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Calgary, a once meat-and-potatoes kind of city, is currently experiencing its gastronomic enlightenment: Humble comfort fare is morphing into elevated renditions of hallmark dishes. And this is only accelerating as small, creative companies are being lured to the wild west of Canada, bringing with them a wave of eager foodies. Much has been said about the savory fare that’s emerged of late, but those with a sweet tooth would be happy to learn that Calgary’s talented chefs have been turning their attention to the sweeter side of life. There is now an embarrassment of dessert riches to be found and any visitor would be wise to plan a crawl to experience as many as time (and stomach capacity) will allow. Here, a primer:
Beltline
ProvisionThis restaurant is a testament to Calgary’s progressive food scene; the vegetable-forward concept is a welcome breath of fresh air in a city known for its meat-centric predilections. And pastry chef Kevin Yang really shines with his dessert offerings. Perhaps most delicious is the matcha and honey creation: a domed vanilla bean custard infused with local honey butter nestled atop a matcha genoise and hugged by matcha sablé rings. But wait, there’s more: The whole dish is surrounded by concentrated matcha latte gel, honeyed sea foam, and honey butter chips.
Ollia Macarons & TeaHusband-and-wife duo Lindsay and David Rousseau offer morsels of Paris in Calgary by way of their macarons. Opened in 2014, they are the city’s first macaron-focused shop and their little sweets offer, as they put it, a “parenthèse enchantée” (an “enchanted episode”) in an otherwise ordinary day. For classic tastes, the chef recommends the salted caramel—an homage to his roots in Brittany. For those seeking something adventurous, opt for the chèvre apricot, with sweet preserves punctuated with the pungency of cheese made with goat’s milk.
Made by MarcusWith a background in food science, chef and owner Marcus Purtzki operates a full-fledged micro-creamery, which means that with the exception of milking the cow (organic dairy comes from Vital Green Farms), ice cream production is all done in-house and in small batches. Purtzki offers ice cream at both 16 percent butterfat and soft serve at 5 percent. Try the lemon curd blueberry and chocolate with honeycomb ice creams. Or if you’re in the mood for soft serve, try the cereal milk flavor; it’s best enjoyed as a “breakfast of champions” sundae (featuring cornflake crunch and Lucky Charms).
Raw BarIf you’re not looking for a traditional dessert, but want a bit of something sweet, head to Raw Bar at Hotel Arts for a nightcap. The Good Morning Vietnam cocktail, for instance, is dessert in liquid form. A play on Vietnamese coffee—it’s a warm cocktail featuring Patrón XO, chocolate, and chili notes—it’s mixed with espresso and topped with condensed milk foam. Then comes the performance: The drink is covered with a cloche and infused with smoke from cinnamon and star anise chips, which permeate the sweet foam. The result is something that’s milky sweet, darkly rich, smoky, with a touch of spice at the end.
Re:GrubIntrepid burger connoisseurs will salivate over Re:Grub, where big is better. The towering meat stacks use premium Alberta grass-fed beef; brisket and trim are ground in-house daily to make the patties. But what’s a burger without a classic shake to pair with it? To complement the meaty creations, there are the Monster milkshakes. The wacky, inventive shakes use scoops from Foothills Creamery and load in decadent ingredients for shakes that go way beyond the black cow. If Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are your guilty pleasure, Howbow Dah? is for you: It’s a shake topped with Oreo ice cream and an Oreo peanut butter s’more. Or, if you’re a donut fiend, your must-order is the Cookie Monster: an Oreo-infused shake topped with (more) Oreos and glazed donuts.
Jelly Modern DoughnutsRita and Rosanne Tripathy introduced Jelly to Calgary in April 2011. Since its inception, these confections have been praised by the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart. And it’s no wonder; the yeast-leavened confections have a pillowy-plush texture, akin to brioche, and the not-too-sweet dough makes for an ideal foundation for decadent toppings. Over the years, more than 100 different creations have been crafted and devoured, but the standout is the maple bacon donut, a salty-sweet creation topped with local Valbella crumbled bacon and maple glaze.
Downtown
Sweet Tooth Ice CreamIf a plain-old scoop of ice cream leaves you wanting more, it’s time to try the rolled ice cream at Sweet Tooth Ice Cream. Here’s how it works: The liquid ice cream base is poured onto a cold plate to harden and is then scraped by the staff into light, creamy ice cream cylinders. Try the Morning Espresso featuring Roasted Arabica Bean ice cream, condensed milk, Oreos, and whipped cream. Cheesecake lovers will clamor for the Last Straw, which sees New York cheesecake, honey grams, and strawberry sauce mixed into the ice cream base and then topped with whipped cream and wafer sticks.
The Chocolate LabLocated in a 100-year-old heritage building, Eva Choi and her husband, Dallas, whip up inventive takes on all things chocolate. For the adventurous, try the International Chocolate Awards–winning L.L. Dean. With a sunshine and ruby hue, the bonbon features single-origin Peru 62 percent dark chocolate, Manhattan cocktail infusion, and is finished with a Kirsch cherry. For those seeking something classic, the Starry Night features single-origin 70 percent dark chocolate from Nicaragua layered with sea salt and caramelized chocolate.
Downtown East Village
Mari BakeshopAcclaimed chefs Douglas Gregory and Lauren Ahn (between them, they have worked at restaurants in the U.K. and with chef Thomas Keller at The French Laundry) opened their bakery a few months ago and specialize in breads and pastries; most notably, pain rustique, roll cakes, and choux buns. The raspberry roll cake is one of the original flavors that kick-started their successes, but you’ll be inclined to take a few additional ones for the road home (matcha and caramel are also standouts).