Despite the myriad obstacles thrown their way over the past two years, the culinary community in Alberta never fails to deliver diners a delicious array of homegrown food and beverages. Although the current climate has once again proven to be very volatile, you can always count on the consistency and versatility of Alberta’s incredible chefs, restaurateurs, and producers.
Whether you’re planning to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home with friends and family, enjoy a delicious meal in a laid back setting, or you’re looking forward to treating yourself to a decadent multi-course dinner, you can count yourself lucky that you will have plenty of options come December 31.
A1 Cafe
If you’re looking to celebrate the new year with delicious food and beverage but would prefer a more intimate and laid-back setting to do so, A1 Cafe is the perfect place to be on December 31. In addition to an excellent curated selection of wine, cocktails, and local beers, guests will be treated to a glass of bubbly upon arrival followed by a four-course set menu from chef James Lawson.
Menu highlights include a Scotch quail egg to start, a sirloin steak with fried polenta and bordelaise as the main course, and a baked Alaska to finish. Each course also comes complete with a vegetarian substitution option.
Reservations can be made online.
Calcutta Cricket Club
Easily one of the most interesting ways to ring in the new year in Alberta comes courtesy of Calcutta Cricket Club’s experiential journey back in time to the golden age of Indian rail travel. Throughout both the four- and five-course menus on offer, guests will take a tantalizing trek to various Indian cities to experience tasty traditional regional cuisine.
Both the 6 and 9:30 p.m. seatings include a complimentary welcome cocktail along with live music from the Nate Waters Trio. Reservations can be made over the phone.
Chartier
As you might expect from one of the province’s premier farm-to-table-focused restaurants, Chartier chefs Tamara Solon and Travis Goldbeck have curated an incredible four-course menu that highlights the region’s amazing producers and farmers.
Menu highlights include grain fed beef from Redtail Farms, pastured chicken from Lazy T Farms, lamb from Lady’s Hat Farms, and much more. Tickets to any of Chartier’s three seating times can be booked online.
Concorde Group
The talented culinary crews at Concorde eateries Bridgette Bar, Lulu Bar, Major Tom Bar, and Model Milk have come together this holiday season to offer an incredible array of cocktail and canape kits.
Whether it be canape’s like Major Tom’s Ducks in a Blanket with crispy phyllo, tamarind, and raisin jam or Model Milk’s Mortadella and Pimento cheese toasties, or cocktails like Lulu Bar’s Vodka Coconut Coolers or Bridgette Bar’s White Peach Negroni, whichever kit you choose, Concorde will ensure December 31 is a night to remember.
Deane House
Ever since meal kits became the norm, Deane House has set the bar with its popular Dinner in Your Home packages. For New Year’s Eve, Deane House has once again put together two amazing take-home options. Both come with kale Caesar salad, honey-roasted carrots, Brussels sprouts, canola-crushed potatoes, and treacle pudding—all you have to do is decide between a beef Wellington with red wine jus and a roasted sablefish with celeriac jus.
Both kits can be ordered for pick-up online.
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise will host a multitude of fun and festive ways to ring in the new year. From a family fair in the Mount Temple Ballroom to multi-course dinners at Fairview Bar and Restaurant, Wallister Stube, and Victoria Ballroom, to sophisticated cocktails and world-class scenery at Lakeview Lounge, the legendary hotel and resort has something for everyone on December 31.
Fonda Fora
One of Thank You Hospitality’s newest culinary gems, Fonda Fora is celebrating New Year’s Eve with a four-or-five course menu, optional wine pairings, and complimentary Champagne at midnight.
Both available menus are packed with delicious Mexican fare ranging from roasted chicken roulade with mole amarillo to traditional churros with dark chocolate ganache and candy sticks. There will also be a live latin band on location throughout the night.
Reservations as well as The Westley Hotel add-on packages are available online.
Orchard Restaurant
With a space that already screams luxury and a supremely talented chef who specializes in serving Mediterranean cuisine with an Asian flair at the helm, it comes as no surprise that Orchard Restaurant is doing something extraordinary for New Year’s Eve.
Chef Jenny Kang and crew have created an exclusive 10-course tasting menu with decadent offerings every step of the way, including striped sea bass crudo, beef tenderloin tataki with citrus ponzu, chirizu, and tobiko, foie gras stuffed duck galbi with parsnip puree, lobster tortellini, wagyu striploin, and much more.
Tickets can be purchased via Tock.
RGE RD
When one of Alberta’s most celebrated eatery’s announces they’ll be hosting a special New Year’s Eve dinner, we really don’t need any more information to know it will be a blast. In this case, RGE RD has only revealed that the chefs are preparing a secret mystery menu that will feature cool cocktail pairings and a complimentary glass of bubbles.
River Cafe
For long-time Calgary residents, ringing in the new year with River Cafe has become a time-honoured tradition that never fails to impress.
Acclaimed chef Scott MacKenzie and the culinary crew at River Cafe have prepared a fantastic five-course chef’s tasting menu that highlights local ingredients and features expertly-paired wine options from sommelier Bruce Soley. Guests will also have the option of choosing a vegetable tasting menu
Rouge
If you’d prefer to celebrate the new year in the comfort of your own home, Rouge Restaurant should be right next to Deane House on the top of your list. The award-winning eatery has put together a four-course meal kit that comes complete with spot prawn bisque, chicken and pancetta stuffed cannelloni, coffee crusted filet mignon with black truffle cauliflower puree, and individual chocolate terrines.
Pick-up reservations can be made through Tock.
Roy’s Korean Kitchen
Whether it be Anju or Roy’s Korean Kitchen, Calgarians love chef Roy Oh. Chef Oh has promised to deliver something fierce to finish off 2021, and if you love delicious Korean cuisine you’d be wise to believe him.
Each guest will receive a welcome glass of bubbles and an amuse bouche of teokguk to start, followed by some of chef Oh’s favourite throwback dishes from years past, including seafood curry ramen nest and white tiger rolls.
Reservations can be made online.
Sea Change Brewing Co.
Sea Change Brewing Co.’s annual NYE Effing Crab Boil is taking place at the brewery’s Beaumont location beginning at 8:30 p.m. Tickets include a dungeness crab boil dinner with all the fixings, one pint of Sea Change beer, and live entertainment from The Prairie States.
Reservations can be made online.
Winebar Kensington
Winebar Kensington is transporting guests to the roaring twenties for a night of 1920s-inspired food, drinks, and music.
Available in both the dining room and at the bar, guests will be treated to a four-course dinner loaded with options that include cheese sticks with Waldorf salad or chestnut and maple soup to start, cranberry and orange-glazed duck breast, roasted beef tenderloin and bernaise sauce, or vegetarian Wellington as a main course, and delice de bourgogne and apricot jam or pineapple upside down cake for dessert.
Reservations can be made online.
Yellow Door Bistro
No matter what you’re celebrating, heading to Yellow Door Bistro is always a safe bet, but when it comes to New Year’s Eve celebrations, you know they’ll be going all out.
This year, following its a la carte brunch and brunch buffet, Yellow Door will be serving up a veritable feast fit for royalty that includes items like lobster bisque, cheese and charcuterie platters, Yorkshire pudding, baked salmon, carved turkey breast and leg roulade, prime rib, and much more.
Reservations can be made online.
