Warm up your winter at these hot new Edmonton restaurants
Several new buzzworthy restaurants opened at the end of 2015, ensuring Edmontonians will be well fed in 2016. As usual, the new hotspots are an eclectic mix of cuisines and vibes, much like the city itself. Whether you want to warm up with a bowl of Prairie-inspired ramen or try out an old favourite in a second location, there are plenty of great new options in Edmonton’s dining scene.
The Almanac
10351 82 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 1Z9Not to be confused with the now-closed restaurant of the same name in St. Albert, this spot is located in Old Strathcona. It serves French food in a gastropub environment from 11 a.m. till midnight, making it a good option for the university crowd. The menu includes yummy snacks, such as pretzel bites, roasted chickpeas, popcorn chicken with Parmesan dip, charcuterie and vegetable chips. The main menu ranges from soups and salads to bigger entrees, including a pesto chicken sandwich, arctic char, pork belly and bouef bourguignon.
Prairie Noodle Shop
10350 124 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5N 3V9The chefs behind this new ramen spot held several pop-ups in the city over the past few years. Now, they’ve finally opened up a brick-and-mortar shop, in the 124 Street area. The bowls are like nothing you’ve ever tried before: Roasted pork belly, crispy pork shoulder, fried pork rinds mixed into salty pork broth and dashi and topped with an umeboshi egg (a soft boiled egg marinated in Japanese salted plums) is just one example. The restaurant is so busy they often run out of soup before closing time, so come early to avoid heartbreak.
Parkallen Restaurant
10804 170 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5S 2H7This Lebanese restaurant originated on the south side of the city and has now expanded to include a west end location. The original Parkallen restaurant is one of the nicest Lebanese places in the city, and the menu remains much the same at the new spot – but with the addition of burgers and steaks. But, it’s the Mediterranean cuisine that is the star here. It’s also a good spot for smoking shisha, as there are a ton of hookahs available. This spot doesn’t have a wine list to look at, but never fear – they do serve it.
The Local Omnivore
10933 120 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5H 3R3What started as a food truck is now a 40-seat restaurant. They feature cured and smoked items, such as their super smoked bacon. The menu is concise, but features a great balance of meaty and vegetarian-friendly items. The Greens, Egg, No Ham sandwich consists of steamed kale and leeks, feta and a fried egg on Russian rye bread, while the Big Bird sandwich contains rolled turkey with herbs, Swiss cheese, malted honey mustard, mayo and citrus dressed arugula on Russian rye bread. If you’re not into sandwiches, they also sell samosas, salads, soup, poutine and spiced pork rinds.
XIX Nineteen
104-150 Bellerose Dr, St. Albert, AB T8N 8N8In late 2015, XIX expanded to a second location, in St. Albert. This location, like the original in Terwillegar, is only open in the evening and features a restaurant and a lounge. The atmosphere is chic but not overly stuffy, and the food is creative and fun without crossing into pretentious territory. The cuisine is heavy on seafood, with dishes such as the Ahi tuna twist, double-smoked bacon wrapped scallops, spicy miso Albacore tuna tartare, Atlantic lobster ravioli, White Rock Dungeness crab cakes and pan-roasted sriracha octopus and chorizo.
The Alberta Hotel Bar & Kitchen
9802 Jasper Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0C5Inside the historic Alberta Hotel lies a gorgeous space, ideal for a restaurant. It was briefly occupied by Tavern 1903 but is now home to the Alberta Hotel Bar + Kitchen. Its prime downtown location, right across from the Shaw Conference Centre, will make it a popular dining destination but its historic value will also draw people in – the massive, old-school urinals are a must-see. The cuisine focuses on local, seasonal ingredients, and the cocktails are just as fancy as the food.
The Workshop Eatery
2003 91 Street SW, Edmonton, AB T6X 0W8This southside restaurant, located inside the Mosaic Centre, is the result of chef Paul Shufelt’s labour of love. The menu boasts local treats, such as ice cream from Edmonton’s beloved Pinocchio on the dessert menu, pork sourced from Irving’s Farm Fresh, vegetables from Riverbend Gardens and bread from Bonton Bakery. Choose between bar snacks, such as Workshop honey sriracha cracker jack popcorn, small plates and large plates. The chicken liver parfait small plate is getting lots of buzz, but don’t overlook the creative entrees, such as the Duck Duck Couscous.
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