My friend Max and I follow this guy (Calgaryism) on Instagram a while back, and he always posts his meals at Monki Breakfast Club & Bistro. Inspired, we made it our goal to eat at Monki at least once in our life…and today was the day! Monki is one of the most raved breakfast/brunch/lunch restaurant in Calgary, so it has a very high reputation to uphold.
We arrived at Monki around 10:30AM on a Sunday and as expected, there was already a waitlist. For your information: Monki DOES NOT take reservations! For a party of two, we had to wait about 30 minutes to get seated. This is the norm when eating at Monki: expect to wait. Was Monki worth the half an hour wait? Sure. Food is expensive, but quality is very good and the meal size is appropriate for the price.
When we sat down, we ordered Fratello coffee (from Analog Coffee) and our meals. I ordered the roasted eggplant & pepper, red onion, arugula and goat cheese panini ($13), and my friend got the smoked salmon eggs Benedict ($15). The panini came with a side of salad, and the benny came with a side of cinnamon taters & fruit. The mains were delicious but expensive.
The interior was simply designed but that isn’t a bad thing. I loved the open kitchen in the corner of the eatery because you can actually see the chefs cook the food right in front of you. The open kitchen also provides transparency in the ingredients the chefs use for your food. Monki is perfect for your weekend brunches with friends, even for a quick breakfast or lunch. If you come on a weekday, I recommend coming in between 8AM – 11AM when most workers are in their offices.
Would I come again to Monki? Yes. Would I come everyday? No, partly because of the wait and partly because of the price. If you can’t wait for breakfast/lunch/brunch at Monki and/or looking for a cheaper alternative, then head over to nearby Holy Grill.
Recommended? Yes, if you’re patient and have the money.
COST: Pricey. Monki is expensive, even for an upscale restaurant in the Beltline. For any of the main courses, expect to pay $15 – $20. This is be bumped up further if you order coffee/drinks and tip.
TASTE: Delicious. The food at Monki is good! It could definitely be worth your wait. Because taste is subjective, I can’t speak for you. That said though, both Max and I liked our food. People flock to Monki especially for their eggs Benedict, so if I recommend anything from Monki, I would recommend their eggs Benedict (any of them).
ACCESSIBILITY: Easy. Monki is located in downtown, and you can walk from West Kerby or Sunalta station to get here (about 15 minutes by foot). However, there aren’t really any bus stops along the main street. If driving, you can easily find parking by the streets but expect to pay for parking (except on Sundays, when parking is free).
ATMOSPHERE: Nice. The restaurant decor was simple and rustic. The brick, old walls makes the interior look industrial. Because Monki is a small restaurant, it can still feel cozy and comfortable even when there are a lot of people. However, having that many people in such a small place could be a mood killer if you come for a date (but perfectly fine for brunch with family/friends).
SERVICE: 9/10. Our server was really warm and very friendly. Even the front house host was really nice and welcoming to us. When our glasses were empty, our server promptly filled it up again without us asking for a refill.
Monki Breakfast Club & Bistro
Address: 1301 10th Avenue SW, Calgary AB
Phone: (587) 352 – 7131
Hours:
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 8AM – 3PM
- Thursday: 8AM – 3PM
- Friday: 8AM – 3PM
- Saturday: 9AM – 3PM
- Sunday: 9AM – 3PM
Website: n/a? I couldn’t find a website for them.
This is not a sponsored post.