The diamonds in the rough, those hidden gems, the “how is no one talking about this place?” joints. This city has a heck of a lot of incredible, Instagram-worthy places to dine, but it’s those restos that lead the GPS astray that can taste the best. Here are 8 hole in the wall restaurants in Calgary that you have to try!

MOOSE AND PONCHO

Alright guys, right off the bat, the tacos at Moose and Poncho are out of this world. This adorable family-owned resto makes their own chorizo with locally sourced ingredients, and you can taste the difference. 10/10 would recommend.

Where: 18-132 3rd Avenue SE, Calgary

TAMARIND

Tamarind Vietnamese is a tiny vegan joint. If you’re a meat lover, don’t let this scare you away! They use old authentic family recipes that are gluten-free and MSG-free, and they’re incredibly friendly.

Where: 1111 6th Avenue SW, Calgary

TROPICAL DELIGHT NOODLE HOUSE

This Malaysian noodle house is crazy tasty. The laska soups are especially to die for. The service here is also prime, and the staff is really friendly. Don’t let the exterior of the resto fool you, this place is worth checking out!

Where: 10089 Hidden Valley Drive NW, Calgary

TAJ MAHAL 

This authentic, family-run Indian food joint deserves more hype. Everything on the menu is incredible, but the butter chicken is a standout. It’s a little tough to find because it’s in a basement, but it’s worth the hunt.

Where: 4816 Macleod Trail SW, Calgary

PEGASUS GREEK RESTAURANT

This mom and pop shop has some of the best Greek food in Calgary. Go there once, get treated like family, go there twice and they’ll practically remember your name for the rest of forever.

Where: 4824 16 St SW, Calgary

JOHNS BREAKFAST & LUNCH CAFE

Anywhere that serves all-day breakfast scores pretty high in our books. They’ve got incredibly unique eats like the breakfast risotto, and timeless faves like eggs benny and poutine.

Where: 2614 4 Street NW, Calgary

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TEKKOTSU YA RAMEN

This hidden gem sits out in the city’s southeast and is lowkey one of the very best ramen spots in Calgary. Trust us, one bite of the Tonkotsu Shio Black Garlic Ramen and you’ll be swearing by Tekkotsu.

Where: 4 – 1704, 61 Street SE Calgary

PHO DAU BO

Pho Dau Bo is another traditional family-run restaurant. They’ve been around since 2008, and in that time have perfected the art of customer service. Their broth is cooked for an insane 16 hours and they use fresh ingredients. Pho lovers should definitely check this place out!

Where:  110 – 4909, 17 Avenue SE, Calgary

There you have it, Calgs. 8 hole in the wall restaurants you have to try. Agree? Disagree? Let us know!

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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