Calgary’s fine-dining restaurant Eight has ranked number two on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
The list is voted on by The North America’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, a panel of 300 members, each selected for their expert opinion of the restaurant scene in North America. The Academy is divided into eight regions, each with its own panel of members and chairperson.
Countries included in the list are the U.S., Canada and countries within the Caribbean (excluding Cuba and Dominican Republic).
Hiding behind a discreet door in the lobby of the Alt Hotel East Village, Eight offers a speakeasy-like experience shrouded in exclusivity.
A white telephone is the sole way into After Eight, an intimate dining experience in Calgary.
Seating only eight diners at a time, the restaurant offers an intimate, chef’s table experience with renowned Canadian chef Darren MacLean.
Guests are seated front row at the bar with a view of the open concept kitchen, as servers guide them through a menu of around 20 small courses. Each dish is crafted with seasonal, local ingredients with a focus on Canada’s cultural heritage and regional diversity. The chef participates in conversation with guests as dishes are prepared, explaining technique and ingredient choices.
Eight describes its menu — crafted daily — as “cuisine defined not only by location, culture, and circumstance, but by the chaotic conflagration of the three.”
Before and after dinner, guests are invited to After Eight, inspired by Japanese Satoyama (the stretch of land between the mountains and the sea). The speakeasy is exclusive to Eight diners before and after dinner service, but open to the public during other times. To enter, guests pick up a phone in the lobby of the Alt Hotel and a server attends and leads them to the bar.
Eight also received an award for Highest New Entry by the same Academy.
Looking for things to see and do in Calgary? We’ve got the best of the city lined up for you. Sign up here for our Weekender newsletter, published on Thursday afternoons.