Top Bistros in Calgary, Canada

4.9 stars! c'est bon!
We didn’t have reso but very welcoming.
Serveuse was an amazing hospitality.
The food was absolutely beautiful.
I haven't been so long but the atmosphere is not tired.
If my chair has a cushion then perfect.
Almost over 2 hr.. Need a comfortable chair.

Hubby took me to Cassis for date night… it’s like leaving Calgary for a few hours, and being immersed in South France. Food is amazing, we had a bottle of wine, starters a meal and dessert. Every bite was as amazing as the last. It’s pricey, but very worth it. 100% recommend

The best french restaurant in Calgary with no doubt.
We have been here several times for dinner and lunch. We're so satisfied with all of the meals we ordered. Every dish was really tasty with flavour. Try their mussels, you'll know what I meant so tasty. Remember to order extra bread to dip with the mussel sauce to enjoy the full flavor in your mouth.

Nice, quaint restaurant - I was craving for moules frites in the city that's done right - this hit the spot. We tried the Provençal and Vaudovan curry Moules frites. I can't take a favorite, they're both delicious. Pair it with their beautiful Chardonnay and order the French Martini to cap it off. We're about 40 kms away from the restaurant, and we'd happily go back to try the rest of the menu items. The calamari was also delicious. I wanted to order the tartare, but it was unavailable when we were there.

Lovely little restaurant. Food was really high quality.. the restaurant was busy and full (which is always a good sign) and we had a lovely evening. We ordered the steak frites, duck confit, beef tartar and my husband loved his crème brûlée. I had a lovely cappuccino at the end of the night. Will definitely be back.

Have fallen in love all over again with this wonderful little gem of a restaurant. Tonight, my son & I dined at Purlieu and we were not disappointed. After a minor misstep in late December, I agreed to giving them another chance and so glad I did. The food is absolutely divine, the service is exceptional and the atmosphere is relaxing & calm. I will most definitely return again and again. 5++++ stars in my books!!

The poutine is too salty and the duck is too sweet and greasy. The price is expensive. The service and atmosphere is very good.

This place is Incredible! This is the best night out that we've experienced when looking for the Best service. The Best atmosphere. And the Best French food. 'Impeccable' French dishes that Purlieu Bistro offers - Magnificent!!!
We go to Purlieu and then go out to other places. Upon returning to Purlieu, we sit enjoying espresso and dessert with our guests. We reflect on how impressed we are and that this night soars above the others.

It leaves me with a feeling of an escape to France!

It's truly French! The chefs, the food, the libations and the service are all authentic, and SO Enjoyable!

Words just can't relate, but your senses can...

This is a spot hidden in a community in a strip mall that seems out of place. A true gem, and an experience you won't soon forget!!!

ENJOY!

Went with a group of 6 people, cute place. The food was decent. I really enjoyed the butternut squash ravioli. I did not enjoy the fish of the day (pickerel with lobster bisque, potatoes and leeks). I think the lobster bisque may be a few days ripe, it was overpoweringly fishy.

Price point was reasonable, however service was painstakingly slow. It took over 3 hours and lots of waiting. The 20% auto gratuity seemed way too high for such slow service. I get that they are trying to provide fancy service, but I don't want to wait 50 minutes after dessert to pay and leave.

We go here between 10AM to 3PM to enjoy special-priced dimsum. We almost always have the place to ourselves! Food is good; a delightful dimsum fix for those cravings. Highly recommended!

Dinner with four couples. Food was good but my Caesar salad was over dressed even though I ordered light dressing. The salmon however was perfection. Everyone “cleaned their plates” so all was well received. Our waitperson was excellent. It was too loud though - lots of kitchen noise as it’s open to the restaurant and table placement felt slightly crowded. But that’s nitpicking and overall we had a good experience.

From the moment we walked in I knew this place was on another level. We had the family style dinner chef selection and it was amazing. Started with some fresh olives, then a squash soup with bruschetta that was fresh and delicious. Followed by lamb skewers that were sweet and salty, served with black truffle arancini which was soft and crunchy and very tasty. The tenderloin was cooked perfectly and the ravioli stuffed with caramelized onion, potato and ricotta had excellent flavour.

Service was great and the wine excellent as well!

Highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a great place to go on a date or to enjoy a romantic meal.

11/10 🌟’s! My boyfriend and I decided to try Vero after hearing so many great things about it online.

IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! The service is outstanding - everyone is so personable, friendly, and attentive to details. Michael served us and was such a pleasant human. He had great insights on menu recommendations, and went above and beyond to ensure we enjoyed our evening.

The food is on another level of its own - full of flavours, and incredible texture.

We got the escargot, black truffle arancini, the surf and turf, and tiramisu. Everything was phenomenal. If I had the stomach for it, I would probably order the entire menu.

HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Amazing service all around. Super friendly and attentive staff. We opted for the family style dinner - a four course meal of the chef's picks of the menu. They will happily accommodate preferences, allergies and dislikes. The only thing I mentioned was I'd like to have their escargot and our server ensured it was in one of our courses.

Our first course had 3 incredible appetizers. The second course had two more. Third course was two amazing entrees and the desserts (fourth course) were beautiful and delicious. We were totally stuffed by the end so, if you come for the family style dinner, come on an empty stomach!

We also opted for the recommended wine pairings for this meal and it was really a remarkable way to have dinner.

I went here for my birthday dinner it was great. The service was great but we had five appetizers and the mushroom soup and a bottle of wine it was unbelievable and we got to taste a lot of stuff on the menu. It was amazing the bill was 260$ for all of that French food and wine! Good deal. Definitely recommend

I had a great dining experience. Ordered the grilled lamb chops which was great but the portion sizes were fairly small which was not great value for money. The passion crème brûlée was the highlight of the dinner. Highly recommended this dessert. Service was great and dining ambiance was also cozy.

This place made us feel comfortable and delicious. Cosy and tender, sophisticated and relaxed.

We enjoyed all the meals: burrata with tomatos, salmon, spaghetti, panna cotta and creme brulee.

But there we several things I need to notice and hope that this place will take it into account:
• water per 1$. I’m strongly sure that place of such level simply cannot take payment for water. It discredits itself in this way
• burata&tomatos salad was served without basil. For this meal it is rather valued ingredient (yes, waiter kindly apologised after my question, but could offer some compliment I think)
• first waiter that served us was attentive and kind, while the waiter after her didn’t even ask us our impressions when billed us. It was just “thanks, have a good evening”.

I want to say that Cucina is a very pleasant place, for special atmosphere and reasons to come. I’m sure their customers come back again and again. But I want to ask the personnel to value customers and provide more friendly, attentive and customised service.

The food is awesome and there’s plenty of parking outside. I visited at 10:30 am on A Sunday and the place was packed. It took 15 minutes to get the order in, and another 30 minutes to get the food. I tried 4 different styles of dim sum. It was worth the wait. The atmosphere resembles that of a busy railroad train station ;)

The dim sum special here is so cost effective. Food is of great quality. My wife and I ordered 7 dim sums for $35 and the leftovers were enough for me to eat another breakfast ;)

Definitely recommend as a cost effective choice to try out if you aren't sure which dim sum place to pick.

The restaurant is always busy even on a weekday. The Peking duck dinner was very delicious and very well priced. I would not get Peking duck anywhere else. The dinner came with duck soup, duck fried rice or noodle, 15 flour wraps, and crispy duck skin.

I added on the lettuce wraps and didn't realize how messy it would be because the wet crispy lettuce would crack open and the minced duck and hoisin sauce would fall out of the wrap and drip all over your hands.

Overall, good food and good value.

When a burger is $20+ I really want it to be amazing - this was was good, but not amazing. I’d recommend it but not sure I’d go running back. I’ve had dinner and the expanded menu here and it’s worth trying for sure. This meal though wasn’t the greatest and the fries were pretty low in volume. They taste exactly how they look - decent.

Dim sum is good here. Convenient place to take the grandparents

Food was ready and came out very quick. The staff turned the tables very fast. Appreciated the hard work that went into the restaurant

The server was very kind and professional. They gave us excellent service. We had the Surf and Turf and everything was perfect and delicious.
The ambience is fancy and romantic.

The front of house staff will have you feeling like a VIP the moment you walk up to the door and it doesn't stop there. Once you're seated, the attentive service continues as you try to figure out what delectable item(s) to select as your flavor sensations but you can't go wrong. Head chef is second to none when it comes to the details and everything you imagine will come out damn near perfect. This is a wonderful place to enjoy an unique fine dining experience without the heavy price tags you'd expect from an establishment like this.

Excellent all around. Very impressed with the food. The steak was so tender and nice. All other dishes were flavourful too. Would definitely come back again.

The food was awesome, and the atmosphere was great. The portions were large enough that one dish per person is enough. You have to order rice or noodles separately from your food. There was only 2 of us and it was great food but we had to keep raising our hands high to get something 😉 couple of times when grandma said excuse me to the lady who was passing us she got mad at her and said I will get to you later. Service was awful because they were successful with food.

I've been going to Cucina well over 14 years and the food never disappoints. Especially the daily lunch specials. My friends and I normally go for Fish Special and that is always amazing. Lunch special Risotto Fish Dish last week was one of best I've ever had.

Went for our Anniversary, service was great, our server stop to chat with us. Peeking Duck is the most popular! We enjoyed our food and even have leftovers for next day. Great service, great food! Will be back!

Last night, I had the pleasure of dining at Vero Bistro in Kensington, and I must say, it was an exceptional experience. We were a larger group we opted for a family style experience, and from start to finish, the service was truly outstanding.

The staff went above and beyond to ensure our evening was enjoyable, making us feel welcome and attending to our every need.

The restaurant itself is small and cozy, exuding a warm and inviting atmosphere. There was a delightful energy in the space, creating an ambiance that made us feel right at home.

As we embarked on our culinary journey, a few standout dishes immediately caught our attention. The 5J Jamon Iberico de Bellota, sourced from Jabugo, Spain, was a true delight. This 36-month-aged Cinco Jotas ham, made from 100% Iberico, free-range, acorn-fed pigs, was served with marinated olives, offering a harmonious combination of flavors that left us wanting more.

Another highlight was the house-made veal meatballs. Slow-cooked in Berkshire pork "Bolognese" sauce and accompanied by reggiano cheese, these meatballs were nothing short of sublime. Each bite was packed with rich, savory goodness.

The bruschetta at Vero Bistro is a must-try. Its simplicity and freshness are truly remarkable, and the flavor combinations are nothing short of perfect. It was a delightful appetizer that set the tone for the rest of the meal.

One dish that particularly stood out was the black truffle arancini. Made with Porcini mushroom, fontina AOP, and truffle Dijon, these crispy rice balls were playfully presented in a classic truffle box. The combination of flavors and textures was a treat for both the palate and the eyes.

Moving on to the main courses, a few highlights caught our attention. The bucatini cacio e pepe with truffle and Pecorino Romano was a true indulgence. The rich truffle flavor elevated the classic pasta dish, and the Pecorino added a delightful tanginess.

The steak frites featuring grilled Black Angus beef tenderloin, herb butter sauce, parmesan frites, and lemon aioli was a perfect example of a well-executed classic. The steak was cooked to perfection, tender and juicy, while the lemon aioli was hands down one of the best I've ever tasted.

The grilled free-range lamb chops, served with heirloom carrot puree, seasonal vegetables, and a Barolo reduction, were simply delectable. The lamb was tender and flavorful, and the accompaniments added a wonderful depth of taste.

One of the highlights of the evening was the signature seafood platter for two. In fact, the portion was so generous that it could easily satisfy more than two people. This impressive dish comprised mussels, clams, prawns, scallops, two varieties of seasonal fish, calamari, and a lobster tail, all complemented by a pasta aglio e olio. It was a seafood lover's dream come true.

To end our memorable evening, we indulged in a light lemon and blueberry cheesecake. This summery dessert was the perfect way to conclude our dining experience at Vero Bistro.

Overall, our night at Vero Bistro was one to remember. The exceptional service, cozy atmosphere, and outstanding culinary creations left a lasting impression on us. I can't wait to return to this hidden gem in Kensington. If you have a passion for the very best ingredients prepared with talent and love, I highly recommend and encourage you to experience Vero Bistro for yourself.

Ordered the set meal for 4. 148.00
Food was good. Includes fish with Gai lan, cream lobster, peking duck, duck and pineapple fried rice and duck and Chinese cabbage soup and crispy fried whole chicken

Went back again and this time chose from their selected menu. There's about 20+ dishes to choose from. 14.95/dish. Just heads up, plain rice is 3.50/pp. Suggest get a fried rice dish instead as more bang for buck.

First, the bartender was quite talented. We had two perfect martinis and a wonderful bottle of wine, ending with a 20 year twany port. The food was beautifully plated. Wish the escargot was pared with a nice French bread. The pasta was perfect but the stew was just plain. Over all satisfied and will be happy to come back to see how they improve.

We tried out Cassis on an impromptu date night, and we don’t regret a thing! The service was prompt and attentive, and the food was delicious. The bread is so fresh, and the fish of the day was impeccable. Highly recommend!

Heart and soul food found in the heart of downtown Calgary! This Italian bistro quite the little treasure. I tried the gnocchi and it was delectable! Make sure you make reservations as this place was packed!

A nice little hole in the wall that serves up some good food. Small Menu & doesn't seat many tables so best to make a reservation. Will definitely be back.

We went for dinner here with my sister and her husband, and I definitely have to say it's one of the best meals I've had in a while.

We ordered the beef tartare and scallop ceviche to start. They were absolutely divine - the scallops were fresh with just the right amount of citrus. The beef tartare was amazing (we appreciate this so much more after being in London for the last few months, I can confirm that London beef is nowhere near as good as Alberta beef!).

For our mains my hubby and I got the mussels and frites - I was told the bread here was delicious and to get it in place of the fries, but our waiter was super nice and said I could have both 😂😂 - I honestly love it when they tell me this! I don't even think he charged us for the bread! Everything tasted super fresh!

Despite being super full, I ordered two desserts - creme brulee and the nougat with a passion fruit coulis. I'm so glad I made that the decision. They were both excellent. The creme brulee was super creamy and eggy. The nougat was a surprise as it wasn't too sweet. It had a nice soft and chewy texture with some crunch to it from the added nuts. The passion fruit sauce was the perfect addition.

I'd definitely recommend this place, and I'm sure we will be back as well! We also had some fun filming through creme brulee!

I was underwhelmed by the food and the experience.
The host that sat us didn’t say a word to us, sat us down then only spoke to the table next to us before walking away. Started off weird. The waitress was nice, refilled water fast and answered questions.

The ravioli was good, and we got crème brûlée for dessert (best part of the evening) as the ratio was perfect, it was thin and wide.
The rest of the dishes were average and I didn’t find them particularly flavourful.

Cucina offers an enjoyable dining experience, the staff are friendly & attentive. The menu is very well curated, the flavours of each dish were nicely balanced and perfectly delicious. I’m super impressed with the quality of food & service here, will definitely be back. 🥰

A lovely little place just in the center of the city. Good food, sweet wine, and nice people. Lets not forget; location, location, location. You can jump onto the train right after a nice meal to get wherever you need to go. You can't hope for anything better.

A pink-colored sign greets you on the street like a welcome mat for all of those who are in the mood for a romantic Italian nosh. However when you walk inside, you are walking into a modern, clean space where you think you might be in an old Hollywood movie.

My friendly server had a smile ready for me and knew their stuff when it came to the menu. As a vegetarian, I appreciated that they answered my questions about the menu. By their kindly advice, I had the mushroom parsley soup and the gorgonzola pear risotto. Each bite of both of these savory, creamy dishes melted me from the inside out. This might be my new comfort food.

Sadly, I can't have it all the time because it's just way out of my pay grade to make a habit of it. That is the only problem with this place. Thanks Cucina! I hope to come back soon.

Amazing food!! And wonderful staff!! Went there last night with my husband and we tried 3 appetizers and we both ordered the mussels and fries and shared the cheesecake dessert. All of it were incredible, so satisfying to eat! Love the atmosphere and the service was awesome as well! Will definitely be going back!

Beautiful restaurant with some of the best food I've ever had! The steam buns and hummus are incredible, you MUST try them!! I love how they've decorated the place, it's very warm and inviting. Great spot for a date night or even a night out with the family, they are really accommodating to everyone.