Dig in at these top brunch spots in Calgary
Brunch is a weekend dining ritual, and one that hungry Calgarians can’t get enough of. These restaurants are some of the city’s top brunch destinations, serving their own unique takes on eggs Benedict, belly-busting breakfast burritos, wild Western combo breakfasts as well as fancy French toast, far-out frittatas and much more. [Photo at The Nash by John Gaucher Images]
OEB Breakfast
825 1 Ave Ne, Calgary, AB T2E 0C2Located on the Renfrew side of Edmonton Trail, OEB offers delightfully creative breakfast dishes. Choose from porchetta Bennies served with delectable twice-fried, duck-fat hash browns, banana cream pie French toast and breakfast boxes that riff on poutine – the bestselling Soul in a Bowl features herbed potatoes topped with bacon lardons, poached eggs with cheese curds and Hollandaise sauce.
Blue Star Diner
809 1 Ave NE, Calgary, AB T2E 0C2This hip Bridgeland diner serves a mean burger and a killer cocktail, but its combo breakfast and lunch menu is also full of top-notch brunch-able bites. While Blue Star’s formidable breakfast burritos are the star, further selections include flavourful Bennies and omelets all created with fresh, local ingredients.
Anju
344 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0A8Korean-fusion brunch dishes? You bet! Anju’s chef Roy Oh brings the same creative brilliance to his weekend brunch menu that regulars know well from the restaurant’s beloved tapas list. The hot stone breakfast bowls are perfect as a morning meal, while the eggs Benny with kimchi hollandaise is a spicy take on the classic brunch dish.
Yellow Door Bistro
119 12 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0G8Most hotel restaurants feature a serviceable brunch, but Yellow Door Bistro at Hotel Arts serves a brunch that’s a serious cut above. On weekdays, it offers a lovely continental buffet, plus à la carte items like maple glazed pork belly hash and the chef’s seasonally inspired pancakes. Weekends feature hot brunch buffet and an expanded mains menu.
Diner Deluxe
802 Edmonton Trail NE, Calgary, AB T2E 3J6An ever-present line-up snaking out its front door, Diner Deluxe is an Edmonton Trail brunch hotspot. Once you’re in, you can’t go wrong with the diner’s no-fuss omelets, whole-wheat buttermilk pancakes or equally generous belly-busters such as the meatloaf hash skillet and the breakfast sandwich topped with over-easy eggs and bacon or chorizo.
Belmont Diner
19-2008 33 Avenue SW, Calgary, AB T2T 1Z4With its focus on brunch classics and retro soda shop vibe, The Belmont Diner is a Marda Loop dining mainstay and claims to serve the best omelet in town. While that’s always up for discussion, its Montreal smoked meat omelet is most certainly legendary. And generous as its namesake city, the Calgary Sandwich is stuffed with banana peppers, bacon and beef sausage and served with endless hash browns.
The Nash Restaurant & Off Cut Bar
925 11 St SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0R4Well known as a casual-upscale lunch and dinner spot in the former National Hotel building, The Nash also serves weekend brunch that’s more relaxed, but just as delicious. The brunch menu is a mix of brunch and lunch-y items including signature weekend dishes such as duck confit perogies with poached eggs and the Hangover Breakfast Pizza, a take on huevos rancheros served as a flatbread.
Monki Breakfast Club & Bistro
1301 10 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T3C 0J4The room is small and the lines are always long, but this little breakfast joint has a cult following for good reason. Monki’s Benny game is particularly strong – go for the Spanish chorizo or the smoked ham, prawn and mascarpone. Also find a solid selection of frittatas and elevated breakfast basics.
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