We’re excited to announce The Chophouse is opening a second location in Taber – 5227 – 48 Avenue to be exact.
This expansion has been in the works for a long time, but due to an extensive renovation, we don’t have an opening date quite yet.
But, we do have a building – a building we are very proud of.
Like every other restaurant in the Butte Hospitality family, the new Cattlemen’s will occupy a historic building.
Our newest (oldest) historic building
All three of our current restaurants are housed in buildings with history that reaches back into the foundations of Alberta and Canada. We’ve got restaurants in renovated hotels, the telegraph building and the old Lethbridge water tower.
Each of these buildings played a pivotal part in the history of their city and we are honoured that we have the chance to continue their legacy. Being part of the ongoing culture of Alberta and preserving those places that defined who we are in our infancy really brings a unique sense of authenticity to each of our locations.
This time, we’ll be taking on the renovation of our oldest building yet – the old Imperial Bank building in Taber.
Built over the course of 1912 for the westward expansion of the Eastern Townships Bank, this building has housed many banks over the years. The original bank soon merged with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce which used the space for decades.
Most recently, it was occupied by First Choice Savings, continuing the tradition.
That banking history means it has some very interesting architectural aspects. That starts with the exterior, which is very typical of banks in 1912. It’s built to look grand and solid, which we think it pulls off quite well.
But, more importantly, it still has its vault! We’re not quite sure what to do with it yet, but it will be a fun room to work with.
An introduction to Cattlemen’s Chophouse
Housed in the old Picture butte Hotel (which has quite a history of its own) the Chophouse is our first restaurant – though it wasn’t always called Cattlemen’s. Originally, it shared its name with the hotel that houses it – The Picture Butte Hotel.
But, as Butte Hospitality grew, we decided the restaurant couldn’t sit in the shadow of the hotel anymore. So, we settled on a name that we felt matched both the town and southern Alberta – Cattlemen’s.
Just like the name, we wanted the menu to reflect the people of southern Alberta, from the farmers who’ve worked this land for years, to the immigrants who add to the vibrancy of our culture. So, it features a classic chophouse menu beside world-ranging dishes. But no matter where the recipe comes from, we work with our local partners to source vegetables and meats from southern Alberta.
Want an Alberta steak and a local potato? Look no further. How about carne asada, blackened salmon or our Nepalese sandwich (known as the Tan-which) – we have something for everyone.
Our first second location
Though we’ve created entirely new restaurants, this is the first time we’ve expanded one of our current restaurants to create a second location. So, this is an exciting challenge for us. Our aim is to create the same atmosphere and the same great food and service you can experience at our Picture Butte location in Taber. We don’t quite have a timeline for when that will happen, but if you want to follow along, follow Cattlemen’s on Instagram.