Openings
- Be Coffee is a new coffee shop now open at Century Park (11025 26 Avenue, #1004).
- Latin American food truck Sabor de Los Andes has opened up a brick and mortar storefront at 10985 127 Street. They celebrated their grand opening on April 28.
- Northsiders, rejoice! There are relatively few independent food and hospitality openings north of Yellowhead Trail, especially when compared with south Edmonton (and in the last year, in the areas of Windermere and Ellerslie). But Boxcar Coffee Shop is one to celebrate, located in Calder (11926 129 Avenue). They are opening this summer.
- Ottawa-based Maverick’s Donut Company has opened an Edmonton outpost at 9732 Ellerslie Road SW.
- Nisku-based Rig Hand Distillery has expanded their location and will be opening a bar, general store, and dining room this spring/summer.
Upcoming Events
- ByBlacks Restaurant Week 2023 Spring Edition runs May 15-21, 2023. It is “a week-long celebration of delicious food, vibrant culture, and community where you’ll get to experience the rich diversity of Black-Canadian cuisine and highlight the exceptional culinary talent of Black chefs across Canada.” Three Edmonton-area restaurants are participating (who were all also a part of the recent Feed the Soul Dining Week): Flava Cafe, Sauce Modern Caribbean Cuisine, and Travelling Dishes.
- Phat Bar is hosting a wine and dessert pairing event on May 26. Tickets are $54.58 and include 5 pairings.
- La Mano, a Calgary-based pasta meal kit service, is hosting a pop-up at Dalla Tavola Zenari on May 28. Tickets for the 7-course dinner are $110 for food only, with wine pairings extra.
- The Leduc Coffee Shop is coordinating a Taste of Leduc, from June 5-11, 2023. Businesses are not yet confirmed.
Local News
- There is one week left to order St. Viateur Bagels as a part of the fundraiser for B’Nai Brith Youth Organization. They’re close to 900 dozen so far, but are hoping to reach 1,440 dozen. The deadline to order is May 22.
- Edify checked out the ramen at Yutaka in Old Strathcona.
- The Journal profiled Modest Meats, the butcher shop opened by Jeff Senger. It’s curious that the article mentions that “Senger isn’t afraid to name names when talking about commodification, and he’s open about calling out outfits that he feels are masquerading as artisanal butcher shops” but the article fails to print those names.
- Also from the Journal, they highlight the permanent location of wine bar Darling, and the rebooted Masters of the Foodiverse black box cooking competition.
- Pei Pei Chei Ow has organized a crowdfunding campaign to cover the money they spent to purchase a new oven. So far, they have raised $3,215 towards their $15,000 goal.
- Outdoor farmers’ market season is back! Check the Alberta Farmers’ Market Association for a full list, but notably, Callingwood’s Sunday market has begun, and the Thursday 124 Street Grand Market kicked off last week.
- Congratulations to Hungry Zine who was honoured with the Best New Magazine Award from Alberta Magazines.
- The Edmonton Food Council is recruiting new members. The application deadline is May 31.
What I Ate
- We took my mom out for dinner at Padmanadi (she absolutely loves their rendang). As always, their food and hospitality was top notch.
Part of our Padmanadi spread
- We finally had the chance to visit Sorellina Coffee. Mack used his Coffee Pass, and for the first time at a cafe he has visited on the pass, the entire value of his drink was comped! I also purchased a lemon iced tea, and it was delicious.
Drinks from Sorellina Coffee
- I had a great Mother’s Day with Mack, Emily, and Elizabeth. We had some relaxing time outdoors, complete with a picnic. Splash Poke really hit the spot, and because we didn’t end up eating it right away, the staff were super accommodating and packed the sauces separately for us.
Splash Poke bowls
Only Here for the Food 