Love this place. Absolutely delicious. I have never once come here and left disappointed in any way. You have to come check it out! Highly recommend
Excellent vegan-friendly food with many options. Tamarind had really great vietnamese food before they switched to vegan/vegetarian. The restaurant itself is really small though.
Amazing. Delicious, reasonably priced, incredible vegan food! Good, friendly service. Highly recommended.
Scrumptious food. Homemade tofu - the best I've ever had. This is a vegetarian restaurant, but the food is so delicious you wont miss the meat.
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Service is great! Friendly family-run business.
Atmosphere: Restaurant is VERY small. Has 16 seats in the entire place. It's downtown so there's no designated parking, only paid street parking. Washroom is not nice, but not filthy.
Been here a few times. Food is pretty good. Ordered their Paradise rolls served with a vinegarette that is pleasantly reminiscent of the sugar/lime/fish sauce (nuoc mam) served at other Vietnamese spots. Tasty and satisfying.
Had Pho Dac Biet and it tasted too clean for my non-vegan palette. The broth was impressively flavourful, but I felt the dish was missing some oil, a bonus for oil-haters. That one didn't satisfy me but in hindsight I realize I could've asked for some sate to add oil.
Had their curry soup. Phenomenal. My favourite thing here so far. Thin rice noodles. Nice, light, flavourful curry broth, tons of tofu and veggies, faux ham that hit the spot, and taro.. the taro was actually my favourite part of the soup. Taro has a wonderful nutty flavour that's so satisfying in a vegan dish.
Lastly had their laksa (see photo) This was not as good for me as the curry, but more satisfying than the Pho Dac Biet. It reminded me a lot of the curry dish but with faux shrimp (yummy) and faux fish balls (not my thing). Served with thick rice noodles.
Prices are on par with the more expensive Vietnamese restaurants in Calgary. $15-$20 for an entree with no drink and a tip.
In a small strip mall on 4th Street SW & 4th Avenue we went to a new sit down restaurant and met the owners. We had a feast of goat, chicken, beef, rice and plantains. Wow! Amazing "flavours" is definitely an understatement. We are looking forward to bring the rest of the family here for the experience. If you are adventurous, ask for the Pepper Soup and choose your heat. Enjoy!!
Tiny little restaurant that serves some mean vegan/vegetarian Vietnamese cuisine. Their bun bo hue/lemongrass soup is one of the best I've ever had and packs intense flavours. They serve it with a bunch of veggies, mock meats, and homemade tofu which is out of this world. Do yourself a favor, go in, and grab something that has tofu in it.
I'm not a vegan but I love this place! It's my favorite Vietnamese place in Calgary, even beating out the non-vegan ones. You can't go wrong with ordering anything from their menu, everything is extremely delicious. The only downside is that the restaurant is extremely small (there's only about 6 tables) so you can't come with very large groups.
We looooove this place. No matter what you try there, everything is very delicious. The food is top notch. The only tiny downside is: due to being a very small place, you smell a lot like the kitchen, once you are leaving the place. But it’s still worth it!
I love, love, love Tamarind! Absolutely excellent (vegan) Vietnamese food - hands down some of the best I've had in Calgary. I decided to try the Bun with spring rolls and tofu and my friend got the Pad Thai. Both were very affordably priced (around $10) considering the generous portions. Despite there being only one server, service was friendly, fast, and efficient. The bun was absolutely delicious - perfectly crisp spring rolls, fried tofu that was practically addictive, inari-like tofu strips, tons of fresh vegetables, and a lovely citrusy, subtly sweet vinagrette. The Pad Thai was also very good: a sweet, sour, garlicky tamarind sauce coating perfectly cooked noodles. I will absolutely be back - if you haven't already tried Tamarind, make sure you do!
Lately I've been trying vegan/vegetarian restaurants because I made the lifestyle change to becoming vegan. This was the first place I tried and was pleasantly pleased with how everything tasted!
I got the Veggie Pad Thai and my boyfriend got the Tofu Curry Stir Fry. I'd say the Pad Thai was delicious and the Curry was good but needed a bit more flavor but overall we enjoyed it. The staff was super friendly and welcoming and we would definitely come back to try some more dishes! The only thing I would say is that, it's a small place and the server forgot our drinks but he made up for it with his friendliness and good food.
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I enjoyed lunch with a friend at Tamarind the other day. Upon walking into the restaurant, it appears a lot smaller than expected, with about 5 tables for 2. Though note that the small size did not equate chaotic (as I’m sure you can imagine other Asian restaurants) and had a clean, fresh feel with tall windows and lots of sunlight. Perfect for an afternoon lunch! Our server was very friendly and prompt with our meals. I ordered the Pad Thai (I know, at a Vietnamese restaurant!) and Bo Lo La as an appetizer. The Bo Lo La consists of spiced beef wrapped in betel leaves. The appetizer menu was definitely more out of the ordinary and adventurous in comparison to the usual salad and spring rolls, which was a nice surprise! I believe this is a family owned business…At the cashier they were very friendly, asked for feedback and welcomed us to visit again. I would recommend Tamarind for a casual lunch. Locals appeared to frequent Tamarind for takeout. Portion sizes are perfect (so you don’t go into a food coma upon returning to work). The service is quick, (though you may want to make reservations to ensure you get a table), prices super reasonable and food was quite good!
The food was very good. I had an eggplant coconut dish. The service was a bit slow, but with the wait! Good value. Not much / no drink menu for those who enjoy a beer or wine with dinner.
Amazing food!! As a pho connoisseur I'd have to say the broth was super tasty! I attacked my bowl before I remembered to take a photo, but the presentation was beautiful. I WILL be back :)
So so so delicious! I finally tried tamarind today after hearing so many good things for months and I wasn't disappointed. I had the spicy beef soup and it was unreal. I also would recommend the spring rolls wrapped in rice paper for a delicious take on a classic with a great texture.
Delicious food- absolutely irrespective of vegan only. One of the few vegan gems of Calgary. There aren't a lot of vegan only restaurants in this city
Tamarind Vietnamese Grill & Noodle House serves excellent vegan Vietnamese food. The restaurant is small and messy but honestly, you really come to Tamarind for the food. The food is very good, and that's why I keep coming back! Prices are the same as other pho restaurants (~$10/main dish), service is quite slow since there's only one server, and there's only about 5 tables. If you can go past the restaurant, the food is amazing (hence the 5/5 rating)!
Great food and a real treat to find a totally meat free restaurant! The food is full of flavour and the uniqueness of the house blends is a bonus.
The only reason I'd give this place a 4.5 is because it's a very tiny, cramped place with a very mediocre ambience and the day I visited this place, their dish washer was out and we had to eat everything in paper plates and bowls which wasn't comfortable and fun to enjoy such delicious food that was served to us!
That being said, I'm giving 5 simply for the deliciousness that is served here.
We began with coconut water, soup and some starters.. and then went on to order a veg pad thai and veggie rice curry bowl.. everything was so so delicious!! Most of their rice dishes are served with brown rice which was cool for people who want to eat healthy or are used to eating brown rice, which applied in my case. Also, this place is a vegan restaurant which was a great find for a vegetarian like me..
This is definitely one place I would like to go to, over and over..
I love the fact that I can go to a place to have vegan and vegetarian Asian-inspired mains! The first time I tried the place, I had the Mango salad and the Tum Yum. I found both to be very tasty and filling. Service was quite friendly and fast. Will definitely come back!
This is a quaint little spot with a lot to offer. I just have to say the food is great and I am especially impressed with their wide selection of vegetarian and vegan options. Full disclosure - I am a meat eater, but like to have vegetarian options time to time. Will come back!
I ordered the Sate Tofu Noodle Soup ($11.00) sans cilantro. The broth here rocked. Spicy, clean, flavourful but light. The tofu was particularly good, sweet with a pleasantly firm, silky smooth texture. The bowl was filled with broccoli, cauliflower, onions, carrots, celery, sugar snap peas, and mushrooms. I added some fresh basil leaves and sprouts. Usually I’m still hungry after eating vegetarian food, but here I was more full than a regular non vegetarian restaurant.
Small, quaint. Great food and friendly, attentive staff. Very fast service, even when they are busy. I always bring my non-vegetarian friends here and they are amazed at how good the food is. One of my favourite spots in Calgary.
Andy, Property Manager
+5
We have the vegetarian laksa soup and paradise rolls here all time. Oh yes, I also recommend the crepes. There's other stuff on the menu too we haven't tried, but we always keep on getting these!
A vegetarian's heaven, there's no real meat at Tamarind, but that shouldn't stop anyone from trying their awesome dishes.
The house-made tofu is the best I've ever had. A staple on a lot of their dishes it has a nice fried but soft and dense interior texture. Goes so well with the variety of sauces and vegetables they accompany.
The Sticky Rice dish on a sizzling grill was quite impressive. Good tofu and sweet sauce with a crunchy fried rice sticking to the plate. It was more of a thick hard wafer than rice, but made the dish quite interesting with the soft tofu and crisp veggies.
The flavours are traditionally Asian, so there's not many surprises other than colourful and vibrant presentations of vegetables. It's quite accessible, where vegetarians will love it and meat lovers should try to get past and just enjoy.
Love this place!! Guilt free conscience for vietfood. Authentic with full of flavors!! Love it. Just wished they carry their salads. But their bun bo hue and sticky rice is to die for!!!
A little family run business in downtown, the restaurant itself is not big but the service is very friendly. The restaurant only served vegetarian dishes and I ordered the satay noodles. The soup is very rich and tasty, you wouldn't know its all veggie. I am definitely coming back. :)
Great vegetarian, and gf vietnamese place. I personally enjoy meat dishes but sometimes my girlfriend wants to eat meat free for dinner and this place is perfect. Every time I have come here the owners son has been very nice and welcoming to us. The pad thai is delicious as was almost everything else I have eaten here. Overall it's amazing if you are a vegetarian. Even if you aren't a vegetarian it is great food you should give a try.
Locally owned small, really small, family restaurant. There are only about 16 seats but ordering to go is super easy. Alex the owner's son, is always friendly and has no problem taking my order 20-40 mins before hand so that when I arrive at lunch I always have a seat and my food is ready as soon as I sit down.
Food is all 100% vegan, totally delicious and I guarantee you won't be disappointed. I've only gone vegan recently, and this is one place that consistently delivers great quality food that leaves me wishing I had more stomachs.
Always impeccable. Keep supporting our vegan friends!
Excellent vegan-friendly food with many GF options, friendly service, central location. I love this place!! Dont waste your time, money, or appetite somewhere else, visit Tamarind!
Tamarind had really great vietnamese food before they switched to vegan/vegetarian (at least the location near my old job). I'm definitely going to miss their beef! The restaurant itself is really small though, so you're better off treating it as a pick-up & go sort of restaurant.
I drive from the deep SE to come to this restaurant, my goal is to try everything! what this restaurant lacks in size it more than makes up for in heart! This is what food should be, tasty, nourishing, satisfying. I loved the sate noodle soup. It was beautiful arriving at the table, you can tell the kitchen takes pride. Omnivore, vegetarian, or vegan all will enjoy!. It deserves our support.
Vietnamese Food Taken to New Heights. It's pretty hard to distinguish one Vietnamese restaurant from another. They all have pretty much the same dishes, and even though I love Vietnamese food, they're all pretty bland. The dishes at Tamarind are novel and creative, and the tastes are both complex and exciting, It's simply Vietnamese fine dining. So far we've tried six of their dishes and all have been fabulous. It's hard to decide whether to try something new or just stick with what was so great the last time. We've been adventurous, except for the Paradise Rolls (normally called rice wrappers). We just have to have them every time we go. Most rice wrappers are so bland you need to have the sauce for any flavour at all. Not these. There's a reason they're called Paradise Rolls. Try to find anything half as good in the city.
Eggplant Stir Fry. Stir fried eggplant and tofu.
Delicious Vegetarian Food!. Can't get enough of this place! The Pad Thai, Pho, and smoothies come to mind immediately, but I haven't had a dish there yet that has disappointed me. The family running it is also lovely, and obviously very proud (rightly so!) of their restaurant. I recommend this place to both my meat eating and veggie friends!
Amazing. Delicious, reasonably priced, incredible vegan food! Good, friendly service. Highly recommended.
Great place for vegetarians who want Vietnamese food! Food was reasonably priced and delicious. Friendly staff. Soup based for pho was lightly seasoned.
Great food in a hole in the wall! The broth in the tofu pho is outstanding. Will definitely come back when in town. The waiter confirmed that the entire menu is vegan. Great find!
Crazy delicious vegan Vietnamese!?? Yesss.. After hearing the rave reviews about Tamarind on a local vegan FB group, I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype, but OMG it was so incredibly delicious. I left feeling like my heart was happy. I will be back again and again. I'm so used to having the choice of maybe one or two things on a menu that are vegan-friendly, and it's absolutely AMAZING to have an entire 3-4 pages of stuff to choose from here!
Thank you Tamarind!! Calgary needs more restaurants like you!
What else can you ask for? Great food served by genuine staff. I love this place.
BEST VIETNAMESE IN TOWN!. My wife and I found this GEM a couple months ago. We like to visit at least once a week, its a cozy restaurant that allows for take out and the prices are very reasonable. Our favorites are the Paradise rolls and the Bun, with soy beef. For the meat eaters that are upset that the menu is now vegetarian, they should give it a try. Everything is delicious!
I had the pleasure of dinning at Tamarind for the first time. It is located downtown, easy to get to with ample street parking. Our server was prompt and very polite. I ordered the pho satay noodle soup, which was wonderful and full of flavor. The prices are very reasonable as well. I'm very happy they have converted to a vegan menu, and unlike a previous review stated, tofu is not in every dish, although there are multiple dishes that have tofu listed as options.
Vegan Vietnamese Welcome in Cowtown. In one way Tamarind Vietnamese Grill & Noodle House (the name is a mouthful) is typical of many Vietnamese Mom-and-Pop shops; the decor is shabby. Think white board menus, dusty electric fans and faded fake flowers. Typical. Less typical; stunningly good vegan food. I first visited last year during a snowstorm and quickly realized how perfect Vietnamese food is for cold Canadian winters. The signature pho is so hearty, with a beautiful colour and perfect noodles, all the vibrant garnishes creating a photo-worthy bowl... excellent spring rolls, pad thai better than most Thai places I visit, wonderful curried pho- it's a magnificent addition to Calgary's burgeoning plant-based food scene. I think that by not serving meat, the owner's spirit has soared and it's apparent in the taste. I've been back maybe four more times, and each time has been like a warm hug, winter schminter, we got Tamarind.
Orgasmic. My family and I went for dinner. The food was exploding with flavour in my mouth, a truly orgasmic experience. The ambiance is a great fit for an intimate dinner. The staff was very attentive and the owner, a young chap, very hands on.
New menu, have only tried three things, each were stellar, look forward to trying the rest. This place relaunched a new menu that is fully of vegetarian and vegan options. Meat lovers need not disappoint because the dishes I have tried are so full of flavor, they won't miss a beat! A great way to both stay healthy and have great flavor too. I really like the new salad rolls, their seems to be about 10 ingredients in them, complex flavors. The new pad thai is crazy good, lots of flavor. Also new menu items such as the laksa. After Tropical Delight closed, the only other place in Calgary that has laksa is Banana Leaf, but Tamarind is the only place with a veggie option for laksa. If you've tried their old menu before, make sure to try there new menu. Looking forward to introducing my friends to it. Great innovation to the Calgary food scene.
Delicious neighbourhood Vietnamese restaurant. I have had take out from here many many times, and every time the food is great! I am not sure what I would do without it! I've have the pho and bun, both delicious. And the soup in the pho is well flavoured. I recently tried the pad thai as well, and it was really good! Good portion and made well. Love this place - it has good food, consistent and always friendly service. The go to place in Downtown westend.
Best Soup at Lunch Time. We work on 4th and 5th but make the walk at least once to twice a week to this place. The beef satay soup is to die for. The broth here is flavorful and nice and spicy. Spent years eating soups that were nearby and convenient but my eyes are forever opened by Tamarind. Always pleasant service, always great soup! Most the negative reviews about this place on here come from people who generally gratuitously give out negative reviews. Like 5sense.
Great food and service at a reasonable price. I would highly recommend their Pad Thai. .
Veggie pho and veggie sub is very good.
Calgary's hidden treasure indeed! Perfect little quaint location with fantastic family recipe food. The best spring rolls I've ever had, hands down, and the sweetest people. I would definitely bring everyone I know here again and again. Cute little spot for a date, too! Very impressed!
Great food. Great tasting food with friendly service. A wonderful place to relax and not break your budget.
I love this place!. The family that runs Tamarind are so sweet, and their food is to die for. Definitely my favourite pho place. They'll also make most of the dishes on the menu gluten free! Try their pad thai, it's awesome.
Well worth the visit. This is a hidden Gem. I was just there on the recommendation of someone and it was so worth it. The owners CARE about the food and the Customers.
I will go again and again.
ENJOY you won't be disappointed.
Definitely coming back again!! The food was awesome and the service came with a smile :). The portions were perfect, the soups weren't loaded with msg, and everything was at more than decent prices!! I ordered the veggie satay Pho and my friend got the beef satay Pho. Both left us feeling full, but not disgustingly full (which is so common after eating Pho haha).
Had a bit of trouble finding the place though. It's actually on 10th St in between 6 and 7th Ave.
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Great food, lovely people, family run. First impressions:
We were immediately greeted when we entered by a very friendly server. I liked that I could see some of the kitchen area behind the counter, as if there's nothing to hide. Place is pretty clean, though maybe a little cluttered. We came pretty late and the place was basically empty which I like. The seating is pretty good considering how tiny the place is, but its really not impressive looking whatsoever. HOWEVER!! The server (son?) had set up a playlist of good relaxing Asian-type music to play in the background. Surprisingly nice.
The service:
The server (who is adorable) candidly answered all of our questions about the menu, and provided suggestions. He was very good at explaining and clarifying exactly "how spicy" certain items were. He often stopped by our table to check on us, refill waters, and make sure everything was good.
The Food:
SO MUCH YUM
Have been back a few times :)
-Vegetarian Pho
-Pho Tai Bo Vien
-Veggie Spring Rolls
-Pho Beef Sate
-Basil Chicken Stir Fry
-Pad Thai
-fresh salad rolls
-Tamarind / peach something or other smoothie (different..but pretty good)
-bubble tea
Everything we've ordered has been great, especially loved the vegetarian Pho!!! And the Pad Thai... and the Basil Chicken stir fry!! The spring rolls aren't very big, but the actual meals are really big. Hard for me to finish. The pho is much better when eating in.
The cook(owner??) is vegetarian and makes a special effort to make awesome veggie dishes, as a former vegetarian I was pretty amazed at the veggie Pho. She even came out to chat with me, she said that many of the dishes can be changed to be vegetarian so you only have to ask!!
Definitely recommend!
Tamarind? Tama-licious!!! Amazing food and flavor. Amazing vegan/veg options. The owner is the sweetest lady, she offered me and my friend a free little taste of asparagus she whipped up. The veg phö is loaded with hearty veggies! I'm not veg but actually would choose a vegan option here! Im sure all items with meat can be subbed for a veg option. Delicious food, great staff and amazing service! Like who gives away free food just because? I will be back again and again!!!
Best Vietnamese food in Calgary. This is the best Vietnamese food you can get in the city of Calgary. It is not a massive mega-restaurant, it is a small place. It is like having a friendly family cook you dinner. I have driven incredibly long distances across the city to pick food up here, and the prices are cheap to boot. In fact I'm getting hungry just writing this review, I think I'll stop by there after work. If you want fresh, authentic Vietnamese food served by the nicest family around, check this place out.
Best Kept Secret. Always enjoy the quality of food...the service is impeccable...always greeted with a smile. I have seen these people go above and beyond to fix an error. I have recommended this place and will continue to do so.
FRESH FRIENDLY YUMMY. Love the people here and love the food. Recommend the salad rolls, so healthy and fresh. Also the Pad Thai and curries.
Two thumbs up for me.. Tamarind has the best pho without having to put a lot of MSG to enhance any flavours. You can surely taste the beef in the broth.
Their spring rolls are addictive (including the vegetarian ones) and I love their green mango salad. Another favorite of mine is the super rice combo on those days I cannot decide whether I want a soup or rice dish. Can you tell I frequent there?
I'd agree it would be nice if they could expand a bit, but I guess they can only work with what they're given. I find it helpful to go during off hours and taking out my food, with the exception of pho. For me, pho has to be eaten there and then. It's not the same just warm or reheated.
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Tamarind: Best Viet? - Maybe in the Downtown that is.. First Off; I was really expecting something special reading the reviews here. I was excited to check this place out.. and I don't believe it met up with the expectation that I had.
The location is great, Two blocks from my apartment; and I can tell they probably do quite well based on their location. It doesn't look like much from the outside, I've probably passed it a few times without giving it a glace.
The first problem I had was that it's too small for what it needs to be. Even though I only had Take Out - I can tell they need to expand their venue based on their Loyal and Interested Clientele.
I went around 1145; and was lucky because after I arrived it started to pick up.
Phone Orders and 4 walk-ins put them behind, they were advising people that it could be a 15-20 minute wait for food, I could tell some people were disappointing because they were on their lunch breaks.
The menu is small; but probably right where it needs to be. A few base things with areas to be adventurous. My first qualm was that one of the items I did want to try was only available after 4PM.. the Stuffed Chicken Wings - Sound delicious on the Menu.. Will have to leave a mental note to try these.
I decided to go the safe route and order the Spring Rolls and the Bun (Vermicelli Rice Bowl).
The Spring Rolls themselves were actually quite delicious, Could have used a little bit more filling and taste, but the Fish Sauce was probably one of the best ones I've tried to date.
The Rice Bowl however was quite dissapointing. I got the Pork with Shrimp.
The Pork was only just okay - Could have been cooked a little longer, I found that it was kinda tasteless. The best part was the Shrimp however.. Plump and Juicy, They were really quite delicious!
I found that the Flavor was really lacking for the food. They have a long way to go to catch up with Quynh, Which I would say is the best in the City.
Overall; The Location, The Hours and for what it is, This is the best Vietnamese that I've tried in the area. However they have a long way to catch up with the other Vietnamese Locations in the city.
Since turning into an all vegan vietnamese place I find it hard to get a table right away. I love all the dishes there and I can't get enough. Only down side is theyre closed on Sundays and people are starting to know about this gem and I have to wait for a table.
Wonderful, as always. Been there multiple times and have always been pleased. they are always friendly and the food is great. they get their veggies fresh and chop them themselves daily, get fresh bread daily it seems (i was there for delivery time today) and overall quality is always excellent. they also have a good knowledge of what gluten-intolerant people can and cannot eat and can prepare many of the dishes gluten free.
A hidden treasure. Don't look anywhere else if you are seeking for authentic Vietnamese in downtown.
A stone's thrown away from the 10th St station, this restaurant isn't exactly a fancy setting but with fantastic food, friendly warm service and with a zillion of gluten friendly and veggie options one can't ask for more.
With huge portion size and a wallet friendly menu, I am already looking forward to dine here again.
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Calgary's Best Kept Secret. I don't know how long they've been around for, but boy am I ever glad to have stumbled upon this gem. I'm so glad that they have such a great, eye-catching sign, or else I would've driven right by and missed it completely. When you think of a Vietnamese joint, you think of some name like "Kim's" or "Dau's" or "My Long Minh " in some generic font, like no more than five minutes of thought was put into the banner and name. Perhaps it's simply because Vietnamese food is generally good. But, mark my words, this place really, I mean *REALLY* stands out in terms of its service and food. The service is polite and friendly, portions are huge, everything is freshly made to order (they sort've got this open kitchen concept going), and the flavours are heavenly. Their beef noodle soup (or pho) is the best I've had anywhere. To top it all off, their prices are amongst the lowest I've ever seen in the downtown area. I will definitely be frequenting this cozy little place regularly!
You can taste the love. Had the mango salad with chicken (but you can choose your meat($9.50)), and my friend had the pad thai - both were excellent, generous size portions and great flavor and they dont skimp on ingredients. Very polite, friendly, family service. Cant wait to go back to try their other dishes!
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