Restaurants and Bars

There are some 2,000 eating establishments in Edmonton, and they represent a wide variety of cuisine. Take a walk down Bourbon Street, West Edmonton Mall's restaurant strip, and you will get an idea of how the city's culturally diverse population is manifested in its dining options. Here's a look at some of the cuisine that dominates the scene.

Canadian/North American Edmontonians love their meat—particularly their beef. After all, this is cattle country. The word "steak" or "steakhouse" is part of many a restaurant name. Alberta prime rib—a choice cut from the seven ribs just before the loin—is served at quality steakhouses like Von's and Teddy's. In addition to a variety of beefy steaks, burgers and ribs, other popular meat items include pork tenderloin, a variety of chicken dishes, and bison steak, all from locally raised animals.

The seafood served in the city's restaurants is imported from both of Canada's coasts. Thus, you can try Pacific salmon in one restaurant, Atlantic salmon in another. Typical offerings also include lobster tails, shrimp, scallops, mussels and a variety of other fish. A good option that is a bit on the upmarket side is Packrat Louie.

Steakhouses, seafood restaurants and other establishments that serve what is typically known as "Western" or "Canadian" food are found virtually everywhere in the city, with the biggest clusters in the west end (not far from West Edmonton Mall), in the downtown core, and on the south side along Calgary Trail. They range from counter-style like Debaji's to more elegant establishments like La Ronde and Chance, where you can foray into what has been dubbed "Canadian Regional" or "Canadian Prairie" cuisine.

Chinese/Cantonese/Szechwan Chinatown, of course, offers the largest selection of these restaurants, but no matter where you are in the city, you are likely to find several more.

The majority of Chinese immigrants here in the West came from the region of Canton, in Kwangtung Province. The many Cantonese restaurants in Edmonton specialize in seafood dishes, tropical produce and rich sauces. Szechwan restaurants, like Szechuen Cuisine, are also abundant in Edmonton and serve dishes with more familiar ingredients, which are flavored with red peppers, ginger, garlic, and Szechwan pepper grown in the prosperous province, Szechwan, in western China.

Italian Fettuccine Alfredo, Veal Parmigiana, risotto, focaccia, bruschetta, tiramisù. They taste as wonderful as they sound. Italian restaurants in Edmonton range from lively pasta kitchens like Chianti to fancy, first rate establishments like Sorrentino's - Little Italy, all serving food to satisfy your hunger and warm your soul. And yes, there is pizza. You can have thin crust, thick crust, or stuffed (with cheese) crust, with anything and everything on it. Il Forno's pizza comes right out of it's signature brick oven.

Greek Edmonton's Greek restaurants are local favorites. Nothing beats the combination of delightful food and Mediterranean ambience that is offered in establishments like Symposium and Syrtaki. While you're enjoying your souvlaki, spanokopita, hummus, or baklavá, you might even have the opportunity to catch a little belly dancing at a few of these establishments on Friday and Saturday nights.

French Many of Edmonton's classiest (and most expensive) restaurants, like the unique La Boheme, fall into this category, offering classic French cuisine like chateaubriand, filet mignon, coquille St. Jacques and bouillabaisse, as well as veal and lamb dishes. A few of the French restaurants here, like The Creperie, specialize in crêpes, thin pancakes with delightful fillings. Be sure to follow your main course crêpe with a decadent desert crêpe.

Whatever type of cuisine you want to try, it's likely that Edmonton has it. Japanese, East Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Thai, Lebanese—the list goes on. And if you're vegetarian, don't be alarmed by the preponderance of meat items on every menu. There are some vegetarian (or almost-vegetarian) restaurants in the city, like the unique Oriental Veggie House and the quaint Max's Light Cuisine. Most others offer at least a few vegetarian options. If you can't find anything on the menu, chances are the chef will whip up something meatless just for you.

The Pub Scene There is no shortage of pubs in Edmonton, and new ones seem to pop up all the time, and all over the place. Whyte Avenue and downtown have the largest concentration. Pubs are popular with the locals, and on Friday and Saturday nights the lines can be long; owners are diligent about not exceeding maximum capacities. While you enjoy whatever is on tap, indulge in finger food. The most popular item is definitely chicken wings, mild, medium or screaming hot.

If you are planning to unwind in more private surroundings, it might help to know that the liquor stores in the province of Alberta are privately owned, so they don't keep government hours. They are open seven days a week and some until as late as 2a on weekends.