Raise a pint at these Beltline pubs in Calgary
The Beltline – that neighbourhood directly south of downtown that is essentially the “middle” of Calgary – is rife with eateries, shops and, of course, places to drink. If you’re looking for a spot to park yourself and enjoy a pint, these joints are great for having a drink in the heart of the city.
Ship & Anchor Pub
534 17th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0B1This busy, well-worn UK-style pub is a mainstay watering hole on the 17th Avenue Southwest strip. This is in part due to its substantial sidewalk patio, which features picnic table seating. Its pub grub menu is solid (dishes include butter chicken, bangers and mash and the bestselling Ship Burger), and the bar is festooned with Alberta craft brew taps as well as requisite UK beers. If you’re lucky, a band may be rocking out on the pub’s tucked-away stage.
National on 17th
101-550 17 Ave Sw, Calgary, AB T2S 0B1The original location of the locally popular chain of National beer halls features communal tables, sociable clatter and an outstanding food menu that make it a dining and drinking hotspot. While a lengthy and well-chosen craft beer selection is its signature draw, its food menu features everything from bar snacks like tater tots and mini corn dogs to entrees such as chicken-fried rice and a sharable seafood tower that are consistently delicious.
Brewsters Brewing Company & Restaurant
834 11 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0E5The Brewsters brewpub chain has spread across Alberta, but the original 11th Avenue Southwest location holds a special place in patrons’ hearts. Serving Brewsters’ house-brewed beer (including a rotating selection of limited-edition beers), there’s always a new brew to discover. With windows that overlook the avenue and open wide in summer, the pub has an office-casual vibe during the day and is cheerfully clubby Thursday to Friday evenings.
Hop In Brew Pub
213 12 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0G9What could be more friendly than a pub located in an old two-story house? With its homey, unassuming style and a pizza selection that regulars rave about, this is a great spot for a truly casual night out. Importantly for a brewpub, Hop In Brew’s beer selection (on tap as well as by the bottle and can) is diverse.
Bottlescrew Bill's Pub
140 10 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0A3A warren of dark rooms located beneath a Beltline parade, Bottlescrew Bill’s is twinned with the brighter, more upscale Buzzards Restaurant & Bar. Serving over 80 unique international beers, Bottlescrew Bill’s is a beer lover’s dream destination. Its huge menu of microbrews, featuring top selections from around the world, is for the serious beer enthusiast and anyone simply looking to try a new brew.
Rose & Crown Pub
1503 4 St SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0Y3Housed in a possibly haunted 1920s building that used to be a funeral home, this traditional UK-style pub is a Calgary landmark that’s always comfortable and often filled to capacity. Come for live music on select nights and dig into the pub’s huge list of on-tap beers served with British-inspired pub fare like baby stuffed yorkies and Guinness soup. The pub is located just off the intersection of 17th Avenue and Fourth Street Southwest.
Mugs Restaurant & Pub
7-1330 15 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T3C 3N6Nothing fancy, Mugs is a no-nonsense neighbourhood pub that serves cold pints of beer and unpretentious pub dishes from steak sandwiches and lasagna to sweet chili chicken and good ol’ nachos. When all you need is a friendly neighbourhood spot to chat over suds or unwind under the glow of televised sports, this is your place.
Drum & Monkey & Bamboo Lounge
1201 1 St SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0V3This pub marches to the beat of its own drum. A modern spin on the traditional British pub, the Drum and Monkey adds a little bit of punk rock swagger to the UK watering-hole esthetic. On the pub side of the place, enjoy pints of Guinness and a solid pub menu that features the Drum’s famed jumbo chicken wings. In the Bamboo Tiki Room, its hopping dance lounge, the establishment is ruled by a roster of regular DJs. On Tuesday evenings, Dub at the Pub is one of Calgary’s longest-running DJ nights.
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