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Calgary is a city where an international population and a strong local culture assure a broad range of dining choices, whether you are looking for an old-fashioned family restaurant or feel the need to sample exotic foreign spices. The bar and club scene is no less diverse with establishments catering to every crowd, from draft beer swilling traditionalists to martini-loving professionals to techno-rave enthusiasts.
There are several restaurant and bar districts, each with its own distinct flavor and character. From the refined pubs of Kensington to the rough and ready cowboy bars of the Stampede area, there is something for everyone to be found here.
Kensington
Kensington is the place to find the exotic and unusual in Calgary, with several blocks packed with small shops and restaurants. This is where the ethnically diverse establishments such as the Marathon Ethiopian Restaurant and the Irish Kensington Pub . The Vietnamese flavor of the Blue Ginger Cafe and Restaurant adds even more character to an area famed for its diversity and adventurous architectural style. This is also ground zero for coffee shops, with over a dozen establishments ranging from cyber-cafes to old-fashioned bakeries crowded into a few blocks.
Inglewood
Inglewood is the oldest region of the city, and the area where the first settler in the Bow Valley built his homestead. The buildings date from the turn of the century, with many built in the now-crumbling sandstone blocks popular at the time. The local businesses reflect the frontier character by offering a more down-home Canadian atmosphere than the upper-crust cuisine of Kensington. This is where you will find Kane's Harley Diner, located in a Harley Davidson shop, as well as the Hose and Hound Pub, which occupies a deserted fire-hall.
17th Avenue
Fashion, flash and panache dominate 17th Avenue. Home to most of the city's upper-end clothing and jewelry designers, this is where the young and upwardly mobile strut their stuff. Martini and hibachi bars line the east end, while family and international restaurants nestle amongst the shops of the west end. The Chianti Café and Restaurant and the Buon Giorno's Restaurant specialize in traditional Italian dishes, while Kashmir and Spicy Hut offer other types of distinct regional cuisine.
Stephen Avenue Walk
Stephen Avenue Walk is a cobblestoned street in the heart of the city which is closed to vehicles and has become a gathering point for Calgarians from all walks of life. This is where you will find the Palace Nightclub, which is the undisputed monarch of Calgary nightclubs, as well as the more sedate Unicorn Celtic Pub and a host of street cafes and small restaurants. Located beneath the towers of Bankers Hall, the sidewalks are always alive with street performers and buskers plying their trade amongst a steady stream of bike couriers, business people and travelers.
Fourth Street
If you are looking for a restaurant of any nationality, flavor or decor, chances are that it will be found somewhere on Fourth Street southwest. Between 17th street and the Elbow River, both sides of Fourth are jammed with dozens of restaurants serving fare as diverse as the Burger Inn's ostrich burger or the garlic-saturated "stinking steak" at Antonio's Garlic Clove. The Fourth Street area is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the best places to eat in western Canada because of its ethnic diversity and wide range of prices.
Macleod Trail
If you are looking for a chain restaurant of any description, it will probably be found somewhere on Macleod Trail. A drive along the strip will reveal at least one franchise of every American fast food restaurant imaginable, as well as the Southcentre and Chinook shopping malls. Lined with Macdonald's, Pizza Huts and similar establishments, the strip is 10 miles of blazing lights and deafening music emanating from the many boisterous nightclubs. Sandwiched between the Porsche and Ferrari dealerships is a vast strip mall complex which shelters Outlaws, the Back Alley and the French Maid , the largest and loudest of the Calgary clubs.
Stampede
This area is a little bit seedy, but contains some of the wildest and most interesting bars in the city. As it is close to the Stampede Grounds and the Saddledome, hockey fans and Stampede-goers make sure that an exciting time is had by all. The area is often frequented by sports celebrities traveling incognito and has become a favorite haunt of Prince Albert of Monaco.
The country-western tradition is especially strong here, with many bar patrons sporting cowboy boots and large-brimmed Stetson hats. Local saloon owners are fiercely loyal to the home hockey and football teams, and one has made a habit of standing in the street dressed only in red long underwear and sporting a shotgun while he waits for the opposing team's bus to drive by, which it invariably does after hockey games, accompanied by much derisive hooting from both the bar patrons and the occupants of the bus.
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