Calgary Farmers’ Market West

When the wife decided to post onto our little blog again, she informed the husband that he had to dust off his writing skills and make a few contributions as well – so with that in mind, hi, I’m the husband! This is my first foray into the blogosphere, but since I’ve been along for the ride of these culinary adventures, I feel I can make a meaningful contribution to the subject (under supervision, of course).

We decided to try something a little different and review a food hall, as opposed to a single vendor, so we’ll be recapping our adventures at the Calgary Farmers’ Market West location. For those who might not know the history, the Calgary Farmers’ Market started in 2004 in a historic airplane hangar in Currie Barracks, itself a former Canadian Forces Base in southwest Calgary. The market relocated to southeast Calgary near Blackfoot Trail and Heritage Drive in April 2011, where it continued to be a popular destination. The Calgary Farmers’ Market opened a second location in northwest Calgary in the summer of 2022, conveniently located just off the Trans-Canada Highway near Stoney Trail. We’ve had the opportunity to visit it a few times as it offers options for food to take home or a Food Hall to enjoy a prepared meal.

In our more recent visits, we’ve had opportunity to try Sabores Mexican Cuisine, Gemstone Grass-Fed Beef Kitchen, and Margarita’s Dishes – all of which are seafood free! We have also enjoyed Pie Cloud and Deepak’s Dhaba, which do have some seafood offerings so it’s best to avoid anything deep fried, but which still offer plenty of non-seafood options that are safe from cross-contamination. If you really want to avoid any risk of seafood, there are also vegan/vegetarian options. Admittedly we haven’t tried V Burger or Hearts Choices at the Calgary Farmers’ Market West, but we have been to their stand-alone restaurant locations in the past and would recommend both. There are others that we hope to review as they didn’t have any seafood on their menus, but alas, there is only so much one can try at a time!

Gemstone Kitchen Roast Beef sandwich

Tacos from Sabores

Combo plate from Margarita's Dishes

Seafood-free friendliness: As it is a market with a wide variety of offerings, there is seafood on the premises, whether from in the Food Hall or a fresh seafood vendor. However, neither the husband or the wife have experienced any “fishy” smells or other airborne triggers, like you might find in similar markets in more coastal areas, so we were free to wander the market and enjoy bright and open seating areas. There are a variety of seafood-free options, so whether we’re making it our destination or grabbing a bite on the way to the mountains, this is a diverse culinary option.