I am a bit of a sentimentalist.  As a result, I may be a bit of a hoarder.  I don’t easily part with things that have strong memories associated with them.  The same applies to food and good dinner destinations.  The company I’m in, the food quality and the interaction with the hosts all contribute to the sentimentality and atmosphere – or “atmos-feel”, as I fondly refer to it.

Here are my top five dinner destinations in Calgary and the reasons why.

🇹🇷 Anatolia Turkish Restaurant

Turkey played a very significant part in our love story.  It was here that Christa had all her valuables stolen during a summer vacation with her close friend, Krista.  With her passport, wallet, holiday memories on her camera and anything else that could fit into her stolen purse now gone, she was left stranded while trying to arrange for documentation to get her back to Canada.  Cue, Derek!  Thanks to a very understanding boss at the company I worked for in South Africa at the time, I was able to take leave at short notice and fly to Turkey under the guise of “going to save my foreign friend”.  Little did we know that this would set the ball in motion for Christa and I to reconnect and to eventually marry 14 months later, more than 20 years after graduating from high school together!  So, anything Turkish evokes significant nostalgia and sentiment for us!

Anatolia Turkish captures the smells and feels of this ancient country.  Their food quality, plating and service are great.  The value for money is surprisingly reasonable for a Downtown, upmarket-feeling restaurant.  If you like Mediterranean and mildly exotic food, let’s meet up here and we can tell you our love story.  It’s a good one!

Anatolia Turkish Food at a glance:

• My entrée of choice: Lamb shank dinner
• My dessert of choice: Baklava
• Location: 237 8 Ave SE (Downtown)
• Reservations: recommended
• Parking: paid street parking or nearby Arts Common parking parkade
• Accessibility: wheelchair-friendly
• Atmos-feel: spacious
• Seating: tables and booth
• Food: Turkish / Mediterranean
• Additional offerings & notes:
• IG: @anatoliaturkishfood

🇲🇦 The Sultan’s Tent

I have had the privilege of visiting Morocco on numerous occasions for business-related travel.  Although there is little, if anything, romantic about Casablanca, I still have vivid memories of the amazing food and rich friendships I developed with my work colleagues there.  Despite nearly being accosted in the Old Medina (note to self: don’t try to navigate this place alone as a naïve, trusting westerner!), my work colleagues did treat me to a several exceptional eating places as well as the most memorable day excursion to Marrakech, the Red City.

The Sultan’s Tent is a vivid reminder to me of all things good in Morocco.  Flavourful food, traditional décor and authentic Moroccan mint tea!!  This was where I brought Christa to for our first date when I visited Calgary in the summer we got engaged.  She had never eaten Moroccan food.  The experience we enjoyed here surpassed both of our expectations.  We treated ourselves to the Sultan’s Feast.  Although pricey, this menu option provides an extravagant yet very satiating 7-course “sampler” of the diversity of some of Morocco’s finest cuisine.

The Sultan’s Tent at a glance:

• My entrée of choice: Lamb tagine
• My dessert of choice: Braewat
• Location: 4 14 St NW (Kensington)
• Reservations: recommended
• Parking: see website for dedicated parking options
• Accessibility: wheelchair-friendly
• Atmos-feel: muted lighting, authentic-feel decor
• Seating: cushioned floor seating at low tables
• Food: authentic Moroccan / Mediterranean cuisine
• Additional offerings & notes: seven-course Sultan’s Feast

🇮🇹 Bonterra Trattoria

Neither Christa not I have ever been to Italy on vacation.  But it’s certainly on our wish list.  None the less, we both love Italian food.  Bonterra Trattoria was recommended to us by friends.  It was our first choice as the destination for our 1^st anniversary dinner.  We loved it.  The hosts were super-friendly.  The portion sizes left us suitably satisfied, yet eager to still indulge in their sumptuous desserts.  Their wine selection is great.  It was here, during our 6^th anniversary dinner, that we first tasted their imported Livio Felluga Vertigo wine and discovered a new love … for this wine – not for Christa … she’s a given!

Bonterra Trattoria at a glance:

• My entrée of choice: Chef’s four-course tasting menu
• My dessert of choice: Tiramisu
• Location: 1016 8 St SW (Beltline)
• Reservations: recommended for larger parties
• Parking: paid street parking; limited dedicated off-street parking
• Accessibility: wheelchair-friendly
• Atmos-feel: stylish dining room; welcoming, friendly Hosts
• Seating: tables
• Food: Italian
• Additional offerings & notes: wine room; outdoor Tuscan terrace (seasonal)
• IG: @bonterracalgary

🇨🇦 Calgary Tower’s Sky 360 Restaurant

You really can’t beat this Calgary culinary location for its view!  Perched 190 metres above the city on the observation deck of the Calgary Tower, Sky 360 treats you to a constantly-changing vista of the surrounding scenery as the restaurant revolves around the tower column during a 45-minute orbit.  This really is a memorable way to experience Calgary.  During the day you may get to soak in the vastness of the prairies while you want to reach out and touch the majestic Rockies, if the weather permits.  At night, the sprawling city lights enhance the dinner ambience, making you feel like you’re feasting amidst a million fireflies.  The varied menu offers options for all culinary preferences.  The food quality will no doubt leave you very satisfied with your choice of dinner and destination!

Sky 360 at a glance:

• My entrée of choice: Pan roasted chicken supreme
• My dessert of choice: Grand Marnier crème brulee 
• Location: Calgary Tower, 101 9 Ave SW (Downtown)
• Reservations: recommended for availability and best seating options
• Parking: paid street parking or in the adjacent parkades
• Accessibility: wheelchair-friendly
• Atmos-feel: muted lighting, revolving restaurant, elegant ambience
• Seating: individual tables, comfortable chairs
• Food: western, varied, good Alberta beef
• Additional offerings & notes: revolving restaurant with spectacular views; remember that your Calgary Tower access fee (~$18/adult) is waived if you order an entrée from the restaurant.  If you have already pre-purchased your elevation ticket this can unfortunately not be refunded.
• IG: @sky360calgary

😎 The Dark Table

Just how dark can dining in the dark be?  We visited this unique restaurant as a celebration of Christa and my shared birthday month.  Unless you’re physically 100% blind, nothing can quite prepare you for this experience.  Not even trying to eat blindfolded at home in the dark!  And why would you want to do that anyway?  Perhaps the same can be said for voluntarily dining at a restaurant in the dark.  But if you have any sense of adventure or want to try something novel and you enjoy food, then you would do well to visit The Dark Table.

Seating at this popular venue is at pre-determined times, so be sure to make a reservation.  Patrons have the choice of pre-selecting their menu items for your 3-course meal (before being seated), or you can choose to have any one or all of your courses as a surprise.  Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated by the kitchen.  Upon arrival at the venue you will be required to remove all items from yourself that might emit light: phones, watches, car fobs or funky light-emitting jewelry.  You can lock these in a personal locker for retrieval after your dinner.  Once you’ve placed your dinner and drinks order at the bar in the reception area, your allocated Server will lead your dinner party, in single file, through a curtained door into the pitch darkness of the dining room.  After being seated, orientated and debriefed by your Server who, themselves, might be legally blind, the awkwardness of the evening might commence.  Suddenly you have no frame of reference.  You have no idea who is sitting at the table alongside you or what the interior décor looks like.  The only subdued lighting emanates from the two red emergency exit signs.  But even these are inconspicuous in the inky darkness.  When one’s sight is suddenly impaired it seems that one’s voice needs to be raised.  So, the volume from adjacent tables, particularly where there are parties greater than just an intimate duo, increases incrementally.  Should you need the washroom you will need to holler for your Server who will lead you out of the venue to the lit facilities.  For everything else, only pitch darkness.  By the time your 3-course meal is over you will be no clearer on what is around you, how many tables are in the dining room, or who you dined alongside.  When your meal is done and you are ready to leave, your Server will lead you back out of the venue to the inviting light of the reception vestibule where you can find out what you ate for dinner.  What happens in between may differ from party to party.  Silence?  Awkwardness?  Spilling?  Fumbling?  Disorientation?  Considered conversation?  Suffice to say, we found the food excellent, the Servers to be efficient and friendly, and the experience perhaps a little unnerving!  No comment can be made about the food presentation because we never got to see it!  Our next visit will definitely be with a party of at least four people so we can share the unique occasion.  We have since recommended this dining experience to numerous family and friends who have also raved about it!

Dark Table at a glance:

• My entrée of choice: be surprised
• My dessert of choice: be surprised
• Location: 731 6 Ave SW (Downtown)
• Reservations: recommended
• Parking: paid street parking
• Accessibility: wheelchair-friendly
• Atmos-feel: Disarming; friendly Hosts
• Seating: tabled
• Food: western
• Additional offerings & notes: beware of the dark; no light-emitting items will be allowed in the dining area
• IG: @darktablecalgary

Tell us about your favourite and unique dining location in Calgary in the REPLY section below. Or give us your feedback on your experience at any of our Favourite Five locations we’ve listed here. We love your feedback and input.

Featured image courtesy of Bonterra Trattoria Instagram.