Openings
- Mazesoba chain Kokoro Mazesoba opened its first Edmonton location at 11145 84 Avenue NW.
- The folks behind Iconoclast, who just launched a restaurant called Lovesong, are soon opening a cheese retail shop in the OEX 2 called Tiny’s Cheese Shop at 103, 12017 102 Avenue NW.
- It looks like Cook Country Saloon will be offering a “whole new Cook County experience” with Cook County Steakhouse, opening on September 20.
- Amore Pasta opened its fourth location in the Edmonton area, this time in Leduc at 5411 Discovery Way. They also promise a fifth location coming soon.
- Gratitude Coffee announced that their current location will close on September 14, and their new, larger location at 151, 897 Pembina Road will open by September 27.
- Indian restaurant Maharani celebrated their grand opening at the end of August. It is located at 6453 Cartmell Place SW.
Closures
- Beer Revolution in Unity Square closed on September 7. The message cryptically mentions, “While we say goodbye to Beer Revolution we aren’t leaving the building. Stay tuned for what we have planned.”
Upcoming Events
- The St. Albert Downtown Business Association kicked off Dine & Shop Week, September 8-13. Participating businesses, including restaurants and cafes, are offering special menus and promotions.
- AsiaFest returns to the Currents of Windermere September 12-14 with over 90 vendors this year.
- Bacon Day 2025, raising funds for MS Canada, returns to Hayloft Steak + Fish on September 26, 2025. Tickets start at $122.35 and include a pig roast, charcuterie table, appetizers, and entertainment.
Local News
- I am not sure why it is happening, but it feels like I am sharing news of break-ins/store damage on a weekly basis. This week, White Rabbit Ice Cream experienced a break-in at their southside location, in addition to South Island Pie. Support these local businesses if you can.
- DRTY Ice Cream shared that someone removed their pride sticker from their storefront window; but they shared that they will be replacing it and then some!
- Edify feasted on the Italian offerings at Nero.
- Happy first birthday to Hathaway’s Diner in St. Albert.
- Congratulations to Scott Downey and Jill Fonteyne, the couple behind The Butternut Tree (and The Marc) who tied the knot!
- Sarah Proudlock, aka The Tea Girl posted on her blog about the global matcha shortage. I learned a lot from her for my piece about matcha, but some of it did not make the cut with a local-focused lens.
- The latest episode of the Edmonton Community Foundation’s Well Endowed Podcast spotlights the Edmonton Public School Foundation’s Top Up for Tummies. It is a program to complement school nutrition support.
What I Ate
- I met up with a friend for lunch at BaoBao. It was my first time ordering the wonton soup – the chili oil on the table was needed for a punch of flavour, but we both enjoyed the pan-fried soup dumplings.
Wonton soup from BaoBao
- Mack and I were able to hit up a couple of new restaurants this weekend, including Lovesong. A private party deterred our ability to sit on the rooftop party, but we were soothed by the charming décor and air conditioning. We shared a couple of plates, but particularly enjoyed the green pea fritters with red beet yogurt.
Green pea fritters from Lovesong
- We also checked out The Atrium at Sabor, which, especially on that night with a live pianist (planned for Fridays and Saturdays), felt like a hotel lobby bar. The food, as expected, was stellar – we loved the tuna tartare, and the Iberico black pork meatballs were so satisfying. The service was also top notch. It is so great to see new life brought into the historic building.
The Atrium’s Iberico black pork meatballs
- Our family finally made it out to a Thursday 124 Street Grand Market this season! Ellie is a touch young for their fantastic Tiny Beans program, but the staff were kind enough to include her. She was thrilled with her fruit box from Steve and Dan’s. Quintessential summer.
Ellie with her fruit prize
Only Here for the Food 