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2014 was a big year for restaurant openings in Calgary but the timing was much affected by the flood of 2013. With work crews shifting their focus to flood reclamation after June 2013, restaurant development took a back seat for about nine months. So the first half of the year was fairly quiet but many places have opened in just the past few months.

This year there are many fine new restaurants on the list. I think the top three shine brightly with a strong group clustered close behind them. But the top two are so close I’m declaring a tie.

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Here are my picks for the best new restaurants on 2014.

1 (Tie) Black Pig Bistro

825 – 1 Ave. N.E., 403-460-0350

Black Pig Bistro, named after the dark-skinned Spanish porkers that supply fine Iberico ham, is a bright addition to the Bridgeland dining scene. (There are three new Bridgeland eateries on this year’s list.) With chef Alison Bieber (Cucina) running the contemporary Mediterranean kitchen and Larry and Denise Scammell handling service and management, Black Pig seemed like a mature, seasoned restaurant from the start. The addition of chef John Michael MacNeil, formerly of Teatro and married to Bieber, has taken it over the top.