Grazers - Calgary Zoo

Our Calgary Zoo is a world class facility, the animals are well tended and the keepers knowledgeable and friendly. We went to the Panda Breakfast and I highly recommend it! We were able to visit the panda enclosure as a small group before the zoo even opened and it was a treat! The buffet breakfast was delicious, but the best part was being at the zoo without the crowds. I’ll probably go again sometime in the next five years :)

My wife and I have been buying family memberships for the past few years yet somehow only just noticed Grazers (across from the flamingos at the Calgary Zoo) a month ago and so we decided to go. The restaurant is easy to miss if there isn't a server dressed in black standing out front under an umbrella and that to me gave it a curious feeling of exclusivity. Inside you'll find a small bar at the front (no seating) and about 16/20 tables with a doorway to a back patio of about 10 tables. We sat inside as it was drizzling outside and got to appreciate the ambiance of the building. The structure is repurpose from something other than a restaurant but the server we spoke to wasn't aware what had been there before June 2014. The tables and chairs are comfortable and the decor is minimal other than a painting at the entry. The building is bright and lofty with heavy timbers and rough hone wood panel walls. Personally I like the look.

I'll start with what I'd like to see different. Being a seasonal restaurant the staff are probably new to the surroundings and after being asked by three different servers what we would like to drink upon sitting down it seemed like they haven't got the table to server plan sorted out. Something else that stood out to me is that the servers moved around too quickly. Wait. What? I know it sounds strange but when a server walks around with purpose rather than reacting it can bring a sense of calmness to the space. Just go to the Hyatt Sandstone Lounge on Stephen Ave and see how the servers glide around the room with restraint and grace (remember, the Sandstone is essentailly a bar that serves sandwiches but both the building and the servers step it up several notches). The coffee was freshly brewed when we got there and was really quite good but plunking down a plate of plastic creamer cups and sugar packets really isn't necessary in a space like this. And finally, no music. No music means soulless.

These are pretty simple fixes to me. Now on to the good.

Given that there was a peacock outside the building when we came in I figured I would try a cocktail called Peacock Tail. I don't know cocktails from a hole in the ground but I found it to be refreshing and tasty and appreciate that Grazers made the effort to make up a cocktail with a name that fits. We ordered the Smoked Tiger Prawn Quesadilla with salad and the Alberta Farmhouse Chicken Focaccia Club with Fresh Cut Locally-Grown Fries with Zoo-Grown Herb Aioli (as I write this I just realized we didn't get the Zoo-Grown Herb Aioli. Boo!). Initially my wife and I had agreed that we would have lunch at Grazers and then enjoy a soft ice cream cone while walking around the Zoo. Wrong. The portions are generous and I can honestly say I wasn't hungry for the rest of the day after eating. We didn't get our soft ice-cream but it just means I'll have to do it another zoo visit sometime soon. The food itself was really good and nicely presented on the plate. Large slices of chicken, flavourful bacon, great slices of bread all came together to make a very satisfying club sandwich ( the fries, the more I think of it, were cold and old but I hardly touched them given the sandwich I was loving). My wife enjoys food but her reviews of the quesadilla was limited to "it was really good". I'd believe her as to my eye it looked great. All in all I would say the food it definitely worth sitting down at Grazers if you are hungry at the Calgary Zoo and you'll be happy you did. All that needs to happen to make this an amazing experience is to step up atmosphere and server style.

Now I know it's easy to say "Yeah, but this is a family restaurant, pal" and I would agree with you completely. But the bones of the building, the great menu, the tasteful decor makes this easy to knock one out of the park. This is a kid friendly restaurant but wouldn't it be cool for parents to feel like they are kinda-sorta Fine-Dining-it while at the same time being a good parent by taking their kids to the Zoo? I know I'd appreciate the juxtapose, and the coolness of the structure and the location can absolutely pull it off. Am I suggesting that downtown office workers would zip down on the C-Train to the Zoo to have lunch at Grazers? If they had memberships I could absolutely see it happening. Grazers is a place that is layered with so much potential that I wouldn't be surprised if Friday reservations were suddenly "recommended". And the exclusivity? How many restaurants in Calgary have an admission fee of $23 or require a membership just to enter the grounds? Grazers can honestly pull it off I am really looking forward to going back again.

The outdoor seating in this place has a great view. We can eat with the alpacas. The good is amazing. I had the fish tacos which came with a side of their house made soup of the day. The flavours were amazing and the portion size was pretty good after a tiring morning at the zoo.

Pleasantly surprised. When we came to the zoo we knew we were going to grab lunch their, but figured it would be some quick fried food from a concession stand. Little did we know there would be such a delicious full service restaurant. After I discovered that I assumed the prices would be outrageous but I was wrong again. We sat out on the patio, had a couple cocktails, entrees and desserts, and it was all quite tasty. The chicken club on the focaccia bread was amazing. It was a pleasant surprise

Went to a company event hosted here. Nice, cozy venue. Service was fantastic; no concerns whatsoever. Food served was buffet style that had a variety of options that were all appetizing. Bonus to have a little walk through the zoo lights to help digest after indulging.