Where to eat on 17th Avenue SW: a guide to Calgary's busiest food street

If you ask a Calgarian where to go out to eat, there is a good chance they will say 17th Avenue. The stretch of 17th Avenue SW running through the Beltline and Mount Royal is the city's densest run of restaurants, cafés, patios and bars, with everything from cheap pho to polished cocktail rooms. During hockey playoff runs it becomes the Red Mile, when fans in red fill the street after Flames games.

It is a long street, so it helps to know how it is laid out.

Where is 17th Avenue in Calgary?

17th Avenue SW runs east and west just south of downtown. The busiest dining stretch is roughly between 2nd Street SW and 14th Street SW, passing through the Beltline and the edge of Mount Royal and Lower Mount Royal. It is about a 15 to 20 minute walk from the downtown core, and several bus routes run along it. Parking is tight on weekend evenings, so many people walk, cycle or take a taxi.

What kind of food is on 17th Avenue?

Almost everything. Walking the length of the street, you will pass:

Kind of place	What to expect
Patio restaurants and bars	Busy in summer, popular for after-work drinks
Brunch spots	Weekend lines at the best known
Asian restaurants	Ramen, sushi, Vietnamese, Thai and Korean
Pubs and sports bars	Packed on game nights
Cocktail and wine bars	Smaller rooms, good for dates
Cafés and bakeries	Independent coffee and pastries
Late-night food	Pizza, burgers and snacks after the bars

What is the Red Mile?

The Red Mile is the nickname fans gave to 17th Avenue during the Calgary Flames' 2004 playoff run, when tens of thousands of people in red jerseys celebrated on the street after games. The name stuck, and during playoff runs the avenue still fills with fans. If you are visiting during a big game, expect crowded bars, closed lanes and a party atmosphere; if you want a quiet dinner, eat elsewhere or eat early.

Is 17th Avenue good for brunch?

Yes. 17th Avenue and the streets around it have some of Calgary's most popular brunch spots, and weekend lines are common. Arrive before the doors open, go on a weekday, or try one of the side streets nearby. Many brunch places do not take reservations for small groups, so expect to put your name down and wait.

Where are the best patios on 17th Avenue?

17th Avenue is one of Calgary's main patio streets. Patios open as soon as spring allows and fill up quickly on warm days, especially on sunny Friday afternoons. Calgary weather can change fast, so many patios have heaters and awnings. Rooftop and second-floor patios offer views of the street. Arrive early on a nice evening, or be ready to wait for a table.

How much does eating on 17th Avenue cost?

It runs from cheap to expensive. There are affordable noodle shops, pizza by the slice and pubs, as well as upscale restaurants that are a special-occasion choice. One thing visitors from other provinces like about Alberta is the tax: there is no provincial sales tax, so a restaurant bill only adds the 5 percent federal GST. Tip 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax amount at table service.

Is 17th Avenue good for a night out?

It is Calgary's busiest bar strip outside downtown, and on Friday and Saturday nights the bars stay lively into the early morning. Plan your ride home: Alberta's impaired driving laws are strict, and taxis and ride-hailing are busy at closing time. If you want a quieter night, the western end of the street and the side streets are calmer.

What is near 17th Avenue for food?

• 4th Street SW (Mission), just south and east, has another strong run of restaurants and cafés, especially around the Mission neighbourhood.
• The Beltline, the dense neighbourhood around 17th, has more restaurants on 1st Street SW and 11th and 12th avenues.
• Downtown and Stephen Avenue, a short walk north, for business dining and pubs.
• The Stampede grounds, just east, in July.

What is the Beltline, and why does it matter for food?

17th Avenue SW runs through the Beltline, the dense inner-city district just south of downtown. It is home to tens of thousands of people in apartments and older houses, which is why the area supports so many restaurants, bars and cafés within walking distance of each other.

That density shapes a night out:

• Most places are walkable, so you can eat in one spot and move to another for drinks or dessert.
• Side streets have their own gems, especially around 1st Street SW, 4th Street SW and the blocks between 12th and 17th avenues.
• The Stampede grounds are close by, so the area is especially busy in early July and on event nights at the Saddledome.

Parking is tight in the evening, so walking, cycling, a taxi or the CTrain to the edge of the Beltline is usually easier than driving.

How to plan an evening on 17th Avenue

1. Start with happy hour at a patio in the late afternoon.
2. Walk the street and look at menus before choosing dinner.
3. Book ahead for popular restaurants on Friday and Saturday.
4. End with dessert or a late drink on the way home.

17th Avenue changes quickly, with new places opening and others closing every year. On Mosey you can rate the places you actually ate at and the dishes you ordered, see where friends you follow went, and keep a list of 17th Avenue spots to work through.

More guides to read next:

• A food day trip from Calgary to Canmore and Banff
• Birthday and group dinners in Calgary: how to book a big table
• Bridgeland food guide: where to eat on 1st Avenue NE in Calgary

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.