Unsurprisingly, Calgary has historically not had a robust seafood culture. Even though fresh and frozen fish can get just about anywhere with an overnight flight, dedicated seafood restaurants have long been relatively scarce in these parts and many of us are at a loss as to how to cook the fruits of the sea. Even if we know where to source good branzino or Icelandic cod, properly cooking the stuff is a mystery to many Albertans raised nowhere near the sea.
For years (over 100, in fact), Billingsgate Seafood Market was Calgary’s go-to for fish, with the shop moving between several locations around town, landing at Crossroads Market for its final iteration. When Billingsgate owner Bryan Fallwell — who was as beloved for his personality as he was for his knowledge of fish — passed away this spring, his family decided to let go of the shop. His legacy lives on, though, with North Sea Fish and Farms now installed in Billingsgate’s old market stall.
North Sea Fish and Farms also has a long history in Calgary — the company dates back more than 50 years, first as an independent business before being acquired by the Joey’s Group in 1999. For most of its life, North Sea has largely operated as a food service company, providing fish and seafood to restaurants, adding other meats and food items into the mix as it added “Farms” to its name. While North Sea had a small shop at its industrial location, the restaurant biz was its bread and butter.
Of course, that changed onc.
