Openings
- Alternate Route Coffee has launched a coffee bar in Leduc County’s Business Entrepreneur Centre, open every Thursday and Friday alongside Chartier’s Mother Bakery. It is located at 606 18 Avenue, Nisku.
- Fuzion Donuts is building out their second location, to be found at 12866 97 Street.
Closures
- Community Taps + Pizza is closing on October 18.
Upcoming Events
- The annual Edmonton Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Fest returns to the Edmonton Convention Centre on November 3-4, 2023. General admission tickets start at $35.68.
Local News
- On the heels of The Common re-offering lunch on Thursdays and Fridays, Bundok also announced that they will be resuming lunch service on October 25. It’s great to see these small signs of growth in the right direction downtown.
- Speaking of downtown, four small businesses, including The Growlery Beer Co., and Good Goods, were chosen by the Downtown Business Association to receive grants of up to $250,000 to open up locations downtown. Specific location details or timelines have yet to be announced.
- Congratulations to the winners of the Edmonton qualifier of the Great Kitchen Party: JP Dublado of Red Deer Resort and Casino won gold, silver went to Winnie Chen of Fu’s Repair Shop, and Bri Campbell took home the bronze and the People’s Choice award. Dublado will be representing Edmonton in the finals in Ottawa in February.
- After seven years, the owners of Hansen Distillery have put their business up for sale: “we can no longer devote the same time and energy to our business that it deserves, without compromising our values and our time with our family.” No changes to hours or products will take place while the distillery is up for sale.
- Northern Chicken’s 104 Street location had their window broken this week.
- Edify checked out Links Woodfire Sausage Co. in St. Albert.
- Happy fifth birthday to Roasti Coffee!
- John Lance has joined the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald as its new executive chef.
- It’s hard to believe Jacek Chocolate Couture has been making their popular advent calendars for a decade! They are now available for pre-order, and are guaranteed to sell out.
- The Local Good, which in its time had organized Green Drinks and the Resilience Festival, has decided to dissolve the organization after 16 years.
Urban Agriculture and Farming
- Elmwood School is the first elementary in Edmonton to hire a gardener-in-residence.
- Alberta pumpkin growers had to persevere through dry conditions this year.
What I Ate
- I stopped by Happy and Olive while in the neighbourhood and picked up their caramel apple pop tart. It was as good as it looked.
Caramel apple pop tart from Happy and Olive
- We satisfied a craving for Chinese food with take-out from Spirit Bistro on the weekend. We had loads of leftovers, which always makes me happy.
Take-out from Spirit Bistro
- The Italian Centre was bustling when Su and I met up for an early dinner on Saturday before an event. Their Il Capo pizza, with bechamel, roasted potatoes, smoked pancetta, leeks, mozzarella, and honey was so tasty.
Il Capo pizza from the Italian Centre
- Su and I attended Lit Fest’s Food Matters event, held at Zocalo this year. The greenhouse was a lovely and unique venue, with twinkly lights over the bistro tables. We listened to Twyla Campbell and Dan Clapson speak about the process behind their cookbook Prairie, while we noshed on some of their recipes, including a rice casserole called kuppershnuck, and a vegetarian tourtiere prepared by chef Steve Brochu of MilkCrate. Tickets to LitFest’s A Brunch of Writers on October 22 are still on sale.
Bites from Prairie
Only Here for the Food 