Halifax may be the birthplace of donairs, but you can also find some pretty amazing donairs in Calgary that are just as good as their East Coast counterparts.
If you've never had a donair before, it's basically an adaptation of a Mediterranean gyro or doner kebab. Served in a pita, the handheld snack typically includes savory shaved beef, juicy tomatoes, chopped onions and sweet and tangy donair sauce.
If you're searching for donairs in Calgary, there are plenty of spots that offer these cheap eats. You can find everything from Halifax-style versions and donairs featuring vibrant Mediterranean flavors.
Without further ado, here's where you can find some of Calgary's best donairs.
Blowers & Grafton
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: East Coast comfort food
Address: Multiple locations
Why You Need To Go: If you're from Halifax or just love East Coast food, Blowers & Grafton should be on your radar. The restaurants serve comfort food you would find on Pizza Corner like garlic fingers, pizza with Brothers pepperoni and donairs.
The OG Halifax Donair comes with shaved donair meat in a fresh pita that's seared, then topped with tomatoes, onions and donair sauce. You can get it with either chips or fries.
Blowers & Grafton doesn't stop at just the OG Donair either. The chain also offers donair egg rolls, a donair quesadilla, donair nachos, donair pizza and a unique poutine with donair meat, toppings and sauce.
Cedars Deli
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Address: Multiple locations
Why You Need To Go: Cedars Deli is a chain of Mediterranean restaurants that has been around since 1985. It's famous for its tasty wraps like shawarmas and donairs.
The beef donair at Cedars features spiced, marinated beef in a pita with your choice of veggies and sauces. You can add toppings like tomatoes, red onions and lettuce and sauces like tzatziki or baba ghanoush.
Cedars also offers a variety of plates that include many of the same ingredients as the wraps and sides like salad and rice. You can also add on items like stuffed vine leaves and tabouli.
Pita Grill
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Address: 8338 18 St SE #420, Calgary, AB & 6130 1a St SW, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: Pita Grill is all about Mediterranean street food like shawarmas, rice platters and donairs. There are two locations where you can get your donair fix in Riverbend and Chinook.
The classic donair features shaved donair meat served in a pita with your choice of toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and hot peppers. Sauces include sweet donair sauce, garlic sauce and hot sauce.
Pita grill also offers donairs in oven-baked pita pockets, as well as donair bowls.
Beirut Street Food
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Lebanese
Address: 7220 Fairmount Dr SE Bay C, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: If you want to try authentic Lebanese food, make your way to Beirut Street Food on the corner of Fairmont and Flint Road. Lebanese-born owner Ramzal cooks all the meat on spits over charcoal, giving it a delicious smoky flavour.
The donair wrap includes seasoned beef that is slow-cooked and sliced super thin. It's served in a house-baked pita with hummus, garlic and your choice of toppings and sauces.
if you want to make your donair meal more substantial, you can have it as a platter with rice, pita, and veggies. Beirut Street Food also does an indulgent donair poutine.
Urban St. Donair
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Address: 4105 4 St NW, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: Urban St. Donair may be small, but it goes big on flavor. This hole-in-the-wall food joint sells handheld wraps like shawarmas and donairs, as well as poutine.
The beef donair wrap features shaved beef in a pita with your choice of veggies like tomatoes, hot peppers and pickled cabbage. You can also upgrade your donair with traditional Arabic flatbread.
In addition to the donair wrap, Urban St. Donair also serves donair meat in spring rolls, keto wraps, platters and poutine.
Jimmy's A&A
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Address: 1401 20 Ave NW, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: Once a small corner store with just two donair spits at the back, Jimmy's A&A is now many people's favorite spot in the city to grab tasty shawarmas and donairs.
Step inside the deli-style shop and make your way to the counter to order your donair pita with either beef or lamb. Toppings can include banana peppers, pickles, tomatoes, onions and sriracha sauce.
If you're not in the mood for a wrap, you can have your donair meat in a salad or as part of a platter with rice, hummus and a pita.
Deagla
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Address: 5147 20 Ave SE, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: Deagla is another Calgary donair spot that offers wraps with Mediterranean flavors. There are two easy-going eateries in Legacy and Forest Lawn where you can dine in or get your donair to go.
The beef donair features an ample portion of sliced beef wrapped in a soft pita. There are tons of toppings to choose from including black olives, pickled jalapeños, pickled cabbage and bell peppers. Sauces include sweet donair sauce, garlic sauce and sriracha.
Mozy Cafe
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Address: 6622 20a St SE L, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: Mozy Cafe has virtually no social media presence but it still has a 4.9-star rating on Google Reviews and for good reason. The cozy spot is renowned for its donairs and shawarmas that are not only delicious but also massive.
You can order your beef donair wrap in a small, medium or large size. Be warned though — you'll need to be truly ravenous to take down the large. The pita comes with shaved beef and your choice of veggies and sauces.
Mozy Cafe also offers a donair salad for those who want a healthier twist and a donair platter with meat, veggies and sauce.
Uncle Moe's
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Address: 1440 52 St NE Unit 232, Calgary, AB & 4524 Edmonton Trail, Calgary, AB
Why You Need To Go: Uncle Moe's has a great reputation for its delicious donairs and friendly service. All of the meat is prepared in-house with a secret blend of spices.
Although you can request your donair wrap at Uncle Moe's any way you like it, we recommend going with the house creation. It includes beef donair meat, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, hot peppers, pickled turnips and sauce.
Up for a food challenge? See if you can take down Uncle Moe's Donairosaurus Rex (aka the D-Rex). It includes a kilo of beef, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and donair sauce in a 12-inch pita. If you can devour it in 45 minutes, you get the meal for free and a photo on the wall. Fail and you'll be out $40.
These Calgary restaurants are the spots to go for drool-worthy donairs in the city
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