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As busy working moms, sisters Claudia and Keiza Pasaribu were always searching for tasty and wholesome snacks that both kids and adults could enjoy. That’s why they created their own snack brand, Goodbake, in 2024.

With the help of Keiza’s husband, who is a chef, the sisters developed a crunchy brownie recipe using simple ingredients. The gluten-free and nut-free snacks are made in small batches in Calgary. The treats are available in smaller snack packages and party packs with 20 mini bundles that are ideal for sharing.

Goodbake currently makes four flavours: sea salt, dark chocolate, strawberry and roasted pumpkin seed. All flavours share the same crunchy brownie base but feature different mix-ins and toppings. Crowd pleasers like the sea salt flavour balances the chocolatey base with a pinch of salt, while other flavours like the roasted pumpkin seed bring some crunch.

“We came up with the name Goodbake because we use good ingredients with great flavours and every snack we make has good intentions behind it. It’s as simple as that,” says Claudia.

Available at local markets and online. goodbake.co

The post Made in Calgary: Goodbake Creates Crunchy, Gluten-Free Brownie Snacks appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

Calgary’s culinary scene is constantly in flux. From new restaurants opening and others closing, to new menus and concepts, there’s a lot to keep track of. We’ve got you covered with a weekly recap of what’s new and notable in Calgary’s food scene.

Participating Concorde restaurants are offering summer deals for the rest of August

For Concorde’s Endless Summer event, the restaurant group is offering deals on food and drinks from August 11 to 31. Head to its participating restaurants for deals like $6 ahi tuna crudo and $8 spritzes and highballs at Barbarella Bar, $8 coconut coolers and $5 hot dog baos at Lulu Bar, and $8 martinis and Tom Collins and $15 Hokkaido scallop crudo at Major Tom. Check out the full list of deals on Concorde’s website.

Eighty-Eight Brewing Co. is celebrating its seventh birthday

Eighty-Eight is one of Calgary’s most iconic craft breweries, and on August 23, it’s celebrating its seventh birthday. Mark the occasion by heading to Eighty-Eight for a party in the parking lot from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. Share a few pints, grab a pizza from Portland Street Pizza and listen to DJs pumping tunes all day long.

More recent food news

Zero Issue Brewing closes its doors

For eight years, Zero Issue Brewing has been delighting Calgarians as one of the most unique breweries in the city, offering a wide lineup of beers like the Nemesis IPA and Innsmouth Cherry Tangerine Sour. Zero Issue recently shared on social media that it has closed its doors for good, paying homage to its past and present brews through some very clever wordplay. This is a big loss that will surely be felt in Calgary’s beer scene.

The Cultural Chef Exchange brings chef Garam Park to Calgary

The Cultural Chef Exchange dining series is the brainchild of chef Darren MacLean (of Shokunin, Eight and Nupo) in partnership with Food Tourism Strategies. The dining series is back again, bringing one of Seoul’s rising culinary stars, Garam Park from Dresden Green, to Calgary for the collaborative dining series. On August 15 at Shokunin and August 16 at Eight, MacLean and Park will be hosting special dinners that fuse Park’s delicate Korean dishes with MacLean’s Canadian-focused Japanese cuisine.

SAIT celebrates 75 years of hospitality and tourism

SAIT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism is a big part of what makes Calgary’s culinary landscape what it is — the program feeds many of the city’s restaurants with the chefs and food service professionals that will be the industry’s future leaders. The School of Hospitality and Tourism is celebrating its 75th anniversary, and has some big plans in the works. The Highwood Kitchen & Bar, the student-run restaurant, has been under construction for a while, and construction is nearly finished, giving the students a renewed space to practice their skills. Plans have also begun for a Banff Hospitality & Tourism campus.

Alberta on the Plate returns

Alberta on the Plate is one of Alberta’s biggest dining festivals, with participating restaurants offering a multi-course, set menu dining experience or special menu items, all highlighting Alberta’s bountiful ingredients. The festival returns from August 8 to 17, with 39 Calgary area restaurants participating this year including River Café, Bar Chouette and more.

albertaontheplate.com

Dave’s Hot Chicken lands in Calgary with two new locations

L.A. born Dave’s Hot Chicken is a popular spot for Nashville hot chicken across the U.S., and the chain recently made its Calgary debut with two new locations opening here within the last month. The chain opened its first location in East Hills on July 3 and a second Beacon Hill location opened on August 8. Dave’s serves up chicken sandwiches and tenders available in seven heat levels (be forewarned that anything past mild is very hot), as well as sides like fries, mac and cheese and coleslaw. Dave’s is also planning to open another location in Willow Park in 2025.

215 409 E. Hills Blvd., 825-540-9377; 11588 Sarcee Trail N.W., daveshotchicken.com

The post What’s New and Notable in Calgary’s Food Scene appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

If you’ve been seeing droolworthy cream puffs across your social media channels lately, you can probably thank Carly Kubinec. She’s the chef and founder of Crème Cream Puffs, a local dessert spot that specializes in modern and unique cream puffs.

Kubinec got her start attending culinary school and working in Michelin star restaurants in London, where she learned the art of the puff. She brought her skills back to Calgary, making cream puffs in her home and eventually selling them to local coffee shops and restaurants. Crème now has a brick-and-mortar storefront where you can buy its tasty treats.

The shop’s cream puff flavours change monthly (with weekly specials, as well), and have included options like salted caramel, key lime and Cyclone popsicle. The team also makes other baked goods like cookies, cinnamon buns and macarons.

We caught up with Kubinec to find out her favourite spots to eat in the city.

Noble Pie

“One of my favourite spots is Noble Pie — it’s definitely my favourite pizza spot. My favourite is probably The Roni. I just love their dough and crust. You really can’t go wrong with any of their features.”

Bridgette Bar

“Bridgette Bar is a favourite for sure. I love their truffle mushroom rigatoni. I just always feel like the atmosphere is awesome, the shared plates are great. It’s just always awesome.”

Made by Marcus

“I’m a Made by Marcus girl, ice cream-wise. I love trying all of the seasonal flavours, but malted chocolate honeycomb is my go-to.”

Missy’s This That

“I love this place [for wine], I always go off of whatever they recommend. They’re so knowledgeable wine-wise, so I tend to listen to their recommendations.”

Lil Empire Burger

“Another one of my casual go-to favourites would be Lil Empire. There’s a lot of good burger spots [that have opened up], but Lil Empire is my favourite one.”

The post Where Crème Cream Puff’s Chef Carly Kubinec Likes to Eat in Calgary appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

Calgary is a beer-drinking city — just look at the more than 40 craft breweries that have exploded across the city in recent years. But long before the explosion, there was Big Rock Brewery.

Big Rock was founded in 1985, a time when most beers were simple lagers produced by large companies. Founder Ed McNally, originally a farmer and a lawyer, was looking for more choice. At the time (and still to this day), some of the best barley in the world was being grown in Alberta, but little of it was being used for beer. McNally flew over Big Rock’s original brewmaster from Germany, began brewing beer with his own barley, and the rest was history.

Still independently owned to this day, Big Rock is an Alberta brewery through and through — it even took its name from the iconic Alberta landmark, Big Rock, near Okotoks — and has grown to be one of the province’s biggest brewers. Big Rock celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and is still sourcing Alberta malted barley and brewing in Calgary.

Today, Big Rock’s core beer lineup is available across Canada. The Traditional Ale was one of the first beers Big Rock produced in its early days — the recipe remains the same 40 years later and it’s still winning awards, most recently taking gold in the brown ales category at the 2023 Canadian Brewing Awards.

“[Big Rock was] one of the first to [brew craft beers] in Canada, let alone Alberta,” says Dave Maess, Big Rock’s marketing manager. “Our [Alberta] spirit and everything that started with our founder, we’re really looking to lean into that for our 40th anniversary and into the future.”

One of the biggest recent developments at Big Rock is the company’s rebranding. The new packaging waves goodbye to the classic Big Rock rooster, instead opting for a simpler, bold and eye-catching look (though the rooster remains on Traditional Ale cans as a nod to the brewery’s roots).

“We really wanted to lean into our Alberta roots, tell our story and reinvigorate why we started in the first place,” says Maess. “But it’s not just about refreshing the packaging, but looking inward and seeing who we are, what we’re about and making sure we express that.”

Another part of Big Rock’s anniversary plans is the Rewind Series, which brings back some of the brewery’s out-of-production beers for a limited time at Big Sky BBQ at Big Rock Brewery. The most recent revival was Warthog, an English-style ale, and the next release is Purple Gas, a wheat ale flavoured with Saskatoon berries.

“We’re also having a bit more fun with our seasonal beers,” says Maess.

Finally, community outreach and events are a big part of Big Rock’s future plans. “We’re bringing back the Barn Burner festival, which turns the brewery into a huge one-day festival where we bring in Canadian artists,” says Maess. Barn Burner was on hold for a few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the festival returns on September 13, 2025 with artists like Matt Mays and Daniel Romano’s Outfit.

Big Rock’s impact on Alberta’s brewing landscape is undeniable, and with everything from the rebranding to the community events, the future is bright.

“We were the original craft brewers in Alberta,” says Maess. “And we’re excited for the next 40 years.”

The post Calgary’s Big Rock Brewery Celebrates 40 Years of Community and Great Beer appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

Annex Ale Project has been shaking up Calgary’s beverage scene since co-founders Andrew Bullied and Erica O’Gorman opened their brewery known for its bold, Pacific Northwest-inspired beers in 2017. But even before that, the pair were already nurturing a craft soda line under Annex Sodas, creating their first soda, a craft root beer, in 2016.

Now, Annex Sodas has a fresh new look as the brand approaches its 10th anniversary. The soda cans have been redesigned with a mid-century modern aesthetic that embraces bold shapes and clean lines. Designed in collaboration with local graphic design firm Public Eye, the sleek packaging reflects what’s inside: high quality, premium sodas made with cane sugar, and no artificial flavours and colours.

“We want to take the craft beer ethos and apply that to our sodas,” says Bullied.

The soda lineup includes sips like the Saskatoon lemonade, ginger beer, orange soda, craft cola and root beer. The Saskatoon lemonade is a fan favourite made with local berries to elevate the citrusy beverage with tart and floral flavours. Cans like the craft cola evoke notes of vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. The sodas are gluten-free, vegan and made with whole ingredients wherever possible.

“We’re trying to premiumize soda and we do that by using the best ingredients possible,” says Bullied.

Available at Annex Ale Project, 4323 1 St., at local retailers and restaurants, and online. annexsodas.com

The post Made in Calgary: Annex Sodas Has Been Elevating Craft Soda for Nearly a Decade appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

Hey Sugar

 

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Operating out of its original Macleod Trail location since 2023, Hey Sugar recently launched a second location in downtown Calgary. The bakery’s new location, which opened in late July, is easy to spot inside Bankers Hall with its pink and floral walls. It has digital kiosks where guests can order their desired pastries and then pick them up at the desk when their order is ready. Dig into treats like strawberry shortcake cupcakes, blueberry cheesecake doughnuts or triple chocolate gold cookies. Hey Sugar also offers custom cakes and cookies.

Bankers Hall, 236, 315 8 Ave. S.W., 403-453-8266, iloveheysugar.com

Mari Bakeshop

 

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A local bakery staple since 2017, Mari Bakeshop is known for its incredible spread of rollcakes, choux pastries, freshly baked bread and more. In June, the team opened a sleek second location in downtown Calgary’s Brookfield Place building, making it even easier to get your hands on these creative and beautiful treats. Featuring an elegant design with a neutral colour palette, the new location is a great spot to visit for delicate choux pastries in flavours like matcha or passion fruit, as well as a mix of staple and ever-changing viennoiserie options that have ranged from kimchi musubi pain suisse to summer pudding danishes in the past.

Brookfield Place, 207, 225 6 Ave. S.W., 403-264-8992, maribakeshop.ca

Millo Millo

 

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New bakery Millo Millo serves an exciting menu of freshly baked goods and tasty beverages. Grab a seat inside the bakery’s cozy space and enjoy an assortment of artisanal croissants, cakes, cookies, sourdough breads and more. Drinks like the strawberry matcha latte pair well with savoury items like the pretzel bagel with green onion cream cheese. Custom cakes are also available for order in flavours like black forest, lemon and basque cheesecake.

3003 37 St. S.W., 587-353-0777, @millomilloyyc

The post 3 Delicious New Bakeries to Try in Calgary appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

An exciting fine-dining restaurant concept has landed in Calgary’s Beltline neighbourhood.

Offering a luxury dining experience, Gatsby’s is part of Vintage Group, which includes some of Calgary’s highest caliber restaurants like Chairman’s Steakhouse and Luca Restaurant. Located underneath The Oliver apartments, Gatsby’s is a 1920s-inspired restaurant with Art Deco decor, a set-menu experience and an ultra-rare collection of whiskey.

Gatsby’s focuses on Canadian cuisine made with French techniques that highlight seasonality and regional ingredients. The restaurant has three options for menus with a six- and nine-course tasting menu, as well as a six-course vegetarian menu. The dishes are always changing, but you can expect thoughtfully composed dishes created by chef de cuisine Asher Wilson and precise, personalized service.

Gatsby’s also has an incredible whiskey collection as the first House of Hazelwood keyholder location in Canada, with access to the distillery’s incredible whiskeys like Old Confectioner’s 44-year-old malted scotch. You can also try one of two whiskey flights containing rare whiskeys that can’t be found anywhere else in Canada.

524 10 Ave. S.W., 403-387-1335, gatsbysyyc.com

The post Gatsby’s is Calgary’s New Fine-Dining Destination appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

OMG from Big T’s BBQ & Smokehouse

 

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One of Calgary’s most popular barbecue spots has added a new location in West Springs to its roster. Swing by to check it out and fill up on succulent barbecued meats, smash burgers, sandwiches and more. We’ve got our eye on the OMG, which combines pulled pork, cheese, beans and barbecue sauce in a deep-fried tortilla.

Multiple locations including 8530 Broadcast Ave. S.W., 587-390-6878, bigtsbbq.com

Rose Milk Pancakes from Café Karak

 

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Café Karak is one of Calgary’s newest brunch destinations (it also serves lunch, dinner and desserts). While savoury options like the masala waffle and tandoori shakshuka might call your name, the sweet brunch options like the rose milk pancakes are just as tempting. A treat for the eyes and the stomach, this dish features rose milk pancakes with a cool interactive element — lift up the container holding pink floral syrup and crushed rose petals served on top and let it flow over the pancakes.

63 Savanna Blvd. N.E., 403-232-6073, cafekarakyyc.com

Angie Dickenson Margarita from Chairman’s Steakhouse

Chairman’s Steakhouse is taking Calgary’s cocktail game to the next level with its Rat Pack Selection Cocktails that are made tableside. Choose from five cocktails, including the Angie Dickenson Margarita, which is made with Patron El Cielo, Grand Marnier 100 Year, acid adjusted lime juice and agave syrup, not to mention garnishes like a black and gold volcanic vanilla salt rim and an ice cube wrapped in 24-karot gold. Between the tableside preparation and the memorable ingredients, it’s safe to say this is a drink you won’t soon forget.

2251 Mahogany Blvd. S.E., 587-291-9898, chairmans.ca

Picnic Set from Koko

 

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Koko is making alfresco dining easy this summer with its $45 picnic sets that are perfect for a two-person dining experience. The sets come with a range of sweet and savoury items, including two onigiri, a spam musubi, an egg musubi, a fruit sando, a featured snack, a peach strawberry ade, a yuzu passionfruit ade and a tote bag. It’s the perfect way to make a delicious summer memory in the sun.

620A 17 Ave. S.W., @eatkoko.co

M’egg Salad Toast from Mondays Plant Café

 

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Mondays Plant Café recently announced the sad news that it will be closing its doors soon after almost a decade of serving delicious plant-based fare. Thankfully, you can still visit through August, and the café will be serving up features like the M’egg Salad Toast featuring sourdough bread with turmeric tofu scramble, diced apples and chives on top. Don’t miss the chance to say goodbye, grab a tasty bite and maybe even snag a copy of Mondays’ newly released cookbook.

208 4 St. N.E., 825-222-9080, mondaysplantcafe.com

The post 5 Things We’re Excited to Eat and Drink This August appeared first on Avenue Calgary.

Throughout the year, Alberta on the Plate (AOTP) celebrates local restaurants, producers, farmers, destinations and businesses by sharing local food stories.

Each year, AOTP is known for hosting a province-wide festival celebrating the bounty of Alberta. During the festival, which takes place from August 8 to 17 this year, participating restaurants offer multi-course, fixed-price menus or signature dishes. The participants put a spotlight on local producers and ingredients through the featured dishes they offer during the festival. They also highlight local beer and spirit producers through recommended pairings available at an extra charge, making it an ultra-local dining experience.

This year, there are dozens of participating establishments across Alberta, including many in Calgary. Diners can find the special AOTP menus/dishes that each establishment is offering (and learn more about their stories) by clicking on each restaurant listed on albertaontheplate.com.

The post Alberta on the Plate Highlights Local Food and Drinks Across the Province appeared first on Avenue Calgary.