy iced dairy product that has lots of flavor to match it's high caloric count. Yogen Fruz is OK, but tries hard not to fall into this category. Its good, but Ill keep looking. I believe Baraka's caries foothills creamery products. Its not Dolce Gelato (White Rock) but it may suffice for a quick iced dairy fix.

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Baraka Cafe
225 8 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0K9, CA

[MartinT]

I finally made to Amin Donair about 2-3 weeks ago. What a mistake...
I should have visited months and months ago! Excellent Rec!!! This place is the perfect hole in the wall. The menu is limited, but the donairs Amin serves are some of the best I have ever had and reasonably priced for downtown. I have been back 1-2 times a week ever since my initial visit and completely enjoyed my visit every time, including some very interresting discussions with Amin. He makes all of his sauces fresh every morning, including his "suiicide" (and you can taste it). Sadly, Amin says his Lease runs out summer of 2012, and he plans on retiring. I asked if he is considering selling the business, and he says without a lease, no-one wants to purchase! So if you havent been go now while you still can... and make certain you have napkin(s) to help catch any excess sauce dripping from dripping onto your clothes.

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Amin Donair
121 7 Ave SW, Calgary, AB , CA

[maplesugar]

I used to work in the Calgary Public Building so that stretch of Stephen Av is rather familiar - although Insomnia moved in after I moved away (JM is right about Baraka's coffee-ick) I would suggest both Avenue Diner: http://www.avenuediner.com/menu.html and Charcut http://www.charcut.com/menu/lunch.html are within walking distance... the latter would count as a bit of a splurge but I'd take Charcut's Lunch All At Once - daily soup sandwich, house pickles and cookies ($15) over a fast food burger any day.

[MartinT]

I am a huge Diner Fan (Diner Deluxe, Blackfoot Diner etc) just too far away for a walking lunch. Sooo since I have never tried Avenue (and have always wanted to) its high on my list of must tries!

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Avenue Diner
105 Steven Avenue Mall, Calgary, AB T2P 1B4, CA

[nonlinear]

what do you like about Blackfoot Diner?

[MartinT]

LOL Everything! It is a true "diner" in every sense.

The decor has not changed since I can remember (over 40 years), The tables still sport the same worn arborite I grew up with and I believe the staff are probably still the same ;-)

The home-style meals and huge slices of flapper pie all reasonably priced and where else can you get a Sirloin (or Turkey or Roast Beef Dinner, complete with all the trimmings, a beverage and desert for $12.50?

[MartinT]

Adding Charcut Roast House

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CHARCUT Roast House
101 9 Avenue Southwest, Calgary, AB T2G 1B8, CA

[MartinT]

One of my fave places near City Hall, Avenue Diner has recently closed, Thier Web and FB sites say "We are relocating but still searching for the perfect location" http://www.facebook.com/pages/Avenue-...

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Avenue Diner
105 Steven Avenue Mall, Calgary, AB T2P 1B4, CA

[maplesugar]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5676... Hope they find new digs soon.

[Jetgirly]

Would Cafe Koi count as close? (What a lovely example of alliteration!) I think the closest +15 exit would be through the Palliser?

My colleagues still rave about the lunch we had there last year when we got to Go Downtown For Work! http://www.cafekoi.com/

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Cafe Koi
1011 1 St SW #100, Calgary, AB T2P, CA

[John Manzo]

from city hall it's maybe a 5-minute walk so I'd sure think so!

[MartinT]

Hey Jetgirly - I can always race walk or bring a bike or run or... I believe this also resides in the free C-Train zone

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Cafe Koi
1011 1 St SW #100, Calgary, AB T2P, CA

[yen]

In your general vicinity:

Mezze Mediterranean Grill on 6th Ave between the two Macleods has the best donair i've had in the city. Very decent Shawarma as well.

Just down Stephen Avenue another block west from Insomnia is Cafe Rosso, which i prefer for coffee, and nice panini's for lunch.

Maharajah has acceptable Indian Buffet - limited selection, but the quality of 6-8 out of the 10 dishes is really quite good.

The short jaunt to Chinatown opens up more options. There's Pho Pasteur for beef pho, there's Pho Hoai (in the mall) for pho sate, there are 3 vietnamese sandwich shops that are all decent (the venerable Banh mi Thi Thi, the place at the entrance in the mall, and Thai thi on Centre).
There's also the small food court that houses Han's, and has Korea Garden or Seoul Garden or whatever that place is called. It has great lunch food, but is a bit slow.

If i knew where on the plus 15's you were, i'd have better recommendations regarding food west of here. It opens up quite a bit from Sucor Energy/Petro Canada on West.

[John Manzo]

Great suggestions Yen- never heard of Mezze. Caffe Rosso does have superb coffee and they now source beans from Phil & Sebastian, P&S's first cafe client (they also roast for NOtaBLE). Their panini are not just delicious but also very reasonable price- like $6.99 for the meatloaf which is a ton of food.

I bit the bullet and drove all the way up to Country Hills to try Mucho Burrito and was blown away, better than Chipotle... spoke to the owner (who also has all the franchises in Calgary- young Mexican guy, I was impressed) who told me (and this was at least 2 months ago) that they'd be opening a Mucho in Suncor... he also told me that the Taco Del Mar at MRU would become a Mucho. Anyway I don't work DT and Suncor foodcourt is M-F so I can't confirm this- anyone?

On that note I actually love the burritos at Taco Del Mar (5th Ave Place). Their fish burrito is very good.

[nonlinear]

That guy was lying if he told you he owned all of the franchises in Calgary.

[John Manzo]

Maybe I misunderstood him. Anyway let's keep this on topic about DT lunch.

[MartinT]

I am also a fan of Taco Del Mar Tacos and Burritos, it is almost impossible to get a fish taco in this town... and really good Mexican is not easy too find. I spent much time on business travels throughout the southern states with my last employer. I miss Tex-Mex!

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Taco Del Mar
420 2 St SW, Calgary, AB , CA

[MartinT]

Mapping Mezza

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Mezza Mediterranean Grill
213 6 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 2L9, CA

[MartinT]

Mapping Café Rosso

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Café Rosso
140 8th Ave SE, Calgary, AB , CA

[MartinT]

Mapping Maharajah

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Maharajah East Indian Restaurant
607 Macleod Trail SE, Calgary, AB , CA

[MartinT]

Mapping Pho Pasteur

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Pho Pasteur Saigon Restaurant
207 1 St SE, Calgary, AB T2G 2G3, CA

[MartinT]

Mapping Thai Tai

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Thai Tai
811 1 St SW, Calgary, AB T2P, CA

[MartinT]

Mapping Hans

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Han's Restaurant
303 Centre St S #116, Calgary, AB T2P 2B9, CA

[MartinT]

Adding Pho Hoai

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Pho Hoai Vietnamese Noodle House
132 3 Ave SE #16, Calgary, AB T2G 0B6, CA

[MartinT]

Adding Art Bistro

Again I can't map Deville or Fashion Central since they do not come up through the "this is a review of a specific restaurant" list.

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The Bistro at Art Central
100 7 Ave SW #111, Calgary, AB T2P, CA

[Scary Bill]

Go to Google Maps and set your office address as your default location and type in "restaurants" or "Delis" or Hamburgers" or whatever you want foodwise or establishmentwise and you'll be given all the locations nearby, in fact for the whole bl**dy city. If the establishment has a website it will come up too.

[John Manzo]

This is a GREAT tool, thanks so much for letting us know about it SB!

[Scary Bill]

JM, it was probably my best friend when I moved to Calgary! You can find pretty much anything with it. Oh, and again, apologies.

[John Manzo]

none necessary- enjoy Seattle! One thing I can say, eat lots of teriyaki. It's the local cheap eat done best there. You'll see what I mean.

[MartinT]

Thanks SB, I tried Google prior to posting.

I find it lacks the expertise and experience that members like you and JM bring!

[John Manzo]

DeVille, art central or fashion central. Excellent sandwiches.

[MartinT]

Mapping deVille @ Fashion Central (great name like in Cruela)

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deVille (Art Central)
100 7 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2G 2C6, CA

[John Manzo]

Cruella would look right at home there :)

[MartinT]

Hit up deVille today - Great Rec! Had a very tender Lamb Sandwich with a nice spring salad and an organic ginger ale. Food was great, ambiance was even better.

Was very busy, but my 2 colleague's and I were able to locate a comfy seat and if we didn't have to go back to the office, would have been an excellent place to leisurely enjoy numerous glasses of red.

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deVille (Art Central)
100 7 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2G 2C6, CA

[MartinT]

OK - this may not be within walking distance, and its not very inexpensive... but some of the food is awesome. French themed cuisine, great poutine and amazing Filet Mignon burger.

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Laurier Lounge
1111 7 St SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0A1, CA

[MartinT]

Baraka Cafe - 225 8th Avenue SE - [phone]
Small Asian run cafe sells everything from Samosas to Lasagne

Not certain how to map this place since it does not come up through the "this is a review of a specific restaurant" list.

[John Manzo]

Baraka is horrible. Insomnia is a few feet away, has indescribably better coffee, better food, better atmosphere.

[MartinT]

Thanks for the rec John,
Have by-passed Insomnia often since Im not Java fan, but I will definitely give it a second look

[MartinT]

Tried Insomnia Today, was quiet and unpretentious, food was great lunch fair, far better than any fast food alternative, I'll definitely go back (and it is very close since my New office is in City Hall Across the street)

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Insomnia Coffee Co
237 8 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0K7, CA

[MartinT]

My favorite Beef Sate Sub... I like it hot!

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Thi Thi Vietnamese Submarine
209 1 St SE, Calgary, AB T2G 2G3, CA