wine tastings, happenings and events
Three Vikings (10713 124 Street) is all set for the playoffs. They will have every Oilers game on two screens; $5 Parallel 49 pints; game time appetizers and chances to win a name jersey for every Oilers win. And, you can play Oilers bingo! Call 780-249-6302 for reservations and walk-ins welcome.
On Monday, May 5, enjoy the Cinco de Mayo Paint Nite, 6pm-8pm at Out of Bounds Restaurant (24427 Township Rd 542). The ticket includes all the painting supplies, artist instruction and a beverage. Tix: $55++.
Meet Kristin Graves, owner of Fifth Gen Farms and author of The Garlic Companion at a book signing at Knifewear (10816 Whyte Avenue) from 4pm-6pm, Thursday, May 8. There will be Fifth Gen garlic products on offer too.
Enjoy the Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet, Sunday, May 11, at Out of Bounds Restaurant. Chef Julia Kundera’s kitchen knows how to put on a Mother’s Day spread—pastries, fresh fruit, waffles, bacon, sausage, smoked salmon, hashbrowns, chilaquiles and Eggs Benedict, along with a beverage station and full bar. Special prices for the kiddos and under 4 is free. Resos from 9am-2pm.
The Butternut Tree (9707 110 Street) has a special menu for Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, both for lunch (11am- 2pm) and dinner (4pm-8pm). Make a reso here.
Three Vikings Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, features the regular menu plus brunch dishes, two seatings, call 780-249-6302 for reservations.
The Marc (9940 106 Street) is open for lunch (11am-2pm) and dinner (4pm- 8pm) on Mother’s Day, with special features and the regular menu. Make a reso here.
Cafe Caribbean presents: Mothers and Mimosas at The Common (9910 109 Street) on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11. Indulge in delicious Trinidadian cuisine, sip on refreshing mimosas and enjoy an afternoon filled with music and fun. Doors at noon, lunch at 1pm, DJs and vibes until 5pm. Tix: $65++ include a sorrel mimosa and a rose, on Eventbrite.
Partake in the Mother’s Day Cheese School at Cavern (10169 104 Street) with Garneau Block, Sunday, May 11 from 11am-2pm. Explore five different pairings of natural wine with cheese. There are 22 seats only, with a maximum party size of 6. Tix: $100+.
BIN 104 (5454 Calgary Trail) Sips of the Season: May Edition is happening 6:30pm, Wednesday May 14, or Thursday, May 15, depending on Oiler’s playoff hockey.
Taste a curated selection of sparkling, white, rosé and reds along with seasonal tapas. Email to reserve your spot. Upcoming Sunday Supper Clubs at The Marc: May 25 will feature wines from Juice Imports. June 22 will showcase a classic menu of the Marc’s greatest hits.
Enjoy the gelato vendor, accordionist and a balloon artist or face painter for the kids at Festa Primavera, a celebration of spring and flowers, from noon-4pm Saturday, May 24, at the Piazza (10825 95 Street).
Little Italy (108 Avenue and 95 Street) presents Love Local, Sunday, June 9, from 12-4pm. There will be vendors at the Piazza including gelato and live music with various artists. See you there!
Did you know you can get married at Central Social Hall? They have beautiful spaces and can provide everything you need—customizable packages, personalized attention and effortless planning. Get all the deets here.
The Fire to Flame Dinners at the Old Red Barn are really something. The Schur family and chef Tyson Wright work with several local farms for ingredients—seasonal vegetables, wheat for the breads as well as eggs, chicken, bison and beef. Book for June 14, 21; July 5, 12; August 14, 21. September and October dates are coming soon. Find all the info here.
On Monday, June 16, John Griffiths of Faber Vineyard (Swan Valley, Western Australia) is coming to The Butternut Tree for his first-ever wine dinner in Canada. Six spectacular wines, no menu details yet. Visit here.
restaurant buzz
Eric Hanson has signed on as the new chef at the soon-to-be open Bar Trove (10126 100 Street). Can’t wait to see what he gets up to there.
Check out the new Tulip Sandwich Shoppe, at Otto (11405 95 Street). Open Thursday-Sunday, from 10am -1pm.
The former Uccellino has a new name and a new look. Daniel Costa’s reimagining of the space next door to Bar Bricco will be called Rita and is expected to open sometime in late spring.
The new exec chef at The Marc is NAIT Culinary grad Karl MacKinnon, (formerly of DOSC, who also spent six months in Paris at Septime) an experience he will most likely be drawing on for the Marc’s bistro-style menu.
Culina Family is transforming their event space Culina McCauley in the Piazza into Culina Famiglia Pizzeria e Ristorante. Expect casual, family-style Italian. No word yet on when it will be open, but we would say… end of May, early June.
The newest Bodega (10314 82 Avenue) opened in March.We are thrilled that Sabor Group has brought Bodega’s delicious Iberian take on snacks and drinks to the Ave. Check it out!
“We hope to be open end of April, early June,” says owner Dave Manna about his new resto Nero, in the Molson Brewing Building (12068 104 Avenue). Opening in a heritage building is a complicated business. “Everything has to be okayed by the heritage society and there are some things you just can’t do in a building like this.” We bet it will be worth the wait.
The team at Nineteen Terwillegar are putting the final touches on Juuku (19 in Japanese) right next to XIX in Terwillegar (5940 Mullen Way). Chef/co-owner Andrew Fung is calling it an American- Asian concept and we can’t wait to visit.
Both Relish Bar & Market and Campio Brewing Co. are now open in the Richie Market (9570 76 Avenue) taking over the former Biera Space. Enjoy hot sandwiches, charcuterie and cheese boards along with a selection of beers, wine and spirits at Relish to stay or take away and Detroit-style deep dish pizza with beers at Campio.
The Butternut Tree’s new weekly features: Tini Tuesdays, with $2 off martinis; Wednesdays offer 20 per cent off the Sharables menu. Thursdays have 50 per cent off wine by the glass and Sea Change beers.
product news
Bella Casa (9646 142 Street) is celebrating their anniversary on Saturday, May 3. Bring your Henckels knives to be sharpened and enjoy discounts, prizes and a beverage. Explore the new spring lines: Poland-based Bukowski Bears plush animals, Levtex home bedding, the latest from Portmeirion and Zwillings new knife collection.
The Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market will be open on Sundays from 11am-3pm, starting May 3 which makes it even more convenient to buy local food.
Heart of the Home (12539 102 Avenue) has a special giveaway for Mother’s Day. Visit on Friday, May 9 or Saturday, May 10, to check out their thoughtful gifts for mothers. Enter to win a Ma Cherie bouquet, to be picked up on Mother’s Day. Need new coffee mugs? Mugs are on promo in May at 15 per cent off. Just in time for Father’s Day, The Ultimate BBQ & Kitchen Gift Guide. In June, Miyabi is 15 per cent off.
Blooms on 7 Flower Farm (51553 Range Rd 2250) u-pick isn’t open for picking yet, but you can buy hand-grown seedlings at the annual Seedling Sale, 1pm-7pm, Saturday May 23 and 1pm-4pm, Sunday, May 24.
New tasty offerings at Amaranth (101 Riel Drive, St. Albert): Buhler Longhorn beef from Clint and Brook Buhler near Nanton. F4 Ranches Mangalica (a Hungarian breed known for flavour) is pasture raised on the Bews Ranch west of High River. Theo and Amanda Beijer are raising water buffalo for milk and cheese under the brand Peaks and Pastures. The farm was a standard dairy operation for two generations in Amanda’s family; now they may be the first water buffalo dairy in Alberta. That’s exciting!