Divino Wine & Cheese Bistro

“We have over 500 wines in our cellar,” says Divino Wine & Cheese Bistro manager Greg Metcalf, smiling as he shows off the stone-and-mortar construction of the basement wine cellar and private function room. Among this banquet room's many distinguished bottles, the pun in the restaurant's name becomes apparent.

A certified sommelier, Greg is skilled at pairing wines with dishes on Divino’s French- and Italian-inspired menu. The restaurant’s award-winning wine list is curated by acclaimed wine director Brad Royale. “You can go from a $38 to a $2,500 bottle of wine," he says. "People come in from New York and L.A. and ask, ‘How do you guys have this wine?’” Patrons certainly have plenty of choices by the bottle or glass, should they want something to accompany their gourmet cheese plate or dinner entree.

Situated on the South side of Stephen Avenue Walk, the three-level Divino building with its New York-style bistro decor  holds lots of local history. The sandstone building housed the Calgary Wine & Spirit Company in the early 1900s, a fact not lost on Divino’s owners, Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts (CRMR). On its second floor, it also hosts private events in its aptly named Wine and Spirits Room.