Food Notes for July 11, 2022

Sorellina Coffee to Open Brew Bar in Old Strathcona

Coffee roaster Sorellina Coffee will be opening a café called Sorellina Brew Bar in late July. Italian for “little sister”, Sorellina is an apt name given the company grew from owner Lynsey Hayes’s start at her brother’s business.

“I had been working for my brother Andrew at Roasti Coffee in Sherwood Park as his green coffee buyer for a few years,” said Hayes. “In late 2020 I decided it was time to build a coffee company of my own. My goal was and is still to highlight the work of coffee producers with small farms and unique varietals.”

Hayes set up shop at Roasti and began by selling coffee at a local makers’ market. She soon added an online shop with free local delivery, selling beans with retail partners such as Meuwly’s and Cafe Rista, as well as supplying café clients in the city and beyond.

“You can drink Sorellina Coffee at Awn Kitchen, RGE RD, and The Art of Cake, and on rotation at Farrow Sandwich shops in Edmonton,” said Hayes. “Some of the best multi-roaster cafés in the country also serve Sorellina Coffee on a rotating basis, from Small Victory in Vancouver, to Cortado Tasting Room in Nova Scotia.”

Hayes said she had always envisioned a brick-and-mortar café where she could share her coffees with people. A space in the 124 Street area fell through last year, so she put her plans on hold until her brother approached her with an alternative.

“This spring, he made the decision to really focus on his wholesale clients and his home base roastery in Sherwood Park, so he offered me his Whyte Avenue café,” said Hayes. “I was excited! It’s a great location with so much potential. Secretly, though, I think he just wanted his office back at the roastery.”

With bean roasts cheekily named “90’s Keanu” and “There’s Something About Blanca Maria,” café guests can expect a retro vibe and pop culture throwbacks in the space, Hayes said. But she also aims for the shop to enhance customers’ knowledge about beans and brewing techniques.

“We will not be a typical coffee shop,” said Hayes. “With Sorellina Brew Bar my goal isn’t just to sell cups of coffee and beans. I want to create a fun and interactive experience where anyone can come to learn about our coffees. We will be offering flights of a feature coffee every month where you can taste it prepared three different ways, and your barista will take you through what makes each expression of the coffee unique.”

Hayes said Sorellina will also offer private tasting events, brewing classes, and cocktail takeovers. While coffee will be the focus, the Brew Bar will also serve pastries and baked goods from a few local companies.

Hayes is aiming to open the Brew Bar on July 29, which will allow two of her baristas — Alora Van Diepen and Frederica Danziger — to participate in the Canadian National Brewer’s Cup in Regina on July 20. “We are putting all of our energy and support into them right now,” said Hayes.

When it does open, Hayes invites coffee lovers to come on down. “Whyte Ave. has historically been a place people flock to for fun and excitement, and that definitely will be the case with Sorellina Brew Bar. We are here for a good time!”

Openings

• Tee Pee Treats is celebrating their grand opening at the CO*LAB on July 12, 2022 (9641 102A Avenue).
• Lucky Kitchen is a new restaurant offering all day dim sum, located at 10346 University Avenue.
• Wilhauk Beef Jerky added a third location in the Edmonton area with an outpost at West Edmonton Mall. They also operate in Spruce Grove and Leduc.
• PF Chang’s first Edmonton location is now open in Windermere at 6303 Currents Drive.

Closures

• The Co-Op in Mill Woods Town Centre will close in January.
• Shakers Roadhouse is closing on July 23 due to the Yellowhead expansion.

Upcoming Events

• The Downtown Business Association is hosting four free plant workshops this summer, focusing on local plants and how they are used for healing and wellness in Indigenous culture. The sessions will end with participants making their own tea blend. The workshops will run July 12 and 13 and August 9 and 10.
• The City of Edmonton is hosting a new series of events called Plant & Pulls “where volunteers can participate in both tree planting and weed pulling”. Participants will learn about the urban forest and removal of invasive plants. The events will take place on July 13 and 23, 2022.
• Filistix is hosting a Filipino Street Food event on July 22, 2022 from 11am until sold out at their Downtown location.

Local News

• Taste of Edmonton is returning July 21-31, 2022; one of the participating restaurants, Pampa, previews what to expect from their booth.
• Take 5 is a Beverly institution, and continues to draw customers after more than twenty years.
• The current issue of Modern Luxuria highlights Biera.
• Edify continues sharing some of the Best Things to Eat in the city, which includes the manakeesh from Sunbake Pita Bakery and the brie and blueberry grilled cheese from Rebel Food and Drink.
• Edify also checked out RGE RD’s Larder and recommends the almond rocha from Spruce Grove’s Jack’s Drive-In.
• Sawmill restauranteur Tom Goodchild passed away last week.
• Hansen Distillery created a product to honour its longest staff member called the Pink Josee.
• Steve & Dan’s, prolific fruit and vegetable market vendor, is now offering a Community Supported Agriculture option.
• University of Alberta nutrition experts have created the High Protein Cookbook for Muscle Health During Cancer Treatment, intended to “help people with the disease get enough of the essential nutrient to maintain healthy muscle mass.”
• Edmontonian Dale Desjarlais and a team of volunteers prepares and serves bannock and soup to those in need every two weeks.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• The Edmonton Food Council is recruiting new members. The deadline for applications is August 5, 2022.
• The Little Potato Company broke ground in Leduc on a packaging facility and new Canadian head office last week.

What I Ate

• I had a beautiful belated birthday dinner on Friday at Tzin. Kelsey and her team always knocks it out of the park with such warm service and exceptional food. If you haven’t tried their bacon yet, you’re missing out.

The bacon from Tzin

• We hit up some classic Beverly spots on Saturday, including a stop at Take 5. It’s difficult not to over-order when staring down their doughnut shelves.

One of many treats from Take 5

• We also picked up some sandwiches from Swiss 2 Go. It had been some time since my last visit, but their food is always consistent – made with such care from good ingredients. And their pretzel buns are the best in the city.

Perfect picnic fare from Swiss 2 Go

• We ended our Saturday morning with a tour of the Edmonton Urban Farm, open every Saturday to visitors from 10am-4pm until October 8. The plots were all coming up nicely, and the greenhouses were a neat addition. Emily was thrilled to eat her way through the strawberry patch!

Emily loves strawberries