Openings
- The Druid reopens in the Mercer Warehouse (10363 104 Street NW) on December 18. It joins the Pawn Shop as another former venue re-opening after a decade.
- Hathaway’s Diner opened their third location in the Edmonton area on December 15 at 10141 124 Street NW.
- Pho Hoan Pasteur has opened their sixth location in the Edmonton area in South Park, #950, 3803 Calgary Trail NW.
Local News
- Award-nominated filmmaker Kevin Kossowan has partnered with wine personality Gurvinder Bhatia to produce an online show called I’m Still Hungry. The show celebrates “food, wine, craft beverage, music and arts scene and the significant role they play in the culture, economy and identity of our community.” Episode one is available online, and features Daniel Costa, Little Wolf’s Shaun Hicks, Guru’s Gurjeet Khaira, RGE RD’s Caitlin Fulton, and Cafe Caribbean’s Nadine Lewis and Patricia Ross.
- CTV had a story about the rise of people choosing to gift experiences this holiday season, including cooking classes at Awn Kitchen.
- Deep Freeze returns to 118 Avenue on January 17-18, 2026. The festival is recruiting participants for their perogy and tourtiere challenges. The application deadline is January 10.
- Edify has a round-up of winter patios.
- Alberta Native News profiled chef Shane Chartrand.
- Meuwly’s has launched Scale Kitchens, which offers the rental of commercial kitchen space, as well as The Hub, their pop-up space.
- The latest This is Edmonton podcast focuses on the changes and growth of Edmonton’s Food Bank.
- Chocolatier Colleen Heidecker has written the first of a 5-part book series called The Lagoon Chronicles.
What I Ate
This is likely my last Food Notes for the year, as things wind down for the year. I’ll be posting my yearly wrap-up and reflection in the coming weeks. Thanks for reading, and wishing you a wonderful holiday!
- I had lunch with friends at Zymo last week. I’ve always loved the natural light in that space from its days as Dalla, and Zymo has kept the decor palette neutral to make the most of it. The lunch menu has more Ukrainian options than can be found online, so we were pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the creamy mushroom soup, and appreciated the detail of warmed bread on the side.
Lunch from Zymo
Only Here for the Food 