This is the sign outside of the main entrance of First Street Market in downtown Calgary, Alberta. An incredible and family friendly hangout spot. (Ali Beebe, CMRU.ca).
Hidden in the heart of Calgary is a unique and diverse food hall, known as First Street Market. This restaurant has been up and running since 2019 and it hosts 10 different individual kitchens, each with their own distinctive flavor. The goal of First Street Market is to not only serve up delicious food and drinks, but to create a welcoming community for all who come.
As manager Dustin Miller notes, “First Street Market is really about building community [and] at the same time, we’re connecting Calgarians back to downtown, which, for a city as spread out as Calgary, is huge”. Connected to the apartments in the Underwood building, the residents are the main lifeline to the First Street Market community.
Available at First Street Market:
All of the vendors within this one mega restaurant are locally owned and operated. Some even have multiple different locations within Calgary. They include:
- Actually Pretty Good
- Alforno
- Friends With Benedicts
- Hi5
- La Mano
- Moose and Poncho
- Pure Street Food
- raw by robyn
- Saffron Street
- K Town Fried Chicken
First Street Market was also recently featured on Guy Fieris’ television show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”. The host focused on Moose and Poncho, Pure Street Food and Saffron Street. The exposure from the series has also aided in growing the community at the restaurant.
Authors reflection
The community that is created by a place such as First Street Market is an incredible thing to witness. The park and recreation area located directly outside of the patio section of the restaurant makes it a likely hangout for families or those with little ones. The environment of the facility makes bringing your children a no-brainer. It’s extremely rare to find a wholesome and family friendly area in the heart of downtown, but stepping into First Street Market, you are immediately struck with the feeling of being welcomed and accepted, no matter what.
In visiting First Street Market and taking the time to speak one on one with the manager, I can see how important it is to support your local businesses. It is especially important for the small food chains that help to create such a diverse community within Calgary, many of whom are still reeling from the recent impacts of the pandemic. The chefs and all the workers at First Street Market are clearly committed to making a lasting positive impact on all guests. The wide array of options has made First Street Market a go-to spot in the community. “You can swing by for a quick coffee on your way to work, settle in to get some work done, or just unwind with a drink after a long day,” says Miller.
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