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The Coup
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11:30 am - 3 pm
Tue-Thu 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 3 pm
Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
44 reviews for The Coup
Review Highlights
"My quinoa and tofu dragon bowl was full of fresh, delicious..."
(in 3 reviews)
"...out in my leathers and chowing down on delicious vegan fare."
(in 13 reviews)
"Now they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, and some of the..."
(in 4 reviews)
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44 reviews in English
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Review from Jessica L.
Edmonton, AB
2/5/2012
Oh.....heaven is here on earth?! I wasn't sure until I found Coup on a trip to Calgary. And I have returned for multiple meals every time I am in the city!
The first time I went was on lunch break from a yoga workshop just down the street. I was so happy there was a vegetarian place in the area as it makes my veggie life a whole lot easier! It was a cold 6 block walk, but well worth it. I had a flowering tea and the Hot Pot which changed my world. So delicious. And I think it was the first time I had eaten Lotus Root. I was craving more so I went back that night and had the Satay Bowl. Also amazing. Also filling. I couldn't finish it all!
A week later I was back in the city with my fiance. He was also excited about a veggie place that was so close to where we were staying. We decided to check it out for lunch and he was also very pleased. I didn't stray too far and I had the Hot Pot again as I had been thinking about it all week. He had a veggie bowl with falafel and an amazingly tangy dressing. I only got one bite, but I thought it was great and judging by the time it took to disappear, he also thought it was great.
I will be back to try more on their amazing menu! There is enough variety to keep me interested for a while, although that Hot Pot alone is enough to keep me coming back again and again and again and again and.... -
Review from Tara E.
Updated - 12/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Another trip to Calgary, another trip to The Coup. This time around I ordered the Thai hot pot. (For those interested seasonal veggies in my case meant red and yellow pepper, zucchini, red onion, carrots, snow peas.) Mmmm, I love my veggies!
There is a good variety of things to order at The Coup, and I think that will keep me coming back when I'm in town. Not cheap (more than my work travel allowance), but healthy.
$17.25 with tax and tipListed in: Calgary
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/8/2011
I'm often in Calgary for 24 hours or less for work, but this is one stop I'd be willing to make time… Read more »
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Review from Joel K.
11/25/2011
Sweet Jesuit Priest do I ever love meat. I mean, I really love it. Eating the flesh of animals is my thing. Steaks, burgers, pork, chicken, emu, lobster, kangaroo, I don't care. I'll eat anything that used to breathe more often than not.
But every now and then I stow my carnivorous German roots away and decide to eat something that didn't once have a face. I've been to the Coup (and the next door adjacent lounge, "Meet") a few times now and I've never been disappointed.
See, as someone who is in love with meat (the thought of Lady Gaga's meat dress inspires such overwhelming emotions I can scarce put them to words), it's easy to give vegetarian/vegan places a bad rap.
But this place is great and aside from the prices of their drinks and the smaller portions of their appetizers, it's pretty much the best place in the city for vegetarian and vegan dishes.
The restaurant is small, so you may want to think about hitting it before or after the rush. Decor is funky, but I don't really go to a restaurant to stare at the decorations, so I'll just leave that one there. The ambience is sort of pretentious, but that's a-okay with me. There's usually a DJ with a hilarious mustache spinning some sort of ambient jazz or something. I appreciate his efforts to set a good mood for the violent consumption of bean sprouts.
Now: When you read the menu, there are going to be words on there you don't understand and vegetables you've never even heard of. DON'T PANIC. Just order something.
I've had sandwiches, salads, breakfast, lunch and dinner here - I've always enjoyed how flavorful the dishes are and how professional the presentation is. Even as someone who normally gorges themselves on delicious animals, I've got to say - well done, Coup. You've made a diet associated with being an enormous hippy-tree-hugger extremely attractive to me.
I usually wash down my uber-healthy meals with a Clockwork Orange. I can't even remember what's in it, but it tastes like rays of sunshine.
If you've got friends who unfortunately don't see the merits in chomping on a steak, I'd recommend swinging by this place. Just have a thick wallet and an open mind. -
Review from C R.
Calgary, AB
2/12/2012
Great veggie restaurant! I've been going for years. Awesome vegan root beer floats. LOve the tree house sandwhich
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Review from Katie C.
Calgary, AB
10/19/2011 ROTD 11/21/2011
As a certified meet eating (craving) Calgarian who does not in fact like many vegetables, one would think I might never make in to a vegan restaurant. But there I was, Friday night, decked out in my leathers and chowing down on delicious vegan fare! And it was my idea! And I was the one who suggested it! I may have lasted as a vegetarian back in the day if places like this had been there to keep me on the vegetables path.
When we sat down, I kind of pushed my jacket to the back, trying to camouflage my carnivorous proclivities from the socially conscious inhabitants and waitstaff. Fortunately, I wasn't outed and the service we received was excellent.
First we sat in Meet, the lounge area. I lol'd at the double entendre, no lies here. After sucking back some vegan cocktails with the delicious and full of real fruit Party Bowl (I think that is what it was called), we moved onto the grub. We knocked back some simple deliciouses, proving once and for all that as long as food is tasty and I am not aware of the onions within, I will savour anything.
I would definitely recommend the Coup for a delicious dinner to vegans and non-vegans alike. It is an opportunity to try something new and tasty. Clearly Calgary is in on the secret, as the place was packed. -
Review from Sarah Louise F.
Calgary, AB
After attending The Coup way too much in the past couple of weeks I feel the need to update my love.
When we went to The Coup following my convocation, we received lovely service as always. My little brother is a dear, and when I was in the washroom, purchased a copy of The Coup cookbook for me, which awaited my return on the table. That weekend I immediately took it home and cooked up my beloved Upstream burgers! Sooo happy. This cookbook rules, and is super charming as it tells the story of how The Coup came to be. While most of the recipes for my favourite vegan menu items are included in this cookbook, I will still continue to frequent The Coup for the cozy little atmosphere and wonderful service. Just wanted to plug their wonderful cookbook!
Also, I am not sure if I mentioned this in my earlier review as this may not have come into fruition yet, but the teas The Coup serves are actually those of The Naked Leaf in Calgary, my favourite organic teashop. Therefore, you can support two local businesses in one visit! Charming! :)
(4/30)Listed in: vegan friendly in calgary, a november of yelp
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/31/2010 ROTD 1/14/2011
It would seem that Calgary, Alberta, is always one of the last places to embrace all of the good… Read more »
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Review from Mia T.
9/23/2011
I was pretty excited about the Coup when it opened. Especially having been a strict vegetarian at the time, and Calgary having very few meatless options. I love the ambiance, and even better now that Meet (the lounge-ish area) has been added.
Like others have mentioned, im a big fan of the locally sourced food, and how environmentally concious they are.
The food is consistent, a little pricey for a few items..particularly drinks.My fave has to be the dark hot chocolate, with soy milk.
The service has always been awesome, Ive had the owners serve our table a few times, and they are wonderful.
I would recommend this place if you want to try something different, or looking for a cozy causal place to hang. -
Review from Genre S.
Calgary, AB
11/26/2011
Good times here! Low flow ambience, good appetizers. Greek goddess is my default entree. Trust the daily specials -- they're overlooked. Plus, the ladies are as hot as they are smart. Yum.
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Review from Salsaboy S.
8/3/2011
Five stars for the (in-season) locally-sourced and organic produce, the composting, the recycling, the vision, and the stand for excellent, fresh, socially responsible vegetarian food in Calgary.
Three-and-a-half-to-four stars for the good. It was all good, but it wasn't great. I liked it; didn't love it. It wasn't -- "OMG I can't believe the flavors and the depth". We shared a salad -- the Green House Effect -- and two entrees, the Falafel Quesadilla and the Greek Goddess.
We added tempeh croutons to our Green House Effect salad (which normally comes on another salad but we wanted to try them) which added something extra. Other than that, the salad was among the most routine on the menu. The dressings were great. The sesame lemongrass vinigrette and the maple balsamic were delicious. The Falafel Quesadilla wasn't really a quesadilla at all. Rather, it was like a salad wrapped in a sprouted tortilla. Still, it was good (again, not great, though I would order it again). The Greek Goddess was also good, but just a tad on the boring side. Its foundation was rice and lentils with some other stuff thrown in, like kalamata olives.
One thing that I DIDN'T LIKE about The Coup is that there seemed to be an extra charge for EVERYTHING. Because we were sharing, we have them split the Greek Goddess into two bowls. $2 extra. We tried two salad dressings instead of one -- $1.50 extra. The tempeh croutons -- $3 extra. I I have NEVER been charged extra for trying an additional salad dressing at any restaurant in my life. To boot, the size of the salad dressing was tiny. For $1.50?? It's a bit nickel-and-dime, no? The salad, as we got it, was $15.50 instead of its original $11. That's a bit dear, eh?
We got the chocolate sorbet for dessert. It's not homemade, and it's not worth getting. Skip it.
The space is small, and, from what I'm told, usually crowded. We lucked out and got a seat right away at 9:20p on a Tuesday.
All-in-all, I will forgive the trangressions of over-padding the bill because I strongly believe in the what The Coup represents. As far as I can discern, there are only three dedicated vegetarian restaurants in Calgary. God-speed, The Coup, in tranforming cattle-ranching country into a more ecologically-conscious and socially-responsible society. -
Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
7/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
This review is for "Meet" only.
Good drinks, albeit a bit pricey. Couch arrangement is nice, but people seem to "hog" the space a bit which I thought was strange. I mean, if you see a group of friends sitting down with one left standing or bringing over a very high stool since there is nowhere to sit, isn't it common sense to move over, especially, when you and your gf are taking up the entire bench?
Anyway, I can't really blame that on the place.
Enjoyed the free snacks, too. Loved the decor. Quite similar to Una.
Did not see the bathrooms here. Next time, I would definitely dine here over Una, however! -
Review from Sarah B.
4/6/2011 ROTD 2/2/2012
The third salt/pepper shaker on the table is cayenne. Not cinnamon. I don't recommend putting your finger in your eye directly after screwing the top back on to the cayenne. I actually don't recommend putting cinnamon in your eye either.
I had the Clock Work Orange to drink - like an orange Gin and tonic. It was delicious.
I ordered the Greek Goddess or something like that for dinner, and it was delicious!
Both times I've been here, it's been QUITE a wait for tables, but if you're not in a hurry, then go for it. The food is excellent. -
Review from Rhiannon M.
Calgary, AB
5/27/2011
The Coup is a truly fantastic addition to the Calgary food scene, and how well it is loved is evidenced by a an often present line-up. The apparent prime function of adjacent "Meet" is to provide eager diners a place to comfortable wait, which is definitely a plus (especially when it's too cold to wait outside). I've visited many times and have always had pleasant, helpful, and unpretentious service.
Brunch is a fantastic way to enjoy The Coup, with a fresh and wonderful fritatta option every day. They also both vegetarian and vegan options for most items, using tofu scramble.
As much as I enjoy on their brunch menu, there are a couple of items on the lunch/dinner menu, though, that I crave and/or dream about. The first is the falafel quesadilla, which has a truly amazing combination of flavors, is filling, and is all around a wonderful dish. Try it with their house salad or soup (or both, as their simple salad itself is great, and their soups rarely disappoint).
The other dish I love is their peanut satay bowl, but with their "spicy almond" sauce instead. It is so, so good and nice and spicy. I generally ask for no tofu but extra broccoli, which soaks up the sauce and tastes scrumptious.
In all, if you like clean, fresh food, with great flavor, definitely hit up The Coup. Brace yourself for something different, and keep an open mind. It is a not to be missed restaurant in Calgary for vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores. -
Review from Nick S.
3/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friend suggested meeting up at The Coup for a midweek "business lunch."
As usual, I did some recon, and checked out the Yelp! reviews to get a sense of what to expect.
After doing so, it sounded like meeting here for lunch during the work week might prove overly optimistic. There were many comments about limited seating and long table wait times. That's not what I'm looking for when trying to avoid my co-workers eye-rolling when returning from lunch "sometime" in the afternoon.
Well, I'm happy to report, I was pleasantly surprised.
We got there around 12:15--not a confidence inspiring time to begin with- and indeed the place was fully occupied. One more group was waiting ahead of us.
Our first thought was "Good luck - everyone just got here, so the whole hour will be shot."
Not so. The turnover was decent, with some people already finishing lunch. The wait was roughly 10 minutes. We were then seated by a very pleasant waitress, who continued to impress the whole meal.
I'm not a vegetarian... I'm not "anything" per say when it comes to food, other than I generally try to eat food that is: a) delicious, and b) will not kill me prematurely.
That being said, just because a meal lacks animal muscle does not mean it's "good for you." There are plenty of fat-laden, heart-stopping vegetarian dishes served in restaurants.
Here? Maybe one or two (see the brie / caramelized onion Panini), but overall, pretty decent choices for a healthy lunch.
I opted for the frittata and a salad.
The overall portion size was perfect for lunch, and flavor-wise quite satisfying. I appreciated the frittata being complemented by chunks of sweet yam to mix it up a bit, while adding some contrast. Where other restaurants may have loaded it up with sodium to make it taste good, here they opted for more diverse and healthy flavors. Some may call that bland, I call it intelligent.
The service was great, from the moment I walked in the door. It was attentive, without being annoying (after all, this was a "business lunch," and there were things we needed to discuss). The smaller size of the restaurant also made it more conducive to conversation.
Will I go back? For sure. It's now on my list for places to return. -
Review from Meghan M.
Cold Lake, AB
12/23/2010 ROTD 9/11/2011
I'm in a giving mood these days - handing out 5 stars all over the place! Well deserved stars though, and The Coup is no exception. It's not just that they use as much organic and local food as possible, or that they make everything from scratch. Or even the fact that they plant trees to offset their waste or recycle & compost everything they can. All of this green effort is deserving in itself.
But the food! I have personally never had a bland meal at The Coup; everything has been fresh and fantastic. I really appreciate how The Coup does not try to hide behind wannabe meat dishes and too much salt, sauce, etc. The food is a celebration of what the earth has to offer and how delicious whole foods naturally are. I love leaving a restaurant feeling healthy and satisfied.
As you may have heard about The Coup, it can be a lengthy wait as it is pretty popular. The good thing about the wait is that you can sit in the lounge and have a drink and appetizers, which sure beats sitting around in a lobby waiting for a table. I only with they'd knock the drink & starter prices down a bit, I see no need for them to cost as much as your meal. I often end up drinking water because I can't justify prices of even the nonalcoholic drinks. The mains, however, are very reasonably priced.
Despite the prices of the aforementioned items, I would 100% recommend The Coup to those who like fresh, quality, healthy food with flavour! -
Review from Malloreigh M.
Vancouver, BC
12/20/2010
As a vegan who moved to Vancouver from Calgary as soon as I could (age 18), I never thought I'd find a place as hip and conscious as The Coup in Calgary. I'm so glad this place is here. It's a place I can go for a meal with my friends when I go home to visit my family. It's in a great location and the food, while not cheap, is reasonable and delicious.
I understand the complaints that some people have about The Coup. I guess part of the reason I love it so much is that it's a bastion of food consciousness in the middle of beef-land, so when I visit, I hear angels sing - the food could be half as good and I'd still go.
If memory serves me correctly, the Messy Janes are a delicious breakfast option. I really like the miso gravy they serve at this place. Can't wait for my annual Coup trip this week!Listed in: Calgary
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Review from Tiffany N.
9/24/2010
Crystal and I headed over to The Coup for dinner and the wait was looooooooong. That was all right with me for a bit because I figured it meant there would be good food. So we grabbed a spot in the bar area, ordering some cocktails and appetizers, and prepared to wait. I was not prepared to wait as long as we ended up having to however so in the end we just got our food to go.
While the fare was indeed fresh and flavorful I'm not really sure it was worth that wait. I would suggest ordering to go from the get go. Or perhaps filling up on small plates in the bar area. Or just going way before you're as starving as I was even.
I did, however, really enjoy the décor at The Coup. And you couldn't have asked for nicer service so I would try it again and hope for a better experience.Listed in: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Review from Monica K.
North York, ON
2/11/2011 4 photos
I'm no vegetarian, in fact, if anything I'm a meatatarian. I love meat, meat makes me very happy, my jaw drops open every time I come home for dinner and meat is the main dish, it's so tasty! Need I say more?
I couldn't believe I left this place happy, satisfied and full, given there wasn't a trace of meat in my dinner. Loved the vibe of the place, the friendly service, and their Greek Goddess was really yummy (if you're an olive fan, like me). My friend, also a meat lover (guys generally love their meat), got the upstream burger, which he also enjoyed, much to his surprise.
The downside? Before my flight back to Toronto, my cousin and aunt decided to treat me to lunch here after hearing me rave about the place. Unfortunately we could not stay because there weren't enough seats for us (3 adults and 2 kids), there's only one group seating area, which was quite unfortunate, but I had such a great experience there that I decided to get the green house effect salad to go (which I ate on my plane ride home hehe). I meant to get the Greek Goddess but it was not available at the time so the owner suggested The Green House Effect was the closest thing to it. I paid over $11 for a salad that was not very filling at all, but it came in the cutest personally decorated plastic to-go container which for some reason made me very happy... -
Review from Tiffany N.
Calgary, AB
9/27/2010
Been here a few times, used to work nearby when it first opened and went there as soon as I got the chance. First time I went, I had the el taco. The waitress was really sweet, and the food was good, so I didn't mind too much that I was served warm water with my food. The next time I went I had the Dragon Bowl, and that quickly became my favorite thing to order there (I always get it with quinoa).
Went another time with a group of friends, one of which was completely oblivious to it being a vegetarian restaurant. He ordered a Dragon Bowl without really looking at the menu, and then remarked that his chicken was kind of chewy. When I told him it was tofu, I got an "ohhhhhhh, that makes sense!"
Pros: Friendly staff, fun decor and really delicious sauces to go with their fresh food.
Cons: As everyone's mentioned before, there's a bit of a wait and it's always packed. Also, I really wish they had other forms of veggie protein aside from tofu and quinoa. Other than that, I definitely recommend the Coup to everyone. Veggies and omnivores alike. -
Review from Heather M.
9/1/2010
Really cute restaurant which has seating for only 32. It took about 15-20 minutes for us to get a seat, but the staff were nice and the food was pretty good. I ordered the Beachfront hotpot, which was a coconut curry with pho type noodles, lotus, edamame, sliced carrot, and some other veggies. It was pretty tasty, was hoping for more noodles though! My coworkers ordered the pear, caramelized onion and brie sandwich (and they said it was good!) and my other coworker ordered a falafel and hummus quesadilla (strange combo of ethnicities).
The drinks here are also great - for example, basil lemon lime ade. A lot of unique drinks that I haven't seen elsewhere.
I would say the veggie food at this place is much better than Gratitude Cafe in Kensington.
Lots of homemade bags hung around the restaurant in lieu of your typical artwork on canvases.
And one last observation: when we ate here, everyone in the restaurant was female! i'd never seen anything like it! -
Review from Chelsea K.
Calgary, AB
6/8/2010
Great vegetarian food, that non-vegetarians will enjoy as well. The Coup also offers a selection of interesting mixed drinks and cocktails.
The only warning I would give is that it is a small restaurant that is usually very busy and does not take reservations, and it often takes 20-60 minutes to get a table. Fortunately you can wait in the adjoining lounge, "Meet" and have pre-dinner drinks and appetizers. I personally find it a great way to start the evening but if you're in a rush you may find the wait times too long. Overall great food and atmosphere.Listed in: Accommodating to Vegetarians
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Review from Alex B.
Vancouver, BC
8/3/2011
Delicious vegetarian food, friendly service and a good selection of local beers. I will be coming back.
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Review from Sapna G.
Calgary, AB
5/20/2010
Generally people assume that vegan food is bland, but that so doesn't have to be the case. Unfortunately, The Coup doesn't give haters any reason to reassess their opinions of vegetarian/vegan fare.
Unlike my favourite vegan restaurant in Toronto called 'Fresh', The Coup IS NOT all that. The food is very bland, the environment is too cozy for my liking and the service isn't anything to write home about.
The Coup had serious potential in my mind when a friend told me about it, but after one visit (which happened to be one visit too many), I've come to the conclusion that unfortunately, it just doesn't deliver on any level. -
Review from Sarah M.
Calgary, AB
7/22/2011
A little pricey but so worth it. LOVE their miso sauce!!! And great food as well. Dont expect it to taste like Moxies, its very granola but done very well. I only wish they took reservations so we dont have to wait every time for a table for so long. Over all- SO YUMMY!!!
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Review from Renee C.
9/5/2009
Whenever I go back to Cowtown, and my people ask me what I want to do while there - going here is one of the top places on my list. I love everything about this restaurant - the decor, the food, the fresh veggie drinks, the chai, the music, the service. Everything on the menu I have ever had was a hit with me. What more do you need?
Once, when I went temporarily insane and did a 3 week cleanse, this was the ONLY place that was able to accommodate my very very (very) limited food choices - and worked hard to make it taste fantastic. The Coup was the silver lining to a dark cloud, if you will. -
Review from Mike M.
1/11/2011 ROTD 7/5/2011
The coup is the kind of place that makes me want to be a healthier man. I have been about a dozen times and have never necessarily disliked anything. There has been bland moments but for the most part the food was delicious, vegetarian without any pretentious attitude too! You know how sometimes a vegetarian / Yogi / new age oriented person can really look down on you for not sharing lifestyles/ beliefs with them...I didnt get that here. I had brunch on Sunday here, twas great. Smaller portion sizes and thats great because sometimes I need to be reminded of how much I DONT need. The service has always been friendly and unlike certain other patchouli oriented dining experiences ( ehh hemmm NELLIES) I have yet to find any bits of oily dread lock salad on the side of my plate.
I even got drunk here once in the summer and shared 2 giant punch bowls with a friend. We looked quite likely as if we were a homosexual couple enjoying an evening on the town...perhaps before a night out at the thee-a-tah.
But most enjoyable of all was stumbling drunk out the door of a vegetarian spot and having people shoot you scowls as you light a cigarette. whoops.
Namaste -
Review from Melissa L.
Calgary, AB
6/22/2010
I'm a vegetarian, so I always like to scope out a city's vegetarian restaurants when I first arrive. The Coup seems to be Calgary's best-known vegetarian place, so it was high on my list of Must Eats! Unfortunately, I found both of my meals there to be real letdowns.
Both times I've eaten at The Coup I've had Mexican-inspired dishes: once a "taco" and another time "huevos rancheros". I use quotations marks as the terms really must be used loosely- both dishes were extreme distant cousins of their namesakes. I found the taco to be overly heavy on crunchy chard stems, and strongly lacking seasoning. I found the huevos rancheros to be dull and uninteresting, with an overly earthy flavor from the sprouted-grain tortilla. Both dishes lacked seasoning, where all it would have taken was some fresh cilantro and a splash of lime juice to make the dishes passable. Without that fresh flavour, both dishes were nearly bad enough to warrant being sent back.
I just checked The Coup's website and it doesn't look like much (if anything) has changed since my first visit there a few years ago (my second visit was in the past year). I definitely will not be returning until I see evidence of innovation on the menu. There are way too many other restaurants with great vegetarian options in town. -
Review from Chantal B.
Calgary, AB
4/27/2011
You cannot go wrong here! I always leave stuffed but not so-stuffed-I-never-want-to-eat-again-stuffed since the food is so light and not fried. You MUST MUST MUST have the hummus. Calgary needs great vegan restaurants and the staff here is super knowledgeable about all different dietary concerns (gluten-free, vegan, etc). Totally worth the wait at breakfast, lunch or dinner - that said get there early - the smell will get your stomach growling!
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Review from Erin D.
1/12/2011
I hate to give as bad review to what is one of only 3 vegetarian restaurants in Calgary (what a tragedy). Unfortunatley I have no choice because the first time I went there I don't remember what I ate but do remember the big, thick black hair I found in my food. The second attempt (I am apparently a sucker) was in early spring, I arrived with most of my part minus two friends that were both within walking distance from the restaurant and on their way. The hostess at the door wouldn't even take our name down until our full party had arrived so we left because guess what COUP, this isn't NYC it's Calgary. There is no need to get all uppity about seating and reservations.
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Review from Val G.
12/28/2009
Only in Calgary would a trendy and successful vegetarian restaurant be considered a 'coup'.
Let's face it, this is one of the least animal-friendly cities in the developed world where their biggest claim to fame is a yearly 'Stampede' that results in the inhumane treatment and death of several horses and cows. It was surprise to find this restaurant here and packed with people too!
We arrived early, before they opened for dinner and there was already a small line up of people waiting to get in.
We left and came back 15mins later to find only one table available and snatched it moments before 2 other groups walked in. Defeated, they moved to the lounge known as 'The Meet'.
I had the Cajun Tempeh sticks to start with a dijon-maple sauce. I generally dislike most forms of tempeh I encounter but these were exceptional.
For an entree I took a leap of faith and went for the Dragon bowl(veggies, tofu, on basmati brown or quinoa) with a peanut satay sauce. I say leap of faith because some of the most bland tasting excuses for vegetarian food are sold under the same packaging at a popular Toronto veg chain *cough *cough *Fresh and make me wonder why I even bother trying to eat well. This is not true of The Coup Dragon bowl. It was flavourful and tasty.
Now listen up because this is the important part. You must, absolutely, undoubtly (put your religious beliefs on hold if need be or tuck your AA membership card back in your wallet) order a drink! How often does a vegetarian restaurant actually have a liquor license? The answer is not to damn often and this place is half lounge so they must know what they are up to in the mixology department.
I opted for the hot toddy in the form of a coconut rum soy chai latte. Sure it was July, but this is practically the Rockies and there's no hot sticky summer nights in Calgary. Oh baby baby, that hottie hit the spot better than my date ever could!Listed in: Veggie Brunch, Veggie Eats all over the Yelp…
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Review from Elaine H.
7/16/2009
If you want to get an idea of the character of this place, here's a hint: We went there on the first Saturday evening of Stampede, and there wasn't a single cowboy hat to be seen! Surely the same can't be said of any other restaurant on 17th Ave :)
This restaurant is low key and hip, with the vibe of a cafe but a great full vegetarian menu. The food is fresh and creative and unlike other restaurants doesn't rely too heavily on vegetarian renditions of meat dishes.
The yam fries are simply delicious and even better when combined with the tzatziki sauce. The main courses are enormous (much bigger than they look!) and reasonably priced. My quinoa and tofu dragon bowl was full of fresh, delicious vegetables and topped with a rich, thick peanut sauce. The portion was so large that I didn't come anywhere close to scraping the bottom of the bowl before I was full.
Bonus props to the restaurant's reliance on green energy, use of local and organic ingredients, and support of local artists as well. Suffice it to say, The Coup is a gem I didn't expect to find on 17th Ave! -
Review from Danny F.
Calgary, AB
10/1/2008
Eating out as a vegetarian in Calgary can be tough. And that's one of the reasons why The Coup is often lined up out the door. The Coup serves up homemade, eclectic vegetarian and vegan options along with alcohol service and fair trade coffee. They sometimes have DJ's spinning from dinner time to after 9:00 but if you don't want to wait then show up early.
I suggest trying it out and ordering something you have never heard of before, the worst that can happen is you experienced something new!Listed in: Vegetarian Barbarian
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Review from Erin B.
Calgary, AB
10/14/2008
5 stars for a vegetarian restaurant in cattle country is terribly hard to achieve, but The Coup really deserves it. They serve wholesome, vegan/vegetarian options that are filling and well priced. The space is tiny, but it's worth it. Bonus points for buying as much local produce as possible.
Now they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, and some of the desserts are vegan :) -
Review from dinah g.
Calgary, AB
10/29/2009
This is a great retro decorated restaurant and "bar", which we soon found out we could sit in while waiting for a table. I believe the bar side of this joint is called Meet, but we were so super hungry so we just decided to eat in there.
I was so impressed by the 70s retro furniture, lamps, tables, nice presentation of food, that I forgot to notice that I was actually tasting anything. I didn't pick up on this till later, food portions are small for what you are ordering, I had some sort of eggplant dish that was wrapped but it looked a little too much like tongue for me.
The scene there is really hip, too much to see in too little time. Well after reading other yelper reviews the huge question mark in my head about this whole place has been solved. It is a vegan restaurant, nowhere did I pick up on this and I am sure if I was vegan I would have spotted this a mile away.
Would I return? Yes, keeping this in mind I think I would totally give a different review. -
Review from John M.
Calgary, AB
4/19/2009
Creative, amazing, great value and great vibe- one of the city's best and the single best pure veg resto I've ever been, ANYWHERE.
They don't take resos because it's too small- same policy at many little places around the world. You live with this or you go somewhere else. -
Review from Lindsay K.
Halifax, NS
10/7/2009 1 photo
The Coup doesn't lie when they say they are a vegan restaurant. Their menu is full of meatless, milkless, tasteless food. It serves the perfect food for a cow or maybe a goat.
It's not that I'm against veganism or vegetarianism or anything like that. In fact, I'm not the biggest fan of meat, but I am a fan of flavour. I find that, even though the meals are interesting and different, they are quite bland and not very filling. All the dishes are quite extreme with very random ingredients; stuff you wouldn't expect to find in edible food.
Okay, maybe I'm being a little too harsh. This place really is the perfect little restaurant for people who don't eat meat or just want to eat a little healthier. They don't use any grease or additives in their meals so they really are good for you.
I'm just not quite a fan of the place because of the lack of flavour and zing! Perhaps if I enjoyed eating grass a little more I'd like the place enough. As it is, I prefer a little more taste in my dishes. -
Review from Tammra B.
Squamish, BC
6/16/2009
The Coup is always a pleasure!
From working there, to dj'ing there to eating and sleeping there LOL. I tell as many as I can about this wonderful little treasure in the heart of cow town ... and I am excited to check out the new lounge that they recently opened... "Big Props" to you girls and love!
\m/^.^\m/ -
Review from Dale D.
Calgary, AB
2/14/2010
Overall, I find this restaurant a mixed-bag and I rarely think of going here for lunch.
The service is spotty to mediocre... and sometimes rude.
The menu is uninspired and decidedly old-school vegetarian. Nothing new here.
Meh. -
Review from Elizabeth W.
12/24/2010
This place was delicious. We had appetizers in their cozy waiting space with blooming tea, and had a cozy booth in the restaurant where I had the special of vegan mac and cheese. Everything was piping hot and as fresh as can be. I like that they promote eating local and organic while giving a unique vegetarian dining experience.
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Review from Kat F.
2/11/2009 5 photos
Clearly everyone in Calgary who's vegetarian knows about this place, because it came recommended to me by hotel staff and strangers alike when I mentioned I was looking for a cool veg place to eat while in town on business. The food was fresh and creative, with an impressive array of entrees to choose from. There were four of us and we each ordered something different, promising to share so that we could all get a taste (check the pics I've added on the listing)! Amazing food!
Listed in: My Favourite Meals Worldwide
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Review from Alexandra T.
9/22/2010
I visited The Coup and Meet for my first time last week and I was amazed at how packed the restaurant was. They don't take reservations, so my girlfriends and I went with the plan that we would have appetizers and cocktails on the Meet side before going over to have dinner on The Coup side! I had never been to a strictly vegetarian restaurant before, but was pleasantly surprised at the different types of dishes they offered. The cocktails were great and so was our dinner! Everything was very nicely presented and the service was great! We had a great booth table in the corner which was perfect for a nice girls night out! Overall we all enjoyed our time at Meet and The Coup and we can't wait to go back!
