Alberta is the beef capital of Canada. Alberta is known for its high quality AAA beef. So, it’s a breath of fresh air to find The Coup in Calgary. The Coup is probably THE go-to eatery for vegetarians and vegans alike in Calgary. It could also convert some carnivores to a plant-based diet!
My sister and I went to The Coup for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. We arrived at 2PM, and there was a short waitlist at the door. Fortunately, there was only a 5-minute wait. On other days, they don’t take call-in reservations for parties of 6 or less, and on Fridays & Saturdays.
We ordered the falafel quesadillas with a side of hash potatoes, the buck burger with the daily soup, and a vegan chocolate torte for dessert. The falafel quesadilla had a good crunch. The vegetarian buck burger was very filling but it fell apart a bit. The star of the meal, however, is the vegan chocolate torte! It was creamy, crunchy and very chocolatey. The total bill was about ~$50 with tip and tax. Even for that price, the food was quite delicious!
The restaurant is simple and clean. It could be a nice place for a date or just to catch up with friends over brunch! I like how they grow herbs on the walls! Also, if you can’t or have no time to wait for seats, there is a take-away booth by the bar. The Coup is a great place to eat in for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Highly recommended, dessert included!
Recommended? Yes!
COST: Pricey. As with most upscale restaurants, The Coup has a pretty pricey menu. For a lunch main course, expect to pay $14 – $20. For a dinner main course, expect to pay $20 – $25. Alcoholic drinks run from $5 – $12, while non-alcoholic drinks cost $4 – $10.
TASTE: Very good. Even if you’re not vegetarian/vegan, the food served in The Coup could have you converting to the plant-based diet! The mains were delicious, and the desserts even more so! The chocolate torte was to die for! However, the food sometimes can get a bit boring after a while (aka one-note flavour).
ACCESSIBILITY: Moderate. The Coup is located conveniently on 17th Ave in Uptown Calgary. There is a bus stop right outside the restaurant, or if it’s a particularly nice day, you can walk about 10 minutes south from 8th Street Station. You can also take a taxi, or drive (but beware the limited parking).
ATMOSPHERE: Nice. The restaurant decor was simple but clean. The tables are quite close to each other, so you could literally be rubbing elbows with your neighbours if you aren’t careful. At dinner, lights are dimmed, giving an intimate atmosphere.
SERVICE: 6.5/10. I sense there is a disparity in the standard of service for the servers. Some servers are super friendly and smiley, while others seem like they don’t want to be there. Our server, in particular, seemed to lack interest in serving us. She gave us one-word answers to our questions, and was not very enthusiastic overall. The wait time for the food was reasonable; we waited about 20 minutes for our mains.
The Coup
Address: 927 17th Avenue, Calgary AB
Phone: (403) 541 – 1041
Hours:
- Monday: 11AM – 3PM & 5PM – 10PM
- Tuesday: 11AM – 3PM & 5PM – 10PM
- Wednesday: 11AM – 3PM & 5PM – 10PM
- Thursday: 11AM – 3PM & 5PM – 10PM
- Friday: 11AM – 3PM & 5PM – 11PM
- Saturday: 9AM – 3PM & 5PM – 11PM
- Sunday: 9AM – 3PM & 5PM – 9PM
Website: www.thecoup.ca
This is not a sponsored post.