7 Must-Try Edmonton Restaurants, According to This AAA Travel Editor

Don’t let the tiny, dimly lit interior of Bar Bricco fool you—the Italian food served here is some of the best in the city. Focusing on snacks and small plates, Bar Bricco’s menu includes house-made pastas, imported cheeses, cured meats and other dishes perfect for sharing—and for pairing with a glass of Italian wine. A few things you need to try: the egg yolk ravioli with burnt butter and sage, the soft scrambled eggs over crostini and the cured meat tasting plate served with black truffle honey.

Just south of the High Level Bridge is Highlevel Diner, a local favorite for casual breakfast, lunch or dinner. Daily breakfast choices are plentiful and hearty, with gluten-free huevos rancheros, veggie omelets, daily quiches and classic eggs Benedicts among the savory selections and giant cinnamon buns served with caramel bourbon sauce among the sweet. Lunch and dinner menus are varied, but you can’t go wrong with the Ural burger, cottage pie or the Thursday night Ukrainian special (consisting of handmade pierogis, borscht, garlic sausage and cabbage rolls).

Promoting the slogan “Eat Off the Beaten Path,” RGE RD (pronounced “Range Road”) prepares Canadian cuisine showcasing the best of local Alberta ingredients. Menu items change according to what’s available from local farmers and producers, but fan favorites include the Gouda and potato pierogis served with bacon and white onion cream, bison steak with hazelnut spätzle and mustard, and, for those feeling adventurous, the “Road Trip,” a curated array of dishes and flavors that changes daily. An open kitchen allows for observation of the wood-fired oven and skilled chefs hard at work.

Summer in Edmonton is patio season, and one of the best Edmonton restaurants where you can enjoy a meal and a drink outside is The Sherlock Holmes Pub. Sandwiched between downtown office towers and bordered by a white picket fence, the English-style pub draws a crowd for its prime people watching, live music and classic pub grub. Fill up on poutine, wings, fish and chips, steak sandwiches made with AAA Alberta beef and bread pudding for dessert. Live music takes place on Thursday and Friday evenings (at 8 and 9 p.m., respectively) and Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Diners rave about the flavorful tacos and lively atmosphere at Tres Carnales Taqueria, a quick-serve Mexican restaurant in downtown Edmonton. You may have trouble deciding which kind of street-food-style taco or torta (sort of like a sandwich) to order; carnivores will like the slow-roasted pork, grilled Alberta flank steak and marinated chicken, while vegetarians and vegans can opt for the sautéed mushrooms topped with queso or the marinated cauliflower with pineapple. Order a side of house-made guacamole and chips (and maybe a sangria or two) and you’re good to go.

Reservations are a must for dinner at Tzin Wine and Tapas, a tiny restaurant tucked among historic buildings on the 4th Street Promenade (a.k.a. 104 Street). Personalized service and excellent wine pairings make this one of the top places to eat in Edmonton for a romantic meal. The menu is small but mighty; the Alberta beef flat iron steak served over a smoked sea salt caramel sauce will melt in your mouth. If you’re feeling indecisive, ask for the “Feed Me” menu item and the chef will prepare you something off-menu tailored to your preferences.

If you’re out and about in the 124 Street shopping district, plan to stop by Urban Diner for a meal. All-day breakfast is always a good choice, with interesting options like apple pie French toast, spiced banana bread, chicken schnitzel waffles, huevos rancheros with vegetarian chili and plenty of flavors of mimosas. Lunch and dinner picks range from triple-decker grilled cheese sandwiches and homemade chicken noodle soup (so delicious!) to salmon burgers and hot dogs smothered in chili.

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