Munch: 2026 Best Sandwich Shops in Calgary (Runner up, Avenue Calgary)

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Beep Beep and I just finished a macaron class at Ollia Macaron. I suggested we get some lunch at Munch, a sandwich shop my friend Lululemon has been raving about. Lululemon recommended the vegetarian sandwiches, saying they were so good they even outshone Scoozfava just a block away. For this post, let’s listen to ‘Macho Man’ by the Village People.

When we arrived, I saw the male owner making all the sandwiches and then bringing them out to each customer. There was only one other employee, who would take the orders and tidy up.

I ordered the Hot Chick Sandwich ($14), Brooklyn Chopped Cheese ($17) and the Potato Clouds ($8.50). Beep Beep slipped in her credit card before I could, and paid.

As we sat, salivating from the smells wafting from the kitchen, she observed it was neat to see the chef cook up each sandwich fresh for each person. I noticed the chef would drop off the food to each customer, despite being the only person cooking. When our sandwiches were ready, the other employee called out to us to come and get our food from the counter.

Of the two sandwiches, Beep Beep crowned the hot chicken as the clear winner. The chicken leaned more sweet than spicy, packing plenty of sauce. The soft bun acted like a sponge, soaking up all the flavours and slaw. I even had to dart back to the counter for an extra napkin. Each sandwich came piled high with a generous handful of crispy Ripple chips on the side.

I loved the Brooklyn Sandwich, which, when hot, tasted like a Big Mac, but better because of the crusty bun. The warm mozzarella cheese pull was delightful. I would get this again.

Another standout was the Potato Clouds. Get this! Each one was like a fluffy potato pancake, tasting somewhere between a corn dog, a doughnut, and a latke. Dipped into the tangy sour cream and smoky chili oil, these were a winner. Unique and freaking delicious. That chili oil is so good, I wondered if it was homemade. It’s even better than my version.

Lululemon, you never steer me wrong. In my next visit, I plan to try some of the vegetarian sandwiches. Hitting the Sauce gives the one-person show chef two phat thumbs up.

Bars/Lounges · Restaurants · Seafood

The Exchange: Meeting Chef Carla Davila Carlin

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Beep Beep came to visit me! To celebrate, we booked a massage at Vital Performance Care, and then we dropped by for dinner at The Exchange in Eau Claire with Chew Steel. Let’s listen to ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ for this post.

We kicked things off with The First Bloom Gin & T ($15) — a fragrant goblet of organic gin, grapefruit tonic, ice, and rose petals. Chew Steel opted for the smoked old-fashioned, which was as smooth and well-crafted as it looked. But it was Liam, our server, who truly impressed with his wine recommendation: a bottle of Joseph Jewell Pinot Noir ($105) from the Russian River Valley. I don’t usually go for Pinots, but this one won me over — vibrant and full of flavour, like ripe strawberries steeped in warm tea.

Chew Steel’s Peruvian Pork Sandwich ($24) was sumptuous. When I took a bite, the richness of the crisp pork belly, enveloped in a warm, crusty bun, packed a flavourful bite. And that carrot soup hit the spot. Thick and hot, each sip was perfectly seasoned and so soul-satisfying. You could taste the love in the sandwich and soup! I would order this again.

I’ve ordered the Roasted Pork Copa ($33) twice now because it’s that good. The sweetly glazed pork is melt-in-your-mouth tender, even better when dipped into the tart cherry sauce. The stewed farro is silky with just the right bit of chew, and the generous portion could easily satisfy two. Beep Beep declared her wine paired nicely with the pork.

I enjoyed the Highwood Crossing Organic Grain Bowl ($22). The yuzu vinaigrette was bright and complemented the emerald green avocado, pea shoots, grilled chicken, and grains. All the ingredients tasted fresh.

I’ve also tried the Poached Icelandic Cod ($31), a customer favourite, and the portion is impressively generous. The sauce leans a bit too sweet and milky for my taste, but the Spiced Humbolt Squid ($18) more than makes up for it — thick-cut, tender, and coated in a crisp gluten-free cornmeal crumb. Personally, I’d love it even more in a light tempura batter, but then again, I’ve been living on McNuggets and Oreo McFlurries lately, so I know my palate might not be the gold standard.

We plan to take G-Mah, Bobbino, and my mother, Boss Lady, in the next month. I have my eye on some other dishes. Our Italian friend Fit told us the garlic and olive oil tagliatelle is stellar, which says a lot, knowing her food preferences. I’m also keen to try the burger and ribeye steak, both of which were recommended by other servers. In any case, Hitting the Sauce gives The Exchange two phat thumbs up.

Cheap Eats · Restaurants

Pathway Momos: A low-key momo spot in Calgary

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Divine Offering has spoiled me twice now with takeout from Pathway Momo’s, located in South Airways, in the northeast quadrant of Calgary. She’s been obsessed with these momos since the pandemic. After tasting them myself, I get her love for Nepalese dumplings. Let’s listen to Touch by Katseye for this post.

Momos are in a league of their own. Infused with aromatic spices and wrapped in a delicate, silky dough, it packs a whallop of flavour. You can get these babies steamed, pan-fried, deep-fried, tandoori-style, soup-based (jhol), or marinated in a spicy vegetable chilli sauce (sadeko). The sadeko is so hot and fiery that it made me pause in panic, then meekly go back for tentative seconds.

Divine Offering always orders at least three varieties. This time, she picked steamed pork ($11.99), vegetarian adeko ($12.49), and chicken jhol ($11.99). Texture-wise, I love the pork dumplings for the firm and juicy filling and the pop of coriander. Though I usually prefer dumplings with a crispy pan-fried edge, with the momos, I like them steamed to let the wrappers shine. The casing is toothsome and just dry enough to hold its unique shape in your mouth, yet pliant enough to soak up the sauce.

The chicken filling is softer and less dense than pork. Divine Offering prefers the chicken, for its light, marinated flavour and heat from the chilli oil. The vegetarian momos are bright and fresh. The filling tastes like real vegetables, minced, not frozen or puréed mush. The dumplings are so good, I plan to place an order for my friends Lululemon and Bex.oxo.

Divine Offering pointed out the craftsmanship in each dumpling, noting how each type is folded differently — pinched, crimped, or pleated. She said the jhol style gets even better the next day, like leftover ravioli.

There’s something addictive about eating these dumplings cold. The coolness of the wrapper contrasts even more with the warm spices. Each bite is so yummy and delectable. I must have eaten a dozen, with zero remorse.

I haven’t been to the restaurant myself yet. There are two locations, one in the NE and the newest location in the SW. Divine Offering swears by this NE spot, calling it a casual, diner-like place serving food so good it could easily charge more.

If you’re looking for where to eat in Calgary without spending much, this is one I’ll keep coming back to. I plan to go and do a friend and family pickup and drop-off, or maybe host a momo party. These dumplings are so good, they need to be shared with the world. Hitting the Sauce gives Pathway Momos two phat thumbs up.

Wine tasting

Saturday Tastings at Vine Styles

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Vine Styles in Kensington offers free tastings every Saturday, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Divine Offering and I dropped by as Mark from Juice Imports was sampling three newish wines. For this post, let’s listen to Oh! Darling.

There was quite a line to taste these wines, proof that Vine Styles is full of “grape” neighbours from the hood. Throughout the afternoon, groups of friends, of all ages, dropped in.

Mark was showcasing Dormilona 2024 Blanco ($37.95), Francesco Cirelli 2024 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo ($35.95), and Clos Cibonne 2024 Tentations Rosé ($38.95).

I’m familiar with Dormilona wines, a woman-led winery in Margaret River, Western Australia. Mark described this wine as creamy, crisp, and fresh. I liked the vibrancy of this white wine and picked up a bottle. It’s hard to find a wine that pairs well with salads, and apparently, this one pairs nicely with any vegetables and mint.

The flavour of Francesco Cirelli was unique to me. Mark mentioned this Italian white was an easy-drinking, savoury wine that paired well with seafood, such as ceviche. Divine Offering picked up a bottle because it stood out from the wines she had been stocking. She tasted peach or apricot, and thought it would be a good, cold summer wine. I remembered that I was already sharing a case of white wine from Domaine Richaud with Lululemon and Divine Offering, so I bowed out.

The third wine, Clos Cibonne 2024 Tentations Rosé, was described as a classic Provence rosé. Unsure of what that meant, I looked up an AI definition and got “A classic Provence rosé is pale and elegant, with crisp notes of citrus, red berries, and herbs, finishing clean and refreshingly dry.” The Tentations rosé was lovely, but with a case of Domaine Richaud rosé already at home, I decided to pass this time.

We tried the other three tastings from another wine merchant. Divine Offering bought a bottle of the Terenzuola Vermentino Vero ($38.95, discount $35.06). She found this wine smooth and thought it would pair well with a variety of snacks. She doesn’t usually drink a lot of red wine, so she must have liked this one.

I bought a bottle of the Fontana Vecchia Piedirosso ($31.95, discount $28.76). Described as bold and full-bodied, I took to the fragrance and the juicy flavour. I was told this wine pairs well with any protein, pasta and pizza.

If you haven’t been to Vine Styles, check it out. On a Saturday afternoon, it’s a lively spot to discover something new. Even better, time your visit so you can leave with the perfect bottle for dinner.

Seafood · Special Occasion · Wine tasting

Bar Gigi: Avenue Calgary’s Best Restaurants (2025/2026)

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I just had the best meal of 2025. Sure, the year’s only half over, but I don’t anticipate eating better than I did at Bar Gigi last Saturday in Calgary’s Bridgeland community. For this post, let’s listen to E-Pro by Beck.

I was shocked at how small Bar Gigi is. There were barely a handful of tables. I understand now why it’s so hard to get a reservation. If you make a reservation, keep it. A last-minute cancellation can seriously hurt their end‑of‑day sales.

Our server was an absolute star. When I mentioned my recent appetite issues, she suggested half pours of wine and smaller portions so we could try even more dishes. Who does that? Let me answer that for you. No one! No one but her! I’m going to give our server the pseudonym, Fairy Godmother, or FG for short.

FG recommended pairing a glass of the Bernard Defaix Chardonnay Chablis (2023, $20) with the scallop crudo ($22). The scallops were silky, lovelier yet with a delicate crunch from celery and onion crisp on the top. Chew Steel thought the wine went well with the thick viscosity of the green lime yuzu.

FG paired the Loimer Gruner Veltluner (2023, $20) with the prawn toast ($21). I loved this wine pairing, and since I can’t pair wine with food for the life of me, I was in bliss. The bread had a buttery, golden crunch that gave way to the prawn filling of rich, almost devilled egg–like creaminess. It brought to mind the fried goodness of a dim sum shrimp spring roll. The wine, served icy cold, sliced through the toast’s fatty goodness.

FG recommended dipping our toast into the green yuzu sauce, which toned down the richness of the dish. Chew Steel initially rebuffed trying the sauce, but after he dipped, he agreed it was a good combination. I reprimanded him, stating FG has proven her worth.

I’m unsure if FG paired the Squash Blossom ($18) with a glass of pink Améztola Txkoil Rebentis Hondarrable Zurl (2023) or a Sauvignon Blanc, Château de Poot (2022). I just know I had both on the table, and that I was having the time of my life.

The fried squash blossom was a winner. It’s lightly battered, delicate, and sweet, stuffed with a warm ricotta filling that was as smooth and heavy as whipped potatoes. Topped with a hint of honey, this is easily one of the best things I’ve eaten all year.

I was full at this point, but I ordered the Chew Steel Potato Bread ($14) because I could see him eyeing it as it sailed past us to the following table. I took a bite. The bread was warm and pliable, made decadent with salty charred leek butter, bespeckled with black olives. I took a swig of my rose, loving how smooth it tasted against the herby oil and salty bread.

For Chew Steel’s main, we ordered the Ricotta Cavatelli with Morels and Tarragon ($34) paired with a glass Reserve de Vignerons Cab Franc (2023, $16). The wine was delicious on its own and with the pasta, which Chew Steel mentioned brought out the creamy nutmeg flavour in the sauce.

Though I was too full to eat Chew Steel’s pasta, I wanted dessert, the Sour Cherries Amaretto Cream Phyllo Pastry ($14). Oh, this was way too good to share. I loved the cold tartness of the cherries, the softness of whipped cream, and the crunch of the phyllo. I would order this again.

We washed the dessert down with Lo Milla grappa ($14). Honestly, at this point, I just remember raving and rambling about how happy I was to find a restaurant that quenched the thirst that Bar Von Der Fels left behind.

I think there’s something so magical about a small restaurant run by big talent. Bar Gigi is one of the best restaurants in Calgary right now, and I’m looking forward to my next visit. Hitting the Sauce gives Bar Gigi and the Fairy Godmother two phat thumbs up.