Fresh picks for your picnic basket in Calgary

What better way to spend a hot, summer day than eating outside. Whether you prefer lying in the sun with a good book while getting your tan on, tossing around a Frisbee with a few friends or taking a daytrip out to the mountains for a hike, you need something to fuel your activities. Forget the trail mix, and hit one of these spots to fill your picnic basket. Image credit: iStock.com/Belic Elena.

Fresh picks for your picnic basket in Calgary
Vincci Tsui By

Sidewalk Citizen Bakery

1
618 Confluence Way SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0G1

The featured lunch pita at Sidewalk Citizen changes every day, with meat and vegetable options to satisfy your particular preferences. While you’re there, make sure you get something sweet for dessert and a cup of joe next door at Phil & Sebastian to fuel the rest of your day. Enjoy your pita while you stroll down the RiverWalk, or take your lunch down to St. Patrick’s Island to find a perfect picnic spot.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Janice Beaton Fine Cheese

2
1017 16 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0T5

If you’re a cheese lover, pick up a few goodies from Janice Beaton Fine Cheese for your next outing. Let the shop’s experienced staff pick out a combination of cheese and charcuterie for you, and you’ll come out with something different (but equally delicious) every time. I always make sure I pick up a jar of their apple rosemary jelly every time I visit.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Peppino Gourmet

3
209-435 4 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 3A8

Though its shelves are jam-packed with Italian treats, I always make a beeline for the sandwich counter at Peppino. All of the eatery’s fresh, Italian sandwiches are bursting with toppings. My favourite is the roasted combo, which features marinated roasted eggplant and red peppers with crisp lettuce and fresh tomato, though the spicy Vesuvius with Calabrese salami, capicollo ham and banana peppers comes in a close second. Make sure you grab a tub of gelato for dessert on your way out.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Pie Hole & Bakery The

4
8 Spruce Ctr SW, Calgary, AB T3C 3B3

Pies are not your typical picnic food, but the personal-sized sweet and savoury pies at Pie Junkie (formerly The Pie Hole) make them perfect for a simple al fresco meal. The shop’s signature Aussie beef pie is rich and meaty with a flaky crust. If you really want to just grab and go, try the cheese and onion hand pie.

Lina's Italian Market

The deli counter at Lina’s is a busy stop any day of the week, featuring house-cured salamis and hams, delicious cheeses and friendly staff to help you navigate the impressive selection. Looking for a hot meal? Lina’s recently brought on chef Keith Luce (formerly of Corbeaux Bakehouse) to man the kitchen, so you can get your fill of saucy meatballs and hefty, hot sandwiches.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Market 17 Inc

5
102-2505 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T3E 7V3

Located inside Market 17, Vie Café brings in savoury and sweet goodies from Red Tree Kitchen, Shef’s Fiery Kitchen, Meez Cuisine, Primal Soup, Pascal’s Patisserie and Trumps of Vancouver, and the café also offers house-made sandwiches. If coffee is not your thing, grab some True Büch kombucha served on tap. Round out your meal with some snacks from Market 17, and some chilled wine or beer from J. Webb Wine Merchant next door.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Angel's Cappuccino & Ice Cream

6
Edworthy Park, Calgary, AB T3B 0L9

Overlooking the Bow River on the small north-bank portion of Edworthy Park, Angel’s has been a pathway snack institution for nearly 20 years. Grab a “spiritually sweet” or “sinfully spicy” chicken wrap to go, or settle into Angel’s cozy patio space with a Clarity Cappuccino and enjoy the view.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Village Ice Cream

7
820 49 Avenue SW, Calgary, AB T2S 1G9

As soon as the mercury rises into the double digits, it seems like there is a line snaking out the door at all three Village Ice Cream locations. Who can say no to rich, small-batch ice cream with unique flavours like salted caramel and the bestselling cardamom? The cones can get a little messy, so the best bet for a picnic has to be one of the shop’s ice cream sandwiches, or grab a pint and spoons for sharing.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:
More from Vincci Tsui Vincci Tsui
Vincci is a registered dietitian, food lover and eater. She is passionate about guiding people towards better health in ways that are practical and delicious. Aside from her weekly nutrition blog, Vincci is a contributor to Avenue Magazine and is very active in the Calgary food scene and on social media.
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