The Beltliner

I was close by the Beltliner yesterday and decided to pop in for a late lunch … and in glad I did! I had the Big Salad and it lived up to its name … it was humongous! The chicken that came in the salad was very moist and tender. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. What more could I ask for?

Went there this past Sunday!!! There was a wait but that’s fine until people who came in after us had been seated so I went up to ask and the girl said she has txt me but unfortunately I did not receive a txt she really didn’t seem to care!!! Sat own ordered the eggs Benny it was awful eggs were still raw I did ask for medium poach!!! I did have a caesar and that was good. I did However notice that there was quit a bit of plates being sent back for what ever reason. Over all the experience wasn’t what I expected!!!

Why does the ‘modern’ in modern diner have to include expensive and irritatingly kitsch?
Pros: I enjoyed my eggs benedict, my coffee, and my friend’s orange juice
Cons: Could you just call the potatoes deep fried scalloped potatoes or something, cause that’s not really hashbrowns. I tried to initiate my European friend on fried chicken and waffles here and that was a mistake. An order of hot chocolate took like ten years to make. The kitsch level indicator (number of visible mason jars used for drinks x 0.25 + cost of meal x incidents of hipster whimsy) was through the roof.

I REALLY love The Beltliner, and have made myself a regular over recent months. The décor is cool hipster (you’ll get your water in a jar) plus traditional diner, and the space itself is bright and open. The coffee cups are humongous, which is a welcome serving the morning after any night at the bar. I always order the traditional eggs benedict, which have never disappointed, but have left me with virtually nothing to say about the rest of the menu. I keep meaning to go for something else, but why give up a good thing? Staff has always been awesome and accommodating. If you arrive when it’s busy and you can’t get a table, you can leave your number and they will text you when one comes available. The Beltliner is a worthy stop if you’re downtown and want a delicious breakfast!

I had the Merguez and eggs on a busy Saturday morning.
The place was busy, the food was warm, but not hot. I asked for extra bred,. and got it after I finished my meal.
I would go again, and maybe try the same thing, I feel like I caught them on an off day.

The service here was great! Walked in, very quickly greeted! My coffee was served in big mugs great for the morning!
The salmon Benny was fantastic! Full of flavor, the potatoes were amazing, very different and unique how is a stacked potato! Definitely worth trying!

Feeling brunchy today? The Beltliner is a solid bet. There’s something to be said for a well laid out eggs benny, and I’ve got to admit their solid food presentation made me like it all that much more. They aced the hollandaise look. Just seeing that creamy yellow laid out across some steamy bennies as they bring it to the table is enough to make me want to ask if I can buy a pint glass of it. Could I? I can’t confirm, sorry. I managed to control myself this time.
The fried potato hash-​brown dealies are quite good. It seems like save potato, compacted into a cake and then the whole thing is deep-​fried. They’ve got a flaky, crunchy outside and a warm, soft potato-​y inside. They’re really quite great and oh so easy to slather ketchup on.
Another advantage they have over many brunch places is the lineup, or rather lack there-​of! Many very similar spots have lineups out the door regardless of the day and time you go. I showed up at noon and instantly got a table. How wonderful!
And here’s where I can feel myself getting snobby and wanting more, more, more. As good as Beltline is, I don’t really think they bring anything new to Calgary’s brunch scene. They do a good job emulating the feel of Calgary’s proven favourite brunch destinations, to the point that I couldn’t help but feel like I’d been there many times before, but this was my first experience. There’s a good chance I missed something really special, but for how new they are, I guess I was expecting a little change up in concept from the likes of Diner Deluxe and Blue Star and Red’s and Dairy lane, and…
There’s no reason not to go to The Beltliner, it’s really quite good. If you’re well experienced in brunching around town, I did struggle to find ways to pick them out of a crowd.
I’ll definitely be back if I’m looking for a brunch location in the area.

You can’t beat the convenience of a restaurant under your hotel! Dale E and I stopped by for brunch before his big event and it was very enjoyable.
The atmosphere is kind of chic-​hipster-​chill, and I was glad I was able to snake us a booth — they’re comfy! My server was a bit of an enigma — she seemed pretty stand-​offish at first, but warmed up a bit towards the end. The place was pretty hopping around lunchtime on a Tuesday, which is always awesome to see.
I ordered the merguez and eggs, and a side of hash browns, and it was great! The dish came in a cast iron dish on a beautiful logoed plate and was pretty hefty! The eggs were a little runnier than I like (I prefer the yolks runny but the whites not snot-​like), and when I mixed some of the snotty whites into the rest (I assumed the cast iron was piping hot) I was surprised the dish was quite lukewarm in places.
The flavours were great, the little pieces of sausage were rich and tasty, and the sauce was delicious! The hash browns are amazing — make sure you get them! Layers of potato pressed together and deep fried (I assume) — it made for a fun eat as I peeled the layers off!
I’d definitely dine here again next time I’m in Calgary!

I’ve been here a few times for breakfast and for lunch and have yet to have a negative experience. Food has always been great along with very attentive staff.
So far I’ve had the waffles, soup and a couple sandwiches and all were made exceptionally. You can find Fratello coffee here and it’s refreshing to not have to drink burnt swill in the morning.
This place does get busy so plan to come 30 minutes before you think you should.
Not to be missed. One of the best spots in downtown Calgary.

Looks like an interesting diner considering I am staying at the Fairfield Inn right above. Service wise it was slow, food wise had some interesting concept but not sure if I can call it great.
Lobster Mac n Cheese claims to be fresh Atlantic lobster so I had to try it to see how fresh. In terms of lobster you probably got around 1.5 claw which makes you wonder how fresh is it and where is the rest of the meat and this is Calgary so where is the fresh Atlantic lobster from? Freshness it was a little less fresh than a restaurant that have live swimming one. The sauce was cheesy, creamy and well seasoned. The sauce was also made with lobster bits which you can see from the texture and colour.
The pie fries was an interesting concept. Pie strips (apple in this case) with vanilla cream. It is a finger food dessert. I like it but wish there was a little more apple in it.

I had the same experience as others as far as a long wait for food, but great service.
I had the veggie burger with hash browns (strongly suggested by our server) as well as a veggie smoothie.
The hash browns alone were enough make another visit. My burger and smoothie were also delicious.
My bf had the merguez skillet and mom had the quiche. Both were also impressed with the food.
Beltliner will definitely be on my breakfast roster.

Ecstatic that this place is 2 blocks from me, because even it were miles away I’d be a regular.
Everything is done well here — relaxing décor, friendly staff, huge coffees, cocktails and beer, and morning comfort food of the highest degree. The menu has all the classics, but with minor twists that will have you wanting to order two plates.
Sat at the bar and got the eggs Benedict and the chicken and waffles– both perfect for sharing. Both were great, not much else to say — I would definitely order again but will explore the menu a bit more next time (French toast and pancakes looked delicious)
Can’t wait to return!

I never have good luck here.
Last time I came the chicken and waffles was so over cooked and gristly, also just not tasty at all.
And tonight I shared biscuits and gravy with a friend while waiting for our table at Native Tongues.
First bite was ok… Until we both looked at eachother with a sour face because the biscuit had this AWFUL bitter after taste. It tasted like having blood in your mouth when you bit your tongue. It tasted like maybe way too much baking soda? It was actually awful.
This restaurant reminds me of a nightmare where all the food looks amazing but then you bite into it and your realize it’s all plastic.

Yum! Quick service and a good array of breakfast food — I got the 2×2×2. I was deciding btwn that and the crème brûlée french toast — I would have loved to try just normal french toast which I was bummed about. All in all, really good food and service.
Random perk: One of the bathrooms has an amazing array of origin’s maps — the origin of comic books, video games, and wine — thought that was neat!

I was meeting my friend for Sunday brunch yesterday and knew I had to try The Beltliner. I had heard many good things about it, so I was excited to finally go there. The wait was about 40 minutes, which is pretty typical for most places on the weekend. Luckily, they take your phone number and text you when your table is ready. They serve Fratello coffee here and give you large mugs too (double win!). It seemed like every table around me had at least one person ordering the Buttermilk Waffle. So naturally I had to order that! It was pretty large and was perfectly cooked. Nice and fluffy, and definitely quite filling! I really enjoyed it.
Our server Samantha was a sweetheart. She was attentive and was always around if we needed anything. Even though it was very busy, we felt welcome and did not feel rushed despite the lineup outside. A man I believe was the manager came to clear our plates and did a quality check to make sure all was well. Great service overall!
Definitely worth a visit, but either go before the rush or if you are not in a hurry.

Another addition to Calgary’s brunch and breakfast scene. Came her for brunch on the long weekend and it was definitely busy but not 2 hour wait busy. Me and and my gf sat at the bar in full view of the kitchen.
We started off with the coffee which didn’t come in a small cup. We we were given a latte in large mason jar. Definite plus! We had ordered the chicken and waffles, crème brûlée waffle, and poached egg. Here is where they start to lose stars. The order took closer to an hour for it to arrive and but it didn’t seem like it was only ours, a few others were waiting as well. When the food did arrive the chicken barely had any meat, pretty much all batter. The poached egg was cold but we were too hungry to send it back. The French toast was delicious and something I have never had before.
Overall, the service was great, our waitress made sure we were full on water, coffee and tried to speed up the kitchen. But the food definitely needs some improvement. In the end we were comped for the crème brûlée. In the end I would say give this place a shot and see if you fair better with the food then I did. Happy munching

It’s nothing short of refreshing to be in the downtown of Calgary sitting on the Beltliner’s patio tasting different bourbons
, tequilas, and whatever else your heart desires for 5 bucks per drink. If you haven’t considered at least stopping for one during your travels I highly suggest you do. Where else can you get a Blanton’s Special Reserve for 5 bones — nowhere. And as mentioned in a previous post the food is killer upscale diner deliciousness

Been here 3 times. First trip got a 5, second trip got a 3, third trip got a 4.
Food is really good, the first time we went it was 2 of us on a busy saturday at peak brunch hour. Service was good, we didn’t have to wait long for a table (maybe 15 mins) and the service was attentive, and spot on! Food was great, and the coffee in our cups stayed hot and full!
The second trip was a weekday afternoon, popped over after the lunch hour to visit with a friend over coffee and pie. Although we were seated right away, and got coffees, we did not get a refill or a water for the 1.5 hours we were there. The staff were gathered at the front chatting with each other, and not much minding the 4 or 5 tables that were occupied. The pie was divine!
the third trip was a weekday lunch, and they did a good job. Good food which came up hot and fast. I had to ask for a coffee re-​fil, but it came straight away so i was happy!
If you can’t tell, i like coffee! I go out to a diner because i’m after food and coffee (as opposed to food and drinks.) Surprisingly, the busier this place seems the better the service is. I expect it might be because they keep their best staff (or the manager) on the busiest shifts, but maybe they need to shadow the new servers a little more closely on those slow afternoons. Definitely worth a stop in though, the hash browns are fantastic.

Always had this preconceived idea that diners were dirty and greasy, with the food very fast food like. This place definitely makes you think twice about diners.
A relatively new place that has beautifully chic and modern décor, that was extremely welcoming. An extremely welcoming and lively space, with attention for the details. Mason jars for cups, a Dr. Suess book for the receipts, and excellent service all tied together to bring a wonderful lunch experience!
The portions were a good size and will definitely fill you up! Thought the prices were a bit high at first, but the portions definitely made up for it. The Beltliner Burger was amazing! All the different tastes all came together perfectly to compliment the burger patties. The bottom bun did get quite soggy, making it a mess to eat, but so worth it! The Tomato Soup was also awesome! One of the best I’ve ever had.
Friends also had the Big Salad and Spicy Salami Benedict, which were both amazing! The Benedict also came with these potatoes which were unique and delicious!
Service was fast and friendly, making this is a must try if you’re in the downtown Calgary area!

‘Twas the night before the night before Mother’s Day, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring… except for a six year old snoring and a mother on a Unilocaly quest for the perfect Saturday early Mother’s Day brunch with her baby…
Truthfully, it took me until after midnight to find this newcomer on Unilocal amongst all of the other great diners and brunch spots in Calgary. What won me over was the $ 5 kids menu items, as well as a great selection for the big kid at the table too!
When we arrived the next morning, we knew there would be a little wait. Our hostess took my cell number and said they would text us when our table was ready (fabulous!!). So baby and I grabbed a chocolate chip cookie that was very aptly described as a «something that tastes like a squashed brownie» (baking courtesy of Corbeaux… simply amazing cookie, btw), and a Fratello coffee. We went across the street and sat in the sunlit park while we waited for our table. The text came way faster than we expected and we were seated immediately upon our return.
My little one had the chocolate chip pancake (and I stress — singular — she couldn’t even finish the one… and that is saying something for the Pancake Monster!). I ordered the PB&J Pancakes — fig jam, my
favorite, and pistachio butter. Both dishes came with healthy dollops of house-​churned butter and delicious authentic maple syrup.
Can I just talk about the staff for a minute? They were all so helpful, friendly and actually TALKED to my 6 year old. You all rock in my world!
I have been telling all of my friends about you, Beltliner, and we will come back with friends!