Enjoy saucy, succulent ribs at these Calgary restaurants

Ribs are a magical food that demands diners ignore basic table manners, put their elbows up and get their hands and faces streaky with barbecue sauce. Cave in to these meaty, messy demands at these Calgary restaurants.

Enjoy saucy, succulent ribs at these Calgary restaurants
Ian Doig By

Holy Smoke BBQ

1
4-4640 Manhattan Rd SE, Calgary, AB T2G 4B5

In addition to its flagship southeast industrial area barbecue shack on Manhattan Road Southeast, Holy Smoke now features a second location in the northeast and a Deerfoot Mall kiosk. Pork ribs are one of the pillars of this growing smoked-meat empire. Order as many individual ribs as your stomach will hold with coleslaw and cornbread.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Bookers BBQ Grill & Crabshack

2
316 3rd St SE, Calgary, AB T2G 2S4

Smoked meat, crab and live blues music figure heavily into a visit to Bookers, where the rib options are saucy and varied. You can open with a smoked beef and pork rib appetizer, order the St. Louise style ribs with sides as well as get a half rack on a combo plate or as part of massive mixed-meat sharing platter.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

The Blues Can

3
1429 9 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0T4

Blues and barbecue were made for each other, and the New Orleans style pork ribs entree on The Blues Can’s Cajun menu was made for you. Let the blues be your soundtrack as you do your own finger pickin’ (and lickin’) on slow-braised New Orleans pork ribs slathered with Louisiana barbecue sauce and served with veggies, celeriac slaw and a choice of side.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Deerfoot Inn & Casino

4
1000-11500 35 St SE, Calgary, AB T2Z 3W4

A family-friendly Southwestern-style eatery in Deerfoot Casino, Mohave Grill serves a mean rack o’ ribs. Go for smoked pork side ribs with a barbecue-sauce glaze in full or half rack, or double down on half a roasted chicken with half rack of ribs.

Nick's Steakhouse & Pizza

5
2430 Crowchild Trail NW, Calgary, AB T2M 4N5

It’s a Calgary steakhouse institution, but have you tried the ribs? The baby back ribs are served in combo with a moist chicken breast or on their own smothered in house-made barbecue sauce. Both entrees are served with veggies, tossed salad and garlic toast plus choice of rice or potatoes.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:
More from Ian Doig Ian Doig
Ian Doig’s week may include dim sum lunch with friends, rummaging through indie bookstore shelves as well as scribbling in his notepad at Calgary shops and farmers’ markets. It most often concludes with a relaxing Friday evening pint of locally brewed craft beer.
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