Restaurants in Calgary

Named as an homage to the House of Medici—a wealthy 14th-century family that influenced and funded the flourishing of Italian arts, culture, and cuisine—Osteria De Medici flung open its doors open in 1989. The brainchild of Antonietta and Rocco Terrigno, the family-run restaurant now also employs their sons, Maurizio and Mike, and Rocco acts as master chef, curating a vast menu of refined Italian cuisine and a well-stocked wine cellar. Each sharing a love and passion for cooking from a young age, Antonietta and Rocco have refined their culinary skills across more than 40 years spent in kitchens across the world, and have catered to A-listers such as Anthony Hopkins, Isabella Rossellini, and the hands that operate Kermit the Frog.

Champions of healthy eating practices, Clive's chefs carry the banner of the Eat Local movement as they bypass factory farms to assemble a pantry of seasonal ingredients from small area farms. This emphasis on locally sourced eats stems from the restaurant’s goal to serve guests wholesome dishes free of genetically altered produce tainted by potentially harmful preservatives and additives that may lead to unwanted superpowers. The kitchens of all three Alberta locations bustle with chefs chopping and grilling up dishes using trans-fat-free cooking oils and ingredients including Alberta beef, handmade tortilla chips, and steamed vegetables. While the extensive menu stars a host of tried-and-tested breakfast, lunch, and dinner fare, Clive’s culinary gurus happily modify their dishes to uphold the dietary needs of each of their guests.

Fuji Yama Sushi's head chef Francis Tam pays tribute to his roots in New York City—where he honed his sashimi-slicing skills—with specialties inspired by the five boroughs of the Big Apple. On the bronx appetizer, mild sriracha chili sauce dapples white-shrimp-coconut tempura, and the manhattan entree sizzles an Alberta AAA boneless rib-eye steak. Other traditional Japanese fare includes fresh sashimi hand-selected by the chef and teriyaki chicken and salmon on beds of Japanese rice.

After graduating from the SAIT Culinary Institute, Robert Fedosoff embarked on a five-year journey around the globe, living and working in restaurants in New Zealand, London, and France. Returning to his native Calgary with a diverse culinary arsenal, he accepted the position of executive chef at Il Sogno, where he combines European cooking techniques and Italian traditions to create a menu that's filled with contemporary preparations, such as a duck liver parfait with fig preserves, watercress, and pickled shallots.

Over the last decade, Il Sogno has received a multitude of awards, including the Consumers Choice Best Italian Award in 2010 and the Four Diamond Award by the CAA/AAA in 2009, as cited by a glowing feature in Notable. Beneath 14-foot pressed-tin ceilings, servers transport dishes of braised duck, house-made pasta, and seasonal seafood through what has been lauded as one of Calgary’s most romantic dining rooms. An extensive selection of cocktails and spirits originate from the bar, and a wine list offers well-suited pairings for appetizers, entrees, and white shirts.

In the kitchen at Roma's Pizzeria, cooks sprinkle pies with fresh basil, mozzarella cheese, and prosciutto crudo as their colleagues grill panini sandwiches filled with veal parmesan and marinara sauce. They bake tried-and-true pizzas such as pepperoni with provolone, as well as inventive options such as the pescatore with gorgonzola, capers, and fresh Atlantic salmon.