Charcut University District — Restaurant in Calgary

As a resulting of fasting all day for what I anticipated to be an epic meal— I devoured the food immediately as it arrived at our table, therefore, didn’t get proper photos of most of the dinner, but I managed to capture the highlights.

We started off with the crispy pork belly bites and zucchini salad. The crispy pork belly was so more-ish. Nice amount of salt and crispy texture and the sauce was to die for! I was scraping it off the plate with my finger. Zucchini salad was an awesome medley of textures— light ribbons of zucchini, with a velvety sauce, which was contrasted by nice crunch from the pistachios.

We had the ribeye and poutine — two classics. Ribeye was so succulent and just melted in my mouth. The poutine was amazing, as always. A very wise woman suggested that I try poutine with white balsamic vinegar, and I haven’t been able to eat poutine any other way since. 🫶🏼

Then came dessert— table-side meat cart!! I’m a sucker for any kind of table-side service, and this one surely did not disappoint! We had a small sampling of the linguiça, salumi, and mortadella and all the flavours were having a fiesta in my mouth. In fact, I had five linguiça slices left, and rather than wasting perfectly good cured meat and a takeout box, off they went into my purse for a little nibble later on. Who doesn’t love a little purse meat? 👛 🥩

I’m typically a savoury dessert kind of gal, however, I am so glad I forced myself to find room in my stomach for the two desserts and paired cocktails. We had the tiramisu semi fredo and the strawberry cheesecake. Having a bite of the semifredo with a sip of the spicy espresso martini immediately sent my tastebuds into a full-on mouthgasm. The cheesecake was a clever, elevated homage to the mason jar cheesecakes from the original Charcut’s dessert offering. Absolutely perfect marriage of savoury, sweet, and aromatic (loved the basil!!) flavours! Had me going back for repeated spoonfuls until I was so full and breathing became a struggle. 😅

Service felt personalized, well-timed, and highly attentive. Haven’t had great service like this at a restaurant in a long time, and the dramatic flair of the table-side meat cart made for such a memorable dining experience.

I can’t wait to go back again— I’ll bring my kids next time! They’ll get a kick out of the...

We recently had the pleasure of dining at Charcut to celebrate a friend's special occasion, and it was an experience to remember. The service was top-notch, with attentive staff who made sure every detail of our evening was perfect. We even had the chance to meet a couple of the owners, John and Connie, who personally presented our charcuterie board. A real highlight of the meal. The charcuterie selection was incredible, with a variety of meats and cheeses, many of which are made in-house. The truffle honey was banging! Each bite was a delightful exploration of flavours, setting the tone for the rest of our meal.

We also indulged in a couple of their pizzas, opting for the John Pepperoni and the Margherita. The Pepperoni pizza was loaded with savoury, perfectly spiced slices of pepperoni, while the Margherita was a fresh, vibrant explosion of basil, tomatoes, and sauce above the cheese (a different twist). The crust on both pizzas was absolutely divine: crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with flavour. If you're a pizza lover, Charcut pizzas are an absolute must-try.

For my main course, I couldn't resist the Pork Belly and the Prime Rib. I went with the 8 oz Prime Rib, and it was hands down the best I've ever had. Cooked to a perfect medium rare, the meat was tender, juicy, and bursting with rich, beefy goodness. Next time, I'll definitely be upgrading to the 10 oz! The prime rib is also served with flaky salt and horseradish sauce.

We also ordered a few sides to share, including the Bone Marrow, Parmesan Fries, and Zucchini Salad. The Bone Marrow was decadently rich, with a buttery texture that paired beautifully with the crusty crostinis. The Parmesan Fries were crispy and golden, topped with just the right amount of cheese, and when we dipped them in the Truffle Aioli, it elevated the flavour to another level. The Zucchini Salad was a refreshing contrast, with crisp zucchini ribbons, tangy lemon, and the perfect kick of chillies, balanced by the creaminess of the ricotta and the crunch of chopped pistachios.

Overall, Charcut exceeded all of our expectations. The food, the service, and the ambiance were all fantastic. We left with full stomachs and big smiles, already planning our next visit....

Simply perfect - there is no other way to describe my experience here last night. It's so great to have establishments of this caliber setting up shop in the area and adding some really fabulous dining opportunities for those of us who reside in the North West. Immediately upon entering the space, I was taken. The vibe is cozy, inviting and warm, seating is comfortable, lighting is perfect and the place was practically buzzing. I can't wait to go back and just pull up a chair at the bar just to take it all in from another vantage point. The people are great - every single staff member we interacted with was genuine and friendly, they all seem happy to be there. Service was impeccable, which is sadly getting harder and harder to expect, so it was truly refreshing - we never needed to ask for a water or wine to be topped up, any menu questions we had were met with enthusiastic and well informed responses. The food was so spectacular. We opted to just share some smaller plates and ended up going with a pizza as well, but there are still so many things I have my eye on for future visits as well. The Zucchini Salad was so stellar with the hint of mint and pistachio. The crispy pork belly was devoured - I could have licked that aioli off the plate. The fried Mozzarella was a real standout, simple but done so well with a tangy spicy tomato sauce and a cheese pull I will dream about for a long long time. For pizza, we went with the Funghi - it arrived at the table and we both gasped (seriously haha). Huge dollops of whipped fresh cheese graced each massive slice, plenty of mushrooms and a delicious crust... I couldn't finish my half but had no trouble consuming the last piece for breakfast the next day, I assure you it was still as spectacular cold (makes me want to try Connie & John's Pizza establishment next!) Over the last year or so, I find dining out has become somewhat of a risk - affordability, quality and overall experience are all factors we chase. Charcut University District has restored my faith in the dining experience! So happy to have them close by, can't wait to visit again soon. Thanks...