You're Not A True Calgary Local Unless You've Tried At Least 4 Of These 7 Iconic Snacks
These are classics!
Someone getting brunch at OEB. Right: Caesars
While there are a ton of Canadian snacks out there, Alberta is home to a fair few of its own.
The province has so many iconic snacks that most locals will have tried at least once and if you're visiting, they're non-negotiable. From caesars to ginger beef, there are so many snacks to get your hands on.
If you're in Alberta and you haven't tried some of these things, you need to get on it ASAP!
Caesars
Despite being a Canada-wide brunch staple, Caesars were actually invented in Calgary. The cocktail, which mixes vodka, Clamato, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce, is so popular in Alberta that there are huge festivals dedicated to them.
Caesars are available in just about any bar and restaurant in the province and you can get some pretty wild garnishes too, from grilled cheese to fried chicken, bacon and more.
Are they an acquired taste? Yes, but you can't be in Alberta without trying a Caesar at least once.
Steak
They don't call Calgary "Cowtown" for no reason. Alberta is famous for its beef and if you're ever in the province, you're going to want to get your hands on some.
There are so many steakhouses in the province serving up some of the best beef in the world, but even the most basic burger can be a life-changing experience.
Midway food
If you've spent any time at the Calgary Stampede, you'll know that eating all of the weird and wonderful snacks on the midway is part of the experience.
There's likely to be some complete curveballs like mac and cheese ice cream but also some truly delicious offerings like deep-fried Oreos. You definitely won't get bored, as there are thousands of options.
Honestly, you can fully survive the entire 10 days of Stampede on corndogs and lemonade alone.
Boston Pizza
While Boston Pizza is a nostalgic favourite among Canadians, the first-ever location was in Edmonton. The family favourite has so many dishes to try: pizza, pasta, salads and more.
Is it going to be the best pizza you've ever eaten in your life? No, but it is a great comfort food option if you want to feel like a kid again.
Ginger beef
Ginger beef is found on pretty much any Chinese restaurant menu throughout Alberta. The delicious crispy strips of beef combined with ginger and onions and served in sticky sauce are basically a must if you're ever grabbing Chinese food in the province.
Created by the now closed-down Silver Inn in Calgary, the restaurant owner Kwong Cheung told Global News that the iconic dish was actually made by mistake trying to find a way to give beef the texture of french fries.
"We were trying to find a way to mix the two together… We figured out that we could get the beef and get it as crunchy as a French fry, then pair it with a sweet and sour sauce kind of like ketchup," he said.
Brunch at OEB
OEB can now be found all over Canada and even in the U.S., but the delicious brunch spot is a Calgary staple. You can get anything from enormous breakfast poutine bowls to basically every type of eggs Benedict. Your mouth will water just looking at the menu.
There's a huge line of eager brunchers every weekend so if you're planning a trip, you might want to plan ahead because you'll be in for a long wait.
Pierogi
Alberta has a huge population of Ukrainian Canadians so pierogi are kind of an unofficial snack of Alberta. While you can find classic potato, bacon and cheese perogies on bar menus all over the province, you can also get so many different varieties
There's even a huge pierogi statue in one Alberta town, which is just a testament to how popular they are.