River Café

Great spot in the park!
Love the ambience, food, drinks, service… everything. The host took care of us very well. Food arrived on a timely manner. Love the outdoor area.
Keep up good work!

You cannot get a better location for fine dinning in Calgary. Right next to the turquoise Bow River on Prince’s Island Park, you are nestled right in beautiful picturesque Calgary landscape — and Calgary is not the prettiest of cities to visit in Canada. So come here if you are a tourist if you’re wanting to experience the best of Calgary!
I’ve dined here a couple times now. After perusing Instagram for the best brunch spots in Calgary, I decided to come here for their weekend brunch this time. I ordered their hog wild boar ham, which is a poached duck egg dish accompanied by asparagus, and a large portion of boar ham. A nice exotic twist on a traditional dish. The cuisine here is generally pretty creative.
Everything I have tried here is yummy. If you’re a foodie definitely bookmark this place and visit for on a nice snowy or sunny day (sit on their patio). You’ll feel super outdoorsy and fancy at the same time.

Yup, this is what I am talking about; cooked by real people with real ingredients; almost ordered an eggs benedict except that I had just had a mediocre breakfast up the street. Went with a bison burger, ate some cheese, drank some wine– had a wonderful time. Great food cooked by people who think of themselves as real foodies. A genuine joy.
I have heard that the duck breast is to die for, but that is second hand, though I trust the source. Ummmmm… Currently, my favorite restaurant in Calgary.

Love the place love the staff and love the food! Don’t order drink and the bill is not that bad either.

This is my first trip to Calgary. I’m staying at the Sheraton Suites which is very close to this restaurant. This place is amazing and so good! I don’t find Canadian food to be particularly creative but the menu on this place is so unique and good. The trout is great, so many flavors mixed that make it an amazing choice. I also had the rice pudding which is prepared with wild rice. Again, unique and different. This is a must place if you’re planning a visit to Prince’s Island Park.

Why have we never been there? I’m a bit cautious about telling you our experience, because we want to be able to get a table. (Sorry, that’s selfish…)
Wow, was this a great time! The restaurant is in Princess Island Park. The building is beautiful and rustic. The tables on the patio DON’T WOBBLE! (They pay attention to detail.) The food? Loved it! We had the red lentil hummus as an appy and the halibut as our entrees. When you go, you’ll be able to explore their extensive wine list. The flavors are fantastic. Say hi to Jen for us.

One of our favourite spots in Calgary. The food is truly local and imaginative, service is impeccable, and the location is one of a kind. We’ve been impressed every time and always look forward to our next visit.

We went for dinner with another couple and sat outside. The setting is outstanding on the island and the patio is great on a warm evening. The service was prompt and professional.
We had the hummus as a starter and it was excellent. The ladies had the trout which was fair. I had the duck which was a little dry and an incredibly small portion. Although I enjoy the setting it’s very expensive for what’s served. I’ll likely call in for a drink or lunch in the future but think there’s far better value in Calgary. The bill was $ 430 for the four of us with one shared starter, mains and two bottles of wine.

My first time at River Café, and the location is great. I had the beef special and apple cobbler for dessert. My companions all lived their choices which included the bison. I only had 1 concern. at the recommendation of our waitress we picked the organic Pinot noir which was awful, thankfully the manager allowed us to switch to a different wine, at no charge. Good was great as was the service, if you are willing to pay a few extra bucks for supper this is a good choice.

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 purée, 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!

Booked a reservation at the River Café for Valentine’s Day with the wife due to a recommendation from a friend. As we drove towards the restaurant I soon realized by looking on my maps that we would have to walk the last stretch of the trip to get to the restaurant. The walk turned out to be a pleasant surprise (Princess Island Park was all lit up and romantic-​like). We showed up 30 minutes early for our reservation, the hostess assured us it wouldn’t be a problem and quickly seated us by the window next to the fireplace (yet another pleasant surprise!). We ordered the fish and game plate to start off the meal which was very interesting. I quite like the variety of not so common meats, my wife was not as big of a fan however. My wife ordered the cut of naturally raised beef which she absolutely loved and I tried the lamb dish I forget the exact name but it also was delicious. After dinner we then ordered desert (espresso crème brûlée withe almond biscotti and some sort of chocolate tart with ice cream, topping the meal off perfectly) and shared a bench style seat right in front of the fireplace.
Overall a wonderful date night experience if you’re willing to spend a few dollars (our meals with a bottle of wine and tip was 260 but could be done for 150). Will be returning and recommending to friends for sure

I’m new to Calgary, and I had to walk along Prince Island Park. I came in on the afternoon, by myself and perhaps a little underdressed. Casually.
They must’ve been busy because I felt neglected, I would ask for tea and no milk or sugar cane with it. I had to ask. Took 20 minutes for the server to come with milk and sugar. I asked for water, every table was asked for water except me. So I had to ask for water, and it took them another 20 minutes to get water. I wasn’t checked up on, and had to wave the servers down.
I didn’t feel welcomed. I feel like I shouldn’t have come at all. The two stars are for the good weather and that the cake came at all.

Make a reservation. You will need to park across the river and walk onto the island. The atmosphere is straight out of a wintry wonderland. The food is excellent. We had the pear flat bread and it was amazing. My favorite is the squash gnocchi. The burgers are huge, juicy and tasty!

I was able to visit this place on my Calgary, Canada trip with my family. This place is located in Prince’s Island Park, which is a tourist site in Calgary. It’s a bit of a walk to get to this restaurant, but well worth it.
I’ve never felt so warm and welcome in a place on vacation. As soon as we walked in, everyone was very nice. We did not have to wait long before we were seated .
FIrst of all, everything inside looks so natural, very rustic. A lot of wood furniture, but in a posh way. Not to mention, you are near the beautiful water and flowers. So serene. I could definitely see this as a romantic outing with a loved one.
I ordered the Lobster Eggs Benedict. I seem to order Eggs Benedict everywhere I go. It was very yummy and was served with biscuits instead of the usual english muffins. I love when a different take is done on a dish.
The service was impeccable. They also had a pretty good wine list if you’re in the mood for it. If you haven’t visited Calgary, when you do, be sure to make this a day of fun at Prince’s Island and this fab establishment.

We drove to Calgary over Labour Day weekend for a friends wedding and ended up here after a long day of driving. We ended up here mostly because it was close to the hotel and the only place that was open that wasn’t fast food.
Like a lot of things in Calgary I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.
It fantastic to see a place that showcases Canadian ingredients in almost every dish. I don’t remember exactly what I had, but I remember it being very good. I ended stealing a couple bites of my better half’s plate and remarking that she may have won dinner.
Staff there is super friendly too. Very patient and willing to walk you though the menu, answer questions and make suggestions on drink pairings. Next time we’re in Calgary, we’ll be dining here.

I’m a total foodie and love to indulge in a nice fine dining experience here and there.
I was pretty disappointed with my brunch experience at River Café.
I ordered the yogurt and granola and also the bison bacon Benedict.
The yogurt and granola was ok. I prefer greek yogurt to the soupy yogurt they served. The portion was tiny and the granola lacked the «crunch» I prefer. They served it with thinly sliced plum or nectarine wedges. It was hard to tell which because they were clearly under-​ripe and very tart. Not adding a lot of sweetness to the plain yogurt. I prefer plain, unsweetened yogurt because I try to avoid sugar. However, I like to add fresh fruit… their underripe selections did little to offset the tartness.
The Benedict was interesting. It was served on a biscuit which I thought lacked tender, buttery flakiness that I look for. I can bake a better biscuit than I had here. The bacon was delicious. The hollandaise was delicious and tart from the lemon. The side of potatoes were un-​browed and undercooked. They weren’t hard… just lacking and crust and flavor punch. I asked to have them re-​served and she got me a fresh plate of browned potato hash that WAS delicious… I just don’t feel like I should have to ask. The eggs were poached and cooked medium. I wonder if they actually poach their eggs in boiling water or if they use some other device… not sure on that one. But I’ve had better poached eggs than that.
The coffee was TERRIBLE… I could barely drink it.
Overall, overpriced, meh experience. Fine dining is expensive and I’m ok with that, but only if I eat food of unsurpassed quality. I felt the value, quality and attention to detail here was lacking. I won’t be back.
Service was ok. Ambiance in the park is beautiful… but the interior chairs and tables leave a lot to be desired.

The ambience here is perfect: Set in Prince’s Island Park with a water view and surrounded by gardens. I love getting a table on the patio. It’s so rustic and beautiful. Great for date night! The staff are friendly and welcoming.
The food is seasonable and local. The red lentil hummus is very good; although the flatbread that accompanied the hummus plus the bread that came with the meal was in all a bit too carb-​y for me. But the salted butter was so good that I couldn’t resist the bread! I had the pickeral as my main and it was very good while hubby had the bison striploin and loved every bite of it.
We were too stuffed for dessert (bread overload!) but would love to come back to try it in the future.

I love how this place looks in the middle of the park. Perfect for walking around before or after your meal.
I’ve only been for brunch and the food was pretty good. The little pastry basket was good for sharing. The eggs benedict was good, except that I asked for my egg to be soft and one came out completely hard. The server apologized though and service was amazing. Tiramisu was good but nothing amazing that I would go back for. The chocolate tart was good, and the fruit sorbet was so refreshing, I would recommend. The drinks were refreshing and nice on the patio, but nothing to write home about. Mixed feelings about the food depending on the dish, but I would definitely be willing to go back and try for dinner.
$ 2 parking underground at Eau Claire on the weekends if you are having trouble finding street parking for free :)

This place is amazing! I came here on a beautiful evening and sat on the patio. It is in such a lovely area of the city.
We had scallops and oysters to start and both were so delicious and fresh tasting. For my entrée, I had the tuna. BEST TUNA I HAVE EVER HAD! The meal was sooooooooo incredibly delicious with the perfect combination of flavours and the portion size was just right. This, along with a fresh Pimms to drink, made the entire experience so yummy!
The restaurant is definitely on the pricey side, but you get what you pay for and this place has some good quality food! I definitely recommend this for a date night or when you are wanting to treat yourself!

This place is gorgeous. Rustic, homey and quintessentially Canadian.
The issue that I find with a lot of restaurants set in nice locations is that their food is mediocre given that they are riding on their nice location to bring customers in.
Not so with River Café.
We came by after the lunch hour on a weekend and were situated in a perfect spot next to the windows. My girlfriend ordered the french toast, which was perfectly fluffy and delicious. I ordered the Bison burger, which was equally as tasty.
Can’t wait to be back again. Maybe for desserts or even on a patio as Dale E. had suggested.