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River Café, Calgary, AB
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River Café

CAN$31 to CAN$50
Canadian

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 45 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Great for scenic views
An extraordinary dining experience is to embark on a journey. We have created a beautiful place in an extraordinary setting and have tended to the details that make you feel at home: staff who care, chefs who are passionate about quality and the regional seasonal ingredients that bring to your palate a taste of place.

Getting to River Cafe is just a walk in the park.

Access River Café on Prince's Island Park from:
1. North side crossing the Bow River and Memorial Drive at the Calgary Curling Club.
2. South East end of the island at the 2nd street SW bridge, directly East of Eau Claire Market.
3. South West end of the island at 6th Street SW and Eau Claire Way near the Peace Bridge.
Eau Claire Plaza is currently closed for construction.
Please note, only our Afternoon Menu is served daily from 4:00pm-5:00pm.

Thank you for choosing to dine with us, we look forward to serving you!

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: Kristen Livingston

From the OpenTable editors: River Café has been at the forefront of the locavore dining movement since 1991. Set in scenic Prince Island Park by the Bow River, the restaurant’s rustic decor and menu are both inspired by the surrounding nature. Local, seasonal ingredients star in dishes like Lambtastic Farm lamb sirloin with Sudo Farms zucchini. The Wine Spectator-recognized wine list highlights sustainable vineyards.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    CAN$31 to CAN$50
  • Cuisines
    Canadian, Farm-to-table, Contemporary Canadian
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–4:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Paid parking is available on the street during the day and no charge after 6pm. Free street parking on Sundays. Heated underground parking at Eau Claire Market for a $5 flat rate evenings and weekends. Calgary Parking Authority lot near the Calgary Curling Club across memorial drive.
  • Payment options
    Mastercard, Visa

Experiences

  • Chef's Tasting Menu

    CA$120.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Let the Chef take you on a 5 course culinary journey. An ever changing showcase of Canada's best organic, seasonal ingredients including Oceanwise seafood and Alberta grass fed beef.
    Chef's Tasting Menu Photo

What 4,884 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.9Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Calgary / Southern Alberta

    Great for scenic views

  • Calgary / Southern Alberta

    Canadian

  • Calgary

    Great for scenic views

  • Calgary

    Canadian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
River Café offers a "wonderful dining experience" with its "great food and atmosphere." Known for its "locally sourced raw ingredients," patrons appreciate the "cozy and bright atmosphere" and the "attentive, friendly, and efficient" service. Its unique location in a "beautiful park setting" makes it a cherished destination.

4,884 Reviews
  1. Luke

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The waitstaff was excellent. The food was of superb quality, making the taste stand out.

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  2. Ricci

    Unspecified

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Service was excellent. The lamb pastry special, available for a limited time only, was unexpectedly delicious. The salads on the side were fresh and generously portioned. I must mention that the farm eggs were poached just right!

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    VIP

    Calgary

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved the 5 course chef’s tasting menu, and the matching wines. Will definitely be back!

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  4. Cassandra

    VIP

    Calgary

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Last night my boyfriend I celebrated a promotion at River Cafe. What a great experience! It was the first time I had been to the River Cafe. Our server was super knowledgeable and tentative. The food was incredible, we had the hummus and oysters to start. Everything was so fresh and thoughtfully prepared. For our mains I had the arctic char and my boyfriend had the pickerel. Incredible, perfectly cooked fish, balanced and absolutely delicious. I asked our server to choose a wine wine to pair with my arctic char and she brought me a Chardonnay. It was the perfect pairing. I will be a repeat customer. This was such a great restaurant— I need to come back to try all the other delicious options for dinner. I will also have to pop in for brunch— the menu looks delicious! Thanks River Cafe for making my promotion celebration even more special!

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  5. Ruth

    Calgary

    18 reviews

    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on February 27, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wow. Awesome service. Excellent food. Beautiful wine. Our server Jared was a real gem…he made our evening fun. We enjoyed the Chef’s tasting and Christine created works of art…each course was a tasty delight. The sommelier was so generous and knowledgeable (I’m sorry…I’ve forgotten your name) and his complementary tasting was a real treat. A lovely evening with great friends. Thanks again!!!

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  6. Trevor

    Calgary

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 23, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Everything was decent from a food and drink perspective, however the 20min wait time between service / water refills / drink orders / 45 wait between ordering and getting food admittedly took away from the experience. Note we dined at Noon; so I think the lunch rush / not prepared for the business was a factor. Ambience is nice; particularly if you can get a table by the window. It’s a good spot and I wouldn’t scratch it out, but will give it some time before returning

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  7. Beth

    Edmonton

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great location and nice ambiance. Loved the food, coffee and hot chocolate.

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  8. William

    VIP

    Calgary

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Game & Fish board is a must. Amazing service, great food, great drink and great location. One of Calgary’s best for sure.

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  9. william

    Calgary

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    River Cafe is a unique place. Food is artistically composed and quite good. At night, the ambience is very romantically set. No distracting TVs or music, Couldn't ask for more. Service was excellent.

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  10. Tony

    VIP

    Calgary

    21 reviews

    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on February 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful meal as always. Locally sourced raw ingredients done with style and the typical magic I expect at River Cafe

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FAQs

River Café is rated 4.7 stars by 4884 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 45 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for River Café

Prince's Island Park, 25 Prince's Island Park SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0R1

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    CAN$31 to CAN$50
  • Cuisines
    Canadian, Farm-to-table, Contemporary Canadian
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–4:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Paid parking is available on the street during the day and no charge after 6pm. Free street parking on Sundays. Heated underground parking at Eau Claire Market for a $5 flat rate evenings and weekends. Calgary Parking Authority lot near the Calgary Curling Club across memorial drive.
  • Payment options
    Mastercard, Visa
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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