Bernice Hill

Summertime, and the living is easy… especially when you’re situated on a west-facing patio with a cool mojito in your hand. Traditionally, the classic mojito consists of only five ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime juice, sparkling water and mint, but the Calgary cocktail scene has never been one to keep to tradition. Here are some of Calgary’s best twists on this classic Cuban cocktail. Image credit: iStock.com/id-art.

Calgary has no shortage of establishments offering well-crafted cocktails and impressive wine lists. This proliferation of superb drinks has fed our fascination with high-quality, accessible liquor and inspired a rise in the popularity of the home-cocktail hour and private wine cellars. Below are a few stores that curate shelves full of outstanding wine, spirits and beer.

In many cultures, people fill flattened dough with delicious fillings. In Asia, there are dumplings. Italians love tortellini, ravioli and agnolotti. In Russia, there are pelmeni and in Georgia, khinkali. The most popular form on the Canadian Prairies is the perogy (pierogi, pirogi, varenyky), which came to Canada from Eastern Europe. If you don’t have a baba to make them for you, here are a few places you can find perogies.

While the bacon phenomenon is still going strong (long live bacon!), the other parts of the pig are best utilized when cooked low and slow, with some kind of sauce to hold everything together. The second that tender meat hits the plate and falls apart, mouths start watering and a fork frenzy follows. Here is a list of some of the best places in Calgary that serve this slow-cooked wonder on a bun, in breakfast hash and beyond.

The warm spice blends of the Indian continent have travelled far and wide to become a take-out mainstay in our city. Whether you’re at your office desk or on the couch on a chilly night, these exotic dishes whisk you away to a warm and delicious place. Here’s a list of restaurants that offer cuisine-induced momentary vacations with the convenience of delivery service.

Do you dream of flying pigs? Are you convinced that pork should be a food group? Do you believe that bacon has the power to heal? If you have answered yes to any of these questions you may have a bacon addiction. You could try to quit cold turkey (bacon) but specialized bacon therapy at any of the following restaurants is the most recommended course of treatment by local professionals.

As the temperature cools and the days shorten, autumn prepares us for the winter ahead. But if you’ve donned your turtleneck yet still find yourself shivering, warm up with a steaming bowl of aromatic pho. The following restaurants serve a wide range of this delectable Vietnamese specialty sure to stave off winter chills, if only for the time it takes to slurp them up.

As Alberta’s other signature meat, bison is more popular than ever in grocery meat aisles, and city restaurants make beautiful use of this lean and delectable red meat. Take a walk on the wild side at these notable Calgary restaurants serving bison dishes from tartare to slow-braised short ribs and grilled striploin.