Guide: 11 of the most underrated restaurants in Calgary

Hey, foodies. We’re not going to lie, this one was tough. That hole in the wall gem, the family-owned and operated deli, that one place that’s barely inside city limits? The city has a heck of a lot of great restaurants to choose from, but here are our picks for 11 of the most underrated restaurants in Calgary.

GRUMANS DELICATESSEN

Grumans Deli is the only family-run Jewish deli in Calgary and has one of the absolute best sandwich selections in the city. Their food is authentic and comforting, everyone that works there is as sweet as their macaroons, and most of their recipes have been passed down generation to generation, so you know they’ve been perfected.

Where: 230 – 11th Ave S.E

PFANNTASTIC PANNENKOEK HAUS

No that’s not a typo, that’s actually the name of the restaurant. This Calgary Dutch pancake house is as unique as the sign above the door. Their menu is out of this world, and the thin, completely loaded crepes are bucket list-worthy.

Where: 2439 54 Ave SW, Calgary

GAUCHO BRAZILIAN BBQ

You better be hungry for this one. Named after the “cowboys of South America,” Gaucho is an authentically Brazilian, extremely filling BBQ joint. Perfectly marinated meat will be brought skewer by skewer directly to your table until you admit defeat. Quite literally, you have to signal to them to stop. It’s basically a delicious game of mercy you play with your stomach.

Where: 100 – 5920 Macleod Trail SW, Calgary

ALEPPO SHWARMA AND DONAIR

Hold on to your pants. Actually, though, they won’t stay up with your top button undone. Aleppo is a charming restaurant in the NE with some serious eats. First off, let’s discuss their garlic sauce. If it was socially acceptable to eat it with a spoon, you know we would. It’s about as good as it gets.

Where: 1324 Centre St NE, Calgary

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LE LA VIETNAMESE

Where spicy meets salty, meets creamy, meets freaking amazing. The resto itself is quaint and inviting, and their satay soup- made with coconut milk – is the absolute best in the game. It’s tucked away into a pretty odd location, but that makes uncovering this gem even more special.

Where: Bay 4 – 6624 Centre Street South, Calgary

ROCKY’S BURGER BUS

A burger is a burger, right? WRONG. Rocky’s Burger Bus, a family-run joint in the South of Calgary, has been flippin’ meat for 23 years. Their burgers are handmade, hand-rolled and grilled perfectly. It’s also literally a bus too, so that’s pretty cool.

Where: 1235 26 avenue SE, Calgary

BUON GIORNO RISTORANTE ITALIAN

Calliing this legendary Calgary restaurant ‘underrated’ is tough given its status as a 17th Ave mainstay. That being said, Buon Giorno has also flown under the radar in the past few years. People, listen up. Next time you walk by do yourself a favour and step inside for a bite. It’s homey, it’s cozy, and it’s absolutely delicious.

Where: 823 17 Ave SW, Calgary

TAJ MAHAL

The Taj Mahal, aptly named after the giant mural of the famous building on McLeod Trail, is one of the absolute best Indian restaurants in Calgary. It’s in the basement, but don’t let that give you the wrong impression. Everything is tasty AF, the prices are solid, and waaaayy too many people don’t even know it exists.

Where: 4816 Macleod Trail SW, Calgary

HIMALAYAN

So many options. The Himalayan is a Nepali restaurant where they take care of everyone and every craving under the sun. Vegetarian? no problem they’ve got just as many veggie dishes as they do meaty ones. Would you expect anything less from the highest rated resto on Yelp?

Where: 3218 – 17th ave SW, Calgary

EMBERCADERO WINE AND OYSTER BAR

A place that tastes like fine dining, looks like a pub and has the largest selection of oysters in the entire city? Embercadero is incredibly imaginative and super unique. They have an ever-changing menu of wines and the interior is intimate and casual, which sounds like a tasty date night to us!

Where: 208 17 Avenue SE, Calgary

Redheads Japa Cafe

Along with a very original menu and plenty of authentic tastes, the value and service at Redheads are next to none. From ramen to katsu curry, to bento boxes and plenty of burger variations, there is no denying that if you like Japanese food, you’ll find something to love here.

Where: #105 638 11th Ave SW

This list could have gone on forever! But there you have it! That’s 11 of our favorite underrated restaurants in Calgary! Happy munching!

Curiocity Staff

With a curated slate of what matters in your city, Curiocity presents you with the most relevant local food, experiences, news, deals, and adventures. We help you get the most out of your city and focus on the easy-to-miss details so that you’re always in the know.

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