Calgary’s Chinatown has been feeding Calgary for more than a century—and I’ve been eating my way through it for almost as long as I’ve been writing about food.
What I love about Chinatown is that it refuses to stand still. The old favourites are still here: dim sum, ginger beef, bánh mì, and noodles. But alongside them you’ll find tiki cocktails, French tavern fare, rolled Thai ice cream, language classes, sports and leisure activities, new tours and traditional festivals.
That evolution is part of Chinatown’s story. So is the resilience of the people who built this neighbourhood, often in the face of discrimination and exclusion.
A Little History
Calgary is home to Canada’s fourth-largest Chinatown, after Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. The neighbourhood celebrated its centennial in 2010, and while it has changed considerably over the decades, it continues to pulse with life. Today, businesses representing many cultures share the area with long-established Chinese-Canadian businesses, cultural organizations, restaurants, and shops.
At the heart of the neighbourhood is the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre, while the Chinatown Business Improvement Area and Friends of Chinatown YYC continue to keep the neighbourhood active.
Here are some of my favourite places to explore.
The Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre
This is the beating heart of the neighbourhood.
The $10-million Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre was completed in 1992 and remains an important gathering place for cultural events, education and community activities.
Step into the Dr. Henry Fok Cultural Hall and look up (see photo on upper left).
The 70-foot-high ceiling is modelled after Beijing’s Temple of Heaven. Twenty-two artisans from China created the intricate artwork, including 561 dragons and 40 phoenixes. Four central columns represent the four seasons, while 12 posts represent the months of the year. The blue roof tiles symbolize heaven and were made by the same company that produced the original tiles for Beijing’s Temple of Heaven.
Take your time here. It’s easy to walk in, look up, take a photograph and leave. But once you understand what you’re looking at, the space becomes much more meaningful.
The Cultural Centre also houses the Orrin and Clara Christie Might Library, a collection of contemporary Chinese-language books and a small museum in the basement. This museum is one of my favourite hidden gems in Calgary. It showcases the 10 most significant contributions of China to modern civilization. Can you guess what they are? You’ll have to go and find out but I promise, it’s worth it.
The Centre hosts events and offers classes and activities ranging from Mandarin and Cantonese lessons to martial arts and table tennis. Learning to play Mahjong is on my bucket list!
Sien Lok Park
Sien Lok Park is a welcome patch of green beside the Bow River and an important place to pause and consider the history of Chinese Canadians in Calgary.
The park is home to several significant works of public art.
The Wall of Names, created by Ferdinando Spina, commemorates Chinese immigrants who came to Canada between 1886 and 1947—the period marked by discriminatory immigration legislation and what is often called the Chinese Exclusion Era. Its inscription reminds us that those who came before planted trees so others could enjoy the shade.
Nearby, In Search of Gold Mountain, a large granite sculpture by Chu Honsun, honours the history of Chinese workers in Canada, including those who came to work in gold mining and railway construction.
These works are an important part of understanding Chinatown. The food makes more sense when you know some of the story behind the people and communities who built this neighbourhood.
Mural Alley & Beyond
Behind Chinatown’s Canton Block—the first real estate purchased by a person of Chinese descent—lies the unexpectedly delightful Mural Alley, also known as Graffiti Alley. Commissioned murals and street art transform this passageway into a colourful celebration of Chinese culture.
But don’t stop there. The City of Calgary Public Art Map shares the stories and artists behind much of the public art found throughout Chinatown. Some, like Along the Bow, created by local artists Rawry and Pohly, have fascinating ties to ancient Chinese civilization, along with fun connections to modern-day Calgary.
Favourite places to eat and drink
Chinatown is best experienced progressively rather than as a single sit-down meal. Come hungry, wander, taste and leave room for another stop.
For classic Chinatown
Silver Dragon Restaurant has been a Calgary Chinatown fixture since 1966. This family-owned restaurant serves more than 200 dishes, including Cantonese favourites and dim sum delivered by traditional carts.
Some of the classics that keep people coming back include salt-and-pepper squid, lemon chicken, special fried rice, pot stickers and Calgary’s own ginger beef. Pull up a chair at a round table, put the lazy Susan to work and order a few things to share.
Great Taste Chinese Restaurant is another Chinatown favourite, particularly known for its soup dumplings. Its broad menu includes Shanghai-style dumplings and a range of more boldly spiced dishes. The dry green beans, pork belly and beef chow fun are among the dishes I enjoy.
U & Me Restaurant is open 20 hours a day. It is the place in Calgary for late-night food and people-watching, too. But I love it in the late morning for an early lunch of elegant dim sum dumplings and freshly steeped tea.
Regency Palace in the Silver Dragon Mall is the place for hot pot. And while you’re in the mall, check out Rainbow Bakery for its wide assortment of Chinese buns, including its famous ham-and-cheese egg buns.
For a quick bite
Thi Thi Vietnamese Submarine is a Chinatown institution for bánh mì. It’s takeout only, and the lineup can stretch out the door at lunchtime—but the sandwiches are made for grabbing and going. Pick one up and walk toward the Bow River for a casual Calgary lunch with a view.
For something unexpected
Prosperity Bar occupies the former Golden Inn space and brings a playful, tiki-inspired cocktail experience to Chinatown, along with pan-Asian and Polynesian-influenced food. It’s the kind of place that reminds us that Chinatown continues to evolve while retaining its sense of place.
Its hidden sister space, Paper Lantern, adds another layer of intrigue for those who enjoy discovering Calgary’s tucked-away cocktail spots.
Then there’s Francine’s, a French bar in the heart of historic Chinatown. Opened in January 2026 in a former herbal-medicine shop, it offers old-world cocktails and French-accented tavern fare in an intimate space. The cheese puffs are a must-try.
For something sweet
Sweet Tooth Rolled Ice Cream is located in the historic Canton Block on Centre Street. The shop specializes in Thai-style rolled ice cream, with plenty of creative combinations.
My favourites? It’s a toss-up between the Coconut-Mango, topped with fresh banana, toasted coconut, toasted almonds and mango drizzle, and the Coffee Crisp, made with espresso-chocolate ice cream, crushed waffle cone, chocolate wafer, caramel drizzle and salted caramel chips.
Don’t just eat your way through Chinatown
One of the best things about Calgary’s Chinatown is that there’s always something happening.
Follow Friends of Chinatown YYC for neighbourhood events, including festivals, guided dim sum experiences, historic tours, hands-on cooking classes, dessert and restaurant tours and movie nights.
I’ve written about Calgary’s Chinatown before. But neighbourhoods evolve, restaurants come and go, and my own understanding of this place has changed, too. So it felt like time to take another walk through Chinatown.
My advice? Come for the food. Stay for the stories. That’s where Calgary’s food culture really comes alive.
Two hot tips before you go!
- Save on parking. You can find free parking at Harmony Parkade during evenings and weekend periods. Check the City of Calgary’s parking information for current restrictions and details before you visit.
- Taste Calgary with a local. Want to discover more of the people, places and flavours that make our city special? Explore the experiences offered by Alberta Food Tours.
