Salutes and Shout Outs

With Mike Pigot and Shamir Bechara in the kitchen we have high expectations, and Calgary’s Pat & Betty delivers. This 40-seat room, 10-seat private dining room, and mezzanine floor, not only look like where you want to eat, (great job Fort Architecture, Chef Pigot and partner James Martin!) but they want to make food they want to eat, and we want to eat it too. Beautifully balanced flavours, colours and textures are the hallmarks of these dishes, served on local Spiritware plates, and complemented by GM Sabrina Raaymaker’s wine list. Reservations recommended. 3-11pm, closed Mondays.

With more than 25 years in Indian cuisine, Lazeez Affair is open at 10813, 170 Street NW, Edmonton. An extensive menu means there's plenty for veggie lovers and meat eaters alike (and butter chicken samosas, yum!) weekend lunch buffet, and happy hour every day from 4-8pm.

D Spot started in Scarborough, Ontario, eight years ago and has 11 locations there and three in Calgary – and now in Edmonton at 3803 Calgary Trail. A huge menu of hotdogs and pizzas, pancakes and waffles, cakes and ice cream, is all made in-house. 7 days from 1pm.

The folks behind Brekkie and Sammie cafes have opened a new breakfast and lunch spot, Maven, in the ex-Janice Beaton location at 1006 17 Avenue SW. Dishes from Chef Michelle Hobbs-Lee’s Asian and German family roots feature on the menu, with noodles, congee, and kaya toast, alongside pork schnitzel and bennies aplenty too! It’s a beautiful space with thrifted furniture, and a café in the back shared with Plant it Modern - the plants you see are for sale too. 8am-3pm, 7 days.

6 years ago, husband and wife team, Gavin Fedorak and Braede Harris, opened Edmonton’s Love Pizza - and it fast became a hotspot with weekly specials, keto crust options, and a tater tot menu. Now they’ve opened their 5th location, in Leduc at 5411 Discovery Way. 7 days 11am-9pm.

After a two-year gap, Calgary’s Milk Tiger Lounge has moved six blocks south, to 2004 4 Street SW. GM Jordan Wiltshire repurposed much from the space’s previous incarnations to create an airy spot, full of people coming for cocktails from talented mixologists, 11 local beers on tap, and Chef Alison Bieber’s menu of elevated diner food. Try deviled egg with Miss Vickie’s chips and relive your childhood with Wiltshire’s mom’s homestyle meatloaf (all perfect for gluten-free). Watch for take-out and RTD cocktails, and the huge patio. No reservations, 5-11pm, 7 days.

Just down the road, for the sweet tooths with a sense of humour, you’ll love TBB Desserts, the new cheesecake, cookie, pudding, and pie shop at 2312 4 Street SW. Colin and Shane (the OG bitchy baker), bake more than 20 flavours of their Calgary-style cheesecake (softer and creamier than New York style) and support local makers too - Motherlode Coffee, Space Pantry Candy, Campfire preserves, local jewelry and bath products. Delivery in Calgary and occasionally to Edmonton. Closed Mondays, see tbbdesserts.com for hours and orders.

Village Ice Cream has added a fifth store in Calgary’s University District at 4019 University Avenue NW, right by the Cineplex VIP Cinema! Open every day from 11am.

First built as a garage in 1927, Kensington’s Plaza Cinema has been operating as a theatre for 87 years – and it’s had a major refresh. Now with a cool all-day cafe and bar for hot drinks, craft beer, cocktails, and snacks from locals Empire Provisions and Our Daily Brett. theplaza.ca.

Take a gastronomic tour of Africa at Chakalaka’s Mama Africa pop up on Calgary’s 17 Avenue SW. It’s so successful, it’s being extended! Enjoy dishes from all over the continent: South Africa, Morocco, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Kenyan cuisines, along with cocktails and African music.

Fun and games await at the The Alice: immersive cocktail experience at Sunny Cider’s location. Viral Ventures Global have brought their style of theatre to Calgary with 1½ hours of cocktails, laughs, and riddles. It’s so successful, we’re hoping it will soon be in Edmonton too! @alicecocktailexperienceglobal.

Marc H Delesalle started his career as a pastry chef in north of France, and opened Marc’s Place and Au Croque Monsieur in Drumheller - and he’s chosen Inglewood’s old Starbucks location for his second “Croque” spot! Serving traditional French lunch dishes, soups, salad, and hearty sandwiches on croissant and baguette, there’s a wide variety of delicious baked desserts too to eat in or take home, at 1139 9 Avenue SE. Closed Mondays.

Heading east, The Attic Stage & Bar is open upstairs above Vegan Street Taco Bar. It’s cosy, with padded banquettes and ceiling fans, live music, drag shows, burlesque, (and a monthly burlesque Sunday brunch), cocktails and terrific food! Chef Lyndon Hertz cooks in the original pizza oven that’s been there since 1914, and his upscale, creative share plates happen to be vegan too – but you’d never know. Perfect for private events and weddings, with a terrace in the summer. WednesdaySunday 4pm-late, happy hour 4-6pm.

With only 17 bar seats and a small space for 8 to stand, the taproom at Blind Enthusiasm’s new Edmonton brewery, The Monolith, can’t take reservations but come anyway to enjoy the three barrelfermented beers, a bite from Biera’s small menu, or take your favourites to go. 9919 78 Avenue NW, Friday-Sunday.

After 40 years, Continental Treat’s Borówka family has opened a second Edmonton location of their popular European bistro, at 9698 Jasper Ave NW. Chefs Elizabeth Palmowska and Carlos Ochoa and their teams are serving up totally gluten-free, traditional Central and Eastern European favourites, lunch and dinner every day.

Sam Kyungeun is now joined by Jaewan, and they’ve restarted Edmonton’s Honey Jam by Round 2, offering a selection of katsu and udon, and Korean sides and appies too. Find them Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-9pm at 8130 Gateway Boulevard NW.

The ex-Ox & Angela space on Calgary’s 17th Avenue SW, is now home to Lonely Mouth Bar. Everything here is next level: outstanding flavourful food and expert servers, with Chef May Ng showing off her talents – from the pickled cucumbers to blue fin tuna tartare with crackers made from house-made udon noodle dough, to the Osaka-style Brussel sprouts pancake, to one of the best sashimi platters in the city. With 8 beer taps on the wall, cocktails, and a covered heated patio for 10 people, be there noon-11pm, 7 days.

33 years after introducing Cajun and Creole cuisine to Edmonton, Envie has a new home in the Matrix Hotel’s ex-Wildflower Grill space at 10009 107 Street. Traditional soul food classics of gumbos and bisque, po’ boys, jambalaya, etouffée, and more, as well as weekend breakfast (crab cake bennies? Yes please!). 8 There’s a little house in Marda Loop at 1928 34 Avenue SW, with a lovely, heated patio and fireplace, coffee, and wonderful baked goods - Le Comptoir, by François is a bit of France for croissant, tarts, and cakes, as well as quiche, black bean and beet falafel burgers, and salads. François doesn’t scrimp and treats everyone as his guest. He also sells his quiches, mac ‘n cheese, and profiteroles frozen to take home.

Bragg Creek has a new bakery and café too! Mabel and Marie's serve modern comfort food with daily quiche, soup, and salad specials, take and bake meals of cabbage roll casserole and chicken pot pie, alongside bread and buns, desserts, perfect fudgy brownies, and squares. Open every day 7am-4pm, at 16 White Avenue.

Aloha Hawaiian Poke & Grill is now open at 11315 174 Street, Edmonton, for breakfast all-day every day, poke dishes, and the grill menu influenced by the Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, and Puerto Rican immigrants who came to work in the plantations. alohapokeandgrill.com.

In Edmonton’s former Brewster’s location, Fuzed Kitchen + Bar has opened its doors at 2335, 111 Street. With 12 screens showing live sports and a state-of-the-art surround sound system, you can tuck into wings, burgers, tacos, steaks, and salads every day from 11am.

Les Moulins La Fayette’s Johnny Jeulin is a fifth-generation baker, pastry chef, and chocolatier, who started a bakery in 1978 in France. In 1989 he came to Canada and has 20 locations in Quebec, two in Ontario, two in Calgary - and a first for Edmonton, at 4460 Calgary Trail. Open 7 days from 8:30am.