As founders exit, new owners seek to keep food faves growing

What does it take to keep an Edmonton food institution not only alive but thriving? The owners of Brio Bakery seem to have found the recipe, and the founders of Jack’s Burger Shack hope their successors do, too.

Almost three years after acquiring Brio’s Wîhkwêntôwin location in August of 2023, Milos Cvijanovic and Mateja Jelecebic have opened a second bakery on Whyte Avenue. Expansion wasn’t in their immediate plans, but they got an offer they couldn’t refuse. Longtime fans Paul Blais and Shawna Lindberg from the Blais Realty Group had purchased a building at 9614 82 Avenue NW and wanted Brio to be a part of the space.

The Mill Creek location opened at the end of April, and it has received a positive reception so far. “Lots of regulars are happy they don’t have to cross the river anymore,” Cvijanovic said. “But there are also a lot of new faces. Many people heard about us and now have the chance to come.”

Brio was founded by Todd Barraclough and his wife Sian, who transitioned from being farmers’ market vendors to running a storefront bakery in 2019. Cvijanovic said Todd loved baking bread but did not enjoy running the business itself. “They saw a few people who inquired about the business, and I guess we were a good fit,” Cvijanovic said.

Buying an already operating business appealed to Cvijanovic, who had done the same in 2015 with a catering company called The Second Chef. That business’s vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted him and his wife to diversify, and Brio’s existing fandom was attractive.

“The idea behind owning an existing brand is there is no startup cost of building it from scratch, especially one like Brio with an established clientele,” Cvijanovic said. “You need less capital to start something, but you would need to promote it to bring it to where you want it to be.”

When Brio first changed hands, some regulars were concerned. “Customers were scared of new owners,” Cvijanovic said. “They were worried about nothing being the same. But then they said, ‘You guys are doing the exact same thing.'”

Milos Cvijanovic of Brio Bakery

Tu Le is hoping for a similarly smooth transition with Jack’s Burger Shack. He’s confident in what the restaurant he started with his brother Ninh has to offer, and he still strongly believes in the Edmonton market.

“Someone could take it to the next level,” Le said. “I see what’s happening in the city right now. If it was 10 years ago, if I was 10 years younger, we would have four more Jack’s. I believe that Edmonton could be a food destination. There is untapped potential here.”

In December, the Le brothers listed the Edmonton and St. Albert locations for sale. After 13 years, Tu is ready to move on so he can spend more time with his family.

“Running a restaurant day to day, it takes every ounce of me,” he said. “I’m here first thing in the morning. I leave while my wife and daughter are eating breakfast, and come back to kiss my kid goodnight. I don’t have anything left for my family at the end of the day.”

Although the business is named after Ninh’s eldest son, the brothers did not want to force their children into the restaurant industry. But Tu emphasized that Jack’s is still performing on an upward trajectory, and it is a great opportunity for the right successor.

“We’ve grown year over year for the last 13 years,” Le said. “That’s why we’re asking so much for the restaurant. If you look at the numbers, you could make the money back in three years. We’ve been very successful and have been lucky to be embraced by the community. When I walk downtown (in Edmonton) and in St. Albert, I see lots of restaurants closing. We haven’t been affected by outside factors.”

Le knows that selling Jack’s means ceding full control to a new owner, but “it would be in their best interest to follow our formula,” he said. “It works.”

Le strongly believes one of the reasons behind the ongoing success of Jack’s is its staff, which he hopes a new owner will retain. “It’s not Tu’s Burger Shack,” Le said. “My employees from Day 1 are as much a part of the business as I am. They run this place while I’m on vacation.”

Tu Le of Jack’s Burger Shack

The beef used at Jack’s for the burgers, sourced from Lakeside Farmstead in Sturgeon County, has also set it apart from competitors.

“We’ve been using Jeff Nonay’s beef for as long as I can remember,” Le said of the family-owned farm. “The quality is so good. Selling the new buyer on that is my job. If you started buying Cargill beef, I would have no control over it, but customers would notice. It’s not worth it.”

When Cvijanovic and his wife took over Brio, they had to decide what to keep and what to change. They have mostly maintained Brio’s bread recipes. “There are formulas for bread that you have to follow,” Cvijanovic laughed.

Brio’s pastry menu, however, has changed significantly. In 2025, Cvijanovic and Jelecebic brought in a pastry chef from New York to consult with the team for one week. This led to improvements to their laminated pastries, such as croissants and pain au chocolat.

“The whole business needed a fresh set of eyes,” Cvijanovic said. “We brought freshness and different ideas into the business.”

The couple also introduced new items to the menu, such as opera cake, matcha rolls, and choux pastry. Cvijanovic credits these additions to the staff, most of whom remained after the business changed hands.

“We have staff who have worked in France, Morocco, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Eastern Europe,” he said. “People bring their own little piece, and we incorporate it into production.”

Openings

• The long-awaited brunch and lunch spot Solar, from the folks behind Cask and Barrel and Rocky Mountain Icehouse, is now open. Find it at 10357 Jasper Avenue NW.
• Shree Restaurant has opened its third location in Edmonton. It is located downtown in Edmonton City Centre Mall.
• Chain King Burrito has opened a location in Edmonton City Centre Mall.
• Ramona’s Pizza has two locations in Grande Prairie, and just expanded to St. Albert. Find it at 420, 1115 St. Albert Trail.
• Marshy Mallows, offering gourmet marshmallows and s’mores, is now open at #106, 8115 Gateway Boulevard.
• Mini pancake purveyor Moons will be opening soon in West Edmonton Mall.
• International chain 6ixtywings opened its first location in Alberta in Sherwood Park, 590 Baseline Road, Unit 290. It looks like a second location is coming soon in west Edmonton.
• Chipotle has also opened a location in Sherwood Park, 7000 Emerald Drive, Suite 600.

Closures

• YEG Smoked Meats will be closing on June 27. I will be sad to see them go – their pepperoni and sausage have become family favourites. Wishing them the best in retirement!
• Chai Coffee Day closed on May 30, bested by the surrounding construction.
• The Edmonton location of Little Kitchen Academy closed on May 20.

Upcoming Events

• Heart of the City Festival returns to Giovanni Caboto Park on June 6, and will include free Caribbean cuisine and bannock.

Local News

• Jesus Gonzalez, the founder of Paraiso Tropical Latin Market, has passed away.
• Little BonBon in Chinatown will be re-opening for the summer on June 6.
• Moon Cafe & Pizza (which took over the former space of Swiss2Go), is rebranding to Buon Appetito Pizzeria.
• You know I love a good collaboration: Flirt Cupcakes and Yelo’d worked to create an ube ice cream with birthday cake chunks mixed in.
• Edify highlighted Gathr Cafe & Lounge, and a round-up of the Happy Beer Street breweries.
• Erika Eats Everything reviewed ch.Cafeteria.
• Chicago-based rapper Blvck Svm returned to Edmonton after filming a music video at RGE RD in 2024. He spoke to Edmonton AM about the inspiration.
• The Strathcona County Food Bank is seeking donations for their birthday bags, which include cake mix and icing. The requests for the bags have increased to 8-10 per week.

What I Ate

• A friend and I had dinner at Mexican restaurant Juana Ines. The meal had great bookends – I enjoyed the margarita and we both would return for the delectable tres leches cake. The mole enchiladas were okay, but the chicken did really need the sauce.

Margherita from Juana Ines

• I picked up a salad from KB & Co. before a volunteer shift at the Where We Came From Exhibit, by Chung Ta Cung Nhau (there are only a few more dates to check it out). Even a few years ago, it was inconceivable to me that I would ever crave a salad…but here we are.

Sweet citrus greens from KB &Co.

• Emily and I had a blast returning to volunteer for the Edmonton International Cat Fest, and continuing our tradition of enjoying our Butta La Pasta during our shift.

Butta La Pasta from Takam Market

Openings

• RJ Tasty Bites, a Filipino restaurant, continues to grow, with their third location now open at West Edmonton Mall.
• Another Filipino restaurant, La Mesa is now open, at 4620 99 Street NW (formerly Agora Greek Market).
• Poppy’s, offering coffee and pressed juice, will open in the former Filistix space downtown, 10621 100 Avenue NW.
• Big Wing’s is now open at 10721 124 Street NW (formerly Nuovo Bistro).
• Walker Lake Meats & Pizza’s second location is now open at 16769 71 Street NW.
• The Bread Haus has opened in Fort Saskatchewan, 107-41 West Park Boulevard.

Closures

• Tasty Noodle, a long-standing Chinese restaurant in Edmonton, permanently closed earlier this month.
• Sunterra Market will be closing their location in Commerce Place on May 29. The south Edmonton location will remain open.
• After 8 years in business, Pome Bakery will be closing permanently. Its last day is May 30.

Upcoming Events

• Happy to hear Chinatown After Dark is returning this summer, once a month starting June 27. I am a little sad the event is moving away from the alley, though.

Local News

• HOM will be bringing their south east Asian flavours as a pop-up in Bibo in Old Strathcona starting in June.
• Also in Old Strathcona, New Amsterdam Cafe is hoping the province will allow cannabis to be served in cafes or lounges.
• Open Table released their Top 100 Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in Canada, and two Edmonton restaurants made the list – Campio downtown and Happy and Olive.
• Duchess, in collaboration with Anohka Distillery, has created a single malt cream liqueur, available while bottles last.
• Two vendors at last year’s Edmonton International Beer Festival spoke to CTV News about not being paid for food they sold through the event’s ticketing system.
• Happy fifth birthday to Longroof Brewing!
• Calgary-based Dan Clapson filmed a segment about Edmonton that aired on The Good Stuff with Mary Berg, highlighting Rosewood Foods, The Butchery, and The Confederation Lounge at the Hotel Macdonald.
• Edify wrote a piece about Grey Owl Meadery, located in Alder Flats, Alberta.

What I Ate

• We will soon have tried all of the combo deals from Seven Kitchens – this time we shared the dinner for two, which, with the leftovers, is actually a meal for two for days.

Dinner for two from Seven Kitchens

• It isn’t the first time we’ve picked up a Too Good to Go box from Fawkes Cafe (it is a great value at $6.49), but this one was perhaps the best so far (the brownie was amazing)!

Too Good to Go via Fawkes Cafe

• It has been ages since we’ve been to Route 99 (once upon a time a frequent date spot for us). With a hankering for diner food, Mack and I brought the kids for some pizza and poutine.

Our Route 99 spread

• It is super convenient that a location of Made by Marcus is across the street, with a beautifully spacious patio. It was the perfect place to share a flight of ice cream.

Lemon curd is the family favourite

Openings

• Toronto-based Rosie’s Burgers (serving up smashburgers and milkshakes) is opening up a location in Edmonton in the Brewery District, #108, 11928 104 Avenue NW. It will be their second in Alberta, joining a branch already open in Calgary.
• Brewco Craft Kitchen and Brewery is opening soon at West Edmonton Mall. As the name suggests, it will serve in-house brewed beer.
• Firema promises Edmonton’s “first charcoal shawarma experience”, offering Jordanian flavour. The food truck is parked at 13530 Fort Road NW.
• New Freeze Land is a chain founded in India in 1983, serves grilled sandwiches, cold coffee, and shakes. They opened their first Edmonton location last week at 270 91 Street SW.
• Sangam Social is a new Indian restaurant opening soon in Sherwood Park, at 975 Broadmoor Blvd.
• Ontario-based chain Daal Roti is opening up an Edmonton location at 3645 Gateway Blvd NW.
• Walker Lake Meat Shop is opening a second location, this time on the north side.
• The fifth Chick-Fil-A in the Edmonton region is opening soon in St. Albert, 815 St. Albert Trail, Unit #5A.

Closures

• The Den, the Mercer Warehouse location opened by The Growlery, closed on May 16: “The downtown location has become unsustainable, and we need to focus on the brewery as a whole.” The Den was one of three recipients of the Downtown Retail Project grant in 2023. With its closure, along with Good Goods back in September 2024, Obj3cts is now the only business supported by the grant that remains open.

Upcoming Events

• UFest, Western Canada’s largest Ukrainian Festival, runs May 29-30 in Borden Park. Expect food, entertainment, and vendors.
• Edmonton International BeerFest will be taking place in Churchill Square June 4-9.

Local News

• Kind Ice Cream’s sister location Bestie Ice Cream in Crestwood opened for the season on May 13.
• YEG Exotic, the city’s exotic pop shop, moved to 15003 118 Avenue NW.
• Woodshed Burgers is hosting a gluten-free day on May 20, and The Lingnan is offering a gluten-friendly Chinese buffet on May 28. It’s also worth mentioning that Siu Yeh’s fryers are gluten-free.
• Canadian band The Arkells were in town over the weekend, and enjoyed food at Rosewood during their stop. They shared a glowing post about Rosewood’s food and humanity.
• New Asian Village is celebrating 40 years in business, and was one of the first Indian restaurants that opened in Edmonton. The three daughters of founder Harmeet Kapur each own one of the three current locations.
• Erika Eats Everything reviewed The Colombian.
• Edify rounds up where some food trucks are parked early on this season.
• Explore Edmonton’s Eat Play Laugh pass includes 15 Taste of Edmonton tickets, a 10-day pass to K-Days, and one ticket to the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival. The cost is $59.

Beyond Edmonton

• Dunkin’ Donuts is returning to Canada in late 2026 or early 2027. It officially left the Canadian market in 2018.

What I Ate

• Another work trip down to Calgary meant another fantastic dinner with colleagues, this time at Bridgette Bar. The standouts were the beef ribs with whey polenta and the maple BBQ Alberta rainbow trout.

Beef ribs with whey polenta from Bridgette Bar

• Instead of banh mi for the bus ride home, I was craving a poke bowl, so picked one up at Hula Poke. The tuna portion was pretty good, especially compared with the one from Splash Poke I had a few weeks back.

Ponzu from Hula Poke

• I also stopped in Hey Sugar in Bankers Hall, the first business I’ve encountered close to home where in store, you order and pay on a screen instead of interacting with a staff. Their cupcakes were okay.

Cupcakes from Hey Sugar

• The weather cooperated enough on Monday so we could plant our community garden plot! In addition to our stalwart Sundog Organic tomatoes, the kids picked out corn and zucchini to plant, which we’ve not yet tried in our plot. We will see how it goes.

Here’s to another garden season!

Openings

• The folks behind Great North Cookie Co. in Spruce Grove are opening up an English-inspired sandwich shop called The Ploughman’s Table in that same town. It opens on May 13.
• Made in Palestine, a café and culture shop, is now open at 15166 127 Street NW.
• The Gardens is opening a second location, at 11520 100 Avenue NW (most recently a location of El Taco Loco).
• Leduc is getting their own Montreal-inspired restaurant (hello, Chartier), called Saint Laurent. It will open this fall.
• The Ivy, Sherwood Park’s first tea house, is now open at 110, 200 Festival Lane.
• Lotus Lao & Thai Cuisine hosted their grand opening last week at 309 McLeod Avenue in Spruce Grove.
• Abhinandan Restaurant, serving Indian, Chinese, and Italian food, is now open at 3815 34 Street NW. 
• Spade’s Kitchen & Bar has moved into the revolving door space at 10401 82 Avenue NW.
• ID Donair and Fast Food has opened in the space formerly occupied by Carne Asada downtown, at 10508 Jasper Avenue NW.
• Mr. Halal Burger has opened its fourth location in Edmonton, this time in the south, at 6944 Ellerslie Road SW.

Upcoming Events

• The Downtown Farmers’ Market returns (much to Emily’s delight) this weekend, May 16, and runs until October 10. The duration now mirrors the operation of the previous 104 Street Market.
• Food Justice YEG is hosting a full-day summit on June 10 to mark the end of the Food Security and Food Justice Edmonton project. It is free to attend.
• Taste of Edmonton returns July 16-26. The menus are available to peruse now, with 96 new items. Discounted advance tickets are on sale until July 14.

Local News

• Ramneek Singh, who completed his butter chicken odyssey last year, has started a donair odyssey. The first chapter features Mike’s Donair.
• Those missing the apple fritters from Hazeldean Bakery should rejoice – they can still be found at local markets in Terwillegar and Leduc.
• From Edify – a profile about Onoway’s Prairie Bears Cider, a visit to Bread + Butter Bakery, and a round-up of play cafes.
• CBC created a video profile about enduring restaurant Barb & Ernie’s.
• Leduc Produce Market is expanding into two new retail bays, to open July 1.

Beyond Edmonton

• Shake Shack opened its first Alberta location in Calgary on May 11. It has, not surprisingly, drawn huge lines.

What I Ate

• My Mum requested dinner at Seven Kitchens for Mother’s Day. It was remarkably busier compared to the last time we visited back in March, which is good news, given the construction out front might be worse. It’s hard to think of a restaurant with a better deal than their dinner for four: 5 generously sized dishes (plus spring rolls) for $67.95. We still love the special fried rice and sweet and sour pork., but the beef with mixed vegetables was also great.

Portions galore at Seven Kitchens

• After a date at the Royal Alberta Museum, we walked over to King Noodle House to satisfy my Mother’s Day craving for bun bo hue.

My kids love all the noodles

Openings

• Congratulations to Brio Bakery who has opened its second location. Find it in the French Quarter, 9614 82 Avenue NW.
• Dirty soda shop Sip Soda Co. opened its second location in the Edmonton region, this time in St. Albert (#110, 840 St. Albert Trail).
• Always Coffee will open its second location in Windermere on May 5, at 6070 Andrews Way SW.
• North American chain Punjabi Chaap Corner has opened a location in Edmonton at 1075 Parsons Road SW. All dishes are made with plant-based protein.
• Indian bakery Shree is opening a second location downtown at Edmonton City Centre Mall (10025 102A Avenue NW).
• Dickey’s Barbecue Pit will open its fourth location in the Edmonton area at 5250 Ellerslie Road SW.

Closures

• Transit Smokehouse has been forthcoming about how challenging it has been to stay afloat. They closed that location on May 3, but will be opening at 10732 Whyte Avenue NW soon.
• Canadian chain Basil Box is shutting down all its locations, including its lone Edmonton shop in Edmonton City Centre Mall. Their final day is May 14.

Upcoming Events

• The Old Red Barn’s farm dinners return in June and run to September on select Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
• Save the date for the return of Burger Fest in Downtown Edmonton, running July 2-11.

Local News

• It’s great to see patios open up all over the city, including PlayWright’s (they had to forego patio season last year due to the parkade/street construction)!
• Seasonal restaurants such as smash burger purveyor Shortees at the Rundle Park Golf Course, has also opened for the summer.
• Canada’s 100 Best list was released, and while no Edmonton restaurant made the cut on the restaurant side, Next of Kin landed at #46 on the Best Bars list. Baijiu and Little Hong Kong were recognized with a Best Patio Award, and the Journal interviewed the folks behind that year-round patio.
• On the heels of Woodwork re-opening for lunch earlier this year, The Common has done so too, from Wednesday to Friday. Great to see more lunches coming online downtown!
• The owners of Coast Lunch Box have sold the food truck to focus on Toast Culture and Birch and Bear Pizza.
• Sharon checked out BB2’s all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ.
• Erika checked out CQ Noodle (thanks also for the shout-out of Edmonton Food Faves We Crave!).
• Edify rounds up five sandwiches to try in Edmonton.

What I Ate

• The season of al fresco dining has begun! Mack picked up some Splash Poke for us to enjoy at our local park on Friday. It’s likely there will be many a picnic here with the kids this summer.

Splash Poke in the park

• I met up with a friend at Mr. Bun for lunch on the weekend. It might be a good candidate to satisfy my dumpling and noodle cravings given the unexpected closure of BaoBao (RIP). The xiaolong bao were good, but my favourite of the dishes we tried were the chili oil wontons. I’ll be back.

Chili oil wontons

• Saturday was a spectacular weather day so we took advantage. It felt like half of Edmonton had the same idea to visit the newly re-opened Hawrelak Park that day! After enjoying our Van Loc subs, we walked past Lift Me Up On the Lake to check it out – the line was easily 20 deep for both take-out and separately for indoor seating. It definitely feels like Edmontonians are ready to embrace summer.

Van Loc in the park

• We ended the day with some ice cream from Made by Marcus. That lemon curd blueberry really is something.

Made by Marcus

Openings

• Tiramisu Bistro’s location at Hawrelak Park, called Lift Me Up on the Lake, is now open. It looks like they’ve outfitted more of a formal restaurant, compared with previous tenants.
• Toronto-based Egg Club has opened its first Edmonton location at 10115 100A Street NW.
• Pop-up Big Bear Matcha has moved into a brick-and-mortar storefront at The Hub. It opened on April 26.
• Chenab is a new Pakistani restaurant that opened last week at 3927 106 Street NW.
• Ayco Cafe is opening a second location soon.
• Ardaas Sweets, Taste of Punjab, opens soon at 16777 71 Street NW.
• Another New Frills has opened at 11850 103 Street NW.

Closures

• Italian restaurant Farina in Beaumont will be closing after more two years on May 15.

Upcoming Events

• Alberta Avenue Business Association is hosting a Taco Festival on May 2 for Cinco de Mayo. Judges will be adorning one winner from El Mero Mero, La Patrona, Paraiso Tropical, and La Morenita.
• Food Bike Tours return for another season in Edmonton starting May 2. They offer tours on different dates via bike and on foot, and range from $69-139 per person.
• The Chinatown Transformation Collaborative’s summer Dragon Tours return May 9. Tours and sit-down dinners range from $15-35 per person.
• I love that the FascinAsian Film Festival will have lunch hour screening events that build in a meal option! Check out the three options running May 13-15, with tickets for the lunch-inclusive screenings priced at $25.

Local News

• Sharon posted about Scout’s Coffee and Boba Corner that opened last year at 11650 142 Street NW.
• These chocolates might be short-lived, but Jacek Chocolate Couture is the latest business to offer an Oilers-themed item.
• Edify rounds up 20 meals for under $20, and offers some advice on how to start a cookbook club.
• The Edmonton Riverboat is set to launch for the season on May 7. Chef Shane Loiselle will be revamping the menu: “We’re just trying to up our game every year, using as much local fresh produce and producers as we can, and producing as much stuff on the boat as we can.”
• The finalists for the 2026 Edmonton Tourism Awards have been announced, and include Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market as attraction of the year, and the Dragon Food Tour, Green Onion Cake Man, and the Old Red Barn in the culinary tourism award category. The winners will be announced June 5.

What I Ate

• I finally stopped at Fluffy Bakery while on a walk the other day, and picked up some treats to try. Of the two, Mack’s Oreo cheesecake was the better dessert, and was rich enough for two servings.

Desserts from Fluffy Bakery

• We don’t have reasons to venture north of the Yellowhead very often, so I planned lunch at Turquaz Kebab House when we were in the area. Food and service were fantastic, and our two lunch portions were more than enough for our family of four. The chicken kebab was grilled nicely, but the spices of the kafta kebab made it sing. Our kids especially loved the warm Turkish bread.

Kafta kebab lunch plate from Turquaz

• We had to take advantage of the recent BOGO deal at Dagu, with a couple of bubble tea fiends in our house.

They love bubble tea!

Openings

• Golden Sparrow has partnered with Royal Developments for a new concept called Par & Pour. It will include golf simulators, dining, and an indoor patio. Expect it to open in August.
• Edmonton doesn’t have a great number of restaurants serving Balkan food, so it’s great to see Chevapi King open, at 10425 51 Avenue NW.
• Blue Marlin, a Tunisian seafood restaurant, opened earlier this year at 11909 134 Avenue NW.
• Public Exchange (formerly Central Social Hall’s downtown location) opened last week.
• Orbe Restaurant is opening late spring at 13138 137 Avenue NW, and promises “modern Asian cuisine with global influences.”
• Tupi Acai Bowls has opened their third location in the Edmonton area, adding a shop at 10350 124 Street NW.
• A similar business, Bountiful Farmers’ Market vendor Live Bowl’d (serving up smoothies and smoothie bowls) is expanding with a location on Whyte Avenue.
• The Spot has rebranded back to The Provincial Bar & Lounge and is under new ownership. It is currently undergoing renovations.
• Soban has re-opened in its new location at 8943 82 Avenue NW.
• Quebec-based chain Qing Hua Dumpling opened a location in Edmonton at 708 Tamarack Way NW. They offer many different filling options, including lamb and seafood.
• African grocer Afri Food City will be opening soon at 3333 118 Avenue NW.

Closures

• After ten years, Cookie Crumbs is closing their booth at Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market after April 26. They will remain open at Bountiful Farmers’ Market.
• Phat Boy Cheesesteaks in Sherwood Park closed on April 19.

Upcoming Events

• Best of Brunch YEG runs May 1-31 in support of Meals on Wheels. Participating restaurants will donate $1 from their feature dish to the charity, and diners can vote on their favourite dishes in a number of categories, including best creative brunch and best alternative brunch.

Local News

• It seems over the past two years that there is a movement towards all-you-can-eat models. Baekjeong’s South Edmonton location is the next to adopt this, starting April 15.
• The owners of Rocky Mountain Ice House and Cask & Barrel are continuing their fight against the City’s patio fees. A petition is being circulated to urge Council to pause the fees. So far the petition has nearly 900 signatures. Pub 1905 will keep their patio this year, but may pull the plug in 2027 when fees are expected to increase.
• As you would expect, it is that time of year when Oilers-themed dishes and drinks crop up. Get in the spirit with orange and blue ice cream at Yelo’d and Annie Rue, or similarly-coloured cocktails at Alchemy. Sea Change Brewing has also brought back Joey Moss Man Crush, which raises funds for the Joey Moss Memorial Fund and the Winnifred Stewart Association.
• Edify featured Mojo Jojo Pickles, and checked out Ichiban Japanese Cuisine and Lady Bea’s English Tea House.
• Taproot reported that The Common saw a 20% increase in sales during Downtown Dining Week, and is considering resuming lunch due to the increase in traffic from provincial government workers.
• Bravo to The Colombian, who was #15 on list of The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops.
• Congratulations to Next of Kin for their recognition as one of the Best New International Cocktail Bars in the Spirited Awards.
• Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Culinary Arts Cook-off, which include Babette’s Cookies (a new brand from the folks behind Doughnut Party). The friendly competition raises funds for arts programming at Highlands School.
• Omen Brewing experienced a break-in earlier this month.

What I Ate

• Our family had a brief but rejuvenating staycation in Canmore and Calgary, piggybacking off of a work trip to Calgary. It was great to breathe in the mountain air and explore Canmore for the first time since Emily was a baby. I really enjoyed our visit to Ramen Arashi – great broth and so satisfying.

Ramen Arashi in Canmore

• We had to check out Class Clown Burgers when in Calgary, featured on the last season of Top Chef, and awarded a best new restaurant accolade by Avenue Calgary. They had a great vibe (the 70s-styled rumpus room similar to Shiddy’s in Edmonton), but the flavour of the smashburger just wasn’t as apparent with their loaded-up burgers.

The family at Class Clown Burgers

• By the time I got to Chix Egg Shop (our East Village favourite), I was dying for a salad, something I typically would not order at a diner. But the Olympian cobb exceeded my expectations, with varied textures and  a lemon dressing that sung.

Olympian cobb at Chix Egg Shop

• Dinner with my colleagues took place at Lulu Bar this time, a Hawaiian-inspired restaurant serving Asian fusion cuisine. The udon crisps were addictive, and I appreciated their house-made spam, but it was their fried coconut squid that would bring me back again.

Fried coconut squid at Lulu Bar

• #banhmionthebus accompanied me on my trip home this time, where I was encouraged by this fun CBC video profile to visit Trung Nguyen for the first time. I ordered their most popular satay sub (the beef was delicious), though given the saucy nature of the meat it probably wasn’t the ideal order as it sat unconsumed for longer than it should have.

Combo satay sub from Trung Nguyen

Openings

• Teepee Treats opened last week at their new location, Kakio Studio Cafe, 10219 106 Avenue NW.
• El Cafesito is a new Mexican cafe located at 8111 102 Street NW.
• Always Coffee opened in the former La Prosciutteria space in March at 10906 105 Avenue NW. Always is also planning for a location in Windermere at 6070 Andrews Way SW.
• Pakistani restaurant Khan Kebabs & Karahi relocated to 2619 Ellwood Drive SW, and will re-open on April 7.
• Meat the Bun opened a third location in Edmonton last week at 9919 170 Street NW.
• Soul Fuel Kitchen in Beaumont, serving up fried chicken, pizza, dirty soda, and matcha, is celebrating their grand opening on April 11.
• I’ve had a few people message me about the breakfast sandwiches from Bruin, a weekend pop-up at St. Albert’s Bread Love. It’s been open since December, and has already amassed its share of fans. Looking forward to checking it out!
• A second Edmonton location of BB2 Korean BBQ opens at West Edmonton Mall on April 16.
• Paraiso Tropical had teased a new location earlier this year – they announced last week that their north location will be moving to Manchester Square.
• Dirty soda company Sip Soda Co. announced two additional locations in the Edmonton area (adding to their first in Sherwood Park): Schonsee and Ellerslie.
• A new food truck called Hibachi House Japanese Teppanyaki Grill will be opening on April 17 at The Lodge Inn parking lot, 15540 Stony Plain Road NW.
• The influx of American sandwich chains continue (something I am questioning just with the sheer volume over the past couple of years): this week sees Jimmy John’s enter the Edmonton area market, in Sherwood Park. Find it at 140, 663 Wye Road.
• Dennis Africa and Caribbean Market is now open at 17635 58 Street NW.

Closures

• Blue Chair announced its closure after 22 years in business, and will close permanently April 26.
• Progress means that even old high school haunts have to go – in this case, it means the Boston Pizza on Jasper Avenue and 106 Street, which closed on March 31. Mack and I had many a meal there back in the early ‘aughts.

Upcoming Events

• I love seeing diverse and interesting events, such as this Peruvian Pilipino pop-up at Boa & Hare on May 23-24: “Peru & Philippines share a deep history under the Spanish Empire, and this connection is reflected in both cuisines, which feature similar food concepts and cooking techniques.” Admission tickets are $10 and will be deducted from the diner’s final a la carte bill.

Local News

• Garner Beggs, co-founder of Duchess, announced that he will be stepping away from the bakery for his next chapter. Back in 2022, Beggs’ co-founder Giselle Courteau and her partner Jake Pelletier stepped away from Duchess, and two new partners, Jay Downton and Ewa Jastrzebski (of Little Brick and other businesses) were brought in.
• Japanese restaurant Soban will be relocating away from its Old Strathcona home.
• Edify highlighted some tea blenders and Boa and Hare, known for its matcha.
• Also from Edify, they checked out the KFC at Bonchon and The Coffee Shop in Devon.
• Twice Cream experienced a break-in at their Sherwood Park location over the weekend. Show them some love if you’re able.
• Welcome to no verification reporting: “Edmonton Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market lost half of its customers due to paid parking.”
• Thanks to Culinaire for the shout-out in their April issue, recognizing my twenty years of food reporting.
• It’s so great to see a homegrown brand like Aliya’s Foods Limited, through their Chef Bombay line, continue to grow their success.
• The Italian Centre Shop is readying their second Calgary location at Northland Village Mall.

What I Ate

No Food Notes next week as I will be out of town. But Taproot will have their Food Roundup published as scheduled, so if you need your fix, head over there!

• Mack and I had the time to make a sojourn to the south on the weekend. One stop was cafe Kissa10. I loved the small scale retail spaces around the traffic circle, and the owners have made the most of the pocket space. The Kinako latte was tasty with a subtle sweetness.

Kinako latte from Kissa10

• We also had dinner at JuuKu. We had high expectations given their recent honour, but it is unfortunate that they weren’t met. It wasn’t one particular thing, but many small things added up: the cuts on the ahi tuna were sloppy, the pacing of the dishes was poor, and service varied widely throughout our visit. Of what we tried, the dry aged picanha beef ho fun was our favourite, decadent and tasty. Hopefully it was just an off night.

Beef ho fun from JuuKuu

• We ended our evening at Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co. It was hopping that night! It was so great seeing a range of ages and groups. They also had good dessert choices (the Biscoff milk cake hit the spot), but I will say their lack of caffeine-free options will limit this as a daytime destination only for me in the future.

Dessert from Qamaria

• It’s been much too long since our last visit to Otto, so it was the perfect location for a family dinner with my sister and Jason. The food is consistently delicious, service helpful, and my kids always feel at ease. It’s such a gem.

  

  Otto platter

Openings

• In addition to the recent announcement that District Café will be opening a location in Rice Howard Place, it turns out Fox Burger will also be opening a new spot in the same building.
• The long-awaited new Korean fried chicken spot Bonchon opened last week at 10418 124 Street NW. It is an independent brand not affiliated with any international chain.
• Ararat Cafe & Bakery, serving up Turkish coffee, tea, and pastries, opened last weekend at 4460 Calgary Trail NW.
• Kahve, another Turkish bakery and cafe, opened two weeks prior at 16652 109 Avenue NW.
• Walker Lake Meat Shop opened up a restaurant last week called Ghazal at 957 Tamarack Way.
• The former MilkCrate space in the Epcor Tower will be filled by another location of Hearth and Hive this summer (they took over the Dining Car Cafe last year in the CN Tower).
• An American-based Filipino chain called Valerio’s is opening a location in Edmonton on April 5 at 17522 100 Avenue NW.
• Calgary-based Deville Coffee will be opening up another Edmonton location at Southgate Centre this fall.

Closures

• El Taco Loco, a Spruce Grove taqueria, had opened an Edmonton location back in November. Unfortunately, they have closed it due to an issue with the building manager.

Upcoming Events

• Prelude’s Speakeasy pop-up continue into April and May at Golden Sparrow on Friday nights, and feature cocktails and food pairings.
• Eight Edmonton restaurants are participating in this year’s Taste for Life on April 15. These restaurants will be donating a portion of their sales to HIV Edmonton.

Local News

• Congratulations to Ply Pasarj of Rogue Wave Coffee for his win at the 2026 Canadian Cup Tasters Championships. He will be representing Canada a the World Cup Tasters Championship in Bangkok in May.
• Edify interviewed Chartier’s new executive chef Crystal Higgins about the new tweaks she will be making to the menu.
• Boyle McCauley News reviewed Boa & Hare.
• The St. Albert Gazette highlighted several Edmonton restaurants that serve high tea, including The Art of Cake, Cafe Bel-Air, and Lady Bea’s English Tea House.
• Woodwork will be open for dinner on Sundays starting April 12.
• DoorDash awarded grants to 30 Black-owned and Black-led restaurants in Canada, including $10,000 to Habesha Cravings in Edmonton.
• Top Chef Canada finalist Alex Kim was in Edmonton last week to mentor culinary students at NAIT, where he trained. He is the 2026 Hokanson Chef in Residence, and chatted with CBC RadioActive about his experience.

What I Ate

• I went for lunch with a friend last week at Don’ya Ukraine’s Kitchen. Given the fanfare for their grand re-opening the week before, I was surprised at how slow it was on a weekday. I did enjoy the sampler plate (the salad was the standout for me), and the service was friendly. It’s really probably not Don’ya’s fault that I’m still dreaming about the perfect perogies from Jola’s.

Sampler plate from Don’ya

• My office had a work event catered by Himalayan Village, a Nepalese restaurant with a couple of locations in Edmonton. I hadn’t tried their food before, but based on the paneer and the momos, I will definitely seek out the restaurant on its own!

Momos galore from Himalayan Village

• My sister is in town, so we’ve had some family meals out and about. We took the opportunity to try Chinese restaurant 7-Kitchens, located in the Quarters. It looks like the City’s efforts to make the street look closed and inaccessible to pedestrians with fencing was working, as the restaurant was empty apart from our party during our visit. The kitchen was efficient, and the variety of dishes we tried were tasty and well-priced. Our favourites was the fried rice (great wok hei), and the very crispy sweet and sour pork. Our only criticism is that the long picnic-style tables are not conducive to large groups sharing multiple dishes. Think about giving them some love!

Fried rice from Seven Kitchens

• My family also met for brunch at Old Yale Brewing. Such a large restaurant (over 375 seats) in Beaumont is such a curiosity, but judging by their steady business that day, many have found them. It is a stunning, purpose-built facility, and the games area on the second floor was fun for our kids. The food was okay (the Slept in Sando was not the item to order; Mack’s early riser poutine with tater tots was better). However, my parents were happy with the very economical $10 classic breakfast.

Slept in Sando from Old Yale Brewing

Openings

• Spring Hotpot Restaurant is the newest all-you-can-eat hot pot spot, at 438 Mistatim Way NW. It opened on March 14.
• Vietnamese restaurant Miss Saigon opened its fourth location in Ellerslie, at 5344 Ellerslie Road SW.
• Bonnyville’s Rari-Tea Cafe opened a location in Edmonton at 10524 110 Street NW.

Upcoming Events

• Sorrentino’s is running its 34th annual Garlic Fest in April, which this year will support Sorrentino’s Compassion house. A special menu will be offered at all Sorrentino’s locations, and other special events will be hosted throughout the month.
• Happy fifth birthday to Hungry Zine! In celebration of that milestone, they are hosting a Seeds and Soil fundraiser at Zocalo on April 22. Tickets are $45 and include a picnic box dinner from Jola’s and a non-alcoholic beverage.

Local News

• Local playwright Colin Doyle approached food blogger Ramneek Singh to create a play about his experience compiling his Butter Chicken Odyssey. This play will debut at Workshop West’s Springboards festival, running March 24-29. The play will also run at this summer’s Edmonton Fringe.
• Last week, City Council voted against a motion to rescind fees for medium and large patios, which will be charged starting this summer.
• CBC wrote a story about the growing demand for halal meat in local restaurants, including Korean restaurant Hanjan and Mexican/Salvadorean restaurant El Puerto de Acajutla.
• I love the idea of Alberta Ale Works’ Pint Pals, like “prepaying for your beer tab in advance”, with some additional perks. The company is working on opening the Koselig Pub in Ritchie.
• Fuge Sausage put together a fun “March madness”-style bracket challenge for its sausage offerings. Registration to participate in the showdown ends March 24.
• Edify’s latest episode of its Unfiltered podcast features an interview with Juju Paul of Golden Sparrow, and Ed Donszelmann of Otto.
• Also from Edify – it rounded up some local cafes offering matcha.
• Some restaurants including Eleven Eleven and District Café say that Downtown Dining Week was a boon for them.
• Ohana-ya Japanese restaurant in St. Albert shared that they had a break in last week. Please support them if you are able.

What I Ate

• We didn’t indulge in as many Downtown Dining Week meals this year, but our family did use it as an opportunity to return to Buok again. Service is always so friendly, and there’s something about banchan. Their japchae is my go-to.

Japchae and bibimbap from Buok

• After a date at the museum, Ellie and I walked over to Rosewood Foods for lunch – it’s been some time since I’ve had their pho burger (their special for Downtown Dining Week this year). It is definitely worth seeking out when its on the menu!

Pho burger from Rosewood (and Ellie!)