Tucked away on the First Street S.W. strip in downtown Calgary, Bar Von der Fels is an unassuming casual-upscale wine bar and restaurant with an adventurous approach to wining and dining. The intimate, open concept bar was opened by business partners Thomas Dahlgren and Will Trow, who met through a mutual friend on Instagram and bonded over a shared appreciation for wine.
“We had talked several times about possibly one day doing a wine bar in the city because there were very few – almost none,” Will explains. “[We wanted] something a little more European, and something to make people feel comfortable about trying a bunch of different wines." Will and Thomas started planning their venture at the end of 2015 and officially opened for business in September 2016, later bringing on chef Eric Hendry (formerly the head chef of Model Milk) to handle the kitchen and menu of the operation.
Bar Von der Fels offers Calgarians a more European approach to wine that emphasizes tasting, testing and exploration. The restaurant does not have a by-the-glass wine list and instead encourages patrons to chat with Will and Thomas – as well as to try some suggestions – and (hopefully) taste some wines outside their comfort zones.
“People tend to be very safe when it comes to food and booze. We’re making them feel comfortable in an atmosphere where they’ll get to try things they would otherwise never try,” Will says. “We like to talk to people and get to know what they want and offer options.”
