| For the last four years we’ve asked our readers to tell us what people, place and businesses make the city special. In this short time, the Best of Calgary has become a city institution – much anticipated, and even occasionally imitated. After ploughing through the heaps of responses we received in the mail and via the Internet (and tossing out a few shameless ballot stuffers), we are proud to present this year’s Best of Calgary.
As you will see, the results show that Calgararians are sophisticated enough to appreciate a great wine list, while still being able to appreciate a good pint of beer on a patio. This year we also asked a few of our critics to write about some of the city’s other "best ofs."
THE CITY
Best new trend
Scooters
Retro ’70s & ’80s stuff
Worst new trend
Scooters
Mullets
Best kept secret
Sandy Beach
Calgary bike paths
Best weekend getaway
Banff
Kananaskis
Best tourist attraction
Stampede
Calgary Zoo
Most unusual place to take visitors
Drumheller
Stampede
Best area ski hill
Lake Louise
Sunshine Village
Best golf course
Shaganappi Point Golf Course
Kananaskis Country Golf Course
Best public swimming pool
Lindsay Park Sports Centre
Stanley Park
Best public library
W.R. Castell Central Library
Memorial Park Library
Best neighbourhood
Mission
Kensington
Ugliest road
Macleod Trail
Deerfoot Trail
Best park
Prince’s Island
Fish Creek
Best dog park
Nose Hill
Sandy Beach
Best place to watch the stars
Nose Hill
Scotsman’s hill
Best view of the city
Crescent Road
Nose Hill
Best place for a romantic stroll
Bow river pathway
Prince’s Island
Best place for public nudity
Prince’s Island / 17th Ave SW (tie)
Stampeder’s game
Best place to break up
The Ship & Anchor
Eau Claire Market
Best place to people watch
17th Ave SW
Stephen Ave Mall
Best public washroom
Chinook Centre
Eau Claire Market
Worst public washroom
The Night Gallery
The Ship & Anchor
CITY LIFE
Best radio station
CJSW 90.9FM
CJAY 92FM
Best television station
A-Channel
Global
Best art gallery
Glenbow Museum
Art Gallery of Calgary
Best dance company
Decidedly Jazz Danceworks
Alberta Ballet
Best theatre company
One Yellow Rabbit
Loose Moose Theatre Company
Best festival
Calgary Folk Music Festival
Lilac Festival
Best free event
Lilac Festival
Shakespeare in the Park
Best fund-raising event
Calgary Cares
Big Rock Eddies
Best movie theatre
Uptown Stage & Screen
The Globe Cinema
Best place to play video games
Cinescape (Eau Claire)
Campus Cove (U of C)
Best fitness facility
Lindsay Park Sports Centre
Eau Claire YMCA
CALGARIANS
Most honorable Calgarian
Al Duerr
Joe Clark
Most embarrassing Calgarian
Ralph Klein
Rob Anders
Best politician
Al Duerr
Joe Clark
Most active activist
Grant Krieger
Stephen Lock
Best person for new mayor
Bev Longstaff
Gerry Forbes
Sexiest man
Darr Maqbool (A-Channel)
Dave Kelly (A-Channel)
Sexiest woman
Tara McCool
Su-Ling Goh
Best-dressed Calgarian
Al Duerr
Barb Higgins
Worst-dressed Calgarian
Artie the Jester / Darr Maqbool (tie)
Ralph Klein
Favourite TV personality
Darr Maqbool (A-Channel)
Dave Kelly (A-Channel)
Favourite radio personality
Gerry Forbes (CJAY 92)
Jeff Collins (CBC)
Best newscast
A-Channel
CFCN
Best columnist
Rick Bell (Calgary Sun)
Catherine Ford (Calgary Herald)
Most credible journalist
Darrel Janz(CFCN)
Catherine Ford (Calgary Herald)
Best local band
Chixdiggit
Flu
Best local athelete
Catriona LeMay Doan
Curtis Myden
Best local author
Rajinderpal S. Pal
Peter Oliva
Best export
Jann Arden
Paul Brandt
Best local busker
Dan the One Man band
Artie the Jester
SHOPPING
Best shopping district
17th Avenue S.W.
Kensington
Best shopping mall
Chinook Centre
Southcentre
Best flea market
Crossroads Market
Hillhurst/Sunnyside Market
Best independent corner store
Kalamata Grocery Store
A&A Foods & Deli
Best antique store
Junktiques
June Dyson Antiques
Best sports store
Sport Chek
Sport Mart
Best outdoor gear store
Mountain Equipment Co-op
Campers Village Outdoor Adventure Store
Best ski equipment shop
The Ski Cellar
Ski West
Best surplus or second hand store
Crown Surplus / Value village (tie)
Ribtor
Best snowboard / skateboard shop
The Source
Mission Snowboards & Skateboards
Best bike shop
The Bike Shop
Bow Cycle
Best retail record store
A&B Sound
HMV
Best indie record store
Megatunes
Sloth Records
Best used record store
Recordland
Hot Wax
Best music instrument store
Long & McQuade
Mother’s Music
Best independent bookstore
Books & Books
Pages Books on Kensington
Best used bookstore
Wee Book Inn
Fair’s Fair
Best magazine selection
With the Times
Chapters
Best comic / fantasy / sci-fi store
Another Dimension
Phoenix Comics
Best video / DVD store
Blockbuster
Casablanca / Video & Sound
Best electronics / computer store
Future Shop
A&B Sound
Best home accessories store
Ikea
Urban Barn
Best toy store
Toys R Us
Livingstone & Cavell
Best men’s clothing store
Henry Singer
Moore’s
Best women’s clothing store
Purr
Blue Light Special
Best club wear
Le Chateau
Aluminum Planet
Best lingerie store
La Senza
La Vie en Rose
Best fetish wear or sex shop
B&D Emporium
Barbie’s Shop
Best vintage clothing
Blue Light Special
Value Village
Best footwear for men
Gravity Pope
Aldo Shoes
Best footwear for women
Gravity Pope
Arnold Churgin Shoes
Best optical
The Brass Monocle
Eyeclectic Eyewear
Best florist
Peaseblossoms
Panda Flowers
Best international food store
Debaji’s Fresh Market/T&T Supermarket (tie)
Lina’s Italian Market
Best health food store
Community Natural Foods
Debaji’s Fresh Market
Best farmer’s market
Crossroads Market
Millarville Market
Best place for a chocolate fix
Bernard Callebaut Chocolaterie
The Chocolate Bar
Best liquor store
Royal Liquor Merchants
Willow Park Wines & Spirits
Best wine shop
Kensington Wine Market
Willow Park Wines & Spirits
Best pet store
Petland
Petsmart
SERVICES
Best Internet service provider
Shaw@home
CadVision
Best barber shop
The Barber Shop
Razor’s Edge Barber Shoppe
Best hair salon
Escape Salon & Spa
Swizzle Sticks
Best place to get pampered
Oasis Spa & Wellness Centre
Swizzle Sticks Lifestyles Centre
Best tattoo parlour
Smilin’ Buddha Tattoo
Symbols of Strength
Best piercing shop
Adorned
To The Point
Best laundromat
O’Henry Laundromat & Drycleaners
The Wash House
Best dry cleaners
Fishman’s Personal Care Cleaners
Rosedale Cleaners
Best shoe repair
Moneysworth & Best Quality Shoe Repair
Calgary Shoe Hospital
Best travel agency
Travel Cuts
AMA Travel
NIGHT LIFE
Best bartender
Christine (Night Gallery)
Chad (Cherry Lounge)
Best new bar
The Roxy
Bass Bros.
Best cocktail bar
The Mercury
Ming
Best pub
The Ship & Anchor
Rose & Crown Pub
Best gay / lesbian bar
Detour
Rooks Bar & Beanery
Best bar to spend the day in
The Ship & Anchor
Melrose Cafe & Bar
Best dive bar
The King Eddy
Cecil Hotel
Best pick-up spot
Cowboys
The Ship & Anchor
Best place to drink alone
The Ship & Anchor
At home
Best bar to catch last call
The Ship & Anchor
The Night Gallery
Best place to play pool
Garage
Schanks Athletic Club
Best place to watch sports
Schanks Athletic Club
Melrose Cafe & Bar
Best patio
The Ship & Anchor
Melrose Cafe & Bar
Best place to dance
The Night Gallery
Embassy
Best DJ
Rice
Faust
Best nightclub
The Night Gallery
Embassy
Best live rock or alternative venue
The Night Gallery
Morgans Pub
Best live jazz or blues venue
Kaos Jazz & Blues Bistro
The King Eddy
Best country or folk venue
Karma Local Arts House
Ranchman’s
FOOD AND DRINK
Best new restaurant
Blonde
The Living Room
Best restaurant for romance
River Cafe
Mortal Coil
Best-looking restaurant or bar staff
Earl’s
Joey Tomato’s
Best value restaurant
Original Joe’s
Lido Cafe
Best restaurant atmosphere
River Cafe
Fleur de Sel
Best restaurant or bar service
The Ship & Anchor
The Night Gallery
Best late-night eats
Denny’s
Pongo
Best diner
Galaxie Diner
The Arden
Best pizza
Wicked Wedge
Pizza Hut
Best nachos
Original Joe’s
Rose & Crown Pub
Best wings
Ed’s Restaurant
Limericks Traditional Public House
Best burger
Burger Inn
Peters’ Drive-In
Best fries
McDonald’s
The Ship & Anchor
Best steak
The Keg
Caesar’s Steak House
Best fish & chips
Joey’s Only
Boyd’s Seafood Restaurant
Bet Chinese
Silver Dragon
Ginger Beef Peking House
Best Japanese
Kyoto 17
Japanese Village
Best Thai
The King & I
Thai Sa On
Best Korean
Korean Village Restaurant / Sorabol Korean Restaurant (tie)
Koryo Korean BBQ
Best Vietnamese
Oriental Phoenix
Co Do Vietnamese Restaurant
Best Indian
Rajdoot
Taj Mahal
Best Italian
Buon Giorno Ristorante / Chianti Cafe & restaurant (tie)
Il Giardino
Best Greek
Pegasus
Paros on 4th
Best Mexican
El Sombrero Restaurante Mexicano
Salt & Pepper Mexican Restaurante
Best international food
Sultan’s Tent
Aida’s Mediterranean Bistro
Best vegetarian
Buddha’s Veggie Restaurant
Rajdoot
Best deli or market
Debaji’s Fresh Market
Spolumbo’s Fine Foods & Deli
Best bagel shop
Great Canadian Bagel
Wayne’s Bagels
Best bakery
Glamorgan Bakery
Eiffel Tower
Best breakfast
Nellie’s
Galaxie Diner
Best Sunday brunch
Palliser Hotel
Nellie’s
Best dim sum
Silver Dragon
Grand Isle Seafood Restaurant
Best ice cream
My Favorite Ice Cream Shoppe
Philip’s Forbidden Flavors
Best dessert
The Cheesecake Cafe / The Chocolate Bar (tie)
Moxie’s Restaurant
Best cup of coffee
Starbucks
The Second Cup
Best wine list
Teatro
Brava Bistro
Best Alberta beer or craft brew
Big Rock Brewery
Wildwood Brewing Company |
