Food Roundup
Sept. 8, 2026
The Tomato is celebrating its 30th anniversary, but the party it's throwing with its September-October issue is more about the community than the publication. The lead feature, called Game Changers, includes 55 entries on people who have taken Edmonton's food scene where it is today. "Take Daniel Costa (of Corso 32 Group)," publisher and editor-in-chief Mary Bailey told Global News Morning. "When I first met him, I think he may have still been in high school, and he was working in the deli at the Italian Centre Shop, and even then, you knew he had something special."
Some Game Changers have been at it nearly as long as Bailey, or longer. Siu To, aka the Green Onion Cake Man, started his first restaurant in 1980, though he's as likely to be found on the golf course as in the kitchen today. The Spinelli family opened the first Italian Centre Shop in 1959, and Game Changer Teresa Spinelli has grown it into a mini-empire while supporting the original shop's community since taking the reins in 2000.
Game Changers of more recent vintage include Winnie Chen, the visionary behind the award-winning concept Fu's Repair Shop. She has also had a hand in The Common, Dolly's Cocktails, and Boa and Hare, the latter being an effort to be a catalyst for Chinatown. Also on the list are Scott Iserhoff and Svitlana Kravchuk of Bernadette's for raising the profile of Indigenous cuisine; Ben Staley for his work on Next of Kin, named one of Canada's Best Bars for 2026; and Taylor Falk for Sea Change Brewing Co., which has become a big name in craft beer and spirits.
Food Roundup Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors for helping to make our work possible:
Openings
- Wild Wing has opened at 10184 104 Street NW. It is the chain's third Edmonton region location.
- BOM Hot Pot and Sushi is opening at 9929 109 Street NW on Sept. 8, serving all-you-can-eat sushi, hot pot, and dessert.
- Roam Cafe is opening a second location this month, at ATB Place.
Closings
- DON'YA Ukraine's Kitchen will close its downtown location on Sept. 11, co-owner Janice Krissa posted, citing downtown construction, crime, and parking challenges. Its Fort Road location remains open.
- Nest at NAIT has closed indefinitely after carbon monoxide was detected in its kitchen on Sept. 4, sending two staff to hospital as a precaution. The NAIT Students' Association, which operates the Nest, said summer renovations meant to fix ventilation and heat problems hadn't resolved the issue, and it's now investigating with NAIT facilities staff and outside technical professionals.
- Effing Seafoods will close its St. Albert location on Sept. 12, with a new Edmonton location coming soon.
Expert advice on wills and estates
All too often, ordinary items become beloved keepsakes after someone passes, leading to disagreements, additional stress and expense. Having a legal will lets you share your wishes and makes things easier for your loved ones.
Join a free Wills Week session online or in-person to get started.
Presented by Edmonton Community Foundation
Headlines
- Birch and Bear owner Josh Wilhelm said in an interview with 880 CHED that Imagine Jasper Avenue construction had cut off safe public access to the restaurant, leaving customers with a narrow route through the Pearl Tower's private walkway. After his social media post drew attention, Mayor Andrew Knack visited and the contractor added a temporary platform, but Wilhelm said poor communication and prolonged construction continue to hurt nearby businesses.
- miskamâsowin foods founder Felicia Dewar is among the 21 women and gender-diverse food entrepreneurs selected for the 2026 Seed to Scale Accelerator organized by FEAD (Female Entrepreneurs in Agri-Food Development). The free hybrid program covers product development, packaging, food safety, and distribution.
- The City of Edmonton's 2025 Business Census found more than 158 local businesses are over 100 years old, including ACME Meat Market, a century-old butcher in Ritchie Market, and the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, which has anchored downtown hospitality for 110 years.
- EDify paid a visit to WildRoots Bistro, the St. Albert restaurant that has built a following for its brunch menu. Owners Tony and Chelsea Tipping source much of their produce from a home garden, family acreage, and local suppliers such as The Good Mushroom.
- EDify profiled Tortuga Coffee Roasters, which Julian Robinson and Nathan Desjardins launched in December 2025. The Edmonton roaster sources primarily from Colombia's Cauca region, packages its experimental coffees in reusable tins, and is looking to sell its beans through local cafes.
- Modern Luxuria's September issue features profiles on Golden Sparrow and Next of Kin.
- Tech startup Tenir is launching its first product on Sept. 16, offering a free 30-day pilot for 10 restaurants. Relay is operations software meant to help restaurants replace paper checklists, group chats, and verbal training with a digital system. Founder and CEO Harrison Mantla recently pitched the app to Hanjan.
- Chef Shane Chartrand will deliver the keynote address at the Next Food Expo, running Sept. 13-14 at Calgary's BMO Centre.
- MasterChef Canada returns for a ninth season on Sept. 22, and its lineup of 16 home cooks includes Edmonton's Jainesh "Jai" Bali, an industrial operations director whose standout dish is lamb loin with peas, roasted leeks, and potato pavé.
- Season 10 of The Great Canadian Baking Show, which returns to CBC on Oct. 4, features Edmonton's Slavomira Blahova, an office manager.
- Ships A-Hoy, a fish and chips shop that operated in Peachland, B.C., for 17 years, has closed, and its owner announced plans to reopen in Edmonton by 2027.
- Alberta's Crop Diversification Centre North is marking 75 years of agricultural research. What began as a tree nursery in 1951 has grown into a 340-acre facility housing the Alberta Plant Health Lab and Western Canada's only seed potato repository, and it continues crop health and disease research, including a clubroot nursery run with the University of Alberta.
Happenings
Here are some events coming up over the next seven days:
- Sept. 8: Beverly Towne Farmers' Market starting at 3pm at Riverview Crossing Mall
- Sept. 8: The Public Farmers Market starting at 3:30pm at Ritchie Community Hall
- Sept. 9: Southwest Edmonton Farmers' Market starting at 3:30pm at Booster Juice Recreation Centre in Terwillegar
- Sept. 9: Seed Sovereignty - Seed Libraries with Chelsea Boos starting at 5:30pm at McCauley Community Orchard
- Sept. 11: Wine & Chocolate Experience starting at 7pm at Delavoye Chocolate Maker
- Sept. 12: Downtown Farmers' Market starting at 10am at Downtown Farmers' Market
- Sept. 12: Summer Block Party starting at 11am at Rice Howard Way
- Sept. 13: Sundays at the 124 Grand Market starting at 11am at 124 Grand Market
- Sept. 14: Messed Up Mondays featuring Wilson Wong starting at 6pm at Brighton Block
And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:
- Sept. 21: tahto awasis asitakimaw Every Child Matters Traditional Feast & Round Dance at Alberta Aviation Museum
- Sept. 25-27: AsiaFest at Currents of Windermere
- Sept. 26: Gluten Free Expo at Edmonton Convention Centre
Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.