Openings
- Jinya Ramen Bar, with over 60 locations in the US and Canada, is now open in Edmonton, at 10037 109 Street.
- New bakery Rachael King Bakery is open at 9754 182 Street. The bakery offers a signature African sweet bread that looks tempting!
- Barbecue restaurant The Backyard Smokehouse is opening its first location outside of Toronto in Edmonton. It will be located at 13503 St. Albert Trail NW.
Closures
- Longstanding Beverly donut shop Take 5 closed on September 22. The owners talked to CBC Radioactive.
- Good Goods closed its retail location Downtown.
Upcoming Events
- Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market is hosting a Harvest Festival, September 28-29, with live music, food trucks, family activities, and of course vendors.
- The Great Canadian Finals Rodeo Chili Cook-Off will take place October 2 at the Art Gallery of Alberta. Admission is free, but registration is required.
- Stony Plain Road will be hosting its first Dining Week from October 3-12, in an effort to draw attention to the businesses struggling due to LRT construction.
Local News
- Vagabond Pop-ups is finishing up its summer stint with a close-out party on September 29. I went last week and it was fantastic.
- It’s interesting that a number of restaurants have pivoted or expanded all-you-can-eat buffets recently, with Oceania Grill being the latest to do so. They are extending their seafood buffet to Sundays as well.
- Edify checked out Superior Fish & Chips in Devon.
- Lil’ Wolf chef and owner Shaun Hicks talked to Edmonton AM about his restaurant landing on the long list of of Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants.
- Taproot Edmonton highlighted Eating Edmonton, a 10-episode docuseries that will air on Telus Optik and YouTube starting this week. The series showcases restaurants, the people behind them, and the connection the filmmakers have with those communities.
- Earlier in the week, Earth’s General Store announced that they would close on September 22. Since that post, the current owners shared that, “we have made successful developments with funders. While those conversations remain ongoing, EGS feels we are now in a secure position to accept small individual donations.” The resulting crowdfunding campaign has so far raised almost $24,000 towards the $150,000 needed to keep the store open.
- Sherwood Park businesses Manual Labour Beer Co. partnered with Kobachi to launch a special Japanese lager.
- It’s great to see that Earthware has expanded to Edmonton, offering reusable containers for take-out that can be returned for the deposit through local bottle depots. At present, six restaurants in Edmonton are participating, including Benaras Restaurant, Die Pie, and Vivo.
- MacEwan has produced a new podcast called The Ground Up?, focusing on “alternative food networks” like foraging and community gardens.
Beyond Edmonton
- It is so great to see that the Jasper Park Lodge is re-opening on October 1.
What I Ate
- I had a work lunch at Best Kebab last week and it was great! I’ve mentioned my gap in knowledge of eateries on the north side, so it is not a surprise that I hadn’t yet been, but I will definitely have to go back. The chicken shawarma was fantastic, and I appreciated that pita, and Turkish tea was included in the meal.
Chicken shawarma plate from Best Kebab
- We celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival last week with my parents at Dagu. It is already such a value-driven restaurant, but even more so during their special Mid-Autumn promotion – our meal came up at just over $50 pre-tip for four adults. My kids love the rice noodles (which are bottomless if you dine in), and I find such comfort in their broth.
Crossing the bridge noodles from Dagu
- Mack and I took the kids to one of our favourite haunts, Route 99, last week. It has been some time since we’ve been, but the food and down-to-earth hospitality haven’t changed. We had our usual order of poutine and pizza, and Emily and Ellie loved the idea of having pancakes for dinner.
Our Route 99 staples
Only Here for the Food 