My friend and I went here for lunch.
We ended up both having the three course express lunch menu ($22). As other reviewers have noted, the menu here is VERY limited.

Course 1 - Pacific Green Salad. Was fine, nothing special.
Course 2 - Duck Confit Sandwich. This pulled duck sandwich was quite tasty, but could have been a lot more. It was on a plain hamburger bun placed in the middle of a large... more

Have to agree with other reviews. I was here a few days ago for dinner, and have to say that the menu is on the small side. I had the leak and potato soup to start along with the scallops. The soup was very tasty, but although the scallops were good they were a little on the lukewarm to cold side. I also had the beef tenderloin which wasn't super hot as well. All the food was tasty, just wished... more

Had a very nice dinner here on Saturday with my hubby. Food was tasty...especially the bison tartare! Server was knowledgable about the food and wine and didn't steer us wrong with his recommendations. We just did the tasting plates and four was enough for the two of us and we had room for the yummy desserts. We dined early but had a slightly hard time finding it as it looked closed from the... more

I'm not a big fan even though the food is delicious -- there's just so little of it to choose from! The menu at HOME is severely limited, so it's a no-go for picky eaters. Thankfully, I'm satisfied with any high-quality meal so HOME was great but my vegetarian coworker had limited options. I'd go back here, but only if someone else suggests it.

Interesting Place on 8th Avenue

The menu is short but interesting sections and daily special. There is an open kitchen and they worked very well together. The room is long with exposed old brick on the walls with very nice seating.
The wine list is short considering they bill as a wine tasting type of restaurant and the sharing plate selection was also small. I'd have like to see several more choices in both areas.
The food... more

Great spot for lunch

This is a great restaurant for dinner but it is also a favorite spot of mine for lunch as you can usually get in without a reservation, the patio is in the sunshine and it is a great place to people watch along Stephen Ave. The lunch menu is small but good. The crispy pork belly sandwich is tasty, and... more

Amazing Dining Experience

Home Tasting Room was an amazing dining experience. The food was a hit. My party of 6 all ordered different items and I can honestly say i can't pick a favorite...they were all that good!! Our server was great and very accomadating. The cook came out and described each dish which was a nice touch. I will definitely be visiting Home Tasting room again!!

Great for lunch or dinner

Casual feel with great food. Feels like there aren't very many restaurants that can match it.

Pretty decent

We ordered 4 sharing dishes. Gnocchi, cheeses, charcuterie, scallops. All were tasty, but the charcuterie which was so-so.Service was attentive, but completely disappeared and we waited 10 mins to get out bill.Too many other great choices out there, won't return.

love this place

Amazing as usual. Love the gluten free options and portion sizes are perfect. Fresh, unique and flavourful!

Great food

Food was delicious. Definitely a restaurant for sharing food items.

Lunch with a friend

My friend doesn't get downtown much - lives and works in the burbs, so when she comes downtown, I try to expose her to a variety of places. Her first time at Home Tasting Room - she was impressed. Great food, excellent friendly service, not too noisy this time - maybe 'cause it was a Monday in the summer. Thanks for a great lunch date!

Pleasant dining experience

My friends and I had a lovely experience at Home Tasting Room. We received a quiet table when we asked for one, and they even turned down the music, a bonus since one of our party is hard of hearing. The food was very tasty, especially the scallops. My only cavil would be the waiter's cologne, which wasn't an appetizing part of the evening. I would visit the restaurant again.

Graduation celebration

Have been at the Home Tasting Room previously, so thought this would be a good place to take my friend to celebrate her recent graduation from college. Was it ever a great choice! We had decided to have an evening of the tasting plates where we could share dishes. The food was heavenly... the wine was great (our server brought around a couple of reds to try when we didn't like one that had been... more

Great Calgary find

We we're just in town for a few hours and were delighted to find this spot. Great food, wine, service and people watching.

Must visit!

Feel-good place, comfortable, great food; exceptional service. Highly recommended!

Great food for great price

Browsed OpenTable and came across this restaurant and decided to book. Was so pleased with our experience and will not hesitate to come again. Average entree is $25-30, and it's creative, perfectly cooked delicious food. If you haven't been, go! You'll enjoy it just as much as we did ;-)

Business lunch

The location provided an excellent opportunity to engage in necessary discussion with attendant very good food and service. I would recommend highly.

This place is fantastic. Elegant, classy, delicious. Staff and food are outstanding.

Might make a regular thing of HTR

The service is friendly and attentive. Mains are so tasty, and yet healthy as well.Had a special that was a burger patty made of leftover sausage meat and scraps of other seasoned meats and it was like a burst of flavour.The chef and his team really do have a special talent for making anything special.

Good concepts, poor execution.

The food at Home Tasting Room was decent, but nowhere near the level of execution that I expect for that price. My mother and I went for an impromptu early lunch, and of the three dishes we had, only one was done well. The bison tartar was delicious, if a bit small for the price. The gnocchi went nicely with the saskatoon berry and goat cheese, but it was much too dense, and over-salted. And... more

Sunny Summer Soiree

Would recommend the scallops and the bison tartar, so yummy. Was a quite and romantic little spot. Server was friendly and helpfull. Good for late summer evenings and sunny patio lunches.

Delicious Sharing Plates

I came here for a business lunch. Instead of doing lunch meals, we did the sharing plates which 3 was sufficient for a party of two. The bison tartar was delicious!

Nearly hidden gem on Stephen Ave

Don't miss it...subtle frontage on this resto and you might just walk by this wonderful lunch spot. Food is fresh and delicious, and I highly recommend the specials. An open kitchen adds to the great open concept of the room. Wine flights make for a nice addition as well. Well priced and better food than some of the showier spots across the street.

Don't miss it when in Calgary

Everything that was served to us from the wonderful soups to the chocolate dessert was delicious and inventive. The tapas style entrees were great to try different dishes. The restaurant has an open kitchen, a feature which always instills trust in the cooking. Modern and pleasing interior architecture adds to the experience. This is a place you don't want to miss when you're in Calgary! It is... more

Poor value

Overall we had a nice time and meal here, our only complaint was that we found the menu overpriced considering the portion
sizes and simplicity of the dishes we ordered. Much better values out there.

The food at Home is delicious and it is familiar but not at all ordinary. The menu changed since we were last there - a little lighter for summer but with the favourites still on the menu. The feature/special is truly special and allows the chef some extra creativity. While I'm usually here with clients at lunchtime, the dinner menu looks great too.

Food was incredible.

Food, service and ambiance was fantastic. By far, the best food in Calgary, in my opinion.

we tried the tasting plates...all was very good and interesting! I would go back again when the menu changes...server was polite but not too efficient, coffee was luke warm

Very good overall

Went for my first time for a weeknight dinner. Everthing from start to finish was very good. The food plating was exceptional!

It was ok

I wasn't too impressed. My crispy pork sandwich was greasy; however, the gnocchi appetizer was excellent

I have never had a bad experience or meal at Home Tasting Room! This last visit they seemed to be short-staffed and our waitress was a little run off her feet. However this didn't take away from the great food and comfortable atmosphere (tables aren't butted up right next to each other). This is my go-to place for lunch downtown - that isn't going to change soon.

Favourite Dish: Bison Tartar

I've been to Home Tasting Room four times now. I found that when they were newer the food was better and more impressive (which is typical). The first time I went was about three months after they had opened and I was definitely impressed. The second and third time, the food was average. The fourth time, which was pretty recent, was quite disappointing. I would say... more

Celebration Lunch

Food was v good, service excellent and great for conversation. Will be back for sure.

After spotting this gem from the Calgary tower (what can I say the red table clothes caught my eye), we decided to try this place out and damn we're we impressed. The charcuterie board was delicious and plentiful! Great value and very tasty. The service was great and the drinks were definitely affordable. We will be back.

No wonder it was voted best!

We've been to Home Tasting Room a number of times since it first opened. We have never been disappointed and this time was no exception. The white sturgeon special was superb, the starters and desserts really delicious and the viognier wine was perfect with the fish. Our server Lincoln made the whole dinner experience top-notch. He is friendly, knowledgeable and personable and has a perfect... more

I want more

I want more of the gnocchi, the seared scallops, the beef terrine, the bison tartar, peanut butter s'mores. I will be back!!

Beautiful space, food not memorable

Loved the room and the service was good. I started with the feature soup (pea/potato) and it was nothing special. The chicken with carrot puree and fava was quite good, moist and flavourful. For dessert I had the lemon tart- the crust was rock-hard and flavourless. The filling was nice and tart. The meringue was hard and dry, like a meringue cookie. (My companion had the pistachio mousse, which... more

Food is excellent - would highly recommend. The special was excellent but when we asked for another order we were told that they were sold out - at 6:45 pm. Our server was very please & we asked for to be accommodated with a 6:00 pm reservation for the theatre at 8:00 pm. We ordered an extra appy which took forever. Dessert was slow & tea never arrived in time to be drunk. The server... more

Must try

Very accommodating , food was good. Ambience was excellent as this building is vintage for Calgary.
I recommend this restaurant for celebrated gathering , planning to go back.

Devine!

Second time there and not disappointed. The food, the service, the chefs are wonderful and make a memorable experience. Two thumbs up 10/10!

Always a great eating experience

I've been to the Home Tasting Room three times now, and each time has been fantastic - the menus change for seasons and time of day, with lots of options for difference tastes and I've never been disappointed with my choices! You would think the open atmosphere would make it noisy, but somehow they have managed to combine openness with intimacy. This time there were only 3 of us, my last two... more

We loved the fact that we could share dishes and therefore have the opportunity to try different foods. We ordered four dishes, antipasto plate, scallops, goat cheese & mushroom spread with home made chips, artichoke salad with pickled vegetables. All pickles are made on the premises. For desert we ordered the lemon tart which was perfectly tart & sweet at the same time. We also ordered s'mores... more

Pre-cpo

We really enjoyed our dinner at Home Tastings prior to going to the CPO later in the evening. The service was great and the food selection (small tastings) was excellent. On our list to return to.

Home Tasting Room delivered

My husband and I recently enjoyed a lovely dinner out at HTR. We started with a glass of prosecco and enjoyed:
Oysters on the half shell- delicious and fresh- highly recommend
Mushroom Velouté- exquisite texture and absolutely delish- must have
Chicken Liver Pate- pretty good, slightly bland
Then we savoured a fabulous bottle of
2006 La Pousse d'Or Volnay 1er... more

An Interesting Find

The quality and taste of the food was outstanding. Very expensive for what you get. Nice atmosphere.

Kitchen-side Home Tasting Ambience

Such a treat to be seated at the bar with a view of the chefs creating such delectable dining adventures. Spectacular...and savory...a really enjoyable evening!

Are You Pulling My Pork?

Had the pulled pork for the first time and it was as good as everything else I've tasted at the Home Tasting Room. The brioche bun was suitably crisp and held together well; the pork was tender and flavourful and just saucy enough (didn't have to shower afterwards!) and the soup was seasoned perfectly. Portion size was realistic - served on a plate rather than in a trough. Thank you Chef.

We went there Saturday an took a spot by the bar. We loved the food and the reasonably priced wine.

Home Tasting Room

We went to Home Tasting Room for a birthday and were quite disappointed with the food that evening. A couple of us had the ravioli, Arctic Char and Duck breast. The Ravioli lacked texture in the filling, which seemed so runny, it just escaped out of the very thin wrapper. The dish lacked flavor and was insufficient as an entree. The duck was very literal when they say it has an orange sauce.... more

Thumbs up. Great tasting plates

The bison tartar was incredible. The scallops appetizer was great but the scallops were lost in the other flavours - make it a pork belly plate and now we're talking. Our server Heather added to the experience.

Great vibe, awesome food, & friendly staff

I ate at the bar and while enjoying fabulous food, also got to watch all the kitchen action. The staff were very attentive and made eating alone a decent experience for me. I'd love to go back with my wife!

Fabulous

The small plate offerings are a great way to share and try new things. I love the atmosphere of the place and enjoy watching the chefs in the open kitchen.

This is my second time at Home Tasting Room, and both times we've asked to sit at the bar where we could watch the chefs in action, and sometimes harass them with questions, which they always gracefully answered.

The first time we asked to sit there at the bar was because the tables were so big that I felt like i had to speak louder than normal to have a conversation with my friend. But I... more

Delicious tappas

I liked everything! The cheese fondue (so foamy and delightful), the oysters...everything that was ordered was devoured. Wine was great...just a nice spot!

Open Kithen Expose

Great location in this restaurant, is sitting at the bar, and watching the action.
The room was very busy, so the staff had to be right on the ball.
And of course the best bonus is getting immediate service----which is what We
wanted, as We were off to the theatre.
Nice wine selection, especially french.
Starters: Granny smith apple &... more

Better places to go for your money

Went for a nice dinner with a couple friends and found the staff and atmosphere to be fine. Nothing special though. The menu was a bit small and I found not much to choose from that I liked. I eventually chose the duck which took a while to come out and was cold. It had mostly fat and very little... more

Wonderful restaurant

Went here for my son's birthday meal and it was wonderful. My son has celiac disease and when we told our server, she guided him to the dishes on the menu that were totally gluten free. The food was incredible! A great meal and best of all my son did not get sick!

Taste as many great dishes as you can

This was a great experience. Because we had no reservation, we accepted the offer of the hostess to sit at the counter facing the kitchen. The cook was a ballet dancer, with fascinating movements as he swooped to and from the bowls of ingredients and the pots and pans, I tried the Crispy Skin Arctic Char, and my wife had... more

Great first time here. Menu is small but good variety. Service was good and the food was very tasty. Portions are decent size but not generous.
The peanut butter and s'more chocolate dessert was solid. Highly recommend this restaurant for anyone wanting to try something new.

Had lunch here today... sat a little too close to the front door for a cold day, but the company and a delicious meal made up for it. Their lunch menu is very reasonably priced and quite tasty... we had the butternut squash soup, seared scallops, gnocchi and sticky toffee bread pudding.

Service was excellent as per usual and food was tasty and perfectly warm for a cold day.

Went for a quick bite before heading out to a hockey game. The service was quick and food was great. Highly recommend it!

Grilled radicchio salad

Not a fan of the salad what so ever. That said I don't think its because it was bad, it just did not suit my taste.

Fine Cheese Tasting

Loved the cheese tasting. Nice variety and great portions for 2-3.

Bison Tartar

All I will say is next time I... more

I didn't actually eat here but they catered an event I was at which was enough for me to write a review. The food they made for the event I see after looking at their menu they don't serve in house (which is fine) all the more alluring for me to go and try menu items now.

What they did make however was amazing! I had maple glazed pork belly which was like eating sweet bacon! It was so good. I... more

A nice atmosphere, good service, and tasty food makes this a place that is enjoyable to experience. The food was nicely presented and every dish was quite different then the next in terms of the taste.
I wouldn't go too often but I am glad I have experienced it.

Prince Gastronome

It was past 2:00 pm and I was walking along 8th avenue in Calgary. I knew I had a big meal waiting for me at suppertime but I wanted to review at least two restaurants a day to make up for the single-day outings from the two previous days. I recognized a few places from my previous list that I... more

If I could give this place 0 I would

This place was horrible! We went here for dinner for my girlfriends stagette and I have never felt so unwelcome. We wanted a classy place but this place is just snobby! We are not a rowdy bunch, but were told by the manager, who did not even introduce himself, we needed to be quite and tone it down after a... more

I really liked this place!!.. All the appetizers are just delicious!!.. And the wine is great!!.. The service is excellent!!..also, the ambience is really nice!!.. There is nothing I didn't like about this place!,.. I can't wait to go back there!,..

Memorable lunch

We wandered down 8th ave sw looking for a late lunch place at 2:30pm- What luck to find the Home Tasting Room - scrumptious Mac and cheese with duck and an unusual beet dijon that was perfect. The grilled vegetable salad with arugula, prosciutto and melon dressing was light and delicious. We shared two delectable desserts- a chocolate-coffee Vietnamese layer... more

Terrible with allergies

The waitress sounded like a gluten allergy was an easy thing for her kitchen, and basically said the whole menu could be modified. Then she backtracked and took a few options off. The duck was her recommendation and extremely chewy, totally undercooked. The flavors on the plate were nice but there very few vegetables, just a blob of dry quinoa.... more

Good food, great location

I had an early dinner her with my friend after work on a Friday during stampede and it was great. Sun was shining, location right on Stephens Ave in the centre of downtown/business district. Reasonable prices and delicious. We ordered a starter to share and had the pasta with mushrooms and truffle oil as a main. Very filling. Serving sizes... more

Rude staff at finest! Did not bother to eat just left! Want good food great service go to Kensington Wine Bar. They know how make you welcome and enjoy your night out a the food is fantastic!

Home made gnocchi

WAS SO DELICIOUS. Fluffy, light, a x20 experience from Model Milk. It was classic and the swiss chard and portabello worked magnificently. I heard they are changing the menu, same gnochi different garnish, I expect it will be equally as excellent, the chef has a nose for these things... I went twice in one week, once for dinner, and again... more

I should start my review giving you a frame of reference of my expectations. Whenever I go downtown to have a great meal by great chefs with unique food - I have high hopes. I always expect to have the moment where you take a bite and sink into your chair with delight. I did not have that experience here.

While the food was freshly prepared and unique, it was not exceptional. The gnocchi was... more

Served raw chicken twice

I only recently set up a Trip Advisor account and my intent in setting it up was never intended to provide negative feedback. However, last night, after encountering one of my worst dining experiences ever, I just felt that I had to warn others before they make the same mistake I did in going here.
I have been travelling for... more

great, fun restaurant

This is a very fun restaurant with great food. They have a "tastings" menu, which are smaller, innovative dishes that you can share--fun because you can try more things on the menu. The dishes all had very interesting ingredients. I was there with two colleagues and we shared several items from the tasting menu: an endive salad with honeycomb, the... more

A Foodie's Heaven in Calgary

I'm going to do my best to try and explain how outstanding the meal i had at Home Tasting Room was this evening. From beginning to end, my palette enjoyed the sweet fruit flavors infused in each course. From the blueberry tea with grand marnier, to the Artisan greens with the Raspberry Vinaigrette....then to the Goat Cheese & Roasted Garlic... more

Very unique tastes

When visiting Calgary, we signed onto TripAdvisor and thought this restaurant sounded like a good bet. We hopped onto the C-Train to get there and a short block later, we arrived. We were not disappointed! The menu includes Starters, Tasting Plates, Dinner Plates and current features. I had the parsnip, pear and vanilla oil soup and the beet salad. Both... more

Don't know why it took me so long to come here

Today I enjoyed lunch and a couple beers with a close friend. Service was out standing... They were even trying to take plates that still had things on them. I found that pretty funny.
For lunch we ordered
buffalo tartar(i think thats what it was : So amazing, it's a must have.
Oysters: I'm not an oyster lover but these... more

Wowza

The food and service were superb. I had a late lunch of duck confit with a peanut sauce, which was beyond delicious. Lovely salad as well. The menu is varied and I could have eaten my way through it with delight. Only complaint is that they started cleaning up the rest of the restaurant while I was still eating. Made... more

Terrific food, slow service

I enjoyed lunch at Home Tasting Room many months ago and wanted to go there for my birthday dinner with friends. As expected, the food was absolutely delicious. Our table shared the tomato soup, gnocchi, and foie gras sliders and followed up with main dishes (lamb shoulder, duck, and tenderloin). Everything was cooked to perfection and very tasty. The food... more

Lunch date #2 for Big Taste Calgary!

We arrived to Home Tasting Room at noon for our reservation, and were seated just across from the cooking area/kitchen. I glanced around and could see people enjoying the different dishes offered from their Big Taste menu so I was excited.

I already had my mind made before we came - salad and gnocchi please! (And my girlfriend had the same) The artisan... more

Family Date Night

Tonight a evening for two turned into a table for 4 as our girls "really" wanted to come with us to try this restaurant. The staff was most accommodating in changing the reservation at the last minute to seat our family. We were greeted warmly and ushered in to an open, warm space that was highlighted by the busy open... more

This doesn't taste like home

We have wanted to make it to Home Tasting Room since Zaviere (sp?) came to be Exec Chef... he came 3rd in last yrs. Top Chef Canada and he's been 'Top chef' @ The Muse for years..
We made it for a date night this evening, got there after work, about 6pm so wasn't too busy yet. We parked ourselves... more

I think Stephen Ave is one of Calgary's best looking streets, with its character old sandstone buildings and eclectic mix of outstanding shops and art galleries and restaurants - and lucky for us - the "home" of the Home Tasting Room.

Being charged with the task of making a reservation for family to celebrate my mom's birthday last Saturday, on a whim I made a reservation at Home Tasting Room.... more

I love this place

I've been travelling to Calgary since August 2012 and coming to Home Tasting Room on a regular basis. What can I say? This place is awesome. I crave the food when I return home. The wine selections are fabulous. And, the food is amazing. I've ordered the braised short ribs and the lamb and everytime it is amazing. Everything is... more

I have been here a few times. Both on the patio in the summer and inside the restaurant. The meals are always unique and flavourful. The staff were very polite and helpful. Last time we were there (evening in Nov 2012) who I assume was the manager or owner seated us and made sure our meal was fantastic. It is a little small inside so I recommend making a reservation in advance for lunches and... more

Awesome

This place is great. The decor is simple and welcoming. One big open room with a big open kitchen you can see from your table.
The food was unreal. The foie gras sliders were amazing. The beef tartar the best. Very thing we had was just awesome. Oh and I can't forget the oysters. Yum.
The service was great. From... more

Nice addition to downtown Calgary restaurant scene

Excellent quality of food. Service was second to none. Clean, modern design. If you're looking for comfort food, this is not the place. Food is very creative and artfully presented and might seem over the top to someone liking plainer fare.

Excellent Business Lunch

I invited some busienss client for lunch at Home Tasting Room. Neither had eaten there before, so it was a good choice. Each of us had a different entree - one had their mac and cheese (not your Mom's mac and cheese) which he found delightful and the other two had the daily special, which was excellent. The service was... more

Exceptional meal!! Highly recommend this restaurant if you are interested in a superb dining experience. The Chives & Ricotta Gnocchi sharing plate was one of the best dishes I have ever had anywhere. You also must have the Apple & Almond Cream Tart with House Made Ice Cream. It takes 20 minutes to make but is well worth the wait. Order it early if you are in a rush. I am from NY and this is my... more

Best chicken pot pie I've had in my life

Enjoyed Home Tasting Room tonight. Three in our party, each ordered a different item of the menu and all were happy. One diner, who loves chicken pot pie and orders it everywhere he goes (travels across the US and internationally for work) declared it the best chicken pot pie he'd eaten in his life. I had the arctic char on... more

The food was perfect. The presentation of each dish was beautiful and each bite was delicious. It was quiet enough to converse and the lighting was nice - dark enough to feel intimate, yet bright enough to be able to see your food! Service was great. Good date night location, but have been here with friends before and that means trying more dishes!!

D- on first visit, has potential though

The well known chef from that last instalment of Top Chef Canada now resides at this restaurant where he has full freedom in the kitchen. I think that while Xavier's restaurant has potential he still needs time to hone in on what diner's expectations are. I respect his creativity but found that a few dishes had odd flavour pairings that... more

Review #1 of Yelp's 30 Day Challenge 2012.

Food: 3.5/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 4.5/5
Overall experience: 4/5

(1- Terrible; 3- decent; 5- Fantastic)

I was a little hesitant to try Home Tasting Room after seeing mediocre ratings from when it first opened, but after 20 minutes of walking in the cold, my friend and I settled here since neither of us have been to Home Tasting Room.

And boy, did I... more

Great place to eat with a large group

I went with a large group for a business dinner on a Monday. The small plate and dinner plate menus were perfect for a group. We ordered a variety of small plates for appetizers to share: the scallops, were delicious. Each of us ordered a dinner plate for the main course; the chicken was cooked to perfection and I highly... more

After a rude encounter with 80th & Ivy, we decided to come to Home tasting Room, as I've been here before and my friend wanted to try it.

We got a lovely seat on the patio in a corner, which was nice for the 4 of us. We decided to do tasting plates so we could sample more food.

I have the mimosa to drink, which was delicious. For food, they were out of the bison tar tar which we really... more

Sharing plates were so delicious, I didn't want to share

I went for lunch here with a friend and we decided to order a few of the Sharing Plates to share.
We ordered the Foie-ffles (foie gras and waffles), Grilled Alberta Petite Tenderloin Rolls and the Slow Confit Berkshire Pork belly.
It took about half an hour to get our food, which for me is slow for downtown lunch hour,... more

Never again

Was looking forward to dinner at Home but bitterly disappointed. Hostess was pleasant, we were seated and the server came and asked us for our drink menu before we even had a chance to look at the menu. Ok, eager enough but really? So a few minutes go by, we're asked again and we asked for another few minutes as... more

Nice Lunch

Had a lunch here, the menu was small but food was good. The manager gave our dog some water, who was tied outside the patio. Overall we were happy and will return.

Stop for Lunch; You'll be Back for Dinner

Truly a wonderful place on Stephen Avenue - if you're a foodie, don't miss out on sitting at the bar of the open kitchen and watch their talented staff create their cuisine! Flavourful food, wonderful wines, and a graet staff make this place a consistent favorite with my wife and I!

Wonderful find

My wife and I were strolling around looking for a place for dinner and happened upon this place. What a find! We split several small plates: a red pepper and white bean soup, a smoked salmon salad Nicoise, and a ratatouille with chips, and a lemon cream with berries for dessert. Everything was wonderful. Our waiter Michael was great too.... more

Tasty food, especially liked the Bison tartare, the meat plate, cheese plate with lavender honey, and trio of Fiasco Gelato for dessert. Some items were really good but less awesome, like the gnocchi (lacked a bit of flavour), and pork belly (just taste like extra-thick-cut bacon). Worth going if you have cash to spare and a small stomach.

Yummy and Original

I have had both lunch and dinner here. The decor is sleek and clean, open and inviting.
I had a company dinner in June and had a chicken dish, it was fantastic, crispy on the outside like pedking duck and so juicy. It came with mashed potatoes and veg, really really tasty. I could not eat it all, i took... more

Stephens Walk Gem

Strolling along Stephens Walk, we stopped at their outdoor patio. What a delightful surprise! So much so that we decided to return for dinner that evening. The duck and the halibut were well presented and flavourful - a culinary joy. Service was excellent. It has now at the top of our list of Calgary dining.

Excellent Lunch, Reasonably Priced

We ate here for Lunch on Labour Day in September 2012. We ate outside on the patio as the weather was good. We had Buffalo Mozzarella and Heritge Tomatos and Oysters to start, accompanied by local ales, followed by an Artizan meat platter to share, accompanied with local Canadian Red and White wine. The food was excellent, well presented with... more

Wonderful with a European touch

After almost two weeks of traveling Canada (my wife and I are German and Canadian) and mainly eating in family restaurants and fast food places, the Canadian grandparents took the kids for a few days - so my wife and I could go out and we ended up at this place accidentally, what a surprise! It doesn't look much from... more

Home Sweet Home - I'm embarrassed to say it took me forever to get my appetite to this Stephen Avenue gem. Man, was I rewarded. Princess B, Afro Diva, and I enjoyed our time in The Room immensely. It's not a big room, but it's spacious enough where you feel unencumbered, its long shape evokes NYC resto, and the decor modern (love the doors on the wall of brick), even the washrooms are well... more

i took my best friend here a couple weeks ago. Sadly forgot to write a review because I had to run straight to work afterwords.
It was a very very hot day outside and right in the middle of stampede hell week. We were looking for somewhere neither of us had been but wanted to be on the patio. Luckily there was a 2 person table right on HOME's patio. We were sat and immediately given water and... more

We had an enjoyable patio lunch at Home Tasting Room. The experience could have easily been a 4- or 5-star rating, but during Stampede week the service and atmosphere suffered.

We started with two sharing plates: the BC rock crab cakes and the Alberta hanger steak. We really enjoyed the crab cakes - there were 4 small (about 2cm diameter) cakes which had great flavor. The tarragon buerre blanc... more

One of our favorite meals on this vacation

They seem to have addressed the concerns previously mentioned, because the service and food were both great. The servers were attentive and answered our questions and the chef even took a moment to talk to us. We wish we had been a larger party so that we could have tasted more dishes! Our favorite was the Duck Rillette, but we... more

Next restaurant please, terrible service

The food was average but the server was exactly as Wendy2223 described, rude and lazy! Actually I don't know how much I can really add, Wendy2223 hit the nail on the head.
My husband and I were taken here by two other couples for our anniversary last week and it was just disappointing and embarrassing for our friends. Horrible service... more

Good food...but terrible service

The food was good, but our waiter was down right rude and lazy. We had to ask for dishes to be cleared away, water refilled, spoon for our soup, pepper. But our server had no problem handing us the bill before we had even finished eating. There are too many good restaurants in Calgary to make a repeat visit to... more

On a beautiful warm evening, I had the opportunity to have dinner at enjoy at the 'Home Tasting Room' on Stephan Avenue, seated outside, it had a great ambiance to take in delicious food and enjoy a good glass of wine.

We decided to order several of their 'Share plates' for dinner. The salad, simple, was perfect and not overdone with dressing, with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. The ricotta &... more

I had a really nice lunch here today - their sandwiches are delicious! The restaurant was pretty quiet for the noon hour, and I would have liked to see some meal-sized salads on their lunch menu, rather than just sandwiches. I had the chicken salad sandwich and it was a good portion. I would definitely come back!

Wifey had the Tartar - and thinks its the best. I thought the scallops were better. Love is tough... more

3.5 stars

Bison tartar is where it's at! Served with truffle crostini... it was the best thing we ordered that night! So just go for the bison tartar and a glass of wine hahah.

The rest of the food was just ok. small portions, higher prices, nothing stood out as special.... not even the foie-ffles... and I was looking forward to that too :( mini waffles weren't 'fresh' - they were room temp... more

Wish we'd gone here for dinner

After a disappointing meal at another restaurant, my friend and I happened to land here for dessert (trying to make up for the unsatisfactory meal). This place did not disappoint! We sat at the bar in front of the chef station - a foodie's dream! It was fun trying to guess what the ingredients were, everything smelled delicious. A very... more

A Culinary Surprise

From the moment the doors opened, I knew we were in for a treat. The decor is clean, warm and welcoming. We were seated immediately and our hostess come by within a few minutes to help us choose a wine. Being so young, we were a little skeptical as to her knowledge but true to her word, the choice was... more

This place was a very nice surprise

Yummmmm! This place has incredible food and service...and yeah, its a bit pricey, but when you compare it to the other options downtown, you get way better value here!! Wonderful staff and atmosphere, as well! Loved it!

Better than my home

A nice place to eat before the. theatre.
Nice to see an open kitchen with staff enthusiast staff.
Both the main course and dessert were well received.
The men's washroom is clean and well appointed.
Worth a second visit.

I've been meaning to try Home Tasting Room since last summer, but just never had the chance.
This review would have received a 5 star if they had more allergy-specific foods (gluten-free bread and/or soy milk). As well, the waitresses could've tried to put smiles on their faces.
Other than that, the food was exceptional. I had the red snapper BLT (minus the bun). It may be a bit spicy for some,... more

Home Tasting Room was a great experience. We headed over on a Friday night. Our reservation was at 6, I was running about a half hour late, but luckily it didn't get too busy until later so there was no problem. We decided in advance to sit at the bar, which ended up being a great choice. We really enjoyed watching them make the dishes (the cheese plate is very popular!)

We ordered a variety... more

Had higher expectations

Walked in and were very excited about eating here based on recommendations from trip advisor and the initial feel of the decor.
The wine recommendation was dead on for what we asked for and the squash soup was amazing aside from the "edible flower" that tasted like....yep a flower. The tomato salad was very good but not much different from... more

I was there for a friend's birthday dinner last night. The restaurant was almost empty, and I wondered why. Oh because its on Stephen Avenue and no one stays on Stephen Avenue after 5pm. What a shame.

Anyway, on to this restaurant. I loved our circular 5 person table. It made for perfect conversation! I ordered a glass of Viognier and the bison tartar. The Viognier was very good, I am happy to... more

Took friends of mine from Toronto here after a day of hiking in the mountains.

Had an absolutely fabulous meal with great wine, food and service.

The Foie gras on a waffle was over the top fantastic!

Highly recommend the restaurant.

Excellent Experience

My husband and I are working our way through the alphabet of restaurants - and decided to try the Home Tasting Room as our 'H'. We are very glad we did. We were there on a Saturday night and had excellent service from our waitress, as well as the manager. We were not sure what wine to choose with our... more

The menu offers no surprises and the prices are as expected for a downtown restaurant.

The wait was a bit long for a lunch service where you have limited time only.

Food was ok - but again: if it was not downtown you would probably pay less for similar food.

My boyfriend went to junior high with the executive chef here and though they never really kept in touch, we were excited to try it out on our first trip back to Calgary since it opened. Luckily, we managed to kill two birds with one stone and hit up Home Tasting Room for something to eat after Stampede.

I have to admit, I was afraid of going here. The menu looks a liiiiitle pretentious and... more

Worth a trip just for the bison tartare. reasonably priced wine selection, surprised it's not busier.

Outstanding food and concept. We found the 'tapas' like feel with locally grown, canadiana fare to be outstanding - especially for our teenage kids. The setting was excellent as well.

Since it opened, folks have been telling me to have my lunch over at the bar at Home Tasting Room. Yesterday I decided to take them up on their suggestion. As lovely an experience as it is at one of the tables, sitting at the countertop by the open kitchen makes for a different view of Home, and I like it!

Watching the kitchen staff preparing food for later, heck, even watching them make my... more

The place is owned by a friend-of-a-friend so we decided to head down and check out their evening fare.

They've certainly done well with the atmosphere of the place - it suits the name. Whoever completed the interior design did an amazing job.

I found the menu to be a tad underwhelming in terms of evening cuisine.

The winelist was quite uninspired, with some basic run-of-the-mill selections.... more

I wanted to love Home Tasting Room. I really did. I am a big ol' fan of small plates/tapas and the room itself is good looking.

But something is missing.

The menu isn't very...inspired. I liked some of the items, but overall I wasn't particularly impressed. Chips with cream cheese just didn't do it for me. And I too found the wine list a bit overpriced. My husband wasn't impressed with the... more

Home is beautiful! A friend and I went for dinner during Big Taste Calgary. We got seats at the kitchen-facing bar and enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of the kitchen all night. The food is a work of art!

After a starter salad, we each enjoyed chicken served over barley, followed by dessert - carrot cake for me and creme brulee for her. Fantastic! Though, I have to say - they were cooking... more

This is a true Home Tasting Room, the name says it all.
A freind invited me out for my birthday and we were pleased by the small 'sample' wines.
We sampled various dishes because that is what we do when we're out, try new things.
Our favourite was the Bison Tartare, a wonderful surprise with extra toast when we asked.
I did have an oyster and it was fresh, slippery and delicious, just as a... more

If you're looking for a quaint, cozy atmosphere to relax and chat with friends over wine and appetizers, then Home Tasting Room is a good option.

All of their food is sourced from sustainable providers, locally where possible. They smoke their own bacon in house as well, which is always a nice thing.

The problem with all of that is that the menu items tend to skew to the high side. Dinner... more

Fabulous atmosphere and staff. Wine selection was well recommended. Portions not large, but reflected the intent of the restaurant - to try as many of the delicious creations as you want!

Dear Home Tasting Room,

I like Caesars with a kick. Like a steel-toed boot kick, Veronica Corningstone-style.

Your Caesars left me disappointed, dreaming of a time when hot sauce flew freely ... like two hours earlier at the Saddledome where I could do it myself.

One of your folks brought your wine list and boasted about the excellent selection. I saw a lot of offerings from Australia, which... more

Love this place. We were wandering down 8th Ave trying to decide on a place to eat and came across Home Tasting Room.

Initial impression when we went in was a nice atmosphere and great decor with awesome 'fireplaces' attached on the walls. We had a choice to sit at the bar, where you can see what the chefs are doing in the kitchen or at a table. We chose to sit by the bar, which I highly... more

Great atmosphere, good service. Try the scallops!