Get to know a little more about Borough, U/D’s newest restaurant on University District Ave!

We had the opportunity to meet  some of the team behind the scenes at Borough Bar + Grill for a sneak peek ahead of their opening. The team gave us some early details ranging from what to expect on their menu, to their inspiration for opening this unique experience in the heart of U/D.

Rohit Sharma – GM, Daniel Pizarro – Corporate Chef, Kayla Carlson – Restaurant Manager, Levi Sarkozi – Head Bartender.

What will make Borough stand out in Calgary’s busy restaurant scene? 

“Location was key for us, and University District offers such variety as a destination for Calgarians. A couple can come and go to a movie, grab dinner with us and then take an evening stroll along the pathways. A family can come in for dinner, then pick up their groceries for the rest of the week from Save-On-Foods down the street. Our patio is a huge draw, and with the owner’s vision of wanting to open up a gathering space after a couple of challenging years, you’ll find the design inspiration behind Borough is based on gathering together and family style seating. We want our guests to feel the comfort of being around friends and family again. The patio overlooking Central Commons Park will be open nine months of the year, which provides a destination for patio goers, a summer staple for Calgarians. “ – Brittany, Murrieta’s Marketing Manager

Chef Daniel Pizarro,  what’s your story and what brought you here?

“I started in Oil & Gas right after high school, and quickly became accustomed to that lifestyle. It took what you would call a ‘cliche tragedy’ in my family to make me realize that I needed to make a career change and move closer to home. I spent a few years in an office job setting, but learned very early on that it didn’t bring any joy or fulfillment. A few friends in my office loved to cook and itsparked the idea of starting the hobby of cooking myself. Most of my family are from Chile, and the love of food and dining is what brought everyone together. After leaving my corporate career, I enrolled at SAIT, and completed my Red Seal certification. I worked in the fine dining industry in Calgary for a few years, and then decided to move to France, where I attended culinary school to learn French traditions. I worked with Chef Daniel Rose, who now owns a Michelin star restaurant in New York called Le Coucou.

I have a passion for produce-based fine dining, bringing the flavours of vegetables and fruit, so you’ll see that come through on the menu at Borough. I have worked in the industry for the past few years in our city, experiencing different restaurant cultures and learning from some of the best chefs. I am a family man now, with young kids and I am looking forward to being a part of a new restaurant that will provide the opportunity to be creative, and offer a work-life balance. “ – Daniel, Head Chef 

What can we expect from the menu? What kind of  unique items will be available?

“Our whole concept is bringing back family style dining. We want our guests to feel the excitement of sharing food with the people we love again. You’ll see a variety of shared plates on the menu (serves four to six people) as well as main course options highlighting different cultures and ethnicities. We want the whole community and surrounding area to feel like there is something for anyone when they come in. We have a vertical rotisserie in our kitchen, which allows us to enhance items such as our chicken, pork rack, porter house lambs and bone-in rib. This unique way of cooking our meat will bring out the flavours you can only get by the slow cooking technique of a rotisserie.” – Daniel, Head Chef

Can you tell us about the Patisserie that will be open?  

“We are excited to be opening a Patisserie within our restaurant, where you can grab and go lunch items, a wide range of pastries and coffee. A take out menu will be available, and everything we are serving is freshly baked in-house. “ – Brittany Edge, Murrieta’s Marketing Manager

Any details on the cocktail menu you can share with us?

“I will be creating Instagram-worthy drinks, with a passion for going back to the roots of mixology. You’ll see methods that have been lost come back to life, while using ingredients and flavours you aren’t used to seeing in Calgary. We will have a comprehensive wine list with options from all over the world and a variety of price ranges.” – Levi Smith, Head Bartender

What else can you share with us? 

“We are thrilled to be a part of this community: University District is such an out of the ordinary hub of the city. We also want to share that we are raising money for the Alberta Children’s Hospital next door, by donating all net proceeds for every bottle of sparkling water sold in-house. We will start with a soft launch of the restaurant in July, followed by a grand opening where we’ll celebrate with the local community.” – Kayla Carlson, Restaurant Manager

Borough will be open Monday-Wednesday, 11:00 am – 11:00 pm, Thursday & Friday, 11:00 am – 1:00 am, Saturday 10:00 am – 1:00 am and Sunday, 10:00 am to 11:00 pm. They also will be offering a brunch menu to enjoy on Saturday and Sunday each week.