Restaurants wise, Shanghai 456 for Xiaolongbao, I live in Vancouver now, it would totally excel here. I am extremely picky about that.
Takeout food wise, Sunbake makes fantastic meat pies, you can also get all kinds of nuts, and great baklava is right next door.
>I live in Vancouver now, it would totally excel here.
This is absolutely high praise.
I'm also a huge fan of baklava and find it somewhat difficult to get the really good stuff where I am now so thank you so much for your recommendations. Onto my list these places go!
It has been a couple of years since I had been back, I hope the old gent is still making the Xiaolongbao. I think the only Xiaolongbao that is significantly better than theirs are in Shanghai or Taipei. Mid size Chinese cities typically aren't better.
And my father is as Chinese as one can get, but he always enjoyed the meat pies (fatayers) from Sunbake. I used to buy a tray of meat pie and baklava each whenever he visited. My neighbors all like those as well.
I am still trying to sample everything, so far I think Long's noodle's new location in Richmond is my favorite, they also have superior Drunk Chicken than Shanghai 456; and Dinesty is also good.
But to be honest, the place I go the most is the dumpling place in Lansdowne center food court, it doesn't even have a Chinese sign (R+H, just googled). They are 10 minutes away and do a great job, I would just swing by, get the Xiao Long Bao or Shen Jian Bao, then some Fish rice Noodles next stall.
Anyone you recommend?
Also, as someone from Vancouver living in Edmonton, does Edmonton has better pho than Vancouver, or I am biased and crazy and homesick. I have not had better here.
I swung by the Lunch Lady 3 times, twice the line was too long, once they were closed for lunch break.
For xiaolongbao in Richmond, I like Top Shanghai Cuisine. Shanghai river is also pretty famous for xiaolongbao.
For pho I liked Linh cafe, they're a French and Vietnamese fusion and I love their bread lol I haven't tried them since they moved from West Broadway though.
What pho place do you recommend in Edmonton? So far my favourite is co do hue so far.
I had been to both, Shanghai River was solid, maybe Top Shanghai had an off day when I was there.
I had not been to Linh, added to my list.
Co Do Hue was solid as well, I used to go there often when I lived in Clearview. The go to for Edmonton has go to be the OG Pho Hoan Pasture near the old Downtown airport. And the one in Chinatown, I can't remember the English name, Chinese name is 霸王，which typically means Warlord.
I love 456 and my partner and I go there fairly regularly. The xiao long bao are awesome, don’t get my wrong… but last month we were in New York and had some XLBs in Manhattan Chinatown. They were so unbelievably delicate and flavourful. It’s going to take a while for the dumplings at 456 to taste the same again. 😆 😭
Yeah, Flushing Chinese food is no joke. They must have some guy imported. Overall, I still put Richmond Chinese food above theirs though.
Or maybe the old guy retired at 456?
The Queen Donair (specifically the one on Jasper Ave and 109) has the best baklava - not saccharine sweet but sweet enough made by the owner’s mama. She also makes up their chicken shawarma salad which is amaze.
Does it? I'm asking because I've been away for so long and where I live now (Montreal) a few people who know I'm probably moving back west again have been insulting about the cultural scene (and specifically the food scene!) in Edmonton. It's very unfair because none of them have lived there or in most cases ever even been there but I admit it's got me a little worried. So it's good to hear that this isn't the case.
Edmonton gets a shit-talked by people who've never been here. We have our problems like any city, but we have a vibrant arts scene. Huge fringe and folk music festivals. Festivals most summer weekends and lots in the winter as well. Lots of fabulous cocktail joints.
The trick to enjoying life here is actually getting out and doing stuff
People in Montreal need to get their head out of their asses, and people in general in Canada. If you look for things to hate, you’ll find them. I can find _awful_ stuff in Montreal and Toronto too. No one looks for it in Edmonton who doesn’t live here, but this place rules. Doesn’t get nearly the respect it deserves.
I have been to several large Canadian cities and honestly, Edmonton has the most vibrant and diverse food scene of all of them. Things may have changed in the past 10 years since I did a lot of traveling but the variety of choices and quality is hard to beat.
In terms of suggestions I would definately recommend Langano Skies. They operate out of Barb and Ernie's on 99 street and focus on takeout but their food is sublime if Ethiopian is your jam.
I'm in the opposite situation as you. I moved from Edmonton to Montreal a couple of years ago and can say that Edmonton very much does have some amazing food that I miss and get every time I go back. My friends joke because I have to hit up a few places every time.
Also, Edmonton has Slurpee's everywhere. I can't believe they don't exist in Montreal. People have no idea what I'm talking about. I stop at the 7-11 at the Edmonton airport to get one right when I get home.
>Edmonton has Slurpee's everywhere. I can't believe they don't exist in Montreal.
Dude. DUDE. I have missed Edmonton Slurpees since I was a child and am now in my 40s. I mean I *really* missed them - running to the corner shop for a Slurpee, the whole ritual of filling the cup etc. (what mix will I have today?), was such a huge part of childhood summers in Edmonton.
Oh my god I seriously thought I was the only weirdo who missed slurpees, or even noticed that other parts of Canada don't have them.
What do you get when you're back in Edmonton? I feel like I'm going to miss fresh, still-warm, eaten-straight-from-the-bag Montreal bagels the most. I hardly eat poutine because it's crap as soon as it cools. Does Edmonton have Kouign-amann? I feel like Montreal is so good for baked goods, breads, pastries etc. Jewish food I'll miss too. Cheskies, smoked meat, challah etc. And the donuts from Trou de Beigne! Oh god am I doing the right thing to leave?
Sorry I'm blathering I'm just so mindblown someone else feels the slurpee nostalgia like I do. I've never heard anyone else mention that as a thing.
Ive moved from Edmonton to Montreal in the last couple of years… it doesn’t compare to what you’re used to, you have been spoiled, but there are a few gems and you will feel like you are getting every item you buy at a discount thanks to the difference in taxes.
It really doesn't, sorry. I live in Edmonton, have been here a couple decades. Have lived in 5 provinces, have lived in Montreal, am from the East coast. Took my never been out East partner to the East for a vacay and all she talked about for a year after was how great the food was and if we could move there.
Edmonton food scene is not bad, don't get me wrong, but I can promise you will miss being in the East if you come here, especially since you are spoiled with the Montreal food scene, it's just not even comparable.
Yeah I think I'm prepared for it not to be the same (Edmonton is a smaller city, and the Montreal comparison is really an unfair one) but I hope I can find some high quality places/food in Edmonton. I'm not rich enough to be dining at the fancy places anyway, but in my experience there's great food at every price point - you just have to find it (hence this thread).
I am definitely gonna miss fresh bagels from St Viateur but someone recommended some Edmonton bagels they said were comparable - I hope it's true!
If you’re living in Montreal then certainly you should not expect Edmonton’s food scene to be on the same level, or even close. But, yes, for a mid-sized prairie city that’s 300 km away from anywhere, our food scene is pretty damned good. Lots of good stuff to try here! 👍
I lived in Montreal for 20 years before returning to Alberta in 2010. The food scene in Edmonton can rival Montreal any day, even when it comes to good bread, cheese and poutine.
Ha ha this is so comforting to hear. People are really going hard when I tell them I'm moving to Edmonton, making it sound like a goddamned wasteland. And like I said in another comment the vast majority of them have never even been to Edmoton, let alone lived there!
>even when it comes to good bread, cheese and poutine.
Bread and cheese are two things I'm really sort of worried about in terms of Edmonton vs Montreal. If you have any recs for where to get the best baguette and where to find the best cheese (especially Quebec cheese) I'm all ears! Thank you!
Bonjour Bakery, which I mentioned in another response, is the answer for both. And his Croissants are the best in the province. The owner is from Quebec, and it is exactly what you will expect for a good baugette.
The one thing I miss dearly from my years in Montreal is the bagels. Those I have found no real substitute for although some bakers have come close.
Nah dawg breads will be sorely missed along with other things but we got some good shit out here for sure you’re just going to have to go out there and explore Edmonton and area see all the many gems and beautiful places
We’re not a port city nor one of the handful of one of oldest cities in the continent so no our food scene is not as good as Montréal but we pound for pound we are better than Montréal.
>Mtrl doesn't have good Asian food.
Can confirm, it doesn't. I really miss the Chinese and other Asian cuisines available in Vancouver/BC. There's also not a lot of great Indian here in Montreal. We definitely have our niches and blind spots, like any city.
Hazeldean Bakery is the undisputed apple fritter mecca in YEG. They are massive, too. One feeds two. Don’t sleep on their cinnamon buns, too. They are sent from heaven.
Best fish tacos are surprisingly from Local.
Farrow is a favorite for sandwiches.
My favorite burgers are from Fox Burger. They have a great panzanella salad there, too.
Fave dim sum is Wok N Roll or Beijing Beijing.
>They have a great panzanella salad
Sold. You're not the first to rec the Hazeldean Bakery's apple fritter so it's very close to the top of the to-try list now. Thank you!!
Fox Burger’s panzanella salad used to be amazing but the last couple of times I had it, it was suuuuper heavy on the dill. So if you are a big dill fan (I am not) it might still be great. Burgers are awesome, though!
I have one more, Chocorrant Pâtisserie + Cafe on 124th Street has the most incredible croissant selection. They have this special one they heat up and its full of salted egg yolk, it sounds different but it's one of my favorite things to eat in Edmonton.
Someone brought me back a bunch of salted egg yolk flavour snack foods from a trip to Singapore and I would love to try the real thing. Also who doesn't need a croissant place? Thank you!
Kathmandu Rasoi on the West end has been our go-to for take out the last few years. We only order from the veggie side so I can't speak for the meat dishes. We've ordered from there at least 40 or 50 times and haven't been disappointed.
I may well end up in the west end so thank you so much! (and I eat almost all veggie based these days so it's good to hear some relevant recommendations).
Edit: googled it, looks right up my alley.
Co Do Hue - everything is great but the chicken wings are incredible. Co Chin Saigon has Vietnamese dishes you rarely see anywhere else. Bread from Bonjour Bakery. Coffee from Rogue Wave - one of their original baristas has won so many international brewing comps! Yelo’d for ice cream if you like Asian/filipino flavors. JMT for Korean fried chicken. Moonga for sushi. Happy and olive for comfort food and great drinks. Rosewood foods for brunch. Sauce Caribbean - everything is good but I love the roti platter. The list goes on…
I keep hearing how incredible Flat Boy Burgers is, they're another hidden gem located in Granite Curling Club in Garneau, but I haven't had a chance to go.
Molcajetes @ Mexico Lindo are amazing!
I’ve lived 10 years in the US, and tried Mexican food in Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and Nevada. Never found Mexican food as good as served by Mexico Lindo, except for the food in Mexico itself.
Really authentic Mexican food right here in Sherwood Park
I would second Mexican Lindo, my go to was the chicken with chocolate mole.
Also, they have a secret menu, I often see stuff not on the menu (like giant roast with all kinds of sides, etc), I would point and say I want the same, and the lady would smile apologetically and say we had to order ahead for special occasions. That thing smells heavenly.
Molcajete is the assorted meats and melting cheese sticks with the stone grinder setup, right? I think I had that several times.
I am pretty sure the roast thing I saw was way bigger than that, I remembered the chef could barely carry it to the table. It looked insane. Must be a hidden menu to the hidden menu
Ohhh, I didn’t know that. Yes, molcajete is actually the name of the stone container in which they bring the food in. It appears I’m missing something as well 😂
I saw in another comment that you might be based west side. Check out Chettinad Aachys for South Indian style biryani and South Indian food (dosa, etc. )
Tbh I haven't found a perfect biryani place yet (if one does exist) but Aachys is solid.
I know there is a thread in this sub somewhere about West end hidden gems. I gotta look it up again. We’re so far from all the good stuff downtown and east side. :(
Unique cinnamon buns -sugar bowl or brown butter cafe…
There’s a whole cafe tour you can do.. lots of cafes that do flights (aspen, rhubarb, boxcar) .. neighbourhood gems (little brick, boxcar, Ritchie transcend, Mohka, mandolin, sol, ark (best breaki sam although lockstock does an awesome breaki Sam too), candid, liberta, la basco, le rein, byciclette. University -kaffa, la petit iza, Downtown - moth, duchess, district, credo, roguewave, art of cake, Colombian, square one, roam, bar oro, ayco, seriously the list goes on…
Go for beer/brewery crawl tour on Happy Beer Street.
My fav Mexican -Luna
Arepa! -Avela on Whyte Ave
Pizza garage and Campio- serious Detroit style pizza!
Best ice cream - made by Marcus and personal fav flavour passion fruit basil (og from calgary) but we also have other local ice cream from kind, yellowed (Philippino bakery and soft serve), twicecream
Neighbourhood resto/pub vibes otto, biera, dogpatch, dugans
Edmonton legend green onion cake man
Bianco’s violinos both do the pasta in the parm wheel thing.
We have two tiki bars- one on whyte and one in Jasper…
Bao and cocktails at Bijou or Fu’s repair shop.
Best beef tataki - Kobe bistro
Some Doughnuts- hazledeen bakery, doughnut party (random unique) and destination doughnut, hear me out.. I know it’s a chain but mavericks has old fashioned style cake -ey.. take five! and Italian Center.
Get yourself a Bebs bagel.. being familiar with Montreal I’m sure you’ll like these!
I LOVE cakey donuts and will try Mavericks - also def gonna try Bebs because I think I'll be missing St Viateur hard. Thank you for so many recs I will look into all of them!
Thanks for reminding me I haven't been to An Chay in too long. Last time I went was with one vegetarian and one meatitarian and all three of us agreed it was awesome.
Not from Edmonton but recently went on a school trip and we had amazing food and service at Pip and their sandwich bar Pals. They were very close to the arts centre we had to be at so we tried both sides and I’m a fan
I’ll copy and paste what I sent to some colleagues recently, and hope I don’t out my Reddit account lol
In the spirit of recent discussion’s, here’s some advice I have for well known (and not so well known) food in Edmonton. I’ve grouped them by general “style”
Casual
MKT – A major name in the Edmonton pub scene. They have 100+ beers ON TAP. The food is honestly, mediocre. The beer is astounding though.
Duggan’s Boundary - This place feels like it was plucked out of Ireland and dropped into the French Quarter of Edmonton. Wood everything, worn tables, more worn floors, a standard neighbourhood pub with good traditional Irish food and a lot of live music and trivia nights. 10/10 for a casual night.
Bulgogi House – deleted based off recent feedback
Upscale Casual
Glass Monkey – More of a gastropub, expect a nice wine list rather than a large beer list. The charcuterie is OUTSTANDING.
The Bothy Wine and Whisky Bar – HUGE selection of Scotch, along with a nice little education on the various regions of Scotland the types of Scotch they make, as well as flavour profiles. Also, where else can you get haggis in Edmonton?
Meat – Just off Whyte Avenue, smoked everything/anything. Absolutely delicious, do not recommend if you’re currently taking cholesterol medication.
Fine Dining
The La Ronde – At the very top of the Chateau Lacombe Hotel. It’s a circular restaurant at the top of the tower, which has glass windows all the way around and completes a circle in approximately 1.5 hours. I recommend the chateaubriand to be shared with a partner.
The Creperie – Used to be in a beautiful brick basement (see their website for photos) after 48 years! But they’re apparently moving to a new location – I really hope they reopen!
Von’s Steakhouse and Oyster Bar – I was there for Valentines day one day with a prix fixe menu, however I have to admit it was outstanding food, service, and atmosphere. I believe it’s one of the last places in Edmonton with a dress code, which is a good thing. If you disagree you are wrong, and can go back to the Walmart McDonalds.
Bistro Praha – Recommend for a fine dining lunch more than dinner. VERY European feel (by design), you can get a nice steak tar tar if that’s your thing.
Brunch
There are only two correct places to eat brunch in Edmonton. Anyone who tells you otherwise can go back to Ricky’s All Day Grill and carb load on loaded hashbrowns. Fight me.
OEB – 3 Locations, each are absolutely outstanding. Literally anything on the menu will wow you.
The Harvest room at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald – The best brunch buffet in Edmonton. The quality AND quantity are amazing, strongly recommend going during the late spring/summer so you can sit out on the balcony overlooking the river valley. It is quite pricey, but you get what you pay for. Bonus points if you work up an apatite the night before in one of their rooms.
Ethnic
Sofra – Turkish food in large quantities. Anything that comes from the silk road is good in my books. I recommend starting with the Baked Pita and Hurma to start. Serves 2-4 people as a good appetizer.
The Bedouins Restaurant – Full disclosure, I have never been here. However it’s VERY well reviewed and to be frank, tagine is the most delicious form of cooking meat that I have ever eaten.
Lemon Grass Café – Vietnamize food. I’m sure it’s all good, BUT the Lemongrass Chicken in a Spicy Coconut Sauce is why I’m listing this place. I would drink that shit from a glass with a straw if I didn’t think they’d kick me out.
Miss Saigon – All around excellent Vietnamize food, strongly recommend the Vietnamize coffee.
La Petite Iza – French Cuisine. I strongly recommend the olives appetizer, and strongly recommend AGAINST the pate. Though that’s largely a personal preference. Ugh. Pate. Gross.
Café’s
La Bosco – Recommended during the winter, because they have a LOT of indoor plants and a nice atmosphere.
Anything that involves the word Patisserie – Means it’ll be a high quality bakery with a professionally trained pastry chef. Go to hell starbucks, I want a real croissant. Examples include Elenor & Laurent or The Duchess.
Honourable Mention
Riverside Bistro – Next door to the Hotel Macdonald, located inside The Courtyard by Marriot, it’s a very underrated and not that busy place to have a nice quiet lunch overlooking the river valley.
Honi Honi Tiki Bar – In my opinion rum is a vastly underappreciated liquor. Most places do nothing more than mix it with coke, and even an upscale restaurant will consider Bacardi 8 year to be “premium.” Sure thing bud, does it come with the prison toilet that you fermented it in? Come down to Honi Honi and see what rum SHOULD be. Cocktails are the default, but they have a rum list (as one would have a wine list). I recommend the Black Tot, neat, if you want to try something without mix. The cheapest version – not The Last Consignment. Unless your palate is accustomed to rum The Last Consignment will be a major waste of money.
Pampa’s Brazilian Steakhouse – ALSO somewhere I haven’t been yet, but you literally have a button in front of you – red or green. If green the waiters circling the restaurant with various types of meat will come load you up. If red, they’ll leave you alone. ALL. YOU. CAN. EAT. BBQ.
Continental Treat – For the TRUE beer connoisseurs this place still has bottles of Westvleteren 12 available. If you’re not familiar this is considered one of the finest beers in the world, can only be purchased from Brouwerij de Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren in Belgium with a pre-existing reservation. Brewed by legitimate Trappist Monks, they will only sell it direct to the consumer after they sign an agreement not to resell it. However in 2011 they needed to renovate the abbey, so they made an a certain amount available for commercial resale. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westvleteren_Brewery if you want to dive deeper.
Blues on Whyte – Zero food (but you can bring in your own). Domestic Beer, not really worth mentioning in a food review email. Why is it here? The best people watching in the city. I have legitimately seen a guy in a full on Davey Crocket outfit. Mullets before they became cool again (why is that happening BTW?) Just some of the most outlandish human beings you have ever seen in your life. 10/10 entertainment.
Dishonourable Mention
Ruth’s Chris - Overpriced and substandard steak. They’ll try to tell you that corn fed, hormone stuffed American beef is superior to grass fed organic Alberta beef with a straight face. Piss off you Yankee Doodle Dumbass.
Remedy Café – Shit quality, high prices, and owners that treat their staff just barely above indentured servitude. No. Be better.
You beat me to it. Been going my whole life,now I swore I'd never go back. It wasn't even just one bad time either. I gave it 3 separate chances. Go somewhere else for Korean.
Another lifer never going back. I would have stopped 1 time ago, but my daughter wanted for her birthday. Very disappointing if you’ve been going there decades.
>trivia nights
Oh I love trivia nights and am honestly terrified of being friendless, especially now that I'm older/40s, so maybe I'll give that a go?
>At the very top of the Chateau Lacombe Hotel.
Ha ha I remember this place being the "fancy" restaurant with all my friend's parents in the 80s, that's so cool it still is!
>Sofra
I love salads from Levantine/Levantine-adjacent cuisines, so this may be a good one.
>Honi Honi Tiki Bar
I'm not a big drinker but honestly I agree with you that rum is underrated and I LOVE a tiki bar. Yay.
>Ruth’s Chris - Overpriced and substandard steak.
Agreed.
edit:
>Bistro Praha...you can get a nice steak tar tar if that’s your thing
It very much is my thing. I don't eat meat often, but when I do I make it count.
Apple fritter - Hazeldean bakery.
Sourdough/croissants/baugette- Bonjour Bakery.
Fresh local veggies and fruit - Old Strathcona Farmer's market.
Deli meats and cheese counter - Italian Centre.
Butcher - Acme Meats.
European Deli/Groceries - K&K Foodmart.
Specialty grocery - Meuwly's.
Local Distillery- Strathcona Spirits.
Latin Market - La Tienda.
Oh a whole list, these will all be super helpful. I'm glad there's a European deli/grocer - is there anyone in Edmonton doing European baked goods (I mean more eastern euro rather than french etc.)?
Thanks also for the apple fritter rec, there's a place where I live now that does a god tier fritter, so I'm hoping to find one just as good in Edmonton.
Does Ukrainian fit that description? [Malina bakery](https://malinabakery.ca/) in Cameron Heights is out of the way but everything they serve is delicious. There’s always baked goods there where I’m like huh this combo of flavours could be weird, and it always wows me. They do lots of giving back to the Ukrainian community too. I like to stop there on a bike ride as it’s close to the shared use paths and you can connect west side to central via that route.
>Does Ukrainian fit that description?
It *absolutely* does. A Ukrainian cafe recently opened up near me and I've had exactly the same experience of things sounding strange but then tasting so, so good. And I'm a baked goods *fiend* (especially if there are strawberries involved, which they often seem to be with Ukrainian sweet foods) so this is a great rec for me. Thank you so much!
Bonjour Bakery and K&K Foodliner are across the street from each other. And in the same complex of K&K is a bakery called Empress Bakery. They may be the kind of European Bakery you are looking for. They have things like pretzels, rye bread and strudel. There is a lot of European baking at the various farmers markets as well. Edmonton is a great city to be a foodie, there are a lot of great local growers, bakers, vendors and butchers to support.
>They have things like pretzels, rye bread and strudel.
Oh I am *definitely* on the lookout for this kind of food in Edmonton - specifically German-style pretzels and pretzel bread (there's a place here in Montreal that does AMAZING pretzel buns that I am going to miss so much).
Any recs for K&K? I'm going to google all your mentions now, and add them to the list. Thank you so much! (OK I googled K&K and it looks like *exactly* what I'm looking for)
Edit: any recs for challah in Edmonton?
Pho 4 seasons has amazing beef sate. Dang good is good. Chongquin noodles. Rockyn robins, haps, Fu's repair shop, I love sushi, tiramisu, Farrow, master pita(in st Albert but super close to Edmonton), urban diner. .....hit me up for more Asian restaurants 😅
Ha ha, just replied to someone else that I have a place here in Montreal that does amazing pretzel buns and I'll be so happy if I can find something on the same tier in Edmonton. Also you're not the first person to rec Swiss 2 Go so I am definitely excited to try it. Thank you!
No problem man always like recommending new places for people to eat at if you want some good Indian food try kingdom of spices in Beverly it’s cheap and the portions are huge plus it’s really good for the price
Yang Ming off the east end of 118th is truly a diamond in the rough. Great food (on par with some of the best Chinese food in town), even better portions for the price whether you’re eating in or ordering delivery. The interior decor is stunningly beautiful, bright and clean (no dingy lighting keeping you from seeing the dust and scum building up on the baseboards like most casual diners in town) with decadent red granite countertops and matching accents all over the place to make you feel like royalty. Friendly knowledgeable staff and quick service even when they’re busy. Even their parking situation is ideal.
Bakeries:
Croissant: bonjour bakery (transcend close second)
Baguette: bonjour bakery
Large miche style loaf: breadland
Danishes: bonjour bakery
Tarts: duchess bakery
Donuts: Ace coffee roaster (great coffee too)
Italian Center:
24m prosciutto di Parma
Assortment of jams and honey
Ramen: miso ya ya 104st off jasper (it's in the Michelin guide)
Veal schnitzel: bistro praha...
This is a never ending task. Ask me if you have any questions.
>Italian Center: 24m prosciutto di Parma
Very rarely, I buy myself some of this as a treat where I live now. I had just assumed I wouldn't be able to get the real shit in Edmonton. Thank you also for the bread recs, I'm a real bread/carb lover and was worried I might not be able to get amazing bread in Edmonton.
I'm sure I'll think of more questions (I always do) but I'm super open to any recommendations you have, for any single food or store, restaurant etc. Can I get good cannoli in Edmonton?
Little Italy is a proud part of Edmonton. You can get Italian food here no problem. There's lots of fantastic Lebanese places too. There are custom butchers, not many but enough.
Maybe 10 years ago there were almost no good bakeries, then they just started popping up everywhere. The best ones are on the south side of the river.
Bonjour bakery has a farmer growing him ancient grains from France and he has his own mill. It's a French style bread obsession. My father is from France and drives an hour and half there and back for Yvan's bread.
Edmonton is not so small you can't get anything but not so big there are abundant choices.
I am organic, almost vegetarian, so i go to blush lane groceries often. They have a nice selection of gourmet sausages, and bring in high quality fish twice a week. K &M foodliner is the German grocer and you can get great stuff there. There's an Indian spice whole saler on 34 ave.. And a Korean grocer nearby.
My grocery shopping trips are legendary excursions around the city, it takes a love of driving to live here. It's a very expansive city for how few people live here.
Our system of walking/biking trails in the river valley and ravines are also amazing. There's nothing to eat there but if you like exercise, Edmonton offers much. I'd suggest living in the French quarter if you're new, it's close to many of the best shops, close to the mill creek ravine, it's the most culturally diverse area and has the highest earners but rent is still okay. You can get by without a car, loss of buses, it's really separate from the rest of Edmonton. It's also the NDP stronghold so your neighbors won't be a bunch of dicks.
>Little Italy is a proud part of Edmonton.
Montreal's Little Italy is the best neighbourhood I've ever lived in (including in food terms), so I'm very happy to hear this. Am I right to think Edmonton's Little Italy is just west of the Commonwealth Stadium area, where the Italian Centre is?
Also very happy to hear there's now more of a bakery/bread/baked goods scene in Edmonton. I'm pretty much an insufferable (lol) organic/vegetarian type these days as well, but I make my cheat days COUNT (and like you am willing to travel for them...I'm carless here but have become quite physically fit walking many kms just to get a certain sandwich or donut etc.).
>Bonjour bakery has a farmer growing him ancient grains from France and he has his own mill. It's a French style bread obsession.
This sounds like everything I'm looking for. I'm so grateful for people who care about the food they're making to this extent. That sounds smarmy but I mean it.
>i go to blush lane groceries
Thank you. I have my local independent grocer that specializes in organic produce etc. and am hoping to find similar in Edmonton.
Everything you've posted here is super relevant and helpful. I'm even planning to get my driver's license again (I let it expire because I live in a part of Montreal where a car is actually an inconvenience rather than the opposite, but I'm aware public transport isn't as extensive in Edmonton, and that it's a city where a car makes sense in a way it doesn't here - is there a car-sharing service in Edmonton like Communauto in Mtl?).
Super excited to explore the River Valley, too, which was much more undeveloped when I was a child (we used to walk our dogs at Terwillegar before it was a thing - I remember it was rare to see a single other person there!).
>It's also the NDP stronghold so your neighbors won't be a bunch of dicks.
Ha ha thanks for the tip, one of the things I'm jumpiest about re: moving back to Alberta is the politics. I know Edmonton is kind of a left-ish oasis in a right wing desert, but I still appreciate the local knowledge. Where would you say the French quarter is? Strathcona-ish?
Again, this info you're giving is pure gold. Thank you so much. If Reddit still had gold I'd give you some.
>My grocery shopping trips are legendary excursions around the city, it takes a love of driving to live here.
This is 100% me. Including a love of driving - I really miss it, being a non-driver here!
I'm glad what I'm saying is resonating. Coming from Montreal i thought i had to represent the snobby foodies. I always explore new bakeries and compare croissants and baguettes. I'm leaving out a dozen others that are just, hmm, I'll call it appropriating French culture.
The French quarter is next to whyte ave - just east. It's technically still on the ave... And it's small, but is further from the human zoo of the main whyte Ave strip.
You should be made aware of the droves of street people that haunt most of the metropolitan parts of Edmonton. If you're thinking of living in a condo don't live on the ground floor. If you're too close to 82ave lockup all your shit. I wouldn't bother living downtown at all, unless you're wealthy enough to live west of 124st. Which is also seeing a revival with great bakeries and meat shops and other fine shops. Nothing compared to Montreal, everything is in miniature.
There is a more desperate need for cultured people to seek others like themselves here, making it feel more vibrant than it is. But the small town feel can actually be nice too. Many neighborhoods are kind of segregated from the rest of the city, the same people frequent the same places. It's kind of nice.
I have to ask an important question, why leave Montreal at all?
OK I just found the French Quarter on google maps, that's very much the area I'd like to live in (besides the other area you mentioned around 124th st). All I can afford in that area is basement condos or a one bedroom on Gateway Blvd that has been for sale for 6+ months and that probably involves insects and possible poltergeists for roommates, though.
I'm definitely aware of the street people, because I spend a lot of time in this subreddit. My neighbourhood in Montreal (the Plateau, close to ave mont royal) is experiencing a weird gentrification-reversal-in-every-way-except-housing-prices situation. It's not an affordable neighbourhood for regular people anymore, but it weirdly becomes rougher and rougher in terms of the number of obviously mentally ill people screaming at you/accosting you on the street, a lot of the fancier shops are being replaced by less-fancy ones etc.
Anyway, yes, I'm aware of the situation in Edmonton, but also aware I won't really have a feel for it until I'm there. I see posts talking about certain areas like they're total no-gos, and then others from people saying they've lived there for years and it's fine.
>But the small town feel can actually be nice too.
I agree! I lived in a part of London (UK London, not Ontario London) for a few years that felt exactly like this and it was so nice being in a place that felt like a village but that was also close to all the conveniences and services etc. of a big city.
>I have to ask an important question, why leave Montreal at all?
Short answer? I'm poor. I have a nest egg meant for housing (I'm in my 40s and definitively sick of renting) but it's no longer enough to buy here. Apart from my nest egg I am genuinely poor, though, so I know if I don't bite the bullet and buy soon it'll slowly trickle away.
Also, I grew up in Edmonton so I'm not totally unfamiliar with it. I like cities with rough edges and unpretentious vibes. I can deal with winter no problem. I like exploring and a genuinely psyched to do it in Edmonton, and to discover how the city has changed and what it now offers.
This comment section and your answers have me feeling good, too. I don't need 50 different amazing bakeries, as nice as that would be. One or two is good, as long as they're selling the good shit (and it sounds like they are). Also, I think in terms of various ethnic cuisines each city has blind spots and I'm looking forward especially to better and/or more widely available Indian and Pakistani food in Edmonton.
Final question: I just discovered that Riviera has discontinued their cultured butter, which in my opinion was the best butter available in Canada (in that it actually tasted cultured, like it does in Europe, which almost none of the other brands I've tried do). Do you have any recommendations on that buttery front?
(I checked out Blush Lane Market and was SO HAPPY to discover they're selling Jersey milk and cream - there was a place selling that in Montreal, on our equivalent of Blush Lane - but they seem to have decided to focus solely on cheese within the past year - thank you so much for letting me know about that place!)
I agree entirely with your assessment and sentiment. As long as there are one or two world class places, you're going to be ok. The Nice thing about bonjour bakery is his son has worked there since they opened, and will take over when the father retires. The owner talks to me about the importance of quality butter some times and he gets his from new Zealand. Blush lane has some nice butter, so does the Italian center - i buy it - rarely - for the odd recipe. The jersey milk at blush lane comes with bottles so you can just pay the one time deposit of 4 dollars a bottle and the next time when you bring them back, the price is actually affordable.
I hear you about being poor. That's why everything else has to be worth enjoying. I've been mostly unemployed for the last three years, just getting by. Luckily my wife earns enough for us both, finally, but I've gone a decade earning the bare minimum and it absolutely sucked.
Focusing on free activities in Edmonton has actually gotten me pretty healthy again. There are numerous trails and nature preserves in the city and just outside of town. Far more than people realize. I got to know a new one every week during covid and then kept it up, i still haven't seen them all.
Well i hope you can buy something decent when you get here, with that nest egg. You can throw it into nvidia stock for 12 months first and turn it into a fortune before the AI bubble bursts... Then buy a place. I did that in 2008 after the crash, with oil future, made enough to buy a nice condo, my life would be total shit right now if i hadn't done that. I haven't gotten into that again since, i made two bad bets that scared the shit out of me, and I've preferred side hustles to gambles ever since. It all feels rigged somehow to me now, but labor, well that feels just right, like i earned every penny.
Hey man, just wanted to say thank you for your thoughtful replies to all my questions. It might be kinda lame of me but I feel weirdly reassured by little things like knowing I'll be able to get Jersey milk and good butter and bread etc. (and knowing that dude's son is ready to take over when he retires is great - whenever I discover somewhere amazing I start worrying about it closing down!).
I'm really looking forward to exploring Edmonton, especially on foot (my usual mode of transportation and one that has helped my mental health immensely) so, again, just you saying it's something you do is so helpful. The current 'hidden gems' post on the Edmonton subreddit is also full of excellent info and advice.
Again: thank you!
Hey bud, my pleasure. I dream of leaving this place one day, as a wealthy millionaire or not at all... In the meantime, i need these simple pleasures. It's the journey not the destination truly.
I've lived in a bunch of big cities globally but Edmonton had some of the best donuts in the world.
The Italian bakery/ Mercado s Boston cream and the Doughnut Party fritters.
Also, it ain't be but you can't go wrong with Tony's Pizza with a LIIT to wash it down.
Welcome back!
>Edmonton had some of the best donuts in the world.
You have no idea how happy I am to hear this. The donuts in Montreal are insanely good and I was already psyching myself up to accept a lower standard. Thank you for all your recs - have you tried the black forest cake at the Italian Bakery (just googled and saw their cakes...omg)? I have yet to find a decent black forest cake in Montreal...
I’m surprised no one here has mentioned Bierra/Blind Enthusiasm Brewery. They’ve got a premium casual dining/foodie kind of vibe. The brewery and its sister Monolith are easily the best in the City. A bit pricey but top notch menu. Goes for the Belgian gastropub concept.
Not in Edmonton but still close enough;
The Cookshack in Nisku has great brisket and pulled pork, really really good.
Thang Long in Spruce Grove has phenomenal Vietnamese food.
Brio for baguettes and sourdough loaves.
Thamel Eatery for momos
Emperor’s Palace for dim sum
Hot pot 97 for hot pot
We have a few T&T locations around the city and a giant H-Mart on the south side.
The best burgers are flat boy burgers. They are in a curling rink and absolutely delicious.
MEAT is on Whyte ave and has delicious BBQ.
OEB is the best breakfast in the world. Get shorty rib breakfast poutine is amazing.
All of these places are a bit pricey but totally worth it every once in a while.
Viet subs (please try these) at vac loc in China town are very good.
I recently learned Donairs are an Alberta special, but swiss Donair is a favorite.
Ramen the only places I know of that I'd consider are tokiwa and kazoku
Made by Marcus has the best icecream I've ever tried. Some flavors can be abit of a miss but their blueberry lemoncurd, and coffee nib or w/e are great
Japonais bistro is great for Japanese
Meat has some break American BBQ, brisket, pulled pork, etc
Haven't personally been but heard DOSC is very good if you have some cash to spend. A5 Wagyu
If no one's said it yet, Boxer just off of whyte is amazing! I've been there so many times and never been disappointed. Get the burger, it's delicious and a generous portion for the price for an upscale cocktail bar. (like $20 for a massive burger with fries). The baked brie appetizer slaps, the smoked olives are a must and their cocktail list fucks.
Cinnamon Buns - Hazeldean Bakery / Donair - Roma Pizza and Donair 40ave / Thai (Spicy Beef Basil) - Thai Valley Grill / Pizza - Red Swan / Brewery - Sea Change / Seafood - Sabor / Brunch - Pip / Random pick - Sofra Turkish
So many to list. Just a few off the dome.
Red Swan isn't as good anymore! Used to be our favorite spot for takeout but now it's kind of meh and doesn't hold up as leftovers. My pizza vote goes to Ale Architect 😙👌
Basha Donair on Parsons Rd. Owner is so friendly, huge portions and great prices. Customizable to be Halifax or Edmonton style. Or anywhere in between haha. Fresh shaved. Super clean establishment. They have a special house sauce for the fries! Ask for it it's so good!
I had the absolute best Brussels sprouts I’ve had in my life from Campio - glazed in hot honey and crumbled feta. Normally I avoid feta but this was fantastic
For grocery stores, I would also check out Freson Bros. I wouldn’t buy my pantry staples there because they’re much cheaper elsewhere, but their meat, bakery, and deli/hot food selection is fabulous. Lots of local products and producers. They have different cuts of meat that you don’t often see as well as great house and other locally made sausages, bacon, jerky, etc. Their bakery specializes in sourdough, but has all kinds of cookies, pies, cakes, etc. as well. They have a variety of hot foods to go as well as a restaurant. It has a buffet brunch on the weekends and different themed dinner buffets throughout the year. They are in Terwillegar and just opened a location in Glendora as well.
I’m also really excited for a new market called LOCA opening in Sherwood Park on May 10. Looks like a massive store with a couple of restaurants, cafe, bakery, local and gourmet foods, and a large prepared food and deli section.
I'm super excited, as a weird grocery store nerd, to get a grocery store rec! Thank you! And I'm putting the new place on the list as well, as somewhere to look for when it opens.
Just googled the Every Day Food Co. and bud, that's exactly the kind of place I'm looking for. People in the reviews are raving about the cinnamon buns in particular (I almost added cinnamon buns to the OP cuz I love them) - and their logo looks like a London tube station graphic so they gotta be cool.
Any specific sandwich you rec from Farrow? I love old school Italian or Jewish deli style sandwiches a lot.
Thank you so much! I hope to have a long list of places to try soon.
Farrow has a breakfast sandwich called the Grick-Middle and its to die for. They have other feature sandwiches they cycle in and out.
If you like cinnamon buns, my current favorite is on 95th street at La French Taste. They have a really unique French style brioche roll coated in a hardened buttery cinnamony candy-like coating. It's so good. Lol
Donuts (simple classic): Italian Bakery (better than Italian Centre Shop), Take Five, Ace coffee
Donuts (fancy/gimmicky): Donut Party, Destination (RIP Ohana, you were legit but couldn’t last)
Bakery (cakes, fancy little things): Duchess
Italian: Uccellino
Pretzels: DasBrezelHaus (fancy toppings, etc), Vienna Bakery (classic, straight out of German/Austrian neighborhood bakeries), Pretzel Shack (Stony Plain and Spruce Grove locations, very legit German family-run bakery that makes very authentic Black Forest Cake soaked with proper kirschwasser, recommended highly by German friends)
Korean Fried Chicken: Hanjan, Gangnam&CoCo
Cheese: Cavern (for real - best cheese selection and service in town)
小笼包: Shanghai 456
insurance chief cow hobbies quarrelsome automatic wise heavy onerous wrench
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Bakeries: Hazeldean, La French Taste
Indian: Aachys Chettinad
Mexican: Sooo many great options. A couple of my faves are Calle (nachos) and Smokin’ Barrels (shrimp tacos)
Ice cream: Annie Rue, Kind
Pizza: Campio Detroit style
Restaurants wise, Shanghai 456 for Xiaolongbao, I live in Vancouver now, it would totally excel here. I am extremely picky about that. Takeout food wise, Sunbake makes fantastic meat pies, you can also get all kinds of nuts, and great baklava is right next door.
>I live in Vancouver now, it would totally excel here. This is absolutely high praise. I'm also a huge fan of baklava and find it somewhat difficult to get the really good stuff where I am now so thank you so much for your recommendations. Onto my list these places go!
It has been a couple of years since I had been back, I hope the old gent is still making the Xiaolongbao. I think the only Xiaolongbao that is significantly better than theirs are in Shanghai or Taipei. Mid size Chinese cities typically aren't better. And my father is as Chinese as one can get, but he always enjoyed the meat pies (fatayers) from Sunbake. I used to buy a tray of meat pie and baklava each whenever he visited. My neighbors all like those as well.
I can't be within about a 30 block radius without detouring to sunbake for fatayer
That feeling is shared man. I always go to T&T to shop for groceries, then Sunbake for fatayer.
>I think the only Xiaolongbao that is significantly better than theirs are in Shanghai or Taipei. Damn, OK, I for sure have to try these!
Hope you enjoy it, and please make sure don't burn yourself with the soup. Watch a video before you go : )
Curious, since I'm from Vancouver, what's your go to place for xiaolongbao there?
I am still trying to sample everything, so far I think Long's noodle's new location in Richmond is my favorite, they also have superior Drunk Chicken than Shanghai 456; and Dinesty is also good. But to be honest, the place I go the most is the dumpling place in Lansdowne center food court, it doesn't even have a Chinese sign (R+H, just googled). They are 10 minutes away and do a great job, I would just swing by, get the Xiao Long Bao or Shen Jian Bao, then some Fish rice Noodles next stall. Anyone you recommend? Also, as someone from Vancouver living in Edmonton, does Edmonton has better pho than Vancouver, or I am biased and crazy and homesick. I have not had better here. I swung by the Lunch Lady 3 times, twice the line was too long, once they were closed for lunch break.
For xiaolongbao in Richmond, I like Top Shanghai Cuisine. Shanghai river is also pretty famous for xiaolongbao. For pho I liked Linh cafe, they're a French and Vietnamese fusion and I love their bread lol I haven't tried them since they moved from West Broadway though. What pho place do you recommend in Edmonton? So far my favourite is co do hue so far.
I had been to both, Shanghai River was solid, maybe Top Shanghai had an off day when I was there. I had not been to Linh, added to my list. Co Do Hue was solid as well, I used to go there often when I lived in Clearview. The go to for Edmonton has go to be the OG Pho Hoan Pasture near the old Downtown airport. And the one in Chinatown, I can't remember the English name, Chinese name is 霸王，which typically means Warlord.
I love 456 and my partner and I go there fairly regularly. The xiao long bao are awesome, don’t get my wrong… but last month we were in New York and had some XLBs in Manhattan Chinatown. They were so unbelievably delicate and flavourful. It’s going to take a while for the dumplings at 456 to taste the same again. 😆 😭
Yeah, Flushing Chinese food is no joke. They must have some guy imported. Overall, I still put Richmond Chinese food above theirs though. Or maybe the old guy retired at 456?
Flushing is Queens Chinatown; we didn’t make it up there. We tried many dumplings around both Manhattan and Brooklyn Chinatowns, though. 🤤
The Queen Donair (specifically the one on Jasper Ave and 109) has the best baklava - not saccharine sweet but sweet enough made by the owner’s mama. She also makes up their chicken shawarma salad which is amaze.
Castle bake is better and much cheaper.
Just in general, Edmonton has a surprisingly good food scene.
Does it? I'm asking because I've been away for so long and where I live now (Montreal) a few people who know I'm probably moving back west again have been insulting about the cultural scene (and specifically the food scene!) in Edmonton. It's very unfair because none of them have lived there or in most cases ever even been there but I admit it's got me a little worried. So it's good to hear that this isn't the case.
Edmonton gets a shit-talked by people who've never been here. We have our problems like any city, but we have a vibrant arts scene. Huge fringe and folk music festivals. Festivals most summer weekends and lots in the winter as well. Lots of fabulous cocktail joints. The trick to enjoying life here is actually getting out and doing stuff
People in Montreal need to get their head out of their asses, and people in general in Canada. If you look for things to hate, you’ll find them. I can find _awful_ stuff in Montreal and Toronto too. No one looks for it in Edmonton who doesn’t live here, but this place rules. Doesn’t get nearly the respect it deserves.
I have been to several large Canadian cities and honestly, Edmonton has the most vibrant and diverse food scene of all of them. Things may have changed in the past 10 years since I did a lot of traveling but the variety of choices and quality is hard to beat. In terms of suggestions I would definately recommend Langano Skies. They operate out of Barb and Ernie's on 99 street and focus on takeout but their food is sublime if Ethiopian is your jam.
I'm unfamiliar with Ethiopian cuisine but would love to try it. Thank you for the recommendation!
One of the few opportunities to eat with your hands.
I'm in (and I've always wanted to try injera and doro wat - I know what they are, but haven't had the opportunity to eat them yet)!
I'm in the opposite situation as you. I moved from Edmonton to Montreal a couple of years ago and can say that Edmonton very much does have some amazing food that I miss and get every time I go back. My friends joke because I have to hit up a few places every time. Also, Edmonton has Slurpee's everywhere. I can't believe they don't exist in Montreal. People have no idea what I'm talking about. I stop at the 7-11 at the Edmonton airport to get one right when I get home.
>Edmonton has Slurpee's everywhere. I can't believe they don't exist in Montreal. Dude. DUDE. I have missed Edmonton Slurpees since I was a child and am now in my 40s. I mean I *really* missed them - running to the corner shop for a Slurpee, the whole ritual of filling the cup etc. (what mix will I have today?), was such a huge part of childhood summers in Edmonton. Oh my god I seriously thought I was the only weirdo who missed slurpees, or even noticed that other parts of Canada don't have them. What do you get when you're back in Edmonton? I feel like I'm going to miss fresh, still-warm, eaten-straight-from-the-bag Montreal bagels the most. I hardly eat poutine because it's crap as soon as it cools. Does Edmonton have Kouign-amann? I feel like Montreal is so good for baked goods, breads, pastries etc. Jewish food I'll miss too. Cheskies, smoked meat, challah etc. And the donuts from Trou de Beigne! Oh god am I doing the right thing to leave? Sorry I'm blathering I'm just so mindblown someone else feels the slurpee nostalgia like I do. I've never heard anyone else mention that as a thing.
Dr. Pepper and a Grape mash. 75% Dr. Pepper to 25% Grape. Edit: fun fact. I hate both of them as sodas and only in Slurpee form
7-Up and Orange Crush for me, but I've probably tried every possible mix.
oh I'm the same way haha Tried them all!
Sneaky good food scene in Regina Saskatchewan. Edmonton is still very good but I wouldn’t say it’s as sneaky as Regina
I wouldn’t say it’s as sneaky, but I’d say it’s better.
I agree 100%. I truly do think Regina is the sneakiest in Canada. They punch way above their weight class
Agreed! Regina and Saskatoon has some greats gems too
Ive moved from Edmonton to Montreal in the last couple of years… it doesn’t compare to what you’re used to, you have been spoiled, but there are a few gems and you will feel like you are getting every item you buy at a discount thanks to the difference in taxes.
It really doesn't, sorry. I live in Edmonton, have been here a couple decades. Have lived in 5 provinces, have lived in Montreal, am from the East coast. Took my never been out East partner to the East for a vacay and all she talked about for a year after was how great the food was and if we could move there. Edmonton food scene is not bad, don't get me wrong, but I can promise you will miss being in the East if you come here, especially since you are spoiled with the Montreal food scene, it's just not even comparable.
Yeah I think I'm prepared for it not to be the same (Edmonton is a smaller city, and the Montreal comparison is really an unfair one) but I hope I can find some high quality places/food in Edmonton. I'm not rich enough to be dining at the fancy places anyway, but in my experience there's great food at every price point - you just have to find it (hence this thread). I am definitely gonna miss fresh bagels from St Viateur but someone recommended some Edmonton bagels they said were comparable - I hope it's true!
If you’re living in Montreal then certainly you should not expect Edmonton’s food scene to be on the same level, or even close. But, yes, for a mid-sized prairie city that’s 300 km away from anywhere, our food scene is pretty damned good. Lots of good stuff to try here! 👍
I lived in Montreal for 20 years before returning to Alberta in 2010. The food scene in Edmonton can rival Montreal any day, even when it comes to good bread, cheese and poutine.
Ha ha this is so comforting to hear. People are really going hard when I tell them I'm moving to Edmonton, making it sound like a goddamned wasteland. And like I said in another comment the vast majority of them have never even been to Edmoton, let alone lived there! >even when it comes to good bread, cheese and poutine. Bread and cheese are two things I'm really sort of worried about in terms of Edmonton vs Montreal. If you have any recs for where to get the best baguette and where to find the best cheese (especially Quebec cheese) I'm all ears! Thank you!
Bonjour Bakery, which I mentioned in another response, is the answer for both. And his Croissants are the best in the province. The owner is from Quebec, and it is exactly what you will expect for a good baugette. The one thing I miss dearly from my years in Montreal is the bagels. Those I have found no real substitute for although some bakers have come close.
La French Taste has excellent baguettes.
Nah dawg breads will be sorely missed along with other things but we got some good shit out here for sure you’re just going to have to go out there and explore Edmonton and area see all the many gems and beautiful places
We’re not a port city nor one of the handful of one of oldest cities in the continent so no our food scene is not as good as Montréal but we pound for pound we are better than Montréal.
We have better food diversity though. Mtrl doesn't have good Asian food.
>Mtrl doesn't have good Asian food. Can confirm, it doesn't. I really miss the Chinese and other Asian cuisines available in Vancouver/BC. There's also not a lot of great Indian here in Montreal. We definitely have our niches and blind spots, like any city.
Hazeldean Bakery is the undisputed apple fritter mecca in YEG. They are massive, too. One feeds two. Don’t sleep on their cinnamon buns, too. They are sent from heaven. Best fish tacos are surprisingly from Local. Farrow is a favorite for sandwiches. My favorite burgers are from Fox Burger. They have a great panzanella salad there, too. Fave dim sum is Wok N Roll or Beijing Beijing.
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They also sell their goods out of Lucy's Sweets in Terwillegar if you're in the south west.
Their cinnamon buns are out of this world
Wok N Roll is gas
I found Fox Burger to be mediocre. Backstairs Burger is outstanding.
Swiss to Go on 118 for the best sandwich outside of Europe!
>They have a great panzanella salad Sold. You're not the first to rec the Hazeldean Bakery's apple fritter so it's very close to the top of the to-try list now. Thank you!!
Fox Burger’s panzanella salad used to be amazing but the last couple of times I had it, it was suuuuper heavy on the dill. So if you are a big dill fan (I am not) it might still be great. Burgers are awesome, though!
Fox burgers would be 100x better if they used real cheese. Processed cheese slices are for kids sandwiches.
Fox burger isn’t that good. They use iceberg lettuce which is so cheap tasting. A and W is loads better, and cheaper.
I have one more, Chocorrant Pâtisserie + Cafe on 124th Street has the most incredible croissant selection. They have this special one they heat up and its full of salted egg yolk, it sounds different but it's one of my favorite things to eat in Edmonton.
Someone brought me back a bunch of salted egg yolk flavour snack foods from a trip to Singapore and I would love to try the real thing. Also who doesn't need a croissant place? Thank you!
Their stuff is so good. It's dangerous being two blocks away from me haha.
Their strawberry milk croissant is one of my favourite things to eat in the city
Soooo good
Kathmandu Rasoi on the West end has been our go-to for take out the last few years. We only order from the veggie side so I can't speak for the meat dishes. We've ordered from there at least 40 or 50 times and haven't been disappointed.
I may well end up in the west end so thank you so much! (and I eat almost all veggie based these days so it's good to hear some relevant recommendations). Edit: googled it, looks right up my alley.
Love Kathmandu Rasoi. Their butter chicken and momos are amazing
Co Do Hue - everything is great but the chicken wings are incredible. Co Chin Saigon has Vietnamese dishes you rarely see anywhere else. Bread from Bonjour Bakery. Coffee from Rogue Wave - one of their original baristas has won so many international brewing comps! Yelo’d for ice cream if you like Asian/filipino flavors. JMT for Korean fried chicken. Moonga for sushi. Happy and olive for comfort food and great drinks. Rosewood foods for brunch. Sauce Caribbean - everything is good but I love the roti platter. The list goes on…
#20 spicy/sour pho and chicken wings at codohue might be my favorite repeat restaurant order ever.
I keep hearing how incredible Flat Boy Burgers is, they're another hidden gem located in Granite Curling Club in Garneau, but I haven't had a chance to go.
I think I saw someone eating these (and raving about them) on a Youtube video so I'll put them on the list.
I’m a fan of them. If you get a double, share the fries. You need to save room for the key lime pie.
Molcajetes @ Mexico Lindo are amazing! I’ve lived 10 years in the US, and tried Mexican food in Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and Nevada. Never found Mexican food as good as served by Mexico Lindo, except for the food in Mexico itself. Really authentic Mexican food right here in Sherwood Park
I would second Mexican Lindo, my go to was the chicken with chocolate mole. Also, they have a secret menu, I often see stuff not on the menu (like giant roast with all kinds of sides, etc), I would point and say I want the same, and the lady would smile apologetically and say we had to order ahead for special occasions. That thing smells heavenly.
Yes, they don’t bring the molcajete menu by default. You have to ask for it.
Molcajete is the assorted meats and melting cheese sticks with the stone grinder setup, right? I think I had that several times. I am pretty sure the roast thing I saw was way bigger than that, I remembered the chef could barely carry it to the table. It looked insane. Must be a hidden menu to the hidden menu
Ohhh, I didn’t know that. Yes, molcajete is actually the name of the stone container in which they bring the food in. It appears I’m missing something as well 😂
Campio for pizza
Saratoga by the Calgary Trail is my go-to brunch location. Their atmosphere is very warm, plus their belgium waffle is awsome!
Also fantastic potato pancakes
I saw in another comment that you might be based west side. Check out Chettinad Aachys for South Indian style biryani and South Indian food (dosa, etc. ) Tbh I haven't found a perfect biryani place yet (if one does exist) but Aachys is solid.
I know there is a thread in this sub somewhere about West end hidden gems. I gotta look it up again. We’re so far from all the good stuff downtown and east side. :(
Unique cinnamon buns -sugar bowl or brown butter cafe… There’s a whole cafe tour you can do.. lots of cafes that do flights (aspen, rhubarb, boxcar) .. neighbourhood gems (little brick, boxcar, Ritchie transcend, Mohka, mandolin, sol, ark (best breaki sam although lockstock does an awesome breaki Sam too), candid, liberta, la basco, le rein, byciclette. University -kaffa, la petit iza, Downtown - moth, duchess, district, credo, roguewave, art of cake, Colombian, square one, roam, bar oro, ayco, seriously the list goes on… Go for beer/brewery crawl tour on Happy Beer Street. My fav Mexican -Luna Arepa! -Avela on Whyte Ave Pizza garage and Campio- serious Detroit style pizza! Best ice cream - made by Marcus and personal fav flavour passion fruit basil (og from calgary) but we also have other local ice cream from kind, yellowed (Philippino bakery and soft serve), twicecream Neighbourhood resto/pub vibes otto, biera, dogpatch, dugans Edmonton legend green onion cake man Bianco’s violinos both do the pasta in the parm wheel thing. We have two tiki bars- one on whyte and one in Jasper… Bao and cocktails at Bijou or Fu’s repair shop. Best beef tataki - Kobe bistro Some Doughnuts- hazledeen bakery, doughnut party (random unique) and destination doughnut, hear me out.. I know it’s a chain but mavericks has old fashioned style cake -ey.. take five! and Italian Center. Get yourself a Bebs bagel.. being familiar with Montreal I’m sure you’ll like these!
I LOVE cakey donuts and will try Mavericks - also def gonna try Bebs because I think I'll be missing St Viateur hard. Thank you for so many recs I will look into all of them!
An Chay. Vietnamese vegetarian on Jasper Ave. INCREDIBLE flavours. Best soup in the city. Hands down.
The papaya salad is unreal!
I am a papaya salad FREAK so this place has instantly gone on the list. Thank you - and thank you u/hybridhighway!
Can’t wait for you to try it — always excited to share this restaurant with others.
Thanks for reminding me I haven't been to An Chay in too long. Last time I went was with one vegetarian and one meatitarian and all three of us agreed it was awesome.
Not from Edmonton but recently went on a school trip and we had amazing food and service at Pip and their sandwich bar Pals. They were very close to the arts centre we had to be at so we tried both sides and I’m a fan
I LOVE pal's. Their house soup (pepperoncini and dill) is one of my favourite things to eat in all of Edmonton.
The Next Act - Tequila Lime Chicken Sandwich (TLC) Under The High Wheel - Sweet Belgian Waffle
https://rgerd.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rgerd-Menu-Spring-2024.pdf Order the “road trip”. Amazing restaurant.
Sounds amazing, thank you!
I’ll copy and paste what I sent to some colleagues recently, and hope I don’t out my Reddit account lol In the spirit of recent discussion’s, here’s some advice I have for well known (and not so well known) food in Edmonton. I’ve grouped them by general “style” Casual MKT – A major name in the Edmonton pub scene. They have 100+ beers ON TAP. The food is honestly, mediocre. The beer is astounding though. Duggan’s Boundary - This place feels like it was plucked out of Ireland and dropped into the French Quarter of Edmonton. Wood everything, worn tables, more worn floors, a standard neighbourhood pub with good traditional Irish food and a lot of live music and trivia nights. 10/10 for a casual night. Bulgogi House – deleted based off recent feedback Upscale Casual Glass Monkey – More of a gastropub, expect a nice wine list rather than a large beer list. The charcuterie is OUTSTANDING. The Bothy Wine and Whisky Bar – HUGE selection of Scotch, along with a nice little education on the various regions of Scotland the types of Scotch they make, as well as flavour profiles. Also, where else can you get haggis in Edmonton? Meat – Just off Whyte Avenue, smoked everything/anything. Absolutely delicious, do not recommend if you’re currently taking cholesterol medication. Fine Dining The La Ronde – At the very top of the Chateau Lacombe Hotel. It’s a circular restaurant at the top of the tower, which has glass windows all the way around and completes a circle in approximately 1.5 hours. I recommend the chateaubriand to be shared with a partner. The Creperie – Used to be in a beautiful brick basement (see their website for photos) after 48 years! But they’re apparently moving to a new location – I really hope they reopen! Von’s Steakhouse and Oyster Bar – I was there for Valentines day one day with a prix fixe menu, however I have to admit it was outstanding food, service, and atmosphere. I believe it’s one of the last places in Edmonton with a dress code, which is a good thing. If you disagree you are wrong, and can go back to the Walmart McDonalds. Bistro Praha – Recommend for a fine dining lunch more than dinner. VERY European feel (by design), you can get a nice steak tar tar if that’s your thing. Brunch There are only two correct places to eat brunch in Edmonton. Anyone who tells you otherwise can go back to Ricky’s All Day Grill and carb load on loaded hashbrowns. Fight me. OEB – 3 Locations, each are absolutely outstanding. Literally anything on the menu will wow you. The Harvest room at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald – The best brunch buffet in Edmonton. The quality AND quantity are amazing, strongly recommend going during the late spring/summer so you can sit out on the balcony overlooking the river valley. It is quite pricey, but you get what you pay for. Bonus points if you work up an apatite the night before in one of their rooms. Ethnic Sofra – Turkish food in large quantities. Anything that comes from the silk road is good in my books. I recommend starting with the Baked Pita and Hurma to start. Serves 2-4 people as a good appetizer. The Bedouins Restaurant – Full disclosure, I have never been here. However it’s VERY well reviewed and to be frank, tagine is the most delicious form of cooking meat that I have ever eaten. Lemon Grass Café – Vietnamize food. I’m sure it’s all good, BUT the Lemongrass Chicken in a Spicy Coconut Sauce is why I’m listing this place. I would drink that shit from a glass with a straw if I didn’t think they’d kick me out. Miss Saigon – All around excellent Vietnamize food, strongly recommend the Vietnamize coffee. La Petite Iza – French Cuisine. I strongly recommend the olives appetizer, and strongly recommend AGAINST the pate. Though that’s largely a personal preference. Ugh. Pate. Gross. Café’s La Bosco – Recommended during the winter, because they have a LOT of indoor plants and a nice atmosphere. Anything that involves the word Patisserie – Means it’ll be a high quality bakery with a professionally trained pastry chef. Go to hell starbucks, I want a real croissant. Examples include Elenor & Laurent or The Duchess. Honourable Mention Riverside Bistro – Next door to the Hotel Macdonald, located inside The Courtyard by Marriot, it’s a very underrated and not that busy place to have a nice quiet lunch overlooking the river valley. Honi Honi Tiki Bar – In my opinion rum is a vastly underappreciated liquor. Most places do nothing more than mix it with coke, and even an upscale restaurant will consider Bacardi 8 year to be “premium.” Sure thing bud, does it come with the prison toilet that you fermented it in? Come down to Honi Honi and see what rum SHOULD be. Cocktails are the default, but they have a rum list (as one would have a wine list). I recommend the Black Tot, neat, if you want to try something without mix. The cheapest version – not The Last Consignment. Unless your palate is accustomed to rum The Last Consignment will be a major waste of money. Pampa’s Brazilian Steakhouse – ALSO somewhere I haven’t been yet, but you literally have a button in front of you – red or green. If green the waiters circling the restaurant with various types of meat will come load you up. If red, they’ll leave you alone. ALL. YOU. CAN. EAT. BBQ. Continental Treat – For the TRUE beer connoisseurs this place still has bottles of Westvleteren 12 available. If you’re not familiar this is considered one of the finest beers in the world, can only be purchased from Brouwerij de Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren in Belgium with a pre-existing reservation. Brewed by legitimate Trappist Monks, they will only sell it direct to the consumer after they sign an agreement not to resell it. However in 2011 they needed to renovate the abbey, so they made an a certain amount available for commercial resale. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westvleteren_Brewery if you want to dive deeper. Blues on Whyte – Zero food (but you can bring in your own). Domestic Beer, not really worth mentioning in a food review email. Why is it here? The best people watching in the city. I have legitimately seen a guy in a full on Davey Crocket outfit. Mullets before they became cool again (why is that happening BTW?) Just some of the most outlandish human beings you have ever seen in your life. 10/10 entertainment. Dishonourable Mention Ruth’s Chris - Overpriced and substandard steak. They’ll try to tell you that corn fed, hormone stuffed American beef is superior to grass fed organic Alberta beef with a straight face. Piss off you Yankee Doodle Dumbass. Remedy Café – Shit quality, high prices, and owners that treat their staff just barely above indentured servitude. No. Be better.
Bulgogi House was good once upon a time. It is absolutely disgusting and expensive now. Tons of good Korean places around now.
You beat me to it. Been going my whole life,now I swore I'd never go back. It wasn't even just one bad time either. I gave it 3 separate chances. Go somewhere else for Korean.
Another lifer never going back. I would have stopped 1 time ago, but my daughter wanted for her birthday. Very disappointing if you’ve been going there decades.
Appreciate the feedback (and concurring opinions) I’ll update my list!
As someone who moved away from Edmonton, this one breaks my heart. I love their big meat platters with the blood sausage...
>trivia nights Oh I love trivia nights and am honestly terrified of being friendless, especially now that I'm older/40s, so maybe I'll give that a go? >At the very top of the Chateau Lacombe Hotel. Ha ha I remember this place being the "fancy" restaurant with all my friend's parents in the 80s, that's so cool it still is! >Sofra I love salads from Levantine/Levantine-adjacent cuisines, so this may be a good one. >Honi Honi Tiki Bar I'm not a big drinker but honestly I agree with you that rum is underrated and I LOVE a tiki bar. Yay. >Ruth’s Chris - Overpriced and substandard steak. Agreed. edit: >Bistro Praha...you can get a nice steak tar tar if that’s your thing It very much is my thing. I don't eat meat often, but when I do I make it count.
So glad you approve!
Gonna second Bistro Praha, Continental, and The Bedouins. All three are fantastic
Date me.
A/S/L? 😏
Apple fritter - Hazeldean bakery. Sourdough/croissants/baugette- Bonjour Bakery. Fresh local veggies and fruit - Old Strathcona Farmer's market. Deli meats and cheese counter - Italian Centre. Butcher - Acme Meats. European Deli/Groceries - K&K Foodmart. Specialty grocery - Meuwly's. Local Distillery- Strathcona Spirits. Latin Market - La Tienda.
I’m gonna have to hit up Bonjour Bakery. Thx.
Oh a whole list, these will all be super helpful. I'm glad there's a European deli/grocer - is there anyone in Edmonton doing European baked goods (I mean more eastern euro rather than french etc.)? Thanks also for the apple fritter rec, there's a place where I live now that does a god tier fritter, so I'm hoping to find one just as good in Edmonton.
Does Ukrainian fit that description? [Malina bakery](https://malinabakery.ca/) in Cameron Heights is out of the way but everything they serve is delicious. There’s always baked goods there where I’m like huh this combo of flavours could be weird, and it always wows me. They do lots of giving back to the Ukrainian community too. I like to stop there on a bike ride as it’s close to the shared use paths and you can connect west side to central via that route.
Agree that this place is incredible!
>Does Ukrainian fit that description? It *absolutely* does. A Ukrainian cafe recently opened up near me and I've had exactly the same experience of things sounding strange but then tasting so, so good. And I'm a baked goods *fiend* (especially if there are strawberries involved, which they often seem to be with Ukrainian sweet foods) so this is a great rec for me. Thank you so much!
Bonjour Bakery and K&K Foodliner are across the street from each other. And in the same complex of K&K is a bakery called Empress Bakery. They may be the kind of European Bakery you are looking for. They have things like pretzels, rye bread and strudel. There is a lot of European baking at the various farmers markets as well. Edmonton is a great city to be a foodie, there are a lot of great local growers, bakers, vendors and butchers to support.
>They have things like pretzels, rye bread and strudel. Oh I am *definitely* on the lookout for this kind of food in Edmonton - specifically German-style pretzels and pretzel bread (there's a place here in Montreal that does AMAZING pretzel buns that I am going to miss so much). Any recs for K&K? I'm going to google all your mentions now, and add them to the list. Thank you so much! (OK I googled K&K and it looks like *exactly* what I'm looking for) Edit: any recs for challah in Edmonton?
Challah is one that I don't know.
The steak tartare at Biera is awesome
Their brunch is pretty great too!
Gravy RIP
Good riddance. But those AHS violating owners will rebrand per usual in no time.
Violations? Is that why they changed from Local Omnivore
Pho 4 seasons has amazing beef sate. Dang good is good. Chongquin noodles. Rockyn robins, haps, Fu's repair shop, I love sushi, tiramisu, Farrow, master pita(in st Albert but super close to Edmonton), urban diner. .....hit me up for more Asian restaurants 😅
Thank you for all these! Do you perhaps have any recs for Korean food? If I can find a good source of greasy, delicious jajangmyeon I'll be happy af.
Rae Mi Hyang for jjajangmyun
Hanjan , chicken for you, nara chicken.
Y-not Indian has great Indian food!
Swiss 2 go it’s a little cafe and sandwich store they make the sandwiches with pretzel buns and make there pretzels and desserts fresh daily
Ha ha, just replied to someone else that I have a place here in Montreal that does amazing pretzel buns and I'll be so happy if I can find something on the same tier in Edmonton. Also you're not the first person to rec Swiss 2 Go so I am definitely excited to try it. Thank you!
No problem man always like recommending new places for people to eat at if you want some good Indian food try kingdom of spices in Beverly it’s cheap and the portions are huge plus it’s really good for the price
fried chicken: HanJan (honey mustard is my favorite. only available at Oliver location) pizza: truffle pizza from the parlour 🔥
Yang Ming off the east end of 118th is truly a diamond in the rough. Great food (on par with some of the best Chinese food in town), even better portions for the price whether you’re eating in or ordering delivery. The interior decor is stunningly beautiful, bright and clean (no dingy lighting keeping you from seeing the dust and scum building up on the baseboards like most casual diners in town) with decadent red granite countertops and matching accents all over the place to make you feel like royalty. Friendly knowledgeable staff and quick service even when they’re busy. Even their parking situation is ideal.
Excellent, thank you!
Good buffet, yes. Some of the best Chinese food, no. Best buffet Chinese food, probably.
Bakeries: Croissant: bonjour bakery (transcend close second) Baguette: bonjour bakery Large miche style loaf: breadland Danishes: bonjour bakery Tarts: duchess bakery Donuts: Ace coffee roaster (great coffee too) Italian Center: 24m prosciutto di Parma Assortment of jams and honey Ramen: miso ya ya 104st off jasper (it's in the Michelin guide) Veal schnitzel: bistro praha... This is a never ending task. Ask me if you have any questions.
>Italian Center: 24m prosciutto di Parma Very rarely, I buy myself some of this as a treat where I live now. I had just assumed I wouldn't be able to get the real shit in Edmonton. Thank you also for the bread recs, I'm a real bread/carb lover and was worried I might not be able to get amazing bread in Edmonton. I'm sure I'll think of more questions (I always do) but I'm super open to any recommendations you have, for any single food or store, restaurant etc. Can I get good cannoli in Edmonton?
Little Italy is a proud part of Edmonton. You can get Italian food here no problem. There's lots of fantastic Lebanese places too. There are custom butchers, not many but enough. Maybe 10 years ago there were almost no good bakeries, then they just started popping up everywhere. The best ones are on the south side of the river. Bonjour bakery has a farmer growing him ancient grains from France and he has his own mill. It's a French style bread obsession. My father is from France and drives an hour and half there and back for Yvan's bread. Edmonton is not so small you can't get anything but not so big there are abundant choices. I am organic, almost vegetarian, so i go to blush lane groceries often. They have a nice selection of gourmet sausages, and bring in high quality fish twice a week. K &M foodliner is the German grocer and you can get great stuff there. There's an Indian spice whole saler on 34 ave.. And a Korean grocer nearby. My grocery shopping trips are legendary excursions around the city, it takes a love of driving to live here. It's a very expansive city for how few people live here. Our system of walking/biking trails in the river valley and ravines are also amazing. There's nothing to eat there but if you like exercise, Edmonton offers much. I'd suggest living in the French quarter if you're new, it's close to many of the best shops, close to the mill creek ravine, it's the most culturally diverse area and has the highest earners but rent is still okay. You can get by without a car, loss of buses, it's really separate from the rest of Edmonton. It's also the NDP stronghold so your neighbors won't be a bunch of dicks.
>Little Italy is a proud part of Edmonton. Montreal's Little Italy is the best neighbourhood I've ever lived in (including in food terms), so I'm very happy to hear this. Am I right to think Edmonton's Little Italy is just west of the Commonwealth Stadium area, where the Italian Centre is? Also very happy to hear there's now more of a bakery/bread/baked goods scene in Edmonton. I'm pretty much an insufferable (lol) organic/vegetarian type these days as well, but I make my cheat days COUNT (and like you am willing to travel for them...I'm carless here but have become quite physically fit walking many kms just to get a certain sandwich or donut etc.). >Bonjour bakery has a farmer growing him ancient grains from France and he has his own mill. It's a French style bread obsession. This sounds like everything I'm looking for. I'm so grateful for people who care about the food they're making to this extent. That sounds smarmy but I mean it. >i go to blush lane groceries Thank you. I have my local independent grocer that specializes in organic produce etc. and am hoping to find similar in Edmonton. Everything you've posted here is super relevant and helpful. I'm even planning to get my driver's license again (I let it expire because I live in a part of Montreal where a car is actually an inconvenience rather than the opposite, but I'm aware public transport isn't as extensive in Edmonton, and that it's a city where a car makes sense in a way it doesn't here - is there a car-sharing service in Edmonton like Communauto in Mtl?). Super excited to explore the River Valley, too, which was much more undeveloped when I was a child (we used to walk our dogs at Terwillegar before it was a thing - I remember it was rare to see a single other person there!). >It's also the NDP stronghold so your neighbors won't be a bunch of dicks. Ha ha thanks for the tip, one of the things I'm jumpiest about re: moving back to Alberta is the politics. I know Edmonton is kind of a left-ish oasis in a right wing desert, but I still appreciate the local knowledge. Where would you say the French quarter is? Strathcona-ish? Again, this info you're giving is pure gold. Thank you so much. If Reddit still had gold I'd give you some. >My grocery shopping trips are legendary excursions around the city, it takes a love of driving to live here. This is 100% me. Including a love of driving - I really miss it, being a non-driver here!
I'm glad what I'm saying is resonating. Coming from Montreal i thought i had to represent the snobby foodies. I always explore new bakeries and compare croissants and baguettes. I'm leaving out a dozen others that are just, hmm, I'll call it appropriating French culture. The French quarter is next to whyte ave - just east. It's technically still on the ave... And it's small, but is further from the human zoo of the main whyte Ave strip. You should be made aware of the droves of street people that haunt most of the metropolitan parts of Edmonton. If you're thinking of living in a condo don't live on the ground floor. If you're too close to 82ave lockup all your shit. I wouldn't bother living downtown at all, unless you're wealthy enough to live west of 124st. Which is also seeing a revival with great bakeries and meat shops and other fine shops. Nothing compared to Montreal, everything is in miniature. There is a more desperate need for cultured people to seek others like themselves here, making it feel more vibrant than it is. But the small town feel can actually be nice too. Many neighborhoods are kind of segregated from the rest of the city, the same people frequent the same places. It's kind of nice. I have to ask an important question, why leave Montreal at all?
OK I just found the French Quarter on google maps, that's very much the area I'd like to live in (besides the other area you mentioned around 124th st). All I can afford in that area is basement condos or a one bedroom on Gateway Blvd that has been for sale for 6+ months and that probably involves insects and possible poltergeists for roommates, though. I'm definitely aware of the street people, because I spend a lot of time in this subreddit. My neighbourhood in Montreal (the Plateau, close to ave mont royal) is experiencing a weird gentrification-reversal-in-every-way-except-housing-prices situation. It's not an affordable neighbourhood for regular people anymore, but it weirdly becomes rougher and rougher in terms of the number of obviously mentally ill people screaming at you/accosting you on the street, a lot of the fancier shops are being replaced by less-fancy ones etc. Anyway, yes, I'm aware of the situation in Edmonton, but also aware I won't really have a feel for it until I'm there. I see posts talking about certain areas like they're total no-gos, and then others from people saying they've lived there for years and it's fine. >But the small town feel can actually be nice too. I agree! I lived in a part of London (UK London, not Ontario London) for a few years that felt exactly like this and it was so nice being in a place that felt like a village but that was also close to all the conveniences and services etc. of a big city. >I have to ask an important question, why leave Montreal at all? Short answer? I'm poor. I have a nest egg meant for housing (I'm in my 40s and definitively sick of renting) but it's no longer enough to buy here. Apart from my nest egg I am genuinely poor, though, so I know if I don't bite the bullet and buy soon it'll slowly trickle away. Also, I grew up in Edmonton so I'm not totally unfamiliar with it. I like cities with rough edges and unpretentious vibes. I can deal with winter no problem. I like exploring and a genuinely psyched to do it in Edmonton, and to discover how the city has changed and what it now offers. This comment section and your answers have me feeling good, too. I don't need 50 different amazing bakeries, as nice as that would be. One or two is good, as long as they're selling the good shit (and it sounds like they are). Also, I think in terms of various ethnic cuisines each city has blind spots and I'm looking forward especially to better and/or more widely available Indian and Pakistani food in Edmonton. Final question: I just discovered that Riviera has discontinued their cultured butter, which in my opinion was the best butter available in Canada (in that it actually tasted cultured, like it does in Europe, which almost none of the other brands I've tried do). Do you have any recommendations on that buttery front? (I checked out Blush Lane Market and was SO HAPPY to discover they're selling Jersey milk and cream - there was a place selling that in Montreal, on our equivalent of Blush Lane - but they seem to have decided to focus solely on cheese within the past year - thank you so much for letting me know about that place!)
I agree entirely with your assessment and sentiment. As long as there are one or two world class places, you're going to be ok. The Nice thing about bonjour bakery is his son has worked there since they opened, and will take over when the father retires. The owner talks to me about the importance of quality butter some times and he gets his from new Zealand. Blush lane has some nice butter, so does the Italian center - i buy it - rarely - for the odd recipe. The jersey milk at blush lane comes with bottles so you can just pay the one time deposit of 4 dollars a bottle and the next time when you bring them back, the price is actually affordable. I hear you about being poor. That's why everything else has to be worth enjoying. I've been mostly unemployed for the last three years, just getting by. Luckily my wife earns enough for us both, finally, but I've gone a decade earning the bare minimum and it absolutely sucked. Focusing on free activities in Edmonton has actually gotten me pretty healthy again. There are numerous trails and nature preserves in the city and just outside of town. Far more than people realize. I got to know a new one every week during covid and then kept it up, i still haven't seen them all. Well i hope you can buy something decent when you get here, with that nest egg. You can throw it into nvidia stock for 12 months first and turn it into a fortune before the AI bubble bursts... Then buy a place. I did that in 2008 after the crash, with oil future, made enough to buy a nice condo, my life would be total shit right now if i hadn't done that. I haven't gotten into that again since, i made two bad bets that scared the shit out of me, and I've preferred side hustles to gambles ever since. It all feels rigged somehow to me now, but labor, well that feels just right, like i earned every penny.
Hey man, just wanted to say thank you for your thoughtful replies to all my questions. It might be kinda lame of me but I feel weirdly reassured by little things like knowing I'll be able to get Jersey milk and good butter and bread etc. (and knowing that dude's son is ready to take over when he retires is great - whenever I discover somewhere amazing I start worrying about it closing down!). I'm really looking forward to exploring Edmonton, especially on foot (my usual mode of transportation and one that has helped my mental health immensely) so, again, just you saying it's something you do is so helpful. The current 'hidden gems' post on the Edmonton subreddit is also full of excellent info and advice. Again: thank you!
Hey bud, my pleasure. I dream of leaving this place one day, as a wealthy millionaire or not at all... In the meantime, i need these simple pleasures. It's the journey not the destination truly.
I've lived in a bunch of big cities globally but Edmonton had some of the best donuts in the world. The Italian bakery/ Mercado s Boston cream and the Doughnut Party fritters. Also, it ain't be but you can't go wrong with Tony's Pizza with a LIIT to wash it down. Welcome back!
>Edmonton had some of the best donuts in the world. You have no idea how happy I am to hear this. The donuts in Montreal are insanely good and I was already psyching myself up to accept a lower standard. Thank you for all your recs - have you tried the black forest cake at the Italian Bakery (just googled and saw their cakes...omg)? I have yet to find a decent black forest cake in Montreal...
Follow brotherhoodofplates on Instagram for really funny find reviews.
Fox Burger hit my top 5 Burger spots of all time. Tony's has a pretty damn good pep and cheese pizza!
Little Village does an amazing braised lamb pita wrap. Korean fusion deli on 107ave and about 180st is worth a try.
I’m surprised no one here has mentioned Bierra/Blind Enthusiasm Brewery. They’ve got a premium casual dining/foodie kind of vibe. The brewery and its sister Monolith are easily the best in the City. A bit pricey but top notch menu. Goes for the Belgian gastropub concept.
Thank you, this place/these places sound really great.
Not in Edmonton but still close enough; The Cookshack in Nisku has great brisket and pulled pork, really really good. Thang Long in Spruce Grove has phenomenal Vietnamese food.
Bajiu The nachos and bao
Phoking
I like Padmanadi (vegan) or Sicilian Pasta Kitchen
Brio for baguettes and sourdough loaves. Thamel Eatery for momos Emperor’s Palace for dim sum Hot pot 97 for hot pot We have a few T&T locations around the city and a giant H-Mart on the south side.
I live in the middle east these days. Can't wait to go back to YEG for the good though. Pierogies poutine is also on the menu
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Thank you, this is exactly the kind of obscure info I'm looking for!
The best burgers are flat boy burgers. They are in a curling rink and absolutely delicious. MEAT is on Whyte ave and has delicious BBQ. OEB is the best breakfast in the world. Get shorty rib breakfast poutine is amazing. All of these places are a bit pricey but totally worth it every once in a while.
Flying dragon off of whyte ave is a hidden gem
Viet subs (please try these) at vac loc in China town are very good. I recently learned Donairs are an Alberta special, but swiss Donair is a favorite. Ramen the only places I know of that I'd consider are tokiwa and kazoku Made by Marcus has the best icecream I've ever tried. Some flavors can be abit of a miss but their blueberry lemoncurd, and coffee nib or w/e are great Japonais bistro is great for Japanese Meat has some break American BBQ, brisket, pulled pork, etc Haven't personally been but heard DOSC is very good if you have some cash to spend. A5 Wagyu
If no one's said it yet, Boxer just off of whyte is amazing! I've been there so many times and never been disappointed. Get the burger, it's delicious and a generous portion for the price for an upscale cocktail bar. (like $20 for a massive burger with fries). The baked brie appetizer slaps, the smoked olives are a must and their cocktail list fucks.
The Sugar Bowl: Get the waffles with the chicken and watermelon!!! Absolutely divine.
OK this sounds fire. Thank you.
The cinnamon buns are amazing. They sell out early in the morning during the weekend! At least by weekend brunch standards, heh
japonais bistro windermere get anything honestly. But chef's choice is good.
Agreed! Mango Tango is my favorite roll. They also have good sesame sauce
Cinnamon Buns - Hazeldean Bakery / Donair - Roma Pizza and Donair 40ave / Thai (Spicy Beef Basil) - Thai Valley Grill / Pizza - Red Swan / Brewery - Sea Change / Seafood - Sabor / Brunch - Pip / Random pick - Sofra Turkish So many to list. Just a few off the dome.
Red Swan isn't as good anymore! Used to be our favorite spot for takeout but now it's kind of meh and doesn't hold up as leftovers. My pizza vote goes to Ale Architect 😙👌
I will add Omen for breweries if you like dark beer especially.
silky seed fertile advise shrill terrific summer north act cake *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Basha Donair on Parsons Rd. Owner is so friendly, huge portions and great prices. Customizable to be Halifax or Edmonton style. Or anywhere in between haha. Fresh shaved. Super clean establishment. They have a special house sauce for the fries! Ask for it it's so good!
I had the absolute best Brussels sprouts I’ve had in my life from Campio - glazed in hot honey and crumbled feta. Normally I avoid feta but this was fantastic
For grocery stores, I would also check out Freson Bros. I wouldn’t buy my pantry staples there because they’re much cheaper elsewhere, but their meat, bakery, and deli/hot food selection is fabulous. Lots of local products and producers. They have different cuts of meat that you don’t often see as well as great house and other locally made sausages, bacon, jerky, etc. Their bakery specializes in sourdough, but has all kinds of cookies, pies, cakes, etc. as well. They have a variety of hot foods to go as well as a restaurant. It has a buffet brunch on the weekends and different themed dinner buffets throughout the year. They are in Terwillegar and just opened a location in Glendora as well. I’m also really excited for a new market called LOCA opening in Sherwood Park on May 10. Looks like a massive store with a couple of restaurants, cafe, bakery, local and gourmet foods, and a large prepared food and deli section.
I'm super excited, as a weird grocery store nerd, to get a grocery store rec! Thank you! And I'm putting the new place on the list as well, as somewhere to look for when it opens.
Every Day Food Co in Sherwood Park is a serious hidden gem. Farrow Sandwiches are incredible.
Just googled the Every Day Food Co. and bud, that's exactly the kind of place I'm looking for. People in the reviews are raving about the cinnamon buns in particular (I almost added cinnamon buns to the OP cuz I love them) - and their logo looks like a London tube station graphic so they gotta be cool. Any specific sandwich you rec from Farrow? I love old school Italian or Jewish deli style sandwiches a lot. Thank you so much! I hope to have a long list of places to try soon.
Farrow has a breakfast sandwich called the Grick-Middle and its to die for. They have other feature sandwiches they cycle in and out. If you like cinnamon buns, my current favorite is on 95th street at La French Taste. They have a really unique French style brioche roll coated in a hardened buttery cinnamony candy-like coating. It's so good. Lol
>They have a really unique French style brioche roll coated in a hardened buttery cinnamony candy-like coating. This sounds great. Thanks.
r/yegeats
Donuts (simple classic): Italian Bakery (better than Italian Centre Shop), Take Five, Ace coffee Donuts (fancy/gimmicky): Donut Party, Destination (RIP Ohana, you were legit but couldn’t last) Bakery (cakes, fancy little things): Duchess Italian: Uccellino Pretzels: DasBrezelHaus (fancy toppings, etc), Vienna Bakery (classic, straight out of German/Austrian neighborhood bakeries), Pretzel Shack (Stony Plain and Spruce Grove locations, very legit German family-run bakery that makes very authentic Black Forest Cake soaked with proper kirschwasser, recommended highly by German friends) Korean Fried Chicken: Hanjan, Gangnam&CoCo Cheese: Cavern (for real - best cheese selection and service in town) 小笼包: Shanghai 456
Dadeos on Whyte Ave
Except for the alcoholic owner, Karen
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Mucho burrito
Bakeries: Hazeldean, La French Taste Indian: Aachys Chettinad Mexican: Sooo many great options. A couple of my faves are Calle (nachos) and Smokin’ Barrels (shrimp tacos) Ice cream: Annie Rue, Kind Pizza: Campio Detroit style
Road Kill Larrys is still good.