Edmonton Riverfront Patio Is Now Licensed
River Valley Adventure Co. has been operating for nearly a decade in Louise McKinney Park, offering Segway tours and equipment rentals year-round. This year, their patio is now licensed, and can now offer Edmontonians another place to enjoy alcoholic beverages.
Chad Murphy, a Hospitality Consultant working with River Valley Adventure Co., is hopeful that more people will take advantage of what he calls, “the only riverfront patio in Edmonton offering craft Alberta beer, wine and seltzers.” He is particularly proud of their choice to source drinks locally. “[You] will see a rotation in our craft beer, but it will always be Alberta produced craft brews only,” said Murphy. At present, their current offerings include cans from Medicine Hat Brewing Co., Bent Stick Brewing Co., Last Best Brewing & Distilling, Blindman Brewing, and Sea Change Brewing Co.
In addition to alcoholic drinks, River Valley Adventure Co. also brews Sherwood Park-based Roasti Coffee.
Food-wise, they have partnered with The Greenhouse to serve their prepared meat and vegetarian sandwiches. The Greenhouse, led by owner Paul Shufelt, operates restaurants at three city-owned golf courses.
Currently, the patio seats 16, but when restrictions are lifted, they will be able to accommodate up to 28 people. Their hours are also limited at the moment, as they are open 10am-4pm on Monday and Thursday, and from 10am-6pm on the weekends. Murphy indicated that they hope to extend their hours as conditions allow. City-run restrooms are open and available in the adjacent building.
While Segway Tours continue to be their most popularly booked activity, River Valley Adventure Co. has also expanded their rental options to include 5-person inflatable rafts, e-bikes, and side-by-side Surrey Bikes. “We feel that with the introduction of our liquor license and enhanced offerings, that we will open ourselves up to a wider customer base,” said Murphy.
COVID-19-related News
- Fleisch will remain closed to indoor dining until all of their staff have received their second dose and have acquired full immunity.
- Barb & Ernie’s was looking forward to Stage 2 that ushered in indoor dining again.
- Bar Bricco and Uccelino will re-open this week.
Openings
- Wilfred’s will be re-opening this summer with a refreshed menu with a Southern twist. They will also be partnering with Made By Marcus for a dual concept storefront.
- Evario Kitchen + Bar is now open at 950 Parsons Road SW.
- Another location of Joey’s Fish Shack is opening on June 17, 2021 at 2571 17 Street.
Closures
- Food business Nai Nai Mie has decided to close down the business by June 30, 2021. Orders will be accepted until then or when they sell out.
Upcoming Events
- Another Ritchie Food Court is taking place on June 19, 2021 from 11am-3pm at Ritchie Hall (7727 98 Street). Drift, Calle Mexico, Sosyal Scoops, Fox Burger and Go Nuts 4 Donuts.
- Campio Brewing is once again hosting their Campio Summer Markets, every other Saturday until September. The next market runs June 26, 2021 from 11am-4pm.
Local News
- Phil’s latest Best Dishes column focuses on Saint Lucian Squeeze, located at 10140 117 Street (the former Elm Cafe space).
- The latest contributions to EDify’s Best Things to Eat are Izakaya Tomo’s oysters ponzu and aburi saba (recommended by AJA Louden), and the chicken suqaar and sabaayad from Mama Asha Cafe (recommended by MLA Janis Irwin).
- CTV did a story about The Lot, located at 12320 107 Avenue, which features four anchor food tenants alongside a rotating roster of food trucks. It is inspired by similar lots in Portland.
- Father’s Day is coming up on Sunday, and many restaurants are offering barbecue grill packs, including RGE RD, Workshop Eatery, and Pampa.
- Al Fresco on 104 Street has returned for a second summer, featuring vendors, food trucks, and extended patios on 104 Street on Saturdays from 10am-3pm.
- Chef Shane Chartrand, who is The Carrot’s Executive Chef, will be cooking up a BBQ “chef’s table” on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 4:30pm until quantities last.
- Sea Change Brewing is raising funds for the ALS Society of Alberta with Adam’s Pale Ale, donating $1 from each four-pack sold. The beer honours the legacy of Adam Rombough, who passed away from ALS at age 34, and spent the last year of his life raising funds for the ALS Society.
- The Journal highlighted MilkCrate’s mental health initiatives.
- Kind Ice Cream celebrated their second birthday.
- Chop Steakhouse has adopted certification that recognizes sustainable beef practices on all its beef menu items.
- The new Alberta Cares Package from Alberta Food Tours highlights the tastes of Alberta’s forests, fields, and farms. 10% of the profits supports the development of Indigenous tourism in Alberta.
- Former Edmonton Journal food writer Liane Faulder is hosting a culinary tour of Whistler in September through New West Travel.
What I Ate
- We had a great virtual lunch gathering this week with the Taproot Edmonton team. We enjoyed food from Tiffin Fresh Kitchen, perhaps the most efficient fast casual player in #yegdt.
Tiffin take-out
- We satisfied an Ono Poke craving for our Friday night picnic.
Ono Poke picnic
- Emily has had prior exposure to bubble tea, but a venture over the weekend to CoCo may have sealed the deal – she couldn’t get enough of the tapioca pearls!
Drinks from CoCo
- After rescheduling several times, we finally made it to the University of Alberta Botanic Garden to enjoy their Brunch Box offerings alongside my parents. The Freson Bros. mushroom and asiago quiche was tasty, and would have definitely been even better warm, but our favourite was the Chocorrant gruyere and ham croissant. We finished our morning off with a stroll through the gardens. It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday!
Brunch Box at the Botanic Garden
Only Here for the Food 