Bridgeland Restaurants: Walkable Eats in Bridgeland-Riverside

Posted by Justin Havre on Thursday, September 29th, 2022 at 9:51am.

Best Restaurants on 1 Ave

Calgary was once known as Cowtown, and the dining scene here once reflected that nickname. Today, the restaurant industry is much more international in its offerings, and depending on your neighbourhood, a short walk is all it takes to access them. A great steak is still available in many restaurants, but Calgary residents can also choose from Japanese, Italian, Canadian, and many other cuisine options. 1 Avenue NE in the Bridgeland-Riverside neighbourhood is an excellent example of an area with various restaurants within walking distance. It's a fun, quiet street to walk down and do some sightseeing, with its elegant brick buildings and its share of Calgary townhouses for sale.

If walkable dining options are high on your home-buying wish list, the Bridgeland/Riverside neighbourhood could be your place. Here are eight restaurants you can walk to from 1 Avenue NE in Calgary.

La Brezza Ristorante

The best time of year to visit La Brezza Ristorante is between late spring and early fall when the outdoor patio is open. It's like stopping by a cafe in the Old Country for some authentic Italian cuisine. They have regular lunch and dinner menus featuring daily soup specials, which can be enjoyed while dining in or as takeout. La Brezza (Italian for "ocean breeze") opened its doors in 1987 at 990 1st Ave NE and has expanded and been renovated several times over the years. La Brezza Ristorante is owned by the same family today and is recognized as one of the best restaurants in the neighbourhood.

Popular Dishes at La Brezza Ristorante

  • Cozze marinara
  • Caprese salad
  • Cannelloni
  • Fettuccine carbonara
  • Salmone alla brezza
  • Agnello rosemarina
  • Piccata limone
  • Penne con salsiccie

Blue Star Diner

Popular Restaurants in 1 Ave NE in Calgary

The Blue Star Diner is located at 809 1 Ave NE. This restaurant prides itself on locally sourced foods from Canadian farmers and suppliers. The diner is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and if your timing is right, you can snag one of the few outdoor tables. They have a robust list of beers, wines, and cocktails available. Thursday night is Wine Night at the Blue Star Diner, featuring half-priced premium wines. They offer a lot of classic Canadian fare with a twist and some more adventurous dishes. The Blue Star Diner isn't afraid to shake things up regarding its menu, and they also sell locally sourced handmade soaps.

Popular Dishes at Blue Star Diner

  • Vegetarian jackfruit carnitas hash bowl
  • BSD dirty double burger
  • Alberta bison chili
  • Alberta lamb naanwich
  • Southern buttermilk fried chicken dinner
  • Steak frites
  • BSD dirty vegan
  • Weekly feature burger - every Wednesday

Villa Firenze

Rustic Italian cuisine is on the menu at Villa Firenze. The restaurant is located at 601 1 Ave NE, at the west end of the street near the intersection of 4 Street NE. Some of the highrise City Centre condos for sale in the area are visible to the west of the restaurant. The food at Villa Firenze is spectacular, but it's the wine list that tends to draw people back in, again and again. They have more than 180 wines available. This family-owned restaurant has been in the same location since it first opened in 1991. The Tudda family first immigrated to Calgary in the 1950s, and the restaurant is their way of offering a menu that mirrors the classic Italian fare that they used to enjoy. Joe Tudda's grandson, Tony Nicastro, currently owns and runs Villa Firenze.

Popular Dishes at Villa Firenze

  • Tortellini in brodo
  • Insalata mista con gamberi
  • Cozze della Nuova Zelanda
  • Lumache in padella
  • Cannelloni alla Fiorentina
  • Pasta della casa
  • Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
  • Linguine di spinaci ai gamberi

Shiki Menya

Best Restaurants 1 Ave NE in Bridgeland-Riverside, Calgary

Shiki Menya is a trendy Japanese ramen shop with a ton of attitude. How much attitude? They post their absolute worst customer reviews from Yelp and TripAdvisor on the front of their website. It's as if they're daring customers to stop by 824 1 Ave NE and see what's inside the shop. The same folks own the First Avenue Corner Store right next door. The inside of the restaurant is clean, classy and modern. Despite what the worst-case reviews might say, Shiki Menya's homemade ramen is among the best in Calgary. After sampling the ramen, customers can pop in next door at the Corner Shop and pick up some Shiki Menya merchandise.

Popular Dishes at Shiki Menya

  • Matsukaze cold brewed organic oolong
  • OG char siu tacos with pineapple sauce
  • Hazy chicken shoyu
  • Chili goma ramen
  • Veggie goma
  • Kara miso garlic
  • Menya jiro kei

Lil Empire Burger

Burgers layered with fresh ingredients and ethically sourced meat are what visitors can always find at Lil Empire Burger in Bridgeland. Located at 1105 1 Ave NE, this gourmet burger shop even has a few tables on a small outside patio, weather permitting. Well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome to join their owners on the patio. Lil Empire Burger's staff is amiable and treats everyone who walks through their door like family. There are various burgers, veggie burgers, hotdogs, fries, and add-ons on the menu. After enjoying lunch or dinner, visitors can pop into the neighbouring Made by Marcus ice cream shop for a cone.

Popular Dishes at Lil Empire Burger

  • Empire double burger with cheese
  • Empire plant-based burger with cheese
  • Spicy Korean chicken sandwich with kimchi
  • Chili dog with house-made beef & pork chili
  • The Plain Jane hot dog
  • Chili cheese fries

OEB Breakfast Co.

Best Restaurants on 1 Ave NE in Calgary

The OEB Breakfast Co. is located at 825 1 Ave NE, directly across the street from Shiki Menya. These guys are passionate about breakfast. Mauro Martina is a classically trained chef from Italy who first came to Calgary in 1992. Today he designs the menus at all of the OEB Breakfast locations in Canada, including this one. Although they serve breakfast all day, OEB has a selection of sandwiches at lunch and dinner and an excellent cocktail menu. The food is out of this world, and the vibe is like that of an American diner from the 1960s. It's classy, clean, and offers one of the most tasty breakfasts that can be found in Calgary.

Popular Dishes at OEB Breakfast Co.

  • One Toast, Two Toast, You Toast
  • Canadian lobster & shrimp crepe
  • Gnocci breakfast carbonara
  • The soul in a bowl
  • Farmer John's delight
  • Deep fried pierogies
  • The Cluck Norris
  • The big ahi tuna burger

Sushi Bar Zipang

Sushi Bar Zipang is a small but popular Japanese restaurant at 1010 1 Ave NE in Calgary. They serve a beautiful and colourful array of sashimi, sushi, and traditional Japanese fare. They're open for lunch from Monday through Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and dinner from 5:00–9:00 p.m. They're open Saturdays for dinner only, from 5:00–9:00 p.m., and closed on Sundays.

Sushi Bar Zipang first opened in the early 2000s and has built a reputation for some of the best sushi in the Bridgeland-Riverside neighbourhood. It is a small corner restaurant, so they prefer that customers call ahead to reserve a table. They also have an excellent takeout menu, and customers can save 5% off their order if they bring their own container to take their food home in.

Popular Dishes at Sushi Bar Zipang

  • Sushi/sashimi lunch
  • Cold tofu with grated ginger
  • Shake no sunazuri shioyaki
  • Kaki ponzu
  • Salmon oyaku don
  • Beef rib steak no sansho-fumi

Made by Marcus

Where to Eat on 1 Ave NE in Calgary

Made by Marcus, located right next door to Lil Empire Burger, does handmade ice cream the right way. Its street address is 1105 1 Ave NE in Bridgeland. Marcus has degrees in Food Science and Human Nutrition, which shows in his amazing homemade ice cream. He's been experimenting with unique flavours of ice cream ever since opening up his shop in Calgary. The ice creams are perfect for birthdays, holidays, or anytime someone is in the mood for a cone. Made by Marcus also offers seasonal ice cream flavours and some vegan offerings. Ice cream bars and cakes are available, in addition to pints of every flavour in the shop.

Flavors at Made by Marcus

  • Peach blackberry habanero
  • Apricot almond tart
  • Heirloom tomato cantaloupe sorbet
  • Monogram espresso churro crumb
  • Chinook honey apricot lavender
  • Duchess Earl Grey & raspberry financier
  • Lemon saffron coconut sorbet
  • Moonshine brown butter pecan

Exceptional Dining on the Other Side of the River

While Downtown Calgary's restaurant scene sometimes steals all the thunder, there is amazing cuisine available right across the river along 1 Ave NE. Whether you're a resident of the Bridgeland/Riverside neighbourhood or are ensuring you don't make the common moving mistake of choosing an area with few dining options, the area around 1 Avenue NE has plenty of restaurants to choose from. All are within a short walk along this quiet street, and every selection on this list is well worth a visit.

If you're interested in Calgary real estate, contact Justin Havre Real Estate Team with eXp Realty with Calgary Homes at (403) 217-0003 to get in touch with a local real estate agent who can help you find your Calgary dream home today.

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