Dining
Dining in Alberta is an eclectic culinary experience. Choose an eatery that reflects our rich multi-cultural heritage or try one of the many restaurants committed to using local produce. From down home to uptown, food festivals and farmers' markets, gourmet vegetarian to our famous Alberta beef, there's something for every palate.
Fine Dining
There are many opportunities for fine dining in Edmonton. Try our seasonal prairie Alberta cuisine—wild boar or bison, locally raised lamb or ostrich. And of course you won’t lack for beef in all its myriad forms—from tenderloin tip to juicy homemade hamburgers. Edmonton’s culturally diverse Old Strathcona historical area is home to a multitude of trendy cafés and ethnic eateries. Work off some of that fine food while exploring the boutiques, antique shops, music stores and artistic attractions on Whyte Avenue. Visit Edmonton Dining for a comprehensive listing. The Where Edmonton Dining Guide is another good resource.
Home Cooking
Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market is a must visit on Saturdays. Local produce, baked goods, flowers, meat and eggs are a given. Stroll around the booths where you'll find jewelery, pottery, homemade furniture and foodstuffs. Pack a snack to take out, or have a meal onsite while listening to the harmonies of local musicians.
Festival Feasting
A Taste of Edmonton spans 10 days in late July and is one of the City’s most anticipated festivals. Here is your chance to sample the food and beverages from over 40 restaurants, each one offering something savoury and something sweet. Held at Sir Winston Churchill Square, there are licensed areas so that patrons may sample a wide variety of wines with their meal. Enjoy the free entertainment on three stages.
At the annual Edmonton Heritage Festival visitors and locals come from near and far to sample the cuisine of more than 70 cultures from around the world.
Around Alberta
Another culinary extravaganza is the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival, which tours Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer in October. The event features local and celebrity chefs, cooking demonstrations and seminars that offer unique educational tastings at affordable prices.
No matter where you travel in Alberta, you'll find fairs and festivals that celebrate all kinds of regionally grown produce including Fort McMurray blueberries, sweet Taber corn and famous Fahler honey. Some serious competition goes on in the "world's biggest" department—you won't believe the size of the pumpkins they grow in Smoky Lake.
Rocky Mountain Cuisine
Rocky Mountain Cuisine refers to dishes using indigenous ingredients of the mountains, and it’s served at resorts in the Rockies and the more upscale eateries in our gateway cities. This is your chance to try such delicacies as bison steak, elk medallions, local wild mushrooms and juniper berries—guaranteed to surprise and delight the discerning palate.
For a current listing of our restaurants that specialize in regional cuisine, visit Dine Alberta.
