Rain Dog Bar in Inglewood pairs rotating menus with Calgary's best craft beer list

Walk down Inglewood's 9th Avenue and you might miss Rain Dog Bar entirely — there's no flashy signage — but step inside and you'll find one of Calgary's most carefully curated beer programs paired with rotating chef-driven food.

Bill Bonar, owner and operator, has spent nearly two decades working with beer. He earned his Certified Cicerone designation in 2013 — essentially a sommelier for beer — and opened Rain Dog in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit. The concept was straightforward: bring craft beer up to the level of service and food quality that wine bars deliver.

Six years in, it's worked. Rain Dog has landed on Canada's 50 best bars list four years running, most recently at number 36. The space is cozy and packed with vintage trinkets, which feels exactly right for Inglewood's vibe.

Bonar's biggest barrier isn't convincing people to try the beer — it's steering them away from the mistake most newcomers make. "There's nothing there but the bitterness," he said of light lagers. "There are so many more flavours, sweetness and sourness and tartness, that we can go to." Staff will point uncertain drinkers in the right direction, and there's also a smaller curated wine list for those who want it.

The food matters as much as the drinks. The Adobo Devilled Eggs are a smart riff on the classic — crunchy corn nuts add texture. The Banh Mi Beef Tartare takes inspiration from the Vietnamese classic, with cucumbers, carrots, and crushed peanuts. The menu rotates, so expect something different each visit.