Best Calgary Tapas Restaurants

Best Calgary Tapas Restaurants

Tapas style restaurants are always a great way to enjoy a variety of different tastes all at once. These smaller portioned plates are great for sharing or for finger food over drinks, and are typically very gourmet in taste.

Although Calgary might not have as wide of a variety of tapas style foods such as in Spain, the place where the type of food originated from in the first place, there are many Calgary tapas restaurants that do know how to make a huge deal out of these smaller appetizer style dishes.

Here are our best Calgary tapas restaurants…let us know what your favourite is and leave a comment below!

Bar C

I thought I was in love when I last visited Bar C and tried a few of their tapas. Simple to order, yet complex in ingredients and gourmet in taste, Bar C's tapas will keep you coming back for more again and again.

Inside you will find a sophisticated ambiance with some fun colours behind the bar and quite comfortable seating. Definitely a great spot to share some delicious tapas over food and drink with your friends! Find out more at our Bar C Calgary Restaurant Review.

My favourites are the ahi tuna carpaccio ($15) and the risotto ($10). Also really delicious is their breakfast eggs benedict!

• Address - 340 17th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB

• Phone Number - 403-984-3667

Borgo Trattoria

Are you in love with Italian cuisine like I am? Explore all the tastes of only the finest authentic Italian appies at Borgo Trattoria! This restaurant has an extensive tapas menu for brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert, giving foodies like me the chance to try something new every time!

Borgo has a charming and vibrant atmosphere great for any party size. The fact that this place is always busy speaks volumes as to how good its tapas really are. If you are planning on heading down to Borgo Trattoria for some eats, your best bet is to make reservations. Learn more at our Borgo Trattoria Calgary Restaurant Review.

My favourites are the gnocchi ($18) and trifolati ($18). Borgo also has great coffee worth trying!

• Address – 818 16th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB

• Phone Number – 403-245-2202

Candela Lounge

Candela is by far one of the best Calgary tapas made true by its unique and extensive menu that has a little bit of something for everyone. From sea food and chicken to vegetables and sweets, Candela has it all! And for those who are sensitive to gluten, Candela Lounge offers a wide selection of gluten free cuisine!

One thing that impressed me the most at Candela Lounge was its stylish but comfortable atmosphere. I have seen many instances where restaurants sacrifice comfort for a sophisticated look, resulting in a less enjoyable dining experience. But this is not the case at Candela!

There’s a reason why Candela Lounge is as busy as it is, so if you are planning on trying this best Calgary tapas restaurant, be prepared to wait, or even better, make reservations! My favourites are the salmon veracruz ($14) and the ahu tuna sashimi ($14).

• Address – 1919 4th Street SW, Calgary, AB

• Phone Number – 403-719-0049

Cibo

Cibo has some of the best gourmet Italian food around; from pizza`s and pasta to a variety of scodellina (saucepan) finger foods, you can never go wrong at Cibo. Let`s not forget about the gluten free pastas they have for all those gluten sensitive pasta lovers!

Cibo’s menu is made for sharing, although you could order one of their pasta or pizza dishes and have it all to yourself. But hey, that’s not why we go to tapas in the first place. Share the taste, share the experience! Learn more at our Cibo Calgary Restaurant Review.

My favourite tapas are the lunch menu’s lamb meatballs ($9) and the gorgonzola dolce, part of the scodellina menu – 1 item for $4, 3 for $11 or 5 for $18.

• Address – 1012 17th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB

• Phone Number – 403-984-4755

Tango

As part of the smuggler chain of restaurants (Smugglers Inn, Open Sesame), Tango definitely has its work cut out for itself in terms of living up to the names of these already amazing establishments. But lo and behold, Tango has made its own reputation as one of our best Calgary tapas restaurants!

Tango creates their delicious tapas menu from locally and regionally sourced ingredients. Menu variety is definitely there to cater to the fussiest and most explorative of tasters. Tango is another Calgary tapas restaurant offering a gluten free menu which is great if you do happen to have some friends who are sensitive to the ingredient. It sucks when your best friend(s) stay home because the place you’re going to lacks a gluten free menu.

My favourites are the cream of wild mushroom soup ($6.50) and smoked duck flatbread ($12). Delicious!

• Address – 6920 Macleod Trail S, Calgary, AB

• Phone Number – 403-252-4365

Taste

What better name for a tapas restaurant than Taste? Apart from the catchy and literal name, Taste is one place you can always expect something new from. Menu items change occasionally depending on the availability of ingredients (seasonal and local) making it quite possible to experience some new “tastes” every visit.

One awesome feature of the menu here is its entire menu option. Pay $250 big ones to dine on the whole menu! This is awesome for large parties who are willing to try all of the cuisine at this best Calgary tapas restaurant. Taste also has a great ambiance for any group size.

My favourites are the spicy Italian sandwich ($13, comes with soup or salad) and the daily risotto ($13).

• Address – 1210 1st Street SW, Calgary, AB

• Phone Number – 403-233-7730

Vin Room

Everyone I have talked to about the Vin Room have had nothing but good to say about it, and after visiting the place for myself, I agree 100%. Vin Room has an impressive 100 bottle collection of wine for all those wine lovers out there as well as a large variety of different tapas to choose from.

Vin Room has an amazing roof top patio which is great for larger parties when the weather permits. It’s interior is also great for groups of all sizes, and is quite romantic for two person dates. If you plan on eating at Vin Room I suggest you make reservations as this restaurant can get very busy at the drop of a dime.

Two of my favourites are the seared arctic char ($14) and merguez meatballs ($10).

• Address – 2310 4th Street SW, Calgary, AB

• Phone Number – 403-457-5522

Boxwood

Boxwood offers a great selection of tapas as well as other fan favourites including stews, soups, salads and sandwiches all for a very reasonable price. Boxwood’s menu is inspired by the locally sourced ingredients; they even have their own garden behind the restaurant!

One thing I love about this tapas restaurant is its location. People can choose to sit inside its very comfortable, wooden interior or head out to Central Memorial Park for an outdoor picnic experience.

My favourites are the spiced chickpeans and marinated olives ($7) and the potted lois lake trout ($6). Their salads are also very, very good, especially the seared albacore tuna loin ($12). If you like sushi you will definitely like this salad! For more information on this restaurant, please visit our Boxwood Calgary Restaurant Review.

• Address – 340 13th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB

• Phone Number – 403-265-4006

Ox and Angela

Ox and Angela’s extensive tapas specific menu gives customers a wide variety of tastes and textures to choose from. Ox and Angela is also open late every day of the week, 2am on weekends and 12am on weekdays, making it one of the best late night food options in Calgary.

I find its vintage interior to be very classy and is a good spot for a romantic night of sharing delectable tastes. And its Uptown 17th Avenue location is very close to a plethora of other entertainment venues here in Calgary so it’s possible the next event for the night isn’t too far away.

My favourites are the mushrooms on toast ($13) and chicken drums ($11). Check them out!

• Address – 528 17th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB

• Phone Number – 403-457-1432

Home Tasting Room

Home Tasting Room is one of the best Calgary tapas restaurants in the downtown area. Located on Stephen Avenue between Centre and 1st Street SW, the restaurant is a great place to go for some quick tapas snacks on a short lunch break, or any other time for that matter.

The open kitchen at Home Tasting Room gives customers the opportunity to watch their food being prepared if they like. It’s actually quite interesting and makes the atmosphere that much more vibrant and enjoyable!

My favourites are the charcuterie board ($23) and the pacific scallops ($17), both are a must try if you love meat, although these dishes also include vegetarian items just in case!

• Address – 110 8th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB

• Phone Number – 403-262-8100

Downtown Food

Downtown Food is another one of the best Calgary tapas restaurants in the downtown area. This restaurant has combined the best of Asian and Western cuisines to create unique tapas dishes unlike any others I have seen in Calgary. They also offer gluten free options for those who are sensitive to the ingredient.

If you like Japanese style food, then Downtown Food is definitely one tapas restaurant you won’t want to miss!

My favourites are the tuna tataki ($13) and the hot and sour soup ($10).

• Address – 628 8th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB

• Phone Number – 587-353-3474

Best Calgary Tapas Restaurants...

There has been an explosion of tapas style restaurant here in Calgary over the last little while. What is your favourite? Please let us know below!

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