Erika’s Top 100 Best Things to Eat or Drink in Edmonton

After reading The Tomato's The Top 100 Best Things to Eat or Drink in Edmonton which came out last week, I was inspired. Inspired to put together my own list. So I spent the week doing exactly that!

My picks have nothing to do with price or status, they're all about what I think is actually GOOD. Certainly there are many wonderful dishes in the city that I haven't had the pleasure of trying yet, but given what I already know, I proceeded to make my list. I'm not sure if it's exactly 100, as I named more than one dish for some of the restaurants/producers. But close enough. My list also isn't in any particular order.

In any case, making this list... Just made me hungry.

Tres Carnales Taqueria: This is your first and last stop for Mexican food! I like to go big or go home: Carnitas Torta (slow braised pork shoulder).

Padmanadi Vegetarian Restaurant: Salty Chicken Strips (crispy pieces of seasoned mock chicken, deep-fried and served with sweet chili sauce). You won't even miss real chicken.

Local Public Eatery: Tuna Club Sandwich (seared Ahi tuna, smoked bacon, avocado, melted cheddar).

Swiss Chalet: The ultimate in cheap comfort food (especially for Ontarians). Quarter Chicken Dinner (hand-basted chicken and slow-roasted to perfection in rotisserie ovens).

DaDeO New Orleans Diner & Bar: They do Cajun best in my opinion and the proof is in these dishes: Fritters (four deep fried dumplings with DaDeO's dippin' sauce. Crab and parmesan, jalapeno cheddar, sweet potato, corn). Combo Ya-Ya (blackened shrimp and scallops, veggie jambalaya, coleslaw and two large fried oysters). Bananas Foster (bananas flambé in a dark rum caramel sauce served over vanilla ice cream).

The Common: Fabulous!!! Try it all! Foie Gras (apricot tarte, pretzel crusted foie medallion). Confit Duck (spiny lettuce, shitake, baby potatoes, edamame, orange jus).

Continental Treat Fine Bistro: Pickle Soup (dill pickle soup).

Cibo Bistro: Amazing charcuterie! Feature Cure (house cured meat, house pickles and jams, and crostini).

Duchess Bake Shop: Not a single thing that you ever try from here will be bad. My personal favourites: Paris–Brest (this pastry is a circle of choux pastry filled with a hazelnut mousseline, studded with candied whole hazelnuts and topped with slivered almonds). Macaron (almond flour meringue cookies sandwiched with rich fillings made from all natural extracts and flavourings).

The Melting Pot A Fondue Restaurant: ANY Cheese Fondue! (cheese fondue selections include rustic artisan breads, fresh vegetables and crisp Granny Smith apples). You will claim that you want to bathe in it, and people will think that you’re gross.

The Next Act Pub: Fish Sandwich (seared halibut with crunchy caper slaw). Pulled Pork Melt (hashbrowns baked in cheese sauce, topped with pulled pork, pea shoots, housemade salsa and a poached egg).

Nhon Hoa Sandwich Bar: Cold Cuts Combo Bánh mì (bacon roll, head cheese & Vietnamese sausage. Served with fresh carrot, cucumber and cilantro. Jalapeno is optional. Also served with pâté liver). They also have the best Wonton Soup around.

New Asian Village: Masala Tea. I love this chai tea because this is what chai is supposed to be, without all of the sugar and fakeness.

It’s Only Natural Café: Turkey Salad Sandwich (on sourdough Bee Bell bread with cheddar cheese and potato chips). Just a great sandwich.

Accent Restaurant Lounge: One of the best Caprese salads: Bocconcini and Tomato Salad (ripe bocconcini, leaves of fresh basil and sweet tomatoes all drizzled in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic reduction).

elm café: Whatever the Early Sandwich happens to be, it is good. The best crusty bread and runny eggs. Always perfection.

Café Leva: This is generally my favourite pizza. Favourites have been the Sopressata Pizza, Pancetta Pizza, The Anchovy and they had an amazing duck pizza once. Their salads are always exceptional as well.

Matahari: Nasi Goreng with Shrimp (Indonesian style fried rice with tomatoes, onions, egg, and Chinese greens topped with fried shallots and green onions). Nasi Lemak (Malaysian Rendang Beef curry served with coconut rice, pickled vegetables, crispy anchovies, peanuts and sambal sauce).

Chicken for Lunch: Hot & Dry Chicken, otherwise known as "Crack Chicken." This is just one of those things that as an Edmontonian, you know.

Crave Cookies and Cupcakes: BEST CUPCAKES! Nutty Over Chocolate (chocolate cake swirled with a peanut buttercream icing).

Molly’s Eats: Carnita Mac Melt (bacon mac & cheese in a grilled cheese sammy with smoked pork). If this is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Royal Pizza: Pepperoni, Salami & Mushroom Pizza. For just a good, greasy pizza, this is the one.

Churros King: Lomiton King Sandwich (specially slow roasted pork loin, thinly sliced and layered on homemade Pan Amasado. Topped with a beautiful combination of mayo, avocado, sauerkraut and Churros King's famous cilantro salsa.) They only show up in the summer at festivals, and it's worth it to find them.

The King and I Thai Cuisine: The most amazing green curries: Gaeng Poo Ta Lay “Pattaya” (green curry with crab meat, bell peppers, and fine herbs). Gaeng Keo Wan Pet (spicy green curry with duck, pickled plants, bell peppers, and onions). Tiger Prawn Curry (tiger prawns with baby corn, sugar peas, and carrots in a green curry). Plus incredible Pad Thai (rice stick noodles fried with shrimp, chicken, soy‐infused tofu, and bean sprouts; served with a side of peanuts. Choice of soya tamarind sauce or tomato tamarind sauce).

Urban Diner: Beef Brisket Bennie (served with grilled french bread & diner potatoes). Yummy breakfast in general.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries: Just a good, simple burger like it’s supposed to be: Little Cheeseburger. Also, the peanuts are so good.

Izakaya Tomo Japanese Tapas Bar: Aburi Saba (open-flame-torched sashimi grade mackerel).

Wild Earth Bakery & Cafe: They have the best London Fog concoctions and all of their baking is wonderful too.

Transcend: I love their Mocha! All of their coffee is what coffee is supposed to taste like. Their Latin munchies are great too.

Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria: Prosciutto Wrapped Mozzarella Balls (fresh mozzarella wrapped with prosciutto, baked in Campania tomato sauce, fresh basil, and pecorino romano. Served with flatbread).

Highlevel Diner: Grilled Chicken & Cheddar Sandwich (egg dipped, lightly grilled cheese bread with chicken salad and cheddar cheese). I affectionately refer to this as the "Cholesterol Sandwich."

Pasta by Caterina: All of their homemade Pastas and Sauces! So fresh and authentic.

TR Greenhouses: Tomatoes!! I don’t know how they do it, but these tomatoes taste incredible.

Greens Eggs & Ham: Duck Eggs! Once you discover the richness of these huge eggs, they become such an amazing treat.

Mill Creek Café: Great breakfast. Love the Corned Beef Hash (corned beef, onions, potatoes & eggs fried together).

Brits Fish & Chips: This is a REAL chippie. For a bit of everything: The Works (2 cod, 2 haddock, 2 chips, 1 onion rings, 2 side dishes).

Delux Burger Bar: Delux Poutine (fresh cut fries, cheese curds, gravy). This poutine is far better than it has any business being.

IKEA Restaurant: Organic Pasta with Marinara Sauce, Meatballs & Garlic Bread. I don’t care what anyone says, this is the most amount of food for the least amount of money (and it doesn’t taste bad either).

The Keg Steakhouse & Bar: Iceberg Wedge Salad (crisp lettuce wedge topped with tomatoes, bacon bits and your choice of ranch or Bleu cheese dressing).

Cactus Club Café: Butternut Squash + Prawn Ravioli (truffle beurre blanc, amaretti, pine nuts and crispy sage with white wine sauteed jumbo prawns). Key Lime Pie (freshly squeezed key limes, graham cracker crust, hand whipped cream).

Panda Hut Express: Deep Fried Wontons with Crab Meat & Cream Cheese.

Three Boars Eatery: Everything is good. Everything. But their daily Poutine is always especially good.

Italian Centre Shop: Spinelli’s Original Hot Sandwich (layers of Italian-style deli meats, provolone, Gloria spread, olive oil and dried oregano). A great old stand-by.

Acajutla Restaurant: Mix Pupusa (tortilla stuffed with pork, cheese, and refried beans).

Original Canadian Kettle Corn: KETTLE CORN! (through their unique kettle cooking process each kernel is coated with the exact amount of salt and sugar to ensure a perfect flavour from your first bite to the bottom of the bag). Incredibly addictive.

New York Bagel Café: Easily the best Eggs Benedict (two poached eggs, served on a toasted bagel topped with homemade hollandaise sauce. Accompanied with home fried potatoes and a fancy fruit garnish) in the city (and so many fancy varieties to choose from), hands down. I also adore their Café Borgia (hot chocolate, espresso, whipped cream and grated orange peel).

Khazana: Butter Chicken (mildly spiced boneless chicken, fresh tomatoes, paste of garlic and ginger in a tangy butter sauce). There are many butter chickens in this city and this is the best, I think.

OPA! of Greece: Donairs are a BIG deal in Edmonton. My personal favourite is the Gyro Pita Wrap (marinated and grilled souvalaki wrapped in warm pita bread and garnished with your choice of onions, tomatoes, lettuce, fresh cut jalapenos and feta cheese). Plus tons of extra signature tzatziki sauce!

Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse: This restaurant has single-handedly prevented me from ever becoming a vegetarian. Beef Bottom Sirloin (slow roasted over a Brazilian Rotisserie Grill, using lump hardwood charcoal).

Mo-Na Food: Assorted Fresh Mushrooms, especially Wild Morels. Plus other amazing treats, Wild Fiddleheads, Wild Sea Asparagus and Fresh Truffles.

Green Onion Cakes: Green Onion Cake! A Fringe staple and one of the things that I wait for all year long.

Wild Tangerine Urban Cuisine: Zen Meditation (rosewater, mint, mineral water).

Parkallen Restaurant: Falafel (deep fried vegetarian balls of blended chickpeas with various beans and Lebanese spices served in a tahineh sauce garnished with tomato, radish, and pickled turnips). Best falafel I've ever tried.

Koutouki Taverna Mediterrean Meze: The Koutouki Meze is the only way to go, but the best part of it is certainly the Arni Kleftico (roast lamb) at the end.

Lee House: Kam Poong Gi (golden fried chicken balls wok-tossed in a Korean spicy-sweet chili sauce). I crave these endlessly.

Drift Mobile Eatery: Pork Belly Sandwich (pickled carrot & daikon, cilantro, chili mayo served on ciabatta). Incredible.

Evoolution: Butter Flavour Olive Oil (this creamy extra virgin olive oil is naturally infused with the rich flavour of butter. Use this golden, vegetarian, dairy-free olive oil as a butter substitute for a healthier choice in baking or anywhere you might use melted butter including: poured over hot popcorn, with seafood (i.e. lobster, crab or shrimp), over pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, or in baking). Our popcorn has never been the same since. Irie Foods: Jerk Chicken (chicken portions marinated in a traditional Jamaican jerk seasoning and smoked on a grill to perfection). Ackee & Saltfish (the ackee fruit combined with separately prepared salted cod fish laced with a unique blend of seasoning). I have been to Jamaica and these dishes are as good, if not better than real in-Jamaica food. Pourhouse Bier Bistro: Reuben Nathan's Coney Island Original Dog (smothered in wine sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, smoked hickory bacon bits and mustard).

The Happy Camel Mediterranean Pita Bakery & Deli: Multi Grain Heat-A-Pita. Just pop 'em in your toaster! Hummus (chick peas, sesame paste, garlic & spices). Labaneh (yoghurt cheese, 1% yoghurt, garlic, olive oil, sundried tomatoes, za’atar and herbs).

Langano Skies Ethiopian Restaurant: Adventure into trying something outside of your comfort zone: Atekilt Aletcha Wot (sliced carrots, potatoes, and cabbage cooked with onions, garlic and curry). Sambusa with Lentils (tasty spiced lentils stuffed in a pastry shell).

Princess Theatre: Popcorn. You have found it! The very best popcorn in all of the city of Edmonton!

Little Jack Horner Meat Pies: Tourtiere (handmade and assembled using only whole foods and ingredients. Meats are slow-cooked to preserve all natural goodness and nutrition. Pastry is made of pure lard and butter then hand rolled). Eat with ketchup!

Sunterra Market: Orange Juice. Fresh squeezed from REAL oranges, it’s doesn’t taste any fresher or more REAL than this. Dream Tea House: Best bubble tea around, especially the Rose Milky Black Tea.

BiBO Wine Bar: The best wine selection and the smartest somalier, as well as a great Cheese & Charcuterie (tasty breads, paired condiments, and a sampling of local & imported cheeses and cured meats).

Zaika Indian Bistro Bar: Some of my favourite Indian food is found here: Mango Chicken (boneless chicken simmered in a tangy mango curry). Basa Fish Pakora (cripsy morsels of fried basa fish).

Guru Fine Indian Cuisine: Another top Indian place, especially for the Guru Butter Chicken Samosa (crispy triangular patties stuffed with butter chicken). Nomad Kitchen: Food trucks are reining supreme! ‘Crack n Cheese’ (mac ‘n cheese featuring sylvan star gouda, gull valley tomato and Berkshire pork cracklings). Lit Italian Wine Bar: Carbonara (pancetta, egg, cream). Seared Tuna Salad (Galliano, seasonal fruit, fig vinaigrette). Hong Kong Bakery: Any of their savoury or sweet Buns. I’m nostalgic for the hot dog buns, but they’re all really delicious. Extremely affordable as well. Wildflower New Canadian Cuisine: My very favourite Caprese salad: Vine Ripe Tomato & Truffled Buffalo Mozzarella (hearts of palm, artichoke, asparagus spears. Roasted vegetables. Smoked tomato infusion).