Openings

• Spruce Grove taqueria El Taco Loco is returning to central Edmonton with a second location in the Mercer Warehouse, 10359 104 Street NW. They closed their location in Wîhkwêntôwin back in March due to an issue with the building manager.
• Dessert shop Mellowd opened earlier this month at 10027 167 Street NW.
• Another dessert shop called Sweet Stop also opened in early June at 116, 15277 Castle Down Road.
• Smashburger and pizza shop Idle Kitchen opened back in April inside Big Toy Shop, a motorcycle dealership at 8315 Argyll Road.
• The folks behind Sushi Niwa, which closed in 2024, have returned to open Joon’s in the Rice Howard Place food court.
• Ellerslie is now home to the fifth Amore Pasta location in the Edmonton region, located at 1151 103A Street SW.
• Orbe Restaurant, offering modern Asian cuisine, is opening on July 2 at 13138 137 Avenue NW.
• Chain Aseer Time, offering drinks and sweets, is opening its first Alberta location in Edmonton this fall.
• Chain Marugame Japanese Noodles & Tempura is opening up a location in West Edmonton Mall.

Closures

• PlayWright, located in the Citadel Theatre, has closed after nearly two years, citing “incredibly difficult operating conditions”. Ghostlight, their sister cafe inside the Citadel, remains open.
• After two years, Italian Bakery’s Tesoro has closed their Windermere location. Italian Bakery’s Mercato in St. Albert remains open, as is the Italian Bakery’s flagship Beverly location.
• South Island Pie is closing their 124 Street location after not being able to come to terms with their landlord. Their last day will be July 8, and their pies will continue to be available through Uproot Food Store.
• Warp Speed Bagels, a vendor at Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, is closing at the end of June. Their last day at the market will be June 27.
• Vegan chain Odd Burger is closing its Mayfield location. Its last day will be June 28. The Ellerslie location remains open.

Local News

• The folks behind Whoanuts shared that they have been too busy running sister business Waffle Bird, so are looking for someone who might want to take up the brand in exchange for a percentage of business.
• Teepee Treats was remarking at how quiet its been at their downtown location, especially during Indigenous People’s Month.
• Can you measure a neighbourhood in ice cream? BILD Edmonton Metro thinks so, as CEO Kalen Anderson puts it, ““They emerge in places with a strong public realm, enough residential density to support local businesses, and streets that invite people to slow down and spend time together. In many ways, ice cream has become a surprisingly effective measure of neighbourhood vitality — not just because people love ice cream but because successful ice cream shops often reflect the presence of complete communities around them.”
• The co-founder of Don’ya Ukraine’s Kitchen won the 2026 Junior Chamber International Creative Young Entrepreneur award. To celebrate, the company is launching a protein pierogi.
• Fu’s Repair Shop has a line of t-shirts and tote bags in collaboration with Uniqlo, available at the West Edmonton Mall location.
• Edify profiled Okie Dokie Smokies.
• Erika Eats Everything reviewed Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse.
• The Summer Block Party series on Rice Howard Way is hosting a People’s Choice Food & Drink Competition from June 20-August 31 in the categories of fries, steak, or spritz. Diners can cast votes at six participating restaurants and be entered to win gift cards.
• Fuss Cupcakes shared the footage of their northside location being robbed in the hopes that someone can identify the culprit.
• Mitsoh, a company that makes snacks based on Indigenous knowledge, is significantly scaling up with investment, with products including bison and beef-based products.
• 7 Summit Snacks, an Edmonton-based company, is among ten women–owned small businesses to receive $10,000 from the Mastercard Small Business Fund.

What I Ate

• At my parents’ suggestion, our family headed back for dinner together at 7-Kitchens. Ellie now asks for the “red pineapple dish” aka their sweet and sour pork.

Sweet and sour pork from 7-Kitchens

Openings

• South Indian restaurant Dosa Glory is now open at 9316 34 Avenue NW.
• Multicook Edmonton, which makes frozen Ukrainian food, has opened a second location in the Edmonton region. Find it in Sherwood Park, 800 Broadmoor Blvd., Unit 370.
• Toronto-based HolyShakes, offering sweet treats and milkshakes, opened a second location over the weekend at 965 Tamarack Way NW.
• Live Bowl’d will be opening a new location on June 23 at 10336 Whyte Avenue NW.
• Though I was sad to see Battista’s Calzones close, it is great that a Portuguese bakery called Luso’s Bakery and Bistro will be taking its place at 11745 84 Street NW. I’ve missed Handy Bakery greatly after they closed several years back after the fire.
• Another location of Sicilian Pasta Kitchen will be opening in Griesbach, 9810 137 Avenue NW.
• Afghan and Turkish restaurant Ariana Kitchen is opening soon at 13720 50 Street NW.

Closures

• On the heels of Whisked announcing the end of its residency there, Kommune, a Scandanavian-inspired snack bar, announced its closure. Kommune’s last day was June 15.

Local News

• Epcor’s Glass of the Sask campaign is back, celebrating the quality of Edmonton’s tap water. They’ve once again partnered with local restaurants to try special dishes that use tap water as a key ingredient. The first 50 diners at each restaurant will receive their own Glass of the Sask carafe. First up is Okie Dokie Smokies’ River Valley Grand Slam.
• Congratulations to the winners to the Best of Brunch YEG, a fundraiser put on by Meals on Wheels. High Level Diner, Rosewood Foods, Duggan’s Boundary, and Darling were all recognized in different categories. All participating restaurants donated $1 from feature dishes sold to the charity.
• Eat with Sharon reviewed St. Albert’s Barako Bistro, a modern Filipino-inspired bistro.
• Erika Eats Everything reviewed Dorinku Osaka and XO Bistro + Bar.
• Outdoor patio The Backyard has announced that it is moving after six years in its location on 104 Avenue.
• CBC Beer Columnist Jason Foster talked about the new Entertainment District designation for three breweries on 78 Avenue and 99 Street.

What I Ate

• I forgot to share last week that I tried a new Vietnamese coffee and matcha pop-up called Gu at the Van bLoc Party last week. It was my first time trying a Vietnamese salted coffee – the cream wasn’t overly salty, but it thickened the drink to a point where it was difficult to enjoy. It wasn’t my favourite, but I’d be willing to try something else.

Salted coffee from Gu

• I had lunch with some friends at The Atrium at Sabor (I know I’ve been harping about the construction around Seven Kitchens, but the situation around the Revillon Boardwalk is much worse). Perhaps deterred by construction, it was very quiet at the restaurant that day. It was a shame because the food was again outstanding. I ordered the fish skewers served over paella rice. The sablefish and salmon were perfectly grilled, and the rice was delectably crispy. Consider navigating the external maze and you will be rewarded.

Fish and paella rice from The Atrium

• Saigon Taste has been on our radar for many years, and we finally checked it out for the first time last week. I only realized after stepping inside that they had moved into the former Wild Tangerine space, where I have many fond memories. Thankfully Saigon Taste lived up to those memories, through a combination of their cute interior (I loved their artistic depictions of their food on their walls and menu), good service, and solid food. Their banh khot were crispy and delicious – I only wished for more lettuce to accompany the pancakes. My family enjoyed our other dishes, and left with portions packed for lunch. We will definitely be back again!

Banh khot from Saigon Taste

Openings

• Station Park is playing host to another food hall, this time curated by its developers, Beljan. It will coalesce around a limited time theme which will change again in the future. The first theme is Japan, and will involve five local restaurants: Dorinku, Japonais, Menya Mori, Pablo Cheese Tart, and Hello Mochi. It opens on June 11 at 8115 Gateway Blvd NW.
• Middle Child Burger, a pop-up burger shop open until September, is now open at 12618 152 Avenue NW.
• Edmonton has another sushi omakase restaurant, called Sushi Bar Goshen, at 2846 James Mowatt Trail SW.
• EMRLD is a new restaurant and cocktail bar downtown, at 11026 Jasper Avenue NW.
• Off the Record Cafe opened June 1 at 10011 102 Avenue NW. It’s been a challenging location for previous tenants, so hopefully they can make it work.
• Ayco’s second location is nearly open at 14213 103 Avenue.
• House of Fork, a new restaurant in Chapelle, is now open at 6439 Cartmell Place SW.
• The Heart & Plate opened back in March in the Stadium area, at 8157 112 Avenue NW.
• Zaab Thai is now open at 9142 23 Avenue NW (formerly Loma House).
• BC-based chain Yummy Slice will be opening its first Edmonton-area location in Fort Saskatchewan.

Closures

• Long-time Indian restaurant Khazana announced its permanent closure last week, of both its downtown and Windermere locations. The owners say the years-long construction around the downtown location was the ultimate cause of their closure.

Upcoming Events

• Don’ya Ukraine’s Kitchen is honouring the connections between Indigenous and Ukrainian communities with a celebration on June 18 in Beaver Hills House Park.
• Vagabond’s next pop-up will feature sourdough pizza on June 27-28.

Local News

• Congratulations to the Chinatown Transformation Collaborative’s Dragon Tours, which won the culinary tourism award at the 2026 Edmonton Tourism Awards.
• The Alberta Food Processors Association also recognized winners last week at the 2026 Alberta Food & Beverage Awards. Edmonton winners included Green Onion Cake Man, Bae Food Group, Crust Craft, and Uncle Hemmy BBQ.
• Whisked is no longer serving at Kommune, because its founder will be heading to Japan to learn more about matcha. Whisked will partner with local coffee shops for their matcha in the meantime.
• Edify profiled Patricia Street Deli.
• Upper Crust is commemorating 40 years in business!
• Happy 5th birthday to Candid Coffee Roasters (and 1st birthday to its Highlands location).
• Bar Trove is also celebrating its first birthday.
• Flat Boy Burger is expanding to Calgary!
• West Block in Glenora is offering digital offers to redeem during the summer, including at all of their food and drink purveyors.
• Modern Luxuria is currently soliciting nominations for its Awards of Excellence, which include categories of cuisine and drinks.

What I Ate

• It was my final #banhmionthebus last week, as my Calgary travels have now come to an end. It was a good excuse to try a sub from Banh Mi Diddy. The bread was great (they bake it in-house), and I liked the fillings, but the relatively small size compared to its Chinatown compatriots was jarring.

Classic cold cut from Banh Mi Diddy

• I continued my Vietnamese cuisine theme into dinner, where I returned to Lai Rai for some comfort food. The banh kuot were so crispy and delicious, and almost worth a trip to Calgary on their own.

Banh kuot and pho from Lai Rai

• We’ve been so spoiled with our group dinners that it sounds ungrateful to complain about our meal at Centini’s in Calgary. But after so many amazing small plates restaurants, the old school nature of the meal (down to the warm chocolate lava cake for dessert), was a bit disappointing. That said, I am so grateful for a program that allowed me to meet so many smart and passionate leaders (you know who you are!).

Spinach and ricotta ravioli from Centini’s

• My family joined me in Calgary to celebrate – we had to revisit a long-time favourite in Blue Star Diner.

Breakfast burrito from Blue Star Diner

• Mack had tried Connie and John’s Pizza before, but it was a first for me. They make a solid NY-style pie (though I wouldn’t expect anything less from the duo).

Half John’s pepperoni & half formaggio the grate pizza

• And we promised the kids ice cream before we departed the city, and ice cream they got – I think I converted Emily to the salted caramel at Village Ice Cream.

We love ice cream

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 Jelecevic 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 Jelecevic 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