The City of Calgary has spent $11.5 million and two years renovating Central Memorial Park, one of the oldest parks in the city it opened in 1912.  This centrally located park had fallen from a prominent memorial dedicated to those who fought in the two world wars, to an inner-city eyesore full of drug dealers and home to some of Calgary’s unfortunate street dwellers. The park was officially reopened on May 14, 2010.  The park construction and work on the new restaurant Boxwood Cafe is finally finished.  The restaurant opened on September 15th.  Nutmeg could hardly wait to check it out.  So the best way is to go for lunch with a great friend!

Boxwood Cafe is not large but they have a variety of seating; tables, bar seats, high-tops (meant to be shared), and window seats looking out on the park.  The interior is bright with lots of windows on the park and skylights overhead.  They have a nice patio space with great bright umbrellas, of course it was too cold for the ladies to sit outside (the single day of Calgary summer was sometime last month).  Boxwood is open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday from 11am to 10pm.  Street parking is pretty good and it is close enough that the downtown crowd can walk over at lunchtime.  At lunch they want you to decide on your meal, place your order and then find a seat and they will deliver your meal to your seat.  At dinner they offer a more traditional table service.

The food is created by the same talent from The River Cafe group, so it is no surprise that the food is creative, healthy, locally sourced and really tasty.  Nutmeg understands that the menu will change often.  They have a daily soup, some great grain and vegetable salads, sandwiches and some good looking deserts.   At night they offer some rotisserie items and hearty bowls.  To compliment lunch and or dinner they offer local beer and wines by the glass, carafe or bottle.  If you cannot stay and eat, they offer take-away (just call ahead).

So the ladies had a lovely lunch and they would recommend the warm lentil and spinach, quinoa salad with red pepper and the tomato and chickpea stew.  Go and check out Boxwood Cafe soon, if you are really lucky there may even be a warm fall day for the patio.

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Food Travel Tags:
Boxwood Cafe, Calgary Restaurants, Food in Calgary, Restaurant Reviews, Travel Alberta