Food Roundup

Openings

• The Public Exchange is now open at 10909 Jasper Avenue NW (formerly Central Social Hall's downtown location).
• Chevapi King, serving Balkan food, is now open at 10425 51 Avenue NW.
• Tastebuds Caribbean BBQ is the newest vendor at Bountiful Farmers' Market. The business specializes in frozen fare such as jerk chicken and ribs. Tastebuds also operates at the Old Strathcona Farmers' Market.
• Live Bowl'd, a vendor at the Bountiful Farmers' Market, is expanding to Whyte Avenue.
• Grocer Afri Food City will open soon at 3333 118 Avenue NW.

Closings

• Cookie Crumbs is closing its booth at the Old Strathcona Farmers' Market after April 26. Its Bountiful Farmers' Market location will remain open.
• Phat Boy Cheesesteaks has closed its Sherwood Park location as of April 19.

Headlines

• Restaurateurs continue to voice their frustrations with new patio fees implemented by the city. Mona Jager, who owns Pub 1905, and Wayne Jones, who co-owns Rocky Mountain Icehouse and Cask & Barrel, told Postmedia they feel betrayed because the city encouraged restaurants to build patio infrastructure before adding fees of up to $6,900 this year. "I think it's an unfair burden to put it on restaurants and bars who have patios," Jones said, noting that the city had pushed hard for winter patios. Meanwhile, Mayor Andrew Knack maintains that the costs are necessary due to revenue lost from photo radar fines.
• Restaurant and bar owners told CTV News and Postmedia that another long playoff run for the Edmonton Oilers could deliver a strong business boost, while a separate Postmedia story described playoff excitement spilling from Rogers Place into pubs and restaurants.
• The Old Strathcona Farmers' Market is seeking volunteers to operate a bike valet service. The market is also offering sponsorship opportunities. The program follows the end of nearby free parking.
• Nominations close on April 24 for the Alberta Food Processors Association's Made in Alberta Awards. The winners will be unveiled during an event on June 5 at the Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel.
• To Do Canada published a roundup of 25 places offering Mother's Day brunch, dinner, and high tea specials. The Chateau Louis Hotel has both a brunch and a dinner buffet with gluten-free options; the Edmonton Riverboat has morning and afternoon buffet seatings and half-price mimosas; and Bella has a three-course menu including gnocchi dusted with everything spice.
• Edify paid a visit to Lady Bea's English Tea House, calling it an exemplary classic high tea experience. Writer Caitlin Hart was skeptical about high tea before the experience, but said she plans to return to Lady Bea's for Mother's Day.
• Edify listed five spots for mochas, ranging from rich chocolate-forward cups to sweeter café versions. Ch. Cafeteria, Iconoclast Coffee Roasters, Fawkes Café & Bakery, Delavoye Chocolate Maker, and Waves Coffee House each received praise.
• The Colombian ranked 15th in North and Central America on a top 100 list from The World's 100 Best Coffee Shops. While 15 Canadian cafés made the list, The Colombian is the only local winner.
• Bent Stick Brewing is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. Beer columnist Jason Foster traced the founders' journey from Alley Kat Brewing Co. to becoming an anchor for Happy Beer Street for CBC Edmonton's Radio Active. Bent Stick is reviving some of its retired beers until the end of the year to mark the milestone, and it has an anniversary beer called Fashionably Late, which is a tropical IPA. The brewery will host a music festival called Rock the Dock on Aug. 29 and 30, with lineup and ticket details to be announced.
• Sea Change Brewing Co. is bringing back the Man Crush mandarin ale in support of the Winnifred Stewart Association and the Joey Moss Memorial Fund in memory of the longtime staff member with the Edmonton Oilers and the Edmonton Elks. Since 2024, Sea Change has raised more than $47,000 for the charities, which support people with developmental disabilities.
• Mad Moose's non-alcoholic spin on whiskey received a commendation at the World Alcohol-Free Awards. Zachary Fritze, who founded Mad Moose and the umbrella organization The Wagon & Co., celebrated the award by teasing that he will announce new products soon.
• Hugo Raya of Super Amigos Mexican Street Food discussed finding a home at Southbound Brewing and why he's giving back at the Hot Chefs Cool bEATS fundraiser in support of the Canadian Culinary Scholarship Fund and the High School Culinary Challenge. The event is now sold out.
• Elk Island Public Schools students were among those recognized at the High School Culinary Challenge, where 17 teams from senior highs around the region prepared three-course meals. "It's wonderful watching students be awarded for their creations on a big stage," EIPS board chair Colleen Holowaychuk told Postmedia. "Seeing all the hard work that EIPS culinary arts students have dedicated to their craft is nothing short of inspiring."
• Highlands School's annual Culinary Arts Cook-Off brought together local bakers, students, and community teams to raise money for arts programming.
• The Edmonton Community Foundation detailed the many ways the Rahim Jivanjee Rahemtulla Endowment Fund has supported food security in Edmonton, dating back to Rahemtulla's high school days when he kept gift cards on hand in case he came across someone who needed a meal. The fund provided 6,000 meals in its first year and has provided healthy lunches to kids, hot dinners at support agencies, groceries to families, and more.
• The Indigenous cooking classes at the Stanley A. Milner branch of Edmonton Public Library are providing an alternative to post-secondary education in nutrition, Indigenous Services Canada dietitian Kathleen Gibson told CBC Edmonton's Radio Active. Gibson previewed a new Level 2 course led by Holly Holt of SheCooks and the Yellowhead Tribal Council.
• Chef Doreen Prei joined CBC Edmonton's Radio Active to share Spanish tapas ideas such as patatas bravas, pan con tomate, croquettes, grilled shrimp, and more.
• Awn Kitchen chef Kaelin Whittaker shared a lemon pudding recipe with The Tomato.
• Original Joe's partner Ally Stone shared how she focused on feeding people over profit during the COVID-19 pandemic on The Business Development Podcast. The conversation touches on taking care of staff, how leadership is tested in crisis, and the gradual warning signs of burnout.
• Teresa Spinelli of the Italian Centre Shop detailed her initial reluctance to take over the family business and how she grew the company into a five-location institution with $140 million in sales on the Executive Wins podcast.
• MacEwan University professor Alyssa Overend examined grocery store theft prevention with CBC Edmonton's Radio Active. Overend said rising food insecurity correlates with a rise in grocery store theft over the past five years, leading grocers to hire off-duty police officers and implement body cameras for staff. "(Body cameras) are very high cost," she said. "They're maybe diverting some resources that could be used elsewhere to maybe keep the costs of groceries lower." Overend also weighed in on CBC's report that Loblaw and Sobeys have been over-charging for meat in violation of weighing standards, saying corporate centralization has made major grocers more profitable than ever. "I don't think they're struggling at all," she said. "If you look routinely at some of the wealthiest Canadians, we do see food producers and food providers in that."
• Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally will meet with major grocers to discuss food affordability. Premier Danielle Smith said on her radio show that Nally brings firsthand experience in the grocery business to the conversation on rising costs. "Every time (people) go to the grocery store, they remember what it used to be, and they're saying, 'How the heck did things get so expensive?'" Smith said.
• A University of Alberta student ranked snacks to eat during finals season, with produce, cheap eats, and caffeinated beverages taking top spots.

Happenings

Here are some events coming up over the next seven days:

• April 22: Buco Windermere Wine Dinner: Bold & Aromatic starting at 6:30pm at Buco Pizzeria + Vino Bar
• April 23: YEG Trivia Night with ECAMP and Taproot starting at 6:30pm at The Canadian Brewhouse (Downtown)
• April 24-25: ChocoFest at Millennium Place
• April 25: Tequila Cocktail Mixology Masterclass starting at 6:30pm at Halo Bar and Bistro

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• May 7: The Taste & Silent Auction at Devon Community Centre
• May 10: High Tea with a Twist: Mother's Day High Tea at Halo Bar and Bistro
• May 13: Indigenous Taste of the Market at Old Strathcona Farmers' Market

Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.