While the building frenzy has slowed in Calgary, this city seems intent on growing upward and outward, the construction crane a kind of metaphor for the industrious, open-for-business Alberta brand.
So under the glare of the high-intensity lights that illuminate the ongoing construction of The Bow – soon to be the city's massive (for Calgary) sky-scraping monolith at 58 storeys – it's nice to know a few more human-scale, bohemian nooks still exist downtown.
Just start from the city centre and head due east – 9th Avenue is the route to Calgary's creative and bohemian core. It stretches from the iconic Calgary Tower, east past City Hall and into the funky neighbourhood of Inglewood, where some of the earliest storefronts now house eclectic entrepreneurs.
Le Germain, the city's newest and finest hotel at 9th Avenue and Centre Street, is a good place to start with Charcut, a cool, locovore eatery, at its base. From here, it's an easy 10-minute walk to historic Fort Calgary at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers, where the North-West Mounted Police first set up shop in 1875. These days, the city is busy cutting new roadways through the largely empty stretch between the riverbank and the old rail yards that flank 9th Avenue – making the area “developer ready” for the planned East Village revitalization – but once you get past this bit of no-man's land, you're into Inglewood.
With historic homes lining the riverbank – and the names of pioneers like Burns, Fraser, Douglas and Aull chiselled into the façades of the brick buildings along the avenue – it's easy to imagine what Calgary's oldest neighbourhood might have been like a century ago. Many of the shops still have creaky wood floors and high, pressed-tin ceilings, and the area has a casual vibe, with old-fashioned pizza joints flourishing next to high-end furniture stores. It's here that you'll find a hodgepodge of places to poke through, from used bookstores and fashion boutiques to some of the city's finest restaurants, whether you're up for a five-course meal or an awesome Italian sausage sandwich.
Aside from shops, though, Inglewood is home to a vibrant cultural scene. You might see local legend country singer Ian Tyson or indie roots rockers on the Ironwood Stage, or you can take in one of 150 shows at the summer Fringe Festival.
CHARCUT ROAST HOUSE “Char” stands for the char-grilled meat from the custom rotisserie and “cut” for the vintage meat slicer that turns house-made charcuterie into papery pieces, but this new eatery is about a lot more than meat. Chefs and owners John Jackson and Connie DeSousa are serious scratch cooks – their creative menu, based on local, artisan ingredients, changes daily. Try the lamb ham or pig-head mortadella with crunchy dill pickles, tuna conserved in olive oil with lemon, and rotisserie roasted organic chicken and beef. There’s an open kitchen, cool communal table and huge selection of craft beer. 101 899 Centre St. SW; 403-984-2180; charcut.com
BITE GROCETERIA This is nirvana for serious cooks – Bite carries the foie gras, local lamb, wild game and other fine local and imported ingredients used by the city’s top chefs, and some of them contribute their own creations (from veal jus to rice pudding) to the coolers too. Come for the superb sandwiches and soup, and Julie Denhamer will turn you on to a great cheese or a piece of must-have cookware. 1212 9th Ave. SE; 403-263-3966; bitegroceteria.com
NECTAR DESSERTS Skip right to dessert at Nectar – a groovy café where the sweets are paired with wine and Scotch whisky (or great coffee and tea) and the comfortable space is open late. Don’t miss the lemon tarts, macaroons and retro Red Velvet cake. Come on Wednesday nights for chocolate fondue or Sundays for afternoon tea. Upstairs, 1216 9th Ave. SE; 403-263-8486; nectardesserts.com
