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Condo dwellers of the Victoria Park area can now rejoice with their very own supermarket. Granted, it’s not a discount grocer, but the Sunterra Market (in the shiny Keynote tower) has its advantages especially for young professionals who live and work in the area.
As Calgary’s closest answer to Whole Foods, Sunterra Market stocks organic milk in bottles, lovely stacks of cheeses, and gorgeous cuts of meat. (Did you know Sunterra started as a farm in Acme, Alta. 40 years ago before it branched into retail in 1990?) While not the cheapest items in town, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they weren’t as expensive as I would have expected.
There’s a huge selection of pre-made meals, or ones that just need a heating. From sandwiches and deli salads to lamb chops and lasagnas, who needs to slave over a stove?
The more than ample number of smiling staff are ridiculously helpful. The man behind the deli counter meticulously made sure I had an even portion of feta and different coloured peppers in the small take-out Greek salad I ordered.
There’s also a Starbucks counter, salad bar, and gelato counter with sweet offerings from Amato Gelato.
In addition to the grocery part of this Sunterra, there’s a classroom for demonstration cooking, and a modern cafe and huge patio on the top floor called MARKETbar.
Here, Sunterra has set up comfortable seating from early morning for breakfast in the bright, airy front area to way past dinner time in the sleek bar/lounge.
Sunterra’s tried and true concept of ordering from a station and then paying at the cashier continues here. You can get savoury and sweet crepes, pasta bar, the Big Pan special and carving roasts. I also spotted a pizza oven at play.
I settled on a chicken and artichoke crepe ($6.49) expertly made right in front of me. The gigantic portion was stuffed with cubes of chicken breast, fresh and sundried tomatoes and a silky white wine cream sauce. For $6.49 that’s a hell of a deal.
If I worked or lived nearby, I could easily grab all my meals here.
P.S.: If you’re driving there, Sunterra will reimburse you for $2 for the Impark underground parking. You pay upfront and then exchange the stub of your parking ticket for the $2. Yeah, confusing.
Sunterra Market, in the Keynote building, 200-12th Ave. S.E., Calgary, (403) 261-6772.
MARKETbar open Sunday to Thursday, 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday & Saturday 6:30 a.m.-2 a.m.
Grocery store open Sunday-Thursday 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday & Saturday 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
I have not been to that location, so can only speak from the Bankers Hall experience, and I can barely muster up three stars for them. While their sandwiches are fine, and at least not very expensive, all their ‘cooked’ food generally sucks. It’s either cooked poorly, bland and in general very uninspiring. I’ve been disappointed with every main dish I’ve tried for lunch, which is sad because some garlic, salt and herbs would fix most of the recipes up.
Tatiana: That’s the same impression I’ve had of Sunterra for a long time (bland, boring), but I was pleasantly surprised by the food I’ve tried at the Keynote Sunterra. I wonder if they’re trying hard to make an impression there.
I can walk here in 2 minutes from my work. Needless to say, it’s all I’ve eaten since it opened! I am absolutely in love.
It’s a great store. I can finally stop complaining about “condo living” marketing, now that THERE IS a grocery store in walking distance.
I agree with Tatiana. The store is nice looking, but the food is mediocre at best. They need to get past the fresh food from real farmers gig and focus on great tasting, addictive food. They fall short – repeatedly in all locations!
I will not return.
Tatiana and Jackson- the appeal of this Sunterra is that it, like its Market Square location, is a full-service grocery store. Something that the east Beltline has needed desperately. You don’t have to get their prepared food. The reason why this is a great thing for the city is that it helps to make the responsible and sustainable choice of living in that part of the inner city convenient and practical as well. Every real neighbourhood needs a grocery, and not only what is available at Shoppers. Now the residents of Vic Park can walk to their very own grocery store- it’s an absolutely fantastic thing.
My feelings are the same as Tatiana and Jackson. I have written the store office and asked for a prep area of fresh food and even suggested they include recipes so customers would come back. Even have a demo station like Central market in Houston. This new store poorly planned their produce section is not the center piece of this store. Their emphases on their own cooking stations was a mistake, unless they are going to overhaul their cooking style. Lovely store to look at, just content is lacking.
There is nothing quality about sunterra except their prices. Most prepared food is dry and has no taste. Fruits are just bought from ordinary farms and then transfered to plain bags to make it look like they are market quality.
I share similar feelings with a few of the posts above, most of the “hot and ready” food does tend to be rather bland (this is my experience from the Sunterra Market in Bankers Hall, where I visit regularly). There sandwiches are tasty, the salad is superb (with consideration to taste and price) and their pizza will satisfy the hunger (although a tad boring). All the baked goods I’ve experienced has been delicious and just right for the price. Considering the food locations in the area, I would give this place a high rating for your lunch visits.
The Calgary WestJet campus has a Sunterra Market. The chefs prepare our food right in front of us and it tastes great. You can’t ask for better than that. The prices are fair and if you are working late, they have vending machines available for great meals that can be warmed up in the microwave.
I can’t imagine why this place is so busy. Almost everytime I decide to give one of their menu items a chance, I end up throwing more than 3/4 of the food away. They may have taken some of comments to heart regarding how bland their food is, because now I find the spices just overpowering. Pizza – too much bitter spice in the sauce, Vegetable Turkey Soup – too much spice and gross grisly dark meat, prosciutto baguette – didn’t know I needed to file my teeth to bite through the bread and meat. I am beginning to think this is more of a lifestyle type place where yuppies go to feel like they are eating healthy or something. I am just a regular guy and don’t get what the fuss is (sure isn’t good food for a reasonable price).
All that being said, I’m mostly curious where their meats come from and how they were prepared. I didn’t see the word “Organic” anywhere, which makes me wonder. Where does everyone go to buy certified Organic Chickens, Bison, Beef? Thanks all.