Feb 94 min read

Best Food Market in Calgary

If you have been following me on TikTok for a while you have probably heard me mention Avenida Market in Calgary. Food markets aren't as common in Canada compared to other countries and can often be quite expensive but Avenida Market is an exception and is definitely my favorite food market in Canada.

What I love about this food market is that it has food stalls with cuisines from around the world each of which in my experience seems to serve up pretty authentic and super tasty meals! The prices are also pretty average so you aren't paying a premium for the food market experience... if anything I would say some of the places are actually pretty affordable! In this blog post I wanted to highlight some of my favorite spots and dishes at Avenida Market!

Sabor a Peru

I haven't been to very many Peruvian restaurants but this spot is definitely my favorite of the ones I have tried. I have probably been to this spot at least 3 times but I have only tried a couple of dishes. I tried an empanada and a dessert one of the first times I went but ever since there is only one thing I order here and that is the anticuchos!

Anticuchos is a traditional Peruvian dish that is grilled off-cuts of meat. The most common meat used, and what is served at Sabor a Peru, is beef hearts or anticuchos de corazón. Growing up I ate a variety of organ meats as this is not uncommon in my culture but I was never a huge fan (except for kaleji which I love to this day) so I was a bit skeptical to try anticuchos but a friend insisted it was amazing.

I am so glad I ended up trying it because this dish is truly amazing! The beef heart tastes like the juiciest most delicious beef and it is grilled to perfection plus the dish is accompanied by these sauces that I can't get enough of. It also comes with potatoes and corn which makes for a complete and filling meal. I highly recommend trying Sabor a Peru and specifically trying the anticuchos even if you are skeptical about organ meat!

Mestizo

I absolutely love Mexican food and while I have a clear favorite Mexican restaurant in Montreal (Mexico Restaurant) I didn't really have a favorite in Calgary until I tried Mestizo! This is another one of my Avenida Market staples now because their tacos are outstanding! I have tried their bistec, lengua, suadero, and tinga de pollo and all of them are so great!

The first time I went to this spot I actually also ended up trying their monthly special at the time which was a steak set. I am not a huge steak fan but this steak was absolutely amazing! It was perfectly cooked and so flavorful and the whole meal was so delicious. This place simply does meat beautifully and their dishes come together perfectly so I highly recommend ordering pretty much anything from Mestizo but especially their beef meals/tacos!

Arepas Ranch

I only tried arepas for the first time in University and I instantly realized that arepas are one of my new favorite South American dishes! Most recently when I went to Avenida Market a Venezuelan friend of mine highly recommended I try Arepas Ranch so I made sure to give it a try.

For those of you who don't know, an arepa is a flatbread that is generally made using ground corn / corn flour which is often fried and the stuffed with a variety of ingredients. This dish originates from the area where modern Venezuela and Colombia are found and dates back 3000 years!

When I went I ended up ordering the arepa with pulled beef, plantains, and avocado. This meat was tasty and all the ingredients tasted very fresh which made for a solid arepa! This isn't the best arepa I have had (the ones I had in Spain were crazy good) but it is a very solid choice in Calgary and probably my favorite in the city out of the couple I have tried. They also have a super cool menu item called patacones that my friend ordered which is pretty much a huge plantain sandwich that can easily feed 2 people. A couple of my friends tried it and said it was pretty good so I will take their word on it!

Momo Corner

Nepali cuisine is definitely an underrated South Asian cuisine that I highly recommend everyone to try as soon as they get the chance! One of the more well-known Nepali dishes is momo which are generally steamed dumplings that are filled with meat and vegetables.

I personally love momo because East Asian variations of dumplings are often filled with pork but momo is generally made with other meats like chicken. I think momo corner simply does their chicken momo very nicely and the accompanying sauces are perfect for adding a little extra flavor and spicy kick. If you enjoy dumplings I highly recommend trying momo and Momo Corner is the perfect place to do so!