Calgary Restaurants

There are plenty of good restaurants in Calgary, from green and specialty restaurants to international cuisine, fine dining, and fast food chains.

Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants in Calgary

Hearts Choices is a great place if you are a vegetarian or vegan or want to try some unique foods such as seitan beef dip or vegan cheese fries. The menu features vegan mock fish, stewed eggplant, sweet ginger tofu, sweet and sour vegetables, and other tasty offerings. IAGO offers a mix of Western, organic, international, and vegan meals and uses organic products only. The Happy Veggie House is also a good place to try ovo and vegan-friendly food and Chinese cuisine. The menu is quite extensive and includes items such as vegetarian spring rolls, stuffed tofu rolls, vegetarian sausages, and plenty more. You can also try hot pot dishes such as eggplant with tofu, taro root with gluten, and ginger fried rice.

Other places to visit include The Coup, S I Foods, Five Rivers Indian Cuisine, Blue Star Diner, and the Baya Rica Café. Some places offer meat but also have vegan options. Broken City is one such place that features labeled vegan options such as hummus, grilled vegetable salad, chickpea fries, and cauliflower wings. The menu includes mains, brunch options, desserts, burgers, soups and salads, and appetizers. Broken City is a unique place in that it is a social club to enjoy live music and different events. The Community Café also serves vegan and meat options and has a juice bar, salad bar, and buffet. You can grab a sandwich or burrito for a quick brunch or you can try a Tex-Mex quesadilla, roasted vegetables, or artichoke lasagna from the hot buffet. If you prefer to have vegan food, there are places that are vegan-friendly, for example, the White Rose Vegetarian Kitchen, Ten Foot Henry, and Heaven Artisan GF Cuisine.

Paleo Restaurants in Calgary

If you are on the Paleo Diet or just want to give it a try, there is plenty of choice in Calgary. You can go to the Charcut Roast House, Open Range, The Nash, or the Char Bar. The Yellow Door Bistro is one place to try paleo options such as cauliflower tapenade, pork belly, herb roasted potato, or grilled trout with vegetables. Sugar-free choices are also available, for example, chocolate mousse with brown rice syrup, avocado, and coconut. If you prefer to have a gluten-free lunch or dinner, you can visit the Primal Soup Co. The menu features gluten-free bread and soups, including healthy choices such as chicken corn chowder, Hungarian goulash, potato, leak, and bacon, cauliflower bacon, and lemon dill turkey. Alloy is another place to visit and try gluten-free and dairy-free meals and choose from a lunch, dinner, and dessert menu. The dinner menu features tasty options such as lamb chops with carrot tahini, pork loin with roasted yams and soy glaze, and pacific halibut with green peas and marinated cherry tomatoes. You can also try delicious desserts such as mango chili custard with toasted coconut or macerated berries with black current sorbet, soy cherry reduction, and goat cheese crema. Alloy is also a great place for a special event, whether a business meeting, family gathering, office party, birthday party, or anniversary. Other restaurants offering paleo-friendly meals include Notable, The Light Cellar, Boxwood, and The Post Hotel. You will have the chance to try tasty dishes such as bison steak with asparagus, caribou sirloin with cabbage, lobster salad, and many others.

Surviving Financially in Calgary

The job market in Calgary is tight today, and many have voiced concerns about a job crisis, especially in oil dependent sectors and industries. Gas and oil businesses in the region are more optimistic this year in light of the fact that the bottom has already been reached. Yet, half of the oil companies made staff cuts in 2016, and many are struggling financially in Calgary. See here: https://www.creditavenue.ca/

The Oil and Job Crisis

Employment figures in Calgary from last year look rather grim. A labor force survey showed that the unemployment rate in September was 9.5 percent. In 2016, Calgary had one of the highest unemployment rates in Canada compared to other major cities. This can be explained with the fact that Calgary’s job market is heavily dependent on the oil and gas industries. What is more, Canadian oil companies spend more to produce oil compared to other countries, and when oil prices fall, the industry suffers heavy blow.

The good news is that according to experts, Alberta’s economy is gaining strength and oil prices are expected to stabilize in 2017. Businesses are optimistic that the gas and oil sectors are rebounding and already started recruiting to get more crews onboard. Experts talk about increased stability in the oil and gas sectors, with prices at about $50 - $55 per barrel. The industry is certainly coming out of recession in 2017 but the unemployment rate is still high in Alberta. This means that thousands are struggling to make ends meet in Calgary and Alberta in general. Owner of Luba’s Hotshot Services Ltd Landon Malec explains that instead of having 7 employees – 2 employees and 5 drivers – he was forced to make cuts and have just 1 employee onboard. This year, the company has 3 drivers.

Job Prospects in Calgary

At present, there are job openings for mechanical design engineers, drill rig operators, mechanical assemblers, and CAD operators. Businesses are also looking to hire field service technicians, heavy equipment operators, and technical training coordinators. There are job openings in other sectors as well, including the financial, IT, insurance, and others. Businesses are currently recruiting quality managers, resource coordinators, administrative assistants, software developers, sales account managers, and other specialists. Salaries vary widely and depend on factors such as position, employer, and experience.

And while the employment outlook is bright in some sectors and industries, there are people who are struggling to survive financially, especially those who don't have steady jobs. See here: https://www.creditavenue.ca/canadian-guide-to-credit-cards-for-bad-credit/ Some people have seasonal or short-term jobs in construction or maintenance. They live in constant insecurity and find it difficult to meet unforeseen or urgent expenses. See here: https://www.creditavenue.ca/debt-consolidation-loans-in-canada-your-way-out-of-debt/ This can be a serious problem for people with serious health problems. Many people survive on short-term jobs and find it difficult to pay rent, groceries, utilities, transportation, and other expenses. For them, the key to a better standard of living is to lower rental prices, increase the minimum wage, and get out of recession.

When it comes to job prospects, the employment outlook varies by occupation in Calgary. It is fair for accountants and financial auditors, for example, but limited for workers in construction such as plumbers. More than 90 percent of plumbers work in construction but demand is low due to low oil prices. Librarians, on the other hand, have good job prospects in the Calgary region mainly because a large number of employees are due to retire. Librarians work in different sectors such as scientific and professional services, education, recreation and entertainment services, and arts and cultural services.