Sabor Group builds momentum downtown with new concepts
The Sabor Group continues its expansion downtown, with the opening of The Atrium in the summer and Roca by Sabor, forthcoming in 2026.
Sabor’s current focus on projects in the city’s core is anchored by a hope that its owners will one day be able to see downtown vibrant once again. “We had the pleasure of growing up in a downtown that was thriving,” said Sabor Group co-owner Christian Mena.
“We were downtown every day to hang out,” co-owner Lino Oliveira added. “It was very safe. We worked in a restaurant called Bones that used to be next to the space where Sabor is now, so it feels like a privilege to own a business where we spent a lot of time as kids.”
Sabor Group operates Sabor and Bodega downtown, in addition to six other Bodega locations in the Edmonton area and one in Calgary. In August, the duo launched The Atrium, located on the main floor in the newly renovated Revillon Boardwalk Building at 10310 102 Avenue NW. Sabor is housed in the same building complex, but The Atrium has a completely separate kitchen.
Sabor Group had been approached by the building’s owner, Allied Properties, about the idea of operating a full-service café and bistro in the refreshed space (the building changed hands in May 2025 and is now owned by Armco Capital). The concept aligned with Mena and Oliveira’s ambitions to add a more dynamic events space to their business portfolio.
“We were constantly getting requests to host weddings and other events for years,” Mena said. “The idea of having other people catering in the space didn’t appeal to us, so we jumped on the idea.”
The Atrium allows groups to host private events with a minimum spend, but without the more significant expense of buying out Sabor at a 200-person rate for an evening.
Mena is proud of the impact The Atrium will have on downtown. “Just from the event space we’re going to bring in thousands of people. For Christmas, 15,000 people will come to this space alone.” Added Oliveira: “A lot of people who have come have been to Sabor or the area before, but are coming from the outskirts of town. We want them to leave happy and bring other people back.”
Lino Oliveira and Christian Mena at The Atrium
Outside of private events, The Atrium is open for lunch on weekdays and for dinner when the space is available. As well, The Atrium will soon add a daytime café to its operations.
Mena is pleased to offer lunch again (Sabor ceased its lunch service after the pandemic, and Bodega opens at 4pm). Oliveira is embracing the opportunity to flex his culinary horizons beyond the Portuguese and Spanish flavours Sabor and Bodega are known for.
“It is hard to grow and be inspired because 17 years of Sabor has narrowed the menu to the dishes people want,” Oliveira said. “At The Atrium I can create a menu that I can change more often. This is not Portuguese or Spanish. We can still incorporate the flavours but I don’t have to be true to anything. I can draw from other flavours like French and Asian.”
Diners familiar with Sabor’s menu will also notice differences. “Chicken at Sabor is for the person who can’t decide,” Oliveira said. “Here at The Atrium we present it as one of our feature dishes. We do braised meats, more of a French touch. I also reached back to the 80s when I was a kid in the industry and doing comfort food with high end products – we have a pasta with aged cheddar and lobster tail – our version of mac and cheese.”
Oliveira indicated that the menu could change with the seasons, and will be dictated more by what he is able to source through suppliers, such as wagyu beef and Skuna Bay salmon he was recently introduced to.
Oliveira views The Atrium as the ideal stepping stone towards their next project, Roca by Sabor. Announced earlier this year, Sabor Group has partnered with David Hawreluk to operate a restaurant in the Union Bank building at 10053 Jasper Avenue NW. Hawreluk purchased the historic landmark to house his business, Union Financial Corporation, in addition to the restaurant.
“We complement each other,” Oliveira said. “(David’s) passion is infectious. We hit it off because we’re passionate about the (hospitality) industry we’re in.”
Both Oliveira and Mena recognize that Roca by Sabor is the most ambitious project they’ve ever been a part of. Oliveira is concerned about meeting the moment, particularly because he feels the food should match the opulent interior.
“The space itself is luxurious, and they are using materials that are going back to 1910 when it was built,” Oliveira said. “Christian believes in me more than I believe in myself, and it is hard to put yourself at a level you haven’t achieved yet. It’s the only project I’ve ever been scared of. We will be elevating a level of dining that isn’t available in Edmonton. While at Sabor you can eat the whole Sardine, (Roca) is the filling. Sabor is the whole mushroom, (Roca) is the centre.”
It is essential to Oliveira, however, that the refined dining still reflects the core value of Sabor’s vision of good and honest hospitality. “It goes back to our nature at Sabor, we want you to feel like our guest and pamper you instead of feeding you food from a magazine. Nothing wrong with that, but I’ve never been a fan of that kind of dining. You have to cook from the heart because people will figure it out.”
For Mena, Roca by Sabor will be “spectacular”, and is a chance for the duo to cement their standing in Edmonton and continue to rebuild downtown.
“Because of the historic nature of the building, Roca gives us the opportunity for legacy. I feel confident in us, our customers, and what we’ve built. As far as we’re concerned, a city should be judged by its downtown core. We’ve invested in downtown and don’t want to see it regress.”
Openings
- Continental Treat found a new temporary home at 8310 Roper Road, and re-opened on November 8.
- The café in Zocalo, run by the folks behind Dalla, has a name: Zenari’s Little Italy, with a nod to the family’s first restaurant. It opened earlier this month.
- Kissa10, a Japanese-inspired coffee shop, opened at 1643 Towne Centre Blvd. NW.
- Malina Cafe and Bar, the business’ third location, is now open at 10350 124 Street NW (formerly Credo). It serves up coffee and pastries during the day, and transforms into a wine bar with small plates in the evening.
- Kahwa Raw Cafe is a forthcoming Middle Eastern cafe at 180 Mistatim Road NW, opening November 21.
- Hathaway’s Diner is opening a third location in the Edmonton area at 124 Street and 102 Avenue.
- Brunch, Baby! is a “sort of ‘pop-up’ brunch spot” running at Fox Burger’s Westmount location on Fridays-Sundays. It launched on November 7; Edify checked it out.
- The Woodvale Room is the revamped restaurant that opened at the Mill Woods Golf Course, located at 4540 50 Street NW.
- Freson Bros. opened their first stand-alone Mother Dough Bread Co. bakery location at Winterburn Point, 21742 92 Avenue NW.
- Pho King opened their fourth Edmonton location at McConachie Landing, 6526 170 Avenue NW, at the end of October.
- Earth’s Refillery Co-op will be hosting their grand opening on November 22. Find it at 10831 95 Street NW.
- California Pizza Kitchen is opening a location at Southgate Centre this fall.
Closures
Local News
- King Noodle House is selling their family pho recipe to current or potential restaurant owners to keep their pho legacy alive after the proprietors retire.
- Happy first birthday to Fawkes Coffee and Menya Mori!
- Also from Allen Gao from Menya Mori – he taught Elks player Royce Metchie how to make ramen.
- Little BonBon has decided to close for the winter, and hopes to re-open in spring/summer 2026.
- Doughnut Party and Candid Coffee have partnered up – Doughnut Party will be serving up Candid Coffee at its locations (including espresso-based drinks), and Candid will be serving DP’s cinnamon buns on weekends.
- This year’s theme for Duchess Bake Shop’s annual gingerbread house is the Grand Budapest Hotel. Those who donate winter and hygiene items for iHuman Youth Society until December 31 will be entered to win a gingerbread house demolition party.
- CBC’s latest This is Edmonton episode features The Tomato’s Mary Bailey on how inflation and affordability has impacted diners’ choices and the city’s food scene.
- Edify profiled the couple behind Parkland County’s Good Morning Honey.
What I Ate
- Before Emily and I popped over to Toronto, Mack and I stole away for a breakfast date at our local, Rosewood.
Everything’s good at Rosewood
- I finally got to Rita with a friend. The ravioli was the standout, but I think the menu items at Olia are still my favourite among Daniel Costa’s restaurants.
Ravioli from Rita
- Emily and I had a great trip to Toronto! We had some great food, as expected. My sister introduced us to Maha’s, who serves Egyptian brunch. I loved that the menu was vegetarian without the label, and everything was so tasty.
Our Maha’s spread
- We returned to Mildred’s Temple Kitchen (our last visit there saw Emily in a high chair!) and the pancakes were as good as I remembered.
Mile-high pancakes at Mildred’s
Only Here for the Food 