Thanks to our guest contributor Linda Hoang for writing this blog post.
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When you’re looking for a new home, there’s a lot of factors to consider. Does the master bathroom have two sinks? Is the basement finished? Is it close to work? But maybe more importantly, is the neighbourhood right for you and your family? What about the neighbourhood matters to you? It might be parks, walkability, nearby grocery stores. It could also be proximity to good, neighbourhood restaurants.
There are some great options for neighbourhood eats in Edmonton, and over the last few years, the number of local restaurants popping up in all corners of the city have been on the rise. While downtown or Whyte Ave are certainly popular centres for delicious food, sometimes you just want to venture near home for your meal out, and for a lot of Edmontonians that home may be north, south, east or west of downtown.
I’m Linda Hoang, an Edmonton area blogger (with a specific love of food!) and today I’m guest blogging some suggestions on great, new (ish) neighbourhood eats that are becoming such hubs for communities all over this amazing city, a list you might want to pay extra attention to if access to good food is an important factor in your home search.
Note: obviously this is not an exhaustive list… I tried to hit a few different neighbourhoods around Edmonton, and I’m considering ‘new(ish)’ to mean having opened in the last 2-ish years. Ish!
12 New(ish) Edmonton Neighbourhood Eats
Biera | 9570 76 Avenue
Located in the new Ritchie Market, Biera / Blind Enthusiasm Brewing is easily one of the coolest new restaurants in Edmonton. It oozes cool. The atmosphere is always bumpin’ (is that what the cool folks say?) and the food and drinks are always impressive. Acme chicken and grass-fed minute steak, B.C. grown Belgian endives, and a killer Beira sourdough bread with house-made kefir butter, olive oil and whipped lardo are just some of the dishes you've got to try. Can't decide on a beer? Get the samplerdoodle for a taste of their greatest hits.
Bodega Tapas & Wine 124 | 12417 Stony Plain Road
Those living in the Westmount / Oliver neighbourhoods have some amazing food options along 124 Street, from bakeries and cafes like Duchess or Chocorrant, to pasta at Nuovo Bistro and meat from Meuwly’s. Another recently-opened gem in this neighbourhood: Bodega Tapas & Wine
White walls lined with white painted Spanish trinkets and treasures mixed with warm wood tables and floors give Bodega a sophisticated vibe. The hidden backyard patio is magical. And most importantly, their food is amazing. Share everything but especially the bacon wrapped dates, the daily pintxos, the patatas, grilled artichokes, and wild boar cheeks. Bonus: they’ve also got a sister location in the Highlands neighbourhood.
buco Windermere | 1249 Windermere Way
buco pizzeria + vino has perfected traditional neaopolitan pizzas, and offers a huge wine list. This Windermere restaurant is massive, and on Mondays, you can BYOW (Bring Your Own Wine!) The ‘Assaggini’ or ‘little tastes’ is a perfect dish to start and share. Choose three appetizers for just $12 or six for $24. You must get the prosciutto wrapped figs, veal meatball, and a bruchetta (can’t go wrong with pancetta). Their pappardelle wild game ragu pasta is also wonderful. buco is also a perfect place for weekend brunch if you don’t want to venture too far out of the neighbourhood!
Kanto 98 Street | 10636 98 Street
Bringing a youthful, hip vibe to the Chinatown / McCauley neighbourhood, Kanto 98 Street Eatery, specializing in Filipino street food, was just named a finalist in Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants list! That is no joke. Chef/owner Edgar Gutierrez (you recognize the name from Tres Carnales and Rostizado) dishes out delicious baos (get the pork belly), crispy, juicy fried chicken (get the spicy), and a daily special that’s always worth ordering.
Workshop Eatery | 2003 91 Street
Workshop Eatery has done a great job establishing itself as ‘the’ restaurant to try in Edmonton’s deep south. The open kitchen gives you a great view of Chef Paul Shufelt and his team putting together everchanging dishes that feature a ton of protein and produce from local farms—and their own garden! Located in the cool Mosaic Building, you won’t leave Workshop Eatery disappointed. The duck liver pate, brussel sprouts, chips & dip, and beets are awesome for starters. And how could you not order the Token Steak Dish?
Salz | 10556 115 Street
Brine, bier, brats! Salz pays homage to the wonderful German sausage, and they do this quite well. Your options here are simple—brat in a bun, brat on a plate, or perhaps a currywurst (two classic brats wiht a tomato curry?) With Oktoberfest upon us, Salz is certainly a neighbourhood spot to celebrate. In fact, Salz is hosting an Oktoberfest dinner with Alberta Pork on Oct. 2. If you miss it, not to worry, really any visit to Salz can be a celebration of beer and brats. Salz can have a pretty wicked, bustling vibe, depending on the night.
Otto Food & Drink | 11405 95 Street
Speaking of sausage, Otto, the neighbourhood favourite in Norwood, is also a great, casual dining spot focused solely on the sausage, provided by Fuge Fine Meats (who you may have seen selling at markets, but are now proudly partnered with Otto). A hoppin’ vibe, come share family-style brats, sauerkraut and a bunch of craft beer at Otto.
Rebel Food & Drink | 9112 142 Street
There are only a few places you can get lobster rolls in Edmonton and Rebel Food & Drink is one of them. ‘Rock’ and roll with their delicious lobster rolls, chips and dip (okay, can you tell I like chips and dip?) and a breakfast pizza (eggs should be on ALL pizzas!) Rebel Food & Drink, part of the Century Hospitality Group, knows all about consistency. You’ll always have a good meal here. Be sure to top off the meal with a Confetti Cake! It comes complete with fruit loops, all the sprinkles and sparklers. Such fun.
Green Onion Cake Man | 9132 118 Avenue
Okay so this restaurant LITERALLY just opened but is guaranteed going to be one of Alberta Avenue’s most popular spots. Brought to us by the man who introduced the ‘Green Onion Cake’ to Edmonton—sweet 78-year-old Siu To—this cozy little space is serving up savoury Chinese pancakes for under $5 and is certainly worth a visit.
Bündok | 10228 104 Street
For those downtown dwellers, it’s very likely your favourite neighbourhood restaurant is Bündok. Located along the popular 104 Street, Bündok features dishes and cocktails as beautiful as they are delicious. You’ll feel like this is a nicer place to spend your time—it works as much as a fine dining restaurant as it does a lunch spot. The roasted cauliflower is a must-order, along with the fluffy gnocchi and sea bream crudo. I’m also quite partial to the chicken liver tartine.
Northern Chicken | 10704 124 Street
I’m a fan of the fried chicken from Northern Chicken. Get it spicy (warning: it is real spicy!) with a side of their signature Doritos Mac n Cheese! (that crunch!) Comfort food with some cool vibes, and old episodes of The Simpsons playing on the TV make this a great neighbourhood eat!
Hanjan | 3735 99 Street
With cool décor (can’t go wrong with twinkling lights!) a second floor dining area, great food and a really cool vibe, Hanjan is one of my favourite spots for Korean food—and perfect for those living in south Edmonton. It’s a coffee shop by day, a Korean bar at night. Japchae glass noodles, Jaeyuk Bokkum spicy stir-fried pork belly and Budae Jjigae ‘army stew’ are favourites. And, as is the case with Korean restaurants, you get unlimited kimchi and pickled vegetables included with your meal. I also am a huge fan of the apple mashed potatoes they make. For dessert? The strawberry bingsoo (Korean shave ice dessert) obviously.
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Bonus: one of my favourite suburban restaurants is XIX Nineteen (they’ve got a Terwillegar location or a St. Albert location). They aren’t really new anymore so it didn’t make sense to add them to the main list but I can never not recommend XIX’s Ahi Tuna Twists with a Pearjito.
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Linda Hoang is an Edmonton area blogger who writes about food, events, travel and lifestyle at www.linda-hoang.com. Linda is the Founder of the Edmonton International Cat Festival, Instagrammable Walls of Edmonton Photo Walks, and her family owns King Noodle House Pho Hoang in Chinatown. Linda lives with her husband Mike, and their two cats (Thor and Loki) and two dogs (Olive and Artie).
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