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Wonderful meal here! The halibut was perfectly prepared. Light salad was basic, and fresh. The agnolotti was really rich so was glad I had that as my main and the Angel food cake with rhubarb was spectacular. Quality service, and glorious setting. Just idyllic!
Omg!! This place is the cutest!! On an island in the middle of the park along the river. Our server was friendly and had lots of patience for our indecisiveness. We ended up with the fish and game board out of sheer curiosity! It was yummy! The jam with the different meats was perfect. We then opted to skip dinner and go straight to dessert with dessert wine pairings and it was so good! We had something with marshmallow on it and I loved it!
Lovely restaurant with excellent service in a beautiful setting. I dined outside on a lovely night and it was quite nice. My food was good.but not the cacophony of flavors I enjoyed at some other top Calgary restaurants. I started with the tomatoes, which were nice and fresh. The buffalo ribeye was also cooked perfectly but I found it a little dull. Overall a great experience but the food was only very good.
We visited the River Café after being recommended it by locals countless times. We have never had the privilege of dining at a restaurant specializing in Canadian fare. We had absolutely zero idea of what to expect, but we were blown away. The River Café is an adorable restaurant that you do not just take a car to get to, and we loved that. The outdoor seating feels like a fairytale, and the food only accompanies that feeling. Every menu item is a beautiful dish that highlights locally sourced ingredients. This eatery effortlessly embodies the harmony of a beautiful sense of community and perfect freshness. The food was full of so much love that it felt as if my Canadian grandma just called me inside for brunch. And I don't even have a Canadian grandma. From locally sourced salmon, to fresh fruits, and even hand picked garnishes, the River Café deserves to be mentioned on the list of some of the best restaurants in the world. We have had the honor to dine at some of the finest restaurants globally, and this eatery is now high up on our list of favorites. A reservation is highly recommended. We made one, and we were so happy to get in. The entire restaurant was full, and there was a line out the door. The service was impeccable. Our lovely waitress, Amily, was the cherry on top of our experience. She was well-versed in the menu, and told us where all of the food came from. She recommended the Halibut Cakes, and it was a dish that could easily be enjoyed every day. It was stunning. Perfectly balanced, embodying Canada's beautiful cuisine. We nearly ordered the full menu. The fish and game board is well worth trying, everything pairs effortlessly and of course staying true to it's tune, highlights local fare. The pastry trio was mind-blowing. Three of the best pastries ever, all in their own unique ways. The Croque Madame was an exquisite sandwich, but extremely filling. We ate too much. Haha! We do not typically eat sweet foods, which is why their buttermilk pancakes with chocolate sauce and local preserves were perfect. Not overly sweet. The pricing was so fairly priced. There are so many amazing dishes to try at the River Café. The plating was gorgeous and eclectic. Even the drinks were exquisite. Fair trade hot chocolate that had an adorable design. Local cranberry juice. Local apple cider. Fantastic. Every aspect of the menu was flawlessly executed. We HIGHLY recommend it to anyone visiting Calgary. Thank you for such a beautiful experience.
Found a photo jam at the end of the park and a friend highly recommended it. The staff was very sweet, our server was excellent. I love that there was a coat check, and every drink was delicious. In my opinion, the home fries look a little weird with the Benedict but it tasted amazing. Overall, this is a very cute and casual but could be a date vibe.
Visited this place on the Bow River and it didn't disappoint. Waiter was very polite, a young Ukrainian waiter. He did an excellent job. Kids enjoyed a burger, and the steak tartare I had was fabulous!
I recently went to the River Cafe and we ordered the Croque Madam, the kids one egg & toast, kids pancake, Saskatoon Lemonade and a latte. The food took a long time - 40 minutes - to come out, but it was worth the wait. I highly recommend getting the kids pancake: a buttermilk pancake with hazelnut whipped cream and maple syrup. It's not your ordinary pancake; it's a very fluffy griddle cake. The pancake is slightly sweetened by the maple syrup and then topped off with a hazelnut cream that is buttery and crunchy. The Croque Madam was served with salad. The one egg & toast came with a side of bacon that added a salty taste and crunchy texture. The Croque Madam and one egg & toast tasted good, but the toast used for both was too crunchy for my liking and made it kinda hard to bite through. The last thing we got was the Saskatoon Lemonade. I liked it because the lemonade doesn't over power the taste of the berry. It was fun to look at too! The lemonade was purple! I didn't know what a Saskatoon berry even was, but it was delicious, kinda like a blueberry in taste.
I'm excited to go back to the River Cafe for lunch or dinner. It was a hot day while we were walking through Prince's Island Park, so we swung in for a beverage. The berry iced tea is a flavorful and refreshing combination. I could pull out blackberry and sage. I had a tasty IPA and others in my party enjoyed a latte and a non-alcoholic gin and tonic with cucumber. The decor is warm and inviting with a boat against the back wall of the bar and a large stone fireplace. It feels like you are walking into a mountain lodge upon arrival. The restrooms are clean and the sinks are really cool with faucets created from copper tubing and valves.
You might want to put on walking shoes to come here as the walk may be far for someone who doesn't like walking. The location next to the river was nice and service was great. The patio area was very cute. But the food was overpriced for being just Ok. We started with 2 dozen oysters, it was $30 per half dozen so $120CAD for 2 dozen oysters is super over priced. Maybe because Calgary is middle instead of by any coast? The Steak was decent but so small. The pasta was a little too Al dente for me. The flavor on the duck was ok but super dry which is weird because duck is very fattening. The fish was crispy but bland, the salad it says on top of was also bland. It is a cute location to have a small bite and drink just to enjoy the patio.
This restaurant location is very good , we sit in out , the environment were nice and the service also was good, but the food were ok , lower than my expectations with its price tag . The two side dishes were good, the bison meat is not as good as I ate in other places
Had dinner here with a friend I hadnt seen in over a decade. We had the red lentil hummus to start and it was some of the best hummus I had ever had. We each chose a main - duck, halibut and tenderloin. All were phenomenal! Service was great and overall it didn't disappoint. It was a bit loud and sometimes hard to hear each other. Also to get to this restaurant you have to walk onto Prince's island (pedestrian only) so keep that in mind if you have anyone who is mobility challenged it could be an issue.
We were staying at a nearby hotel and I decided to book this restaurant for dinner at it was walking distance and scenic. Due to construction in the area, we had to make a small detour to find our way onto the island as Google Maps did not reflect the road blocks. The stroll to the restaurant was quite nice in the sunset. We had made reservations and turned out they were behind and restaurant was packed. The hostess offered for us to sit in the bar section and wait. We declined the offer as we had a child with us. We did manage to get seated after a 10 minute wait. We ordered our drinks, appetizers and mains right away. Drinks, bread and appetizers were dropped off within 15-25 minutes of ordering. They were kind enough to make my child's linguini and butter order first and it arrived the same time as the appetizers. We were finished our appetizers 50 minutes into seating and then had to wait another 45 minutes for the mains to arrive. By then, it was 9:45 pm and they lost out on an opportunity for us to order dessert. The food itself was delicious and beautifully prepared and presented. The fish and game board was an interesting take on a charcuterie board. It was my first experience trying clarified halibut butter. It was fishy tasting. I did not mind as I found it to be very unique. The pork pate and pickled zucchini were tasty too. The sliced deli meats and smoked salmon were standard. I have had my fair share of smoked salmon living on the West Coast. The beef tartare was a great addition for sharing amongst a small group. My duck breast main entree was slightly on the saltier side. The duck was tender and seasoned well. I am used to a high tolerance of salt, but I can see how some people can find this a tad too salty. Our server was fantastic. He interacted with my child and checked in on us frequently to refill water, offered to take more drink orders and clear plates. He did give us updates on our mains as he can tell we were anticipating our meal. I think the restaurant should either hire more kitchen staff or not take so many reservations. It was a full house when we arrived. I am happy I was able to try this restaurant finally during my visit to Calgary.
Special cafe for eclectic dishes with beautifully presentation. It was a warm day in the month of October and we got seated in the paito area. The ambience is 10/10. It's located in the middle of the prince island park. It also has a tasting menu but it's not inclusive of all dietary preferences. If you are red meat eater, you prolly can try. We preferred trying out dishes from the menu. They were all so flavorful and good. Their chocolate hazelnut dessert was delicious. All in all, book this for a date night or a special night because this place is special. read more
3 years ago
We had a work dinner we were attending with customers and I could not have picked a better venue. It was light, bright, airy, super chill vibe with superb service. This was my first time there so parking was a bit odd to me. Eventually we figured it out. You park in the street or in the lots outside of condos and you walk a pretty far distance crossing a bridge in to the park. I mention this because work high heels and this walk do not go well together. Beautiful walk in the park looking at Canadian geese families were the true treat. Best tomato salad I have ever eaten with goat cheese underneath them. I also had the wild boar. (Aka pork belly)... I thought it was good but next time I will try something different on the menu just because everyone's dishes were all so vibrant with great reviews. We sat indoors near the kitchen but the have a wonderful outdoor patio area. Try to eat out there if weather permits. Our other group ate outdoors and loved it. Bring flat shoes... it's worth the little walk. read more
4 years ago
Excellent food and amazing staff. Went here for my grandmothers 70th birthday and it was a hit. Fantastic food with a very unique menu that you can't find everywhere. Highly recommend their delicious shrimp eggs Benedict. All homemade food which makes it even more special with their great views on Prince's Island Park. read more
I like the atmosphere here. Its as if you are on a small island/ town and you are dining at a very warm Canadian restaurant. Kind of give you that family style feeling. Its nice and bright inside. So when you look out, you have a nice view of lots of green and you might even see the Bow river. You must make a reservation to dine here. They do get quite busy. So came and ordered the smoked halibut eggs benedict for $19. My sister ordered the same thing. She loved it. For me, I loved it too. But I did find the halibut a bit too salty. The potatoes were really good. Best part was their in house ketchup which looked like tomatoe paste. Their ketchup was really good. One thing here is that they charge for water. $1 per person for water and its really just normal water (nothing special). Food is definitely on the pricier side. Overall, it was good. The poached egg was cooked perfectly (which is the hardest part). Overall, I did like the food. If the halibut wasn't that salty it would be perfect for me. Definitely a place that tourist should visit. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
The River Cafe was wonderful. We've only got one piece of negative feedback. The decor and ambiance was lovely, the location is serene. The food was impeccable, bar none the most beautiful combination of flavours we've experienced in Calgary in a while. The only downfall was our server who never seemed to be around, everyone else seemed to bring our food and or drinks, the food was brought to table before we even had our first bubbly and she had No knowledge of the food. Wine selection was great, desert to die for. Come here 100% I hope you get a good server. read more
3 years ago
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3 years ago
One of the best meals I've ever had! I'm so pleased I chose River Café since I had just one night in the City Center. I finished everything they put in front of me - the Island Spritz cocktail, the Smoked Sabelfish, and the Bison Striploin. Great food with warm and exceptional service and a beautiful scene overall! read more
The River Cafe is an attractive restaurant among a pretty Prince's Island. Walking here within Downtown Calgary is almost half the fun. I dined here recently as part of a Business trip. This is a "Local and Sustainable" food place and it executes this well with very good food attractively presented. The wine list was interesting (albeit with a relatively limited selection of Canadian choices) and the service was friendly and attentive. The River Cafe is not cheap, although it's sometimes hard to separate the factors of overall Calgary prices, the trendy factor, and a Loonie that is now worth more than the US Dollar. I would gladly come back as this is place I'd love to take Gayle and spend some quality date night time. read more
I ordered the Burger. It was good. The patty was thick but yet juicy! I was really surprised about it. The atmosphere was great. Felt like you escaped the city and in the woods. As the cafe had the cabin feel. Also had the Bison tartare. That was average. Overall the place was a bit pricy. But you pay for what you get. So that is why I rates it a three. On the island. So great for a short walk after. read more
3 years ago
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2 years ago
Excellent drinks and food is well prepared however price point is high. I guess you're paying for the location and scenery. Service was decent - improved as the night went on. They have a kid's flatbread option that isn't listed on the menu but otherwise no other options for kids. The Haida Gwaii halibut was nice but expensive. Same with the Bison top sirloin however it had a delicious smokey taste to it. For dessert the peach pavlova was lovely however the pavlova was a touch overdone for my liking and stuck to my teeth with every bite. read more
I've been wanting to try River Café for a looooooong time. Located right in the middle of Prince's Island Park, it's the perfect spot to drop by after a nice, leisurely walk around the park. When I saw their menu on Big Taste, I was even more intrigued and knew I had to try them out. I met up with my friend A, who booked us a reservation for 2pm, and the rest is history. There's lots of parking nearby but just make sure you give yourself a couple extra minutes as you'll have to park and walk to River Café. We might have been a bit late but we called to let them know and they were very accommodating. For a Sunday, the place was bustling with people. The décor has a very rustic, cabin feel to it but still maintains a modern, contemporary feel to it. Just gorgeous. Perfect spot to bring a date. While the brunch/lunch menu sounded tempting, we couldn't resist the Big Taste three course lunch tasting menu, which was an absolute STEAL at $15.00! You could even get wine pairings for an additional $14.00 (pretty dang reasonable) but we opted out this time. - Driview Farms lamb - Beck Farms carrot emulsion, coriander, Lyalta watercress, Three Farmers camelina oil and pumpkin seed. The fact that they gave us something unique as an appetizer over your typical soup/salad dish was a win in my book. The lamb was absolutely delicious! A nice mix of wild, earthy root vegetables and this crumbly texture (from the pumpkin seed?) was a delight. Plating and presentation was also absolutely breathtaking. - Wood grilled albacore tuna and soft poached egg - Venturi Schulze verjus, brown butter roasted parsnips, smoked Poplar Bluff potato purée and preserved pear. The potato puree, think elegant mashed potatoes, was the best I've ever had so far in my life. The tuna was perfectly cooked with just enough sear to it. I'm not a big egg fan but this one was a delight - perfectly poached and soft to a tee. - Highwood Crossing oatmeal and maple syrup cookies - so cute. Two cookies to end our meal that came in a to go brown bag. We couldn't wait and ate them right then and there. Nice crunch and not too sweet. River Café is bomb. Everything was top notch, from the service to the food. There's a reason they were voted #67 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants for 2016. Definitely a must for any occasion! read more
8 years ago
Worst service and food I've had in a long time! Waited at the hostess stand for ages with a wriggling toddler in hand. Waited ages for the waitress to tend the table. Food tasted awful. Over salted cabbage soup, and a "flatbread" that looked like a frozen kids pizza.-coming from a chef. .... still waiting for the waitress to bring the check... I'll be here... read more
8 years ago
To me this place is amazing. I was here for the brunch menu on a Saturday. The staff was SUPER nice and helpful, the environment was paradise-like, the beer menu and drink menu in general was diverse, the Caesar was STRONG, and the food was reasonably priced and delicious. My recommendations is please try a side of chorizo--it is soooo good! read more
9 years ago
We were celebrating a birthday and the server wasn't aware nor attentive to our table as she was serving us (6pax) plus another large table (10pax). She forgot my beverage, rang the wrong dish on an order, and was nowhere to be found when we needed service (had to actually wave down other servers more than once to get service). We were shocked that the pastries we thought were complimentary (she offered them because our food would take longer due to the 10pax) were charged to my guests bills!! Food was delicious but that was the extent of the experience. A frustrated guest of mine who arrived later with her boyfriend was sat at a smaller table. They wanted to get up and leave as the level of service by both the server and the manager felt unacceptable. Neither of them provided table service (although my guests were ready to order) for approx 10-15 mins until I waved her down (which is now the 5th time). The room isn't large and now there were only 3 other tables (2pax) in a different servers section. The poor service was a disappointment as we recently dined at the Deane House and knew they were sister restaurants (where service was superb!!) a couple of weeks before. Again, the food was fantastic, but the service was lacking. I was embarrassed for bringing my guests there. read more
5 years ago
6 years ago
This restaurant is situated in a really nice area overlooking the river in Calgary. The scenery is natural with trees and grass and has a quiet calm. The restaurant has a rustic cottage like feel which enhances the ambiance. Our waitress was good, explaining the menu and tending to our needs regularly. For appetizers I tried the raw oysters, they were fresh and delicious. My main was a rainbow trout with morel sauce, unique bacon, wild rice turnips, rhubarb and wax beans. The combination worked very well. And finally got dessert, I had strawberry popsicle, it was refreshing and tasty. It was worth the visit! read more
4 years ago
9 years ago
Took some USA guests to River Cafe on their last day, because I felt it was one of the more unique restaurants that showcase CALGARY! A cafe on an island, surrounded by the river--how cool! We sat outside on the patio for brunch. The food is on the pricier side, and the portion sizes are a bit smaller, but the smaller portion sizes stimulate your food craving! You just want more! Everything on the plate is very edible; often fancy restaurants may have garnishes and decoration that aren't very edible or enjoyable, but everything on the plate at River Cafe is always enticing. I also ate here for my friend's wedding, and even their decorative flowers are edible and delicious and nutritious! For the brunch day, I ordered the Driview Farms Lamb Meatballs dish. It came with grains, tomatoes, and some other salady veggies. The meatballs were flavourful without being overtly gamey. The only limitation I noticed that day was that the service was inconsistent. Our server gave us sparking water without asking our preference, and 3/4 of the table ended up switching to distilled. Also, the service often had long delays in service, and just the server's nonverbals showed some kind of frustration and unease. On the other hand, the server across our table appear fantastic; he was enthusiastic to guests and kneeling down to their level when speaking to them. I just wished that our guest service at our table matched the calibre of the food we ate! read more
7 years ago
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4 years ago
Such a wonderful place to dine (especially for brunch). Being in the middle of the park, surrounded by the trees, river & beautiful scenery is enough on its own! But aside from the wonderful ambiance, the restaurant is lovely. Very cozy yet Canadian chic. The service was wonderful and the ingredients used for the meal were extremely fresh and well cooked. Definitely recommend! read more
5 years ago
Inventive dishes, fresh ingredients, an awesome location in the Prince Edward Island park, and a fantastic wine list make this place a must try in Calgary. Took my hard to impress grand mother here and she was practically licking her plate after dessert. Highlights for me were the red lentil hummus and the sourdough crumble cherry flan. read more
3 years ago
13 years ago
After a long hiatus because of the flooding at Prince's Island, my husband and I came here to attend a friend's wedding and dinner reception this past weekend. We (and all the other guests) were greeted warmly by four servers at the door who were offering glasses of homemade lemonade and wine. After the wedding ceremony on the patio, there was a raw oyster bar set up on the patio (which was not really my thing) and a huge fish and game board (bison prosciutto, pate, buffalo mozzarella, smoked trout, flatbreads). The servers were also offering the guests wild boar meatball and gougere sliders (the boar was sooo juicy!), sausage with peach skewers (great combination), and halibut croquettes (flavorful with just the right amount of crunch). Heirloom roasted tomato soup: sweet and just the right temperature when it arrived at our table of ten. My salad was lightly seasoned and very tasty. The crunch from the homemade cracker was a good contrast to the leafy greens. The seared Haida halibut with beets, corn, shaved fennel and chanterelles in a white bean puree was cooked to perfection. The halibut was melting in your mouth and the vegetables and mushrooms complemented the fish perfectly. The panna cotta was amazingly light and the sliced plums, chocolate bark and oatmeal (unusual garnish, but it worked) on top was a perfect match. We were extremely impressed with how the kitchen staff and the servers performed before, during, and after service (there were around 75 guests). The kitchen even went out of their way to create a vegetarian appetizer and main course for a guest who was sitting at our table. Our servers were attentive enough to describe each course as it came to our table and also took the time to check on how we liked our main courses. Our wine and water glasses were constantly being filled and we were also promptly given coffee and/or tea after dessert. River Cafe, you are better than ever before! read more
For those of you who have never been to Calgary, it is a city of about 1 million people. It is a very clean and modern city of technology and oil, it is within Alberta in Canada. The wonderful thing about Canada, is it's clean untouched beauty and if you're coming from California you'll notice the water. Calgary doesn't EVEN have places with only beer and wine (this annoys me to no end here), if they have a liqor license, that means they serve it all, no restrictions. In Calgary you can find The Bow River heading through the city. The Bow has an island and it's called Prince's Island not to be confused with Princess (which many locals erroneously say). On that island are cultural or even things like lilac festivals or music concerts and all kinds of amazing things. You can roller blade or bike ride along the path and you'll no doubt share them with some Canada geese (Not Canadian Geese that would be technically wrong) and ducks, but in your exploring you also may find the River Cafe. The River Cafe is a beautiful spot to stop, it could be while you're bike riding just for a tea, or it could be dinner or lunch. The style is rustic and not fast food, but I should mention you're welcome there no matter what your attire is. Once upon a time my attire was a bridal gown, and I got married there. It was a very special day, and it's a very special place. If you ever have the chance to dine or just sit and listen to Ella Fitzgerald on the patio there, do take it in, it's absolutely lovely. If you ever are in for a treat, stop on by, it will be worth your time. When in Canada if you are visiting you should know one thing, we don't take life very seriously, so please just laugh with us. read more
9 years ago
Definitely a unique spot. I love how the restaurant is right in the middle of the park. So after you are finished enjoying the views you can literally have a picnic in the park. Such a smart idea. It's interesting because I made a reservation on open table for Saturday brunch thinking it would be more busy. However, I was surprised to find that they had quite a few open tables. Nonetheless, it was a great experience. They use all local products so you won't find anything not found in Canada on the menu. Overall I enjoyed my food. I ordered the Pacific Ling Cod off of the weekend brunch menu. It was well seasoned and filling. I also tried a bit of the bison burger. It was really savory and satisfying! The meat was soft and the bread was nice and flaky. If I ever go back I will get the bison burger instead. read more
11 years ago
More info about River Café
25 Prince's Island Park
Calgary, AB T2P 0R1
Canada
Eau Claire
Directions
(403) 261-7670
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.river-cafe.com
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