Seven bars in Alberta made the list of Canada’s 100 Best Bars in 2024. Four of them are in Calgary and three are in Edmonton, and each is sure to give you a one-of-a-kind cocktail experience.
Take your sweetie out on a date! Meet up with a Hinge match and see how it goes! Check one out with your high school friends that you meet up with once a year and spend the whole time wondering if you still have things in common!
Whatever your relationship status and whoever you go with, we understand that sometimes its worthwhile to brainstorm cool things to talk about ahead of time.
You surely don’t want to spend the whole time listening to him talk about how much he likes fishing, or hearing them complain about their home renovation problems.
So without further ado, here’s the list of Alberta’s top bars with their respective ranking, complete with discussion questions to steer the conversation in a juicer direction.
Calgary
Proof (No. 10)
A classic North American bar with dozens of cocktail options. Proof Classics include the Manly Glass, the Punch Line, and A Bit of Northern Hospitality.
Their menu includes a wide selection of non-alcoholic options, as well as a list of $6 mini drinks for when it’s the end of the month and the budget is running thin.
While at this bar, you’ll hear about their Sunday Night Book Club where they create cocktails based on good books. You’ll start thinking about stories. You’ll then ask your table mates about the wildest conspiracy theory that they’ve heard of.
Missy’s This That (No. 13)
No frills bar with an extensive menu. It’s right above a convenience store, and the vibes are low-key but the service is excellent.
Their knowledgeable staff will be able to answer any questions you have about the menu.
Here, you’ll notice the cocktail named “One Hundred Dollar Manhattan?? In This Economy??? Ours Is Only” for $26.50.
So ask your date if society would be better off if we replaced our current financial system with one based exclusively on how many cats a person owns.
Rain Dog Bar (No. 30)
Located in Calgary’s hip Inglewood neighbourhood, this bar and its craft beer list are sure to impress the beer lovers in your friend group.
If you don’t love beer, they also have wine and non-alcoholic drinks, and the food is amazing.
Rain Dog curates its own playlist. When you notice this, be sure to ask your friends, “If you had to choose one song to play every time you enter a room, which song would you choose?”
Paper Lantern (No. 44)
A colourful Vietnamese speakeasy in the heart of Chinatown. Come for the affordable cocktails, stay for their tropical flair.
You’re tired by the time you get here for a happy hour with coworkers, and you wish you didn’t have to work so hard.
Ask your colleagues if they think we should push for mandatory paid “daydreaming” hours in the workplace.
Edmonton
Clementine (No. 33)
The interior design of this Oliver district bar itself is worth a visit. Its perfectly crafted Art Nouveau theme, defined by flowing lines and a nature-inspired feel, will transport you.
Check out their long list of classic cocktails, or sample something from their more experimental house cocktail list.
There’s a certain philosophical vibe to this place, so ask your partner if they think we should have a yearly Global Regret Day where everyone takes the day off to meet with friends and talk about things they regret.
Bar Bricco (No. 40)
Bar Bricco features an all-Italian wine list and sharing plates. The price point is on the higher side, but you can still find affordable options tucked among the $150 bottles of wine – their beer and cocktails are reasonably priced.
While here, ask your table mate, “If the current voting system were replaced by a reality TV show, which challenges would candidates need to face?”
Baijiu & Little Hong Kong (No. 50)
Baijiu is everything, all at once. They boast North America’s first Tubbo, a heated outdoor dome, to give you a winter patio experience like none other.
The main indoor dining area is cavernous, and seats up to 200. You can also ask a server to be seated in Little Hong Kong, a speakeasy bar-within-a-bar at the back of Baijiu.
This bar is greater than the sum of its parts. It is all-consuming. Talk to your table mates about that, and then also ask them about the internet, another all-consuming entity. Ask them what they think the personality of the internet would be like if it were a person.
