Food Roundup
Oct. 20, 2026
Ale Architect nabbed five trophies at the Alberta Beer Awards, the most of any Edmonton company. The Happy Beer Street-based business won gold and bronze in the brown ale and English bitter category for Balsam and West Ritchie Original; gold and silver in the American and hazy pale ale category for Dream Work and Out & About; and bronze in the session hop forward beer category for Day Drift. Ale Architect came close to winning Brewery of the Year (which is decided by total category wins), ending up just one medal shy of The Establishment Brewing Company of Calgary.
Jason Foster, the beer columnist for CBC Edmonton's Radio Active, was the head judge for the awards, which were presented at the Alberta Craft Brewing Convention in Calgary. He said there were 520 entries from 61 Alberta breweries, and Edmonton had a good showing against Calgary's more-established ecosystem. Blind Enthusiasm won gold, silver, and bronze in the mixed-fermentation beer category and ranked second in Best of Show for the 2025 batch of Spontaneous Manifesto. Founder Greg Zeschuk recently said a key to his success is an unwillingness to compromise on quality and vision — even if it puts him in a niche. Sea Change Brewing Co. fared nicely, too, taking home two golds and a silver. Irrational Brewing won a gold and two silvers; Polyrhythm Brewing got one of each colour; Odd Company, Campio Brewing, and Alley Kat Brewing Co. brought home two medals each. SYC Brewing won bronze in the no-alcohol beer category for its Phantom Buzz Pale Ale.
Edmonton-area brewers did well at the Canada Beer Cup, too. Those award-winners, who were also honoured at the Calgary convention, included Polyrhythm Brewing for LP Imperial Stout, Backbeat Blonde Ale, and Pyrophone Quad Hazy IPA; Bent Stick Brewing for 2025: A Space Quadyssey and Cheeks Out; and 70 Acre Brew Co. of Sherwood Park for the aptly named Park'd.
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Openings
- Be-a-Bella Candy and Gifts has opened a second location in Glenora at #2, 10340 132 Street NW. The business started in Highlands.
- Dale's Candy Co. opened on the main level of Kingsway Mall.
- Ayco Café has opened a second location at 14213 103 Avenue NW, in the spot where Cafe Rista used to be.
- No Frills is planning a store at 17015 Hiller Road SW in Keswick, according to building permits cited by Daily Hive. Parent company Loblaw said it would confirm timing in 2027 but did not give an opening date.
Headlines
- Fairmont Hotel Macdonald chef de cuisine Abigail Lopez competed in Season 13 of Top Chef Canada. The season premieres Oct. 20 on Flavour Network, and Lopez was its only Albertan contestant. "I think my nerves were up to the roof," Lopez, who hails from Mexico City, told Postmedia. "I shook like I never shook before. I was like a Chihuahua dog shaking every time I moved."
- Booster Juice founder Dale Wishewan received EY's 2026 Prairies Lifetime Achievement Award of Excellence. He built the chain from one location in Sherwood Park in 1999 to 500 across Canada today. He was honoured in part for his philanthropy. "It's a blessing to be fortunate to be in business for yourself and, with the success that might come from it, to help causes that are meaningful to you," he told EY.
- 7 Summits Snacks earned a place on the 2026 Canada Small Business 100. Co-founder Kristyn Carriere said her company's chocolate bars are in nearly 300 stores across Canada, with U.S. expansion underway.
- Rogue Wave Coffee caught the attention of the Coffee Reviews YouTube channel, which covers java "from Seattle to Seoul." The review focused on the washed Ethiopian Banko Taratu Gedeb coffee. The taste-test came after popular demand from viewers for more Rogue Wave content, mononymous host Julian said.
- Sushi Aroma in Argyll Plaza offers large portions at a value, wrote Edify's Mifi Purvis. She also noted the restaurant's uncommon take on the "chop chop roll," which incorporates large chunks of scallops with modest mayonnaise, as opposed to the typical mayo-drenched, shredded-scallop version.
- Chef Bri Campbell of Dolly's Cocktails shared a recipe for roasted parsnips with coconut-cardamom carrot purée and pumpkin seed dukkah with The Tomato.
- Curiocity paired five Edmonton bookstores with nearby cafes in a fall guide. It suggested District Café near Audreys Books, and The Colombian's Mill Creek location near Porch Light Books, among others.
- Peppers Upholstery Studio showcased its work at the soon-to-open Poppy's at the former home of Filistix at 10621 100 Avenue NW. Peppers transformed the space with custom banquette seating, chairs, and counter stools.
- AI-assisted drafting of the Alberta Whisky Act showed why human oversight remains essential, columnist Rita Trichur argued in The Globe and Mail. "Still, Alberta's experimentation is promising because it points to more practical AI applications for governments, which are known for their plodding productivity," Trichur wrote.
- North-Central Co-op committed $50,000 to fund a year of snacks at the Zebra Child & Youth Advocacy Centre. The program serves children who have experienced abuse as they navigate the justice system.
- St. Albert is inviting residents to register accessible and allergy-friendly trick-or-treating locations on its Halloween map. Residents can add ground-level or curbside treat stations and homes offering non-edible treats.
- Heavy winds temporarily shut down Edmonton's first Picklefest on Oct. 17 at ICE District's Fan Park. Organizers have invited feedback about the event-going experience.
- Edmonton is home to the best- and worst-reviewed Tim Hortons locations in Alberta, SEO Backlinks found. The 10111 104 Avenue NW outpost ranked second nationally, while the least-liked location in the province is at the Edmonton International Airport. Calgary's airport Timmies is the second-worst location, per reviewers.
Toast to the season
Taste all that Winterval has to offer. From maple taffy and hot chocolate to sliders and mulled wine, 104 Street is the place to be on Nov. 21. Being an entertainment district means you can enjoy an adult beverage right by a fire pit on 104th. Tell your friends. Cheers!
Visit edmontondowntown.com/winterval to find out more!
Agriculture and trade
- Aqtiva showcased its crop-yield technology at the THRIVE Global Impact Summit in Silicon Valley. The update follows its selection as a company to watch at Edmonton Startup Week and a raft of other accolades.
- The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute worked with Croptimistic Technology to build AI models for plant counting and assessing field conditions. Amii said the models could help farmers reduce costs, increase yields, and improve planning.
- About 30 volunteers near Legal harvested 145 acres of wheat for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Volunteer Don de Champlain estimated the crop would raise about $100,000 for the charity.
- Canadian beef prices rose 61% over five years, compared with 29% for grocery food overall, the economics team at ATB found. Beef specialist Lee Irvine attributed tight supply to drought and processing bottlenecks. He said retaining heifers, breeding them, and raising their calves for retail beef takes 24 to 36 months.
- Farm producers warned proposed immigration measures could make it harder to retain temporary foreign workers ahead of Alberta's Oct. 19 referendum. Five of the 10 questions dealt with immigration, including service fees and healthcare waiting periods for non-permanent residents. The province said it sought a mandate to balance workforce needs with pressure on public services.
- The University of Alberta's K.D. Burton examined the storied historical context and economic impact of the cross-border liquor trade on CBC Edmonton's Radio Active. Booze is hardly a novel subject of trade tactics due to the ubiquity of its consumption. "People have been making and consuming fermented and distilled beverages for centuries upon centuries — really since humans have existed," she said.
Happenings
Here are some events coming up over the next seven days:
- Oct. 20: Doing More With Less: Growing Food Sovereignty in Cuba starting at 2pm at University of Alberta (University Commons Building)
- Oct. 21: Domaine Devillard Wine Dinner starting at 6pm at The Marc
- Oct. 23: The Bootlegger's Ball starting at 7pm at Edmonton Hotel & Convention Centre
- Oct. 24: How To Festival: How to make dinner rolls starting at 1pm online
- Oct. 24: Flavours of France: Cuisine d'Alsace starting at 3pm at Get Cooking
- Oct. 25: Pasta MasterClass: Homemade Beginner Pasta starting at 12pm at Caffè Sorrentino Head Office
And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:
- Nov. 3: Sawmill's 50th Anniversary Fundraising Gala at Sawmill Prime Rib & Steakhouse
- Nov. 5-8: Farmfair International at Edmonton EXPO Centre
- Nov. 18: Hot Chefs Cool bEATS at Royal Glenora Club
Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.