The local, independent grocery store, in many places, disappeared long ago. So it’s nice to see a Calgary neighbourhood store, The Bownesian Grocer, in the northwest community of Bowness, thriving amidst a landscape of mega chains.

It succeeds, in large part, by offering lots of organic products from area merchants. Here’s just a short list of such vendors: Valbella sausages, Poplar Bluff Organics, Prairie Mill Bread, prairie girl flowers, Winter’s Turkeys, Onigiri Japan sushi, Gemstone Grass Fed Beef and Rock Ridge Dairy.

Tucked into this fair-sized grocery store is a little hot-lunch counter offering chef-produced meals at bargain prices. The fare the day I visited included a pasta dish and shepherd’s pie.

Yes, the meals were in steamer trays (i.e. not made to order). But that didn’t affect the quality of what I ordered: a big slab of meaty, cheesy lasagna.

I asked for a couple of hefty beef and pork meatballs on the side but ended up with a bonus third one. In all, it fed me lunch and supper for a grand total of $9.

So even if you don’t live in Bowness, this is one neighbourhood grocery store that’s well worth checking out.

The Bownesian Grocer
7948 Bowness Road NW, Calgary
Daily 9 am-9 pm 403-288-2988