Nice Restaurants for Lunch in Beltline

[CaptainYooh]

Borgo has a really low rating on urbanspoon, 68%.

[troutman]

Urbanspoon reviews are amusing. Some people think they are royalty, and there is no pleasing these princes and princesses.

[CaptainYooh]

Like any feedback, I guess. You always have a few ugly's no matter how good the service is. But 68% out of 709 votes is concerning. Haven't eaten at Borgo and have no opinion on it; just an observation.

[undercoverbrother]

There used to be a good restaurant right by MEC, had a really nice patio, and I think it was part of the group that owned Cilantro, IRRC. I can't recall the name, and don't know if it is still there. It was in the building in the southeat corner, you entered via 8th street on the westside of building.

Anyone recall that place?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by fotze

Bonterra? They now have a pizza place there too.

Yes,

http://bonterra.ca/

Have not been in years, but was very good.

[GirlySports]

i love UNA pizza but do find it a bit too loud.

[CaptainYooh]

I like Bonterra a lot for its food. Ambiance – not so much, it's a bit too crowded and noisy for a meaningful lunch meeting. However; I imagine that for a dinner the noise actually contributes to the positive buzz; especially, when you have dinner with friends. Lawyers like Bonterra for some reason. I work with various law firms and was invited there a few times by different lawyers.

[Rathji]

I have never eaten a meal there, but I do a lot of work at Hotel Arts and both the Raw Bar and Yellow Door are both seem like great places for a nice quiet business lunch. The staff is really nice to deal with, for sure.

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Borgo has a really low rating on urbanspoon, 68%.

Urbanspoon reviews are one of my biggest pet peeves. I think a lot of reviews come from:
A) Patrons who don't understand what kind of dining experience they are getting into. I have seen reviews where people don't like a pub because they had to "seat themselves" or "it was too loud". Likewise, I've also read reviews where they don't like a fine dining restaurant because "the menu is fussy and overpriced" or "I was turned away because I didn't have reservations at 7:00 pm on a Friday"
B) The more popular the restaurant, the more likely you are to get reviewers that are your typical Sun website type commenters that just don't like anything.
C) Too big of an emphasis is placed on the type of service that was received. I've seen restaurants that were absolute and utter garbage receive high reviews because the service is friendly and the food arrives quickly. Well guess what? It takes about 2 minutes to microwave crap and put it on a plate and the owners have to be nice if you're the only idiot eating lunch there at noon.

So take everything you read on urbanspoon with a grain of salt. Trust word of mouth recommendations or just go try it yourself before you judge. My experience is 69% with over 700 reviews is generally pretty decent actually.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Borgo has a really low rating on urbanspoon, 68%.

Yeah, that's always boggled my mind. I always have a very good experience and the food is very good.

[Rathji]

Sabroso is a good option. Not too busy for lunch, as it is more of a night time place, but the food is really good. Kind of a Latin Fusion type place. It opened early in 2013.

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/15/17484...aurant-Calgary

It is at 14th St and 16th Ave, so pretty close and they have parking available.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Borgo has a really low rating on urbanspoon, 68%.

Maybe some people expect red-sauce Italian when they go here, and that's why they are let down compared to what they wanted.

Borgo was the first place I went to in Calgary and said to myself "you could drop this in the middle of New York and it wouldn't be out of place". The food is always consistently good, the subway tile + edison bulb decor is straight out of Brooklyn, and the service is excellent. Plus the prices aren't totally out of whack with what you get, like a lot of places in town.

[Icon]

I've had a great lunch every time I've gone to Briggs. (Under Japanese Village where Sumo used to be)

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Sabroso is a good option. Not too busy for lunch, as it is more of a night time place, but the food is really good. Kind of a Latin Fusion type place. It opened early in 2013.

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/15/17484...aurant-Calgary

It is at 14th St and 16th Ave, so pretty close and they have parking available.

The pisco cocktail is great.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by fotze

Seems all restaurant reviews concentrate on the service. That accounts for about 5% or less of what I care about.

Thats because the average urban spoon reviewer is springs1

Downtown I really like the district. Its on the pub side so not what your looking for but the food is excellent. Good food is what I miss most about downtown.

[EYE_Overstand]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Depends what you're feelin.

Burgers:
Burger Inn. So underrated.

Date, or to treat yourself to a heckuva meal:
Model Milk, Brava Bistro, Una (pizza), Mercato

Bring out the inner hipster, for a pint and beernuts:
Milk Tiger

Fatty, yummy, traditional Italian:
Buon Giorno

More concerned about how you look, than your food does:
Melrose Cafe, National Beerhall,

Post-bar, drunk food:
Smoke's Poutinerie, Big Cheese

Sushi:
LOL.

Pretty good list. And agree with most.

I would add Fat city Franks for Hot dogs...

Ox and Angela for drinks...

People with jerseys (before a flames game) aren't allowed in milk tiger (stupid)...

The lamb at Mercato is great

Menchies is good for dessert

The only respectable sushi in the belt line I would eat is at towa...

Can't think of more to add to your list...

[EYE_Overstand]

Borgo is overrated

[Smartcar]

It's on the internet, it must be true.