Bright Renfrew Suite Guidebook
Food scene
Another fantastic brunch restaurant, but also fabulous for lunch or dinner. Make a reservation!! There's usually a line-up. It's about a 10-15 minute meander down the hill from our house.
76 locals recommend
Blue Star Diner
809 1 Ave NEAnother fantastic brunch restaurant, but also fabulous for lunch or dinner. Make a reservation!! There's usually a line-up. It's about a 10-15 minute meander down the hill from our house.
THE friendliest shwarma locale in town! It's a very unassuming place, next to a tire shop, but the food is delicious. Have a fun chat and feed yourself well.
Calgary Shawarma
855 8 Ave SWTHE friendliest shwarma locale in town! It's a very unassuming place, next to a tire shop, but the food is delicious. Have a fun chat and feed yourself well.
It's our favourite date night or meet up with friends locale. Fabulous cocktails, microbrewery beers and spirits, and yummy food too. Fun, funky, lovely patio - heated! But not sheltered from the rain. Oh yeah, and there's a barbershop too.
60 locals recommend
Cannibale Barbershop & Cocktails
813 1 Ave NEIt's our favourite date night or meet up with friends locale. Fabulous cocktails, microbrewery beers and spirits, and yummy food too. Fun, funky, lovely patio - heated! But not sheltered from the rain. Oh yeah, and there's a barbershop too.
Best burgers! If you like them with extra sauce, and thinner buns. Great onion rings. Huge selection of milkshakes too. And, old school arcade games and memorabilia on the walls to keep your eyes entertained while you wait for your food, or your kids entertained while you eat your food.
40 locals recommend
Boogie's Burgers
908 Edmonton TrailBest burgers! If you like them with extra sauce, and thinner buns. Great onion rings. Huge selection of milkshakes too. And, old school arcade games and memorabilia on the walls to keep your eyes entertained while you wait for your food, or your kids entertained while you eat your food.
The BEST ramen in town, hands down, well, ok, in the inner city/north end. We haven't had a need to go any further! Go early, there are lineups every day. If you can't wait, check out their "corner store" for Chili Goma kits to go and bring it back home to eat.
62 locals recommend
Shiki Menya
824 1 Ave NEThe BEST ramen in town, hands down, well, ok, in the inner city/north end. We haven't had a need to go any further! Go early, there are lineups every day. If you can't wait, check out their "corner store" for Chili Goma kits to go and bring it back home to eat.
Sightseeing
Great place for kids, three separate playgrounds as well as a large dinosaur area, alongside all the indoor & outdoor animal areas. The butterfly gardens are a haven during our dry winters.
745 locals recommend
Calgary Zoo
Great place for kids, three separate playgrounds as well as a large dinosaur area, alongside all the indoor & outdoor animal areas. The butterfly gardens are a haven during our dry winters.
Great indoor and outdoor children's areas!! We aren't fans of the non-kid areas, mostly about oil industry, and the entry fee is pretty steep.
362 locals recommend
Telus Spark
Great indoor and outdoor children's areas!! We aren't fans of the non-kid areas, mostly about oil industry, and the entry fee is pretty steep.
Fantastic museum, with a dash of art gallery too! The gift shop is decent. The entrance is on 8 Ave S aka Stephen Avenue - a pedestrian street (open to vehicles in the evenings) downtown.
492 locals recommend
Glenbow Museum
130 9 Ave SEFantastic museum, with a dash of art gallery too! The gift shop is decent. The entrance is on 8 Ave S aka Stephen Avenue - a pedestrian street (open to vehicles in the evenings) downtown.
Beyond the colonial European settler "heritage" activities and buildings, there are no extra fees for the rides: train, paddlewheel boat on Glenbow Reservoir or any of the amusement rides. It's a lovely place to spend a warm sunny day.
135 locals recommend
Heritage park
Heritage ParkBeyond the colonial European settler "heritage" activities and buildings, there are no extra fees for the rides: train, paddlewheel boat on Glenbow Reservoir or any of the amusement rides. It's a lovely place to spend a warm sunny day.
This is one of our favourite places to go beyond our neighbourhood any time of the year. It's only a 20 minute walk away. There's a lagoon for wading, a hill for sledding or rolling on, paths for meandering, the Bow River for hucking rocks at, a bakery & coffee shop nearby, and even bathrooms near the parking lot in the middle of the island. And much much more. The east half of the island is the Calgary Zoo.
102 locals recommend
St. Patrick's Island
1300 Zoo Rd NEThis is one of our favourite places to go beyond our neighbourhood any time of the year. It's only a 20 minute walk away. There's a lagoon for wading, a hill for sledding or rolling on, paths for meandering, the Bow River for hucking rocks at, a bakery & coffee shop nearby, and even bathrooms near the parking lot in the middle of the island. And much much more. The east half of the island is the Calgary Zoo.
This is the main downtown park. All of the main music and cultural festivals are held here. There is a playground, a fantastic restaurant (River Cafe), public washrooms, nature walk, skating on the lagoon, and it's adjacent to the River Walk area, with the iconic red Peace bridge to the west.
419 locals recommend
Prince's Island Park
698 Eau Claire Ave SWThis is the main downtown park. All of the main music and cultural festivals are held here. There is a playground, a fantastic restaurant (River Cafe), public washrooms, nature walk, skating on the lagoon, and it's adjacent to the River Walk area, with the iconic red Peace bridge to the west.
Walking Tour East
Wonderful community urban park with lots of meandering trails and great views.
102 locals recommend
St. Patrick's Island
1300 Zoo Rd NEWonderful community urban park with lots of meandering trails and great views.
Tom Campbell's Hill Natural Park
25 St Georges Dr NEGreat views!
Rachel's favourite lunch food (and Walter's favourite place for a coissant).
68 locals recommend
Sidewalk Citizen Bakery
618 Confluence Way SERachel's favourite lunch food (and Walter's favourite place for a coissant).
Great coffee, lovely ambiance, close to Sidewalk Citizen and the river pathway.
42 locals recommend
Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters - Simmons Building Cafe
618 Confluence Way SEGreat coffee, lovely ambiance, close to Sidewalk Citizen and the river pathway.
2022: rent e-bikes $100/day, regular bikes $70/day (check website for current pricing)
Bow Cycle E-Bikes
632 Confluence Way Southeast2022: rent e-bikes $100/day, regular bikes $70/day (check website for current pricing)
Barley Belt
High Line Brewing
1318 9 Ave SEInteresting drinks (not just beer) & yummy food
Lovely ambiance, good beer & cider, you can bring in your own food, and even your own wine!
28 locals recommend
Ol' Beautiful Brewing Co.
1103 12 Street SELovely ambiance, good beer & cider, you can bring in your own food, and even your own wine!
Some of our favourite beers are crafted here
33 locals recommend
The Dandy Brewing Company And Tasting Room
2003 11 St SESome of our favourite beers are crafted here
Eighty-Eight Brewing Co.
2600 Portland St SESome of our favourite beers are crafted here too!
Beltline
The Ship & Anchor
534 17 Ave SWOld local hangout with a fun, low key atmosphere
Kate Hewko
908 17 Avenue SouthwestAmazing, fun & outrageous women's clothing designed in Calgary, and affordable!
Steeling Home
1010 17 Ave SWFun gift shop
Tigerstedt
Tigerstedt Market Gift Shop
918 Centre St NLe Freak
104 8 Avenue NortheastFun vintage clothing shop
Urban Thrift
906 Centre St NWell maintained, high end consignment store (men's and women's)
Po-ke
908A Centre St NTwo Pillars Brewery
910 Centre St NESought and Found Coffee Roasters
916 Centre St NLovely little gift shop filled with wee items, many from Japan, vintage clothing & items in the basement, and several nooks for artists of all ages to sell their creations. It's a neighbourhood favourite!
Tigerstedt Market Gift Shop
918 Centre St NLovely little gift shop filled with wee items, many from Japan, vintage clothing & items in the basement, and several nooks for artists of all ages to sell their creations. It's a neighbourhood favourite!
Besties Floral Cafe
920 Centre Street NortheastAuthentic! Food upstairs and down. Eat in, on the patio or take it to go. Always fresh & delicious.
19 locals recommend
Tokyo Street Market
922 Centre St NEAuthentic! Food upstairs and down. Eat in, on the patio or take it to go. Always fresh & delicious.