The 10 Best Restaurants In Eau Claire, Calgary

Paige Watts

The popular neighborhood, Eau Claire, is located just north of downtown Calgary, in Canada. The large pedestrian pathways, and the location of the city’s festival district, give this area its unique cultural charm, along with its riverside parks, shopping, and restaurants. Below are our picks of the best restaurants in Eau Claire.

The Barley Mill

1. The Barley Mill

Pub, Restaurant, Canadian, Pub Grub, Wine, Beer, Cocktails, North American

A restaurant designed to bring out the history of the Eau Claire area and Calgary, the Bow River Barley Mill pays tribute to Eau Claire’s water-driven lumber mill days. When you see the water wheel out front, you’ll know you’re in the right place. The second floor of the building is made from old lumber from the original Alberta distillery. Barley Mill offers classic North American pub fare, a rustic charm, summer patios, and a wide range of draught beers and premium scotches.

2. Q Haute Cuisine

Q Haute Cuisine

Foodies will be delighted with this upscale French dining experience. The dinner menu at Q Haute Cuisine changes daily, so what you will be eating is a surprise, but know that your food is always prepared with fresh local ingredients. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, diners can enjoy a four course meal with four to six plates of the chef’s land and sea specialties. On Fridays and Saturdays, guests can enjoy a seven course meal with eight to 12 plates. You’ll be presented with the menu at the end of the meal.
100 La Caille Pl SW, Calgary, AB, Canada, +1 403 262 5554

Bison | © btwashburn/Flickr Bison | © btwashburn/Flickr

3. River Café

Cafe, Restaurant, Bar, Seafood, Canadian

Set on Calgary’s Prince’s Island in the middle of the Bow River, River Caféis removed from the hustle and bustle of city life without ever having to actually leave the city. Boasting a network of over 60 carefully selected producers and the restaurant’s own edible garden, River Café is dedicated to providing customers with fresh, organic, and sustainable products and helping small local farms. The rustic outdoor patio is also the perfect spot to enjoy your weekend brunch under the morning sun.

4. Minas Brazilian Steakhouse

Market, Restaurant, Brazilian, Steakhouse, Canadian

Minas Brazilian Steakhouse, located by the Eau Claire Market, brings traditional Southeast Brazilian cuisine to Eau Claire. Already a fusion cuisine of traditional Portuguese spices and the rich fruits of Brazil, it is fitting that this Southeast Brazilian food continues to be fused in this Canadian Rockies setting for the modern palate. Cooked on an open barbeque and known as rodizio and carved table-side, these authentic Brazilian home-style meat and vegetable favorites may soon become your favorites as well.

5. Buchanan’s Chop House and Whiskey Bar

Bar, Restaurant, Steakhouse, Seafood, Fast Food, Canadian

Whiskey on the rocks
© Dominick/Flickr
Calgary’s original chop house and whiskey bar, Buchanan’s Chop House is known for its sophisticated approach to dining coupled with contemporary food and a casual charm. The restaurant serves Alberta beef, fresh fish, and pastas, soups, and sauces made from scratch. Buchanan’s Chop House and Whiskey Bar also has a list of 200 wines by the bottle and a huge selection of malt whiskey in its award-winning whiskey bar. Malt whiskey tastings are offered in the restaurant’s private back room.

6. The Garage Sports Bar

Bar, Market, Wine, Beer, Cocktails, Fast Food

Pool Table
© superde1uxe/Flickr
With a newly improved kitchen, The Garage Sports Bar offers high-quality pub fare inside a warehouse-like building with 15 pool tables and HD satellite TVs for ultimate sports-viewing. Located at the Eau Claire Market, The Garage Sports Bar’s menu has a variety of burgers, sandwiches, and pizzas as well as bottled beers, draught beers, red and white wines, and cocktails. The Garage is a great event space of 6,000 square feet of free flow room that can accommodate up to 500 people.

7. Oceana

Restaurant, Canadian, Seafood

Oceana
Courtesy of Oceana
At its new location just off the banks of the Bow River in Eau Claire, Oceana boasts Calgary’s largest selection of fresh fish. The restaurant has views of the Prince’s Island Park, its pathways, and has a summer garden patio. Oceana offers guests seating in their contemporary and comfortable dining rooms by the large fireplaces with leather club chairs or in an intimate clamshell booth. The large space and private dining room can be rented out for special occasions and private parties.

8. Buffalo Café

Restaurant, Canadian, Fast Food, Vegetarian

A favorite Eau Claire spot for home-style breakfast and brunch, the 1886 Buffalo Caféis housed in a building that is over 100 years old and was the home of the Eau Claire and Bow River Lumber Company. With its cozy ambiance and deep-seated history, this all-day breakfast spot represents the character and culture of the Eau Claire neighborhood. The building was even founded by Peter A. Prince, the namesake of Prince’s Island and Calgary’s hometown hero and entrepreneur.

9. Spice 7

Restaurant, Pakistani

Chana masala with naan
© Jennifer/Flickr
Hidden away is Spice 7, a South Asian restaurant that serves a mash-up of authentic Indian and Pakistani cuisine. The atmosphere is quiet and upscale but casual, and a buffet is offered for lunch. The regal interior design will make you feel as if you were in South Asia. The food comes spicy, vegetarian selections are plentiful, and the service is friendly and attentive. Spice 7 is a must try for anyone looking for an authentic South Asian experience in the Eau Claire area.

10. Sumo Lounge

Bar, Market, Restaurant, Japanese, Sushi, Asian

Sushi
© slgckgc/Flickr
Sumo Lounge, located at the Eau Claire Market, is a delicious Japanese cuisine restaurant with chic and modern interior décor. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant has a sushi bar as well as a fully stocked alcohol bar, and their menu offers a variety of sushi rolls and sushi combination platters as well as soups, appetizers, and traditional Japanese entrées. Sumo Lounge also offers online ordering for delivery as well as pick up.

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