April 1, 2026
UCalgary has an incredible selection of places to eat on campus—from indoor dining, to outdoor lounge style patios, quick eats, classic cafés and cozy comfort food options, there's something for every occasion! There's options for all forms of dietary restrictions: if you're vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or eat halal or kosher, don't worry—there will be options for you to choose from! The food courts and restaurants serve as a place for getting your refreshments, but more importantly, it serves as a place for you to hangout with friends, maybe even make some new friends, get some studying done and so much more!
Restaurants!
The Den and Black Lounge have been a student tradition for over 50 years: a regular hotspot for students with two floors of food, beverages, dance, and fun! Whether your preference is indoor dining, relaxing on the Black Lounge patio, or private partying in the Red Room, this is your place to make it happen. The Den and Black Lounge regularly have themed trivia nights and specials throughout the week. You can't go wrong with the Garlic Parmesan Pizza Bombas—unless it's Wednesday, then the chicken wings are a must! You also have to go for the all-you-can-eat chicken nuggets deal on Monday nights at least once—maybe even bring a friend and see who can finish more plates!
Campus Bites: A UCalgary Food Adventure for Future Students
UCalgary has an incredible selection of places to eat on campus—from indoor dining, to outdoor lounge style patios, quick eats, classic cafés and cozy comfort food options, there's something for every occasion! There's options for all forms of dietary restrictions: if you're vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or eat halal or kosher, don't worry—there will be options for you to choose from! The food courts and restaurants serve as a place for getting your refreshments, but more importantly, it serves as a place for you to hangout with friends, maybe even make some new friends, get some studying done and so much more!
Restaurants!
The Den and Black Lounge have been a student tradition for over 50 years: a regular hotspot for students with two floors of food, beverages, dance, and fun! Whether your preference is indoor dining, relaxing on the Black Lounge patio, or private partying in the Red Room, this is your place to make it happen. The Den and Black Lounge regularly have themed trivia nights and specials throughout the week. You can't go wrong with the Garlic Parmesan Pizza Bombas—unless it's Wednesday, then the chicken wings are a must! You also have to go for the all-you-can-eat chicken nuggets deal on Monday nights at least once—maybe even bring a friend and see who can finish more plates!
The Landing offers a variety of fresh meals to meet the needs of all students: from health-conscious to on-the-go students. The All-You-Care-To-Eat (AYCTE) meal plan offers scratch-made dishes, ensuring we use fresh and local ingredients wherever possible and by making sure needs for Halal, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free ingredient options are met. Whether you're on a 7-day or 5-day meal plan, or 250 or 120-swipe plan, or just pay at the door—there are fresh nutritious meals for everyone, providing great value and convenience. The Landing is open 7 days a week and it is open to the public! The amount of food choices here is unmatched! You can make your own sandwich or omelet, or even get a pre-prepared meal from different stations. Their long hours are perfect for our students studying late! For first-year students living on residence, this is often the place where they make their first group of close friends. To keep things fun and fresh not only do they switch out their menus, but also do karaoke nights, trivia nights, and do things like 'street food from around the world' or 'flavours of India'—make sure to keep a lookout on The Landing's calendar to see all the fun events and cuisines they have planned out for the month!
The Last Defence Lounge (LDL) is a fully licensed restaurant operated by the Graduate Students' Association, so any profits made by the LDL are reinvested in improving programs and services for graduate students at the University. The LDL welcomes the entire UCalgary community and their guests. It's an excellent spot to sit down and get fast service. With daily specials and excellent food, you cannot go wrong with grabbing a bite here. Make sure to try Curry Tots or one of their excellent burgers!
Quick Eats!
A&W's Buddy Burger is a great go-to-fast snack; you can get it with or without cheese for an affordable price! For a larger meal a Teen Burger with Onion Rings and their signature root beer is the best comfort food.
Bake Chef Co is almost always ranked as the best place to get food on campus as voted by our students! They have low prices and the best food. The Cheese Buns are amazing for a quick snack, but the Beef State Sub is a staple at UCalgary.
Canadian Pizza Unlimited (CPU) is fantastic for a single slice of pizza and a soda for a reasonable price. Canadian Pizza Unlimited has the best Donair Pizza!
Carl’s Junior's Ranch Chicken Sandwich with Waffle Fries is to die for, especially with a milkshake! This is a great spot for a treat on busy days. The unlimited fountain pop definitely seals the deal!
Dairy Queen/Orange Julius is the place to swing by on one of Calgary’s 333 days of Sunshine! You can't go wrong with one of their blizzards or a classic Caramel Sundaes.
Domino’s Pizza offers great gluten-free pizzas and is famous for giving student discounts. They are an amazing option for a late-night snack on those long nights of studying!
Freshco Poke is perfect for a customized poke bowl! If you just want something to go their onigiri are quite nice!
Jugo Juice is an excellent spot for when you are on the go and want a quick, healthy smoothie or juice!
Kobe Beef's Chicken Teriyaki is amazing and is a must try, especially when you want something different! Want a bigger meal? Their peanut curry rice bowl steals the show!
Korean BBQ's Sweet Potatoes are always a fan favorite; their large sizes are also very popular with students! Get a Beef BBQ bowl and add in your choice of sides—whether that be potatoes, chickpeas, salad or mac and cheese, and self-select your perfect combination of a meal!
Haskayne Food Hall is an excellent place to grab food and coffee! Especially for students in Mathison Hall! The Market has a popular UCalgary alumni-run business, Phil & Sebastian. They also have fresh smoothies and homemade grab-and-go sandwiches and wraps for your busy days! Hot Seat serves hot made-to-order breakfast, burgers, fries and more. While you're in Mathison Hall, don't forget to check out the self-serve ice cream machine right outside the food court!
Mr. Pretzels is great for snacks! They have a Family Bucket of bite sized pretzels where you can also choose your sauce to dip in and they have Pretzel Dog Bites which are a must try.
Noodle & Grill's Ginger Beef is a must have! Did you know? Ginger Beef was invented in Calgary in the 1970s at the Silver Inn Restaurant. Students also love the Sweet and Sour Pork, it is definitely a fantastic option!
Mr. Pretzels is great for snacks! They have a Family Bucket of bite sized pretzels where you can also choose your sauce to dip in and they have Pretzel Dog Bites which are a must try.
Noodle & Grill's Ginger Beef is a must have! Did you know? Ginger Beef was invented in Calgary in the 1970s at the Silver Inn Restaurant. Students also love the Sweet and Sour Pork, it is definitely a fantastic option!
Opa! Firstly, their staff are amazing—very friendly and always ready to help out if you aren't sure of what you want! Their fries are a must have and the Wrap meals are a great option for a full meal; not to mention, their food options are very healthy!
La Fe Dim Sum has an excellent selection of foods to try and make into your own combo! Most students would recommend trying their noodles, veggies, and pepper beef. They are truly amazing, and very affordable!
Subway is a great way to get 2 meals in one! By getting a footlong sub, cookies or chips and a drink you can make one purchase last 2 full meals by eating half of the sub. The fresh food and ability to customize your sub is also a major benefit!
Umi Sushi is a very good option if you just want to grab a quick bite with small packs of dumplings, gyozas, sushi and a variety of other fan snacks; it also helps that their bubble tea is delicious!
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Cafés and Bakeries!
Brew & Blendz is the place for you if you want a refreshing drink, their smoothies are a great option or iced coffee, especially if you're on the south side of campus and not close to MacEwan Student Centre! They also have an adventurous array of sandwich options, and their BLT Bagel is loved by many.
Cinnzeo Bakery Cafe is the best place to get a treat for a long day—you can't go wrong with a classic cinnamon bun with frosting! Especially if you took the time to climb the Social Science Tower to read the story of Leon the Frog!
Good Earth Coffeehouse is an amazing place to get a snack and coffee! Their cookies, especially the Ginger Molasses Cookie, and the classic chocolate chip are enjoyed by students across campus; and if you forget to pack lunch their chicken alfredo or mac and cheese won't disappoint!
Starbucks is a great spot to get your caffeine fix! You can get fast service by ordering on their app and picking it up from them when it is ready with no lines.
Tim Horton’s, naturally, is a popular spot both among students and staff alike; you will often see us grabbing a coffee or snack from this infamous spot! A classic bagel with Butter or Cream Cheese is an excellent option and you cannot go wrong with a cup of coffee. If coffee is not your thing tea is the perfect drink for a cold day! The French Vanilla is a classic, the breakfast sandwiches are always delicious and affordable, and seasonal 'limited edition' donuts never fail to create excitement.
True Eats is a great spot to get soup or chili on colder days in the winter for a good price! Their ingredients are fresh and healthy and make the perfect comfort food on cold days. They offer many healthy options such as wraps, sandwiches and salads, and you can even get a bottle of milk or protein shake!
The Coffee Company is an excellent spot for coffee or tea, they also have fresh fruit cups made daily for a healthy snack! For beverages, the iced Viet latte is a fan favourite; and one can never go wrong with their macarons, carrot cake and nanaimo bars!
From quick bites to sit-down meals, UCalgary’s food scene offers something for everyone—making campus feel like home, one meal at a time.
La Fe Dim Sum has an excellent selection of foods to try and make into your own combo! Most students would recommend trying their noodles, veggies, and pepper beef. They are truly amazing, and very affordable!
Subway is a great way to get 2 meals in one! By getting a footlong sub, cookies or chips and a drink you can make one purchase last 2 full meals by eating half of the sub. The fresh food and ability to customize your sub is also a major benefit!
Umi Sushi is a very good option if you just want to grab a quick bite with small packs of dumplings, gyozas, sushi and a variety of other fan snacks; it also helps that their bubble tea is delicious!
.jpg)
Cafés and Bakeries!
Brew & Blendz is the place for you if you want a refreshing drink, their smoothies are a great option or iced coffee, especially if you're on the south side of campus and not close to MacEwan Student Centre! They also have an adventurous array of sandwich options, and their BLT Bagel is loved by many.
Cinnzeo Bakery Cafe is the best place to get a treat for a long day—you can't go wrong with a classic cinnamon bun with frosting! Especially if you took the time to climb the Social Science Tower to read the story of Leon the Frog!
Good Earth Coffeehouse is an amazing place to get a snack and coffee! Their cookies, especially the Ginger Molasses Cookie, and the classic chocolate chip are enjoyed by students across campus; and if you forget to pack lunch their chicken alfredo or mac and cheese won't disappoint!
Starbucks is a great spot to get your caffeine fix! You can get fast service by ordering on their app and picking it up from them when it is ready with no lines.
Tim Horton’s, naturally, is a popular spot both among students and staff alike; you will often see us grabbing a coffee or snack from this infamous spot! A classic bagel with Butter or Cream Cheese is an excellent option and you cannot go wrong with a cup of coffee. If coffee is not your thing tea is the perfect drink for a cold day! The French Vanilla is a classic, the breakfast sandwiches are always delicious and affordable, and seasonal 'limited edition' donuts never fail to create excitement.
True Eats is a great spot to get soup or chili on colder days in the winter for a good price! Their ingredients are fresh and healthy and make the perfect comfort food on cold days. They offer many healthy options such as wraps, sandwiches and salads, and you can even get a bottle of milk or protein shake!
The Coffee Company is an excellent spot for coffee or tea, they also have fresh fruit cups made daily for a healthy snack! For beverages, the iced Viet latte is a fan favourite; and one can never go wrong with their macarons, carrot cake and nanaimo bars!
From quick bites to sit-down meals, UCalgary’s food scene offers something for everyone—making campus feel like home, one meal at a time.
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