Edmonton Restaurants & Nightlife
Home to more than 60 galleries, 70 golf courses, 30 festivals and a wealth of shopping opportunities, there is little wonder as to what draws so many visitors to Edmonton each year. Such endeavours can truly build an appetite and what better place to sate that appetite than in one of Edmonton's abundant eateries. Not that one needs further reason to dine beyond the simple love of food, but in Edmonton, consuming tantalizing meals of ample proportions is a sacred pursuit, and nearly an obsession.
What better way to experience exceptional Edmonton dining than with a meal of prime Alberta beef, found in many of the city's restaurants. While Edmonton prides itself on its mouth-watering beef, it is also friendly to both vegetarian and vegan palates. Many eateries offer vegetarian choices on their menus and there are several vegan restaurants located in the city such as the Padmanadi Vegetarian Restaurant, which serves a blend of Indonesian, Chinese, Thai and Indian cuisine. Diners will also find ample traditional Chinese, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Thai, Greek and Vietnamese restaurants as well as many exciting and innovative fusion restaurants.
What of the city's nightlife? After the sun goes down, Edmonton heats up as the music starts to play, the DJ's start to spin and bodies glisten with sweat on nightclub dance floors. Suits sip on chilled martinis at the end of their nine to five, schmoozing at a chic downtown lounge. Friends gather around a pint and listen to the latest local talent at a nearby pub.
DOWNTOWN
Divided into six different districts, Edmonton's downtown is a combination of commercial towers, high-rise apartments, government buildings, converted warehouses and trendy stores. This area is also home to more than 600 restaurants and pubs, more than 100 of which serve locally grown food. The repertoire includes numerous cafes, coffee houses, fast-food eateries and regional and ethnic restaurants.
Flowing through downtown is one of Edmonton's most active streets, Jasper Avenue. This important street presents commercial and retail businesses as well as a variety of popular chain coffee houses and restaurants. Lively pubs and hot nightclubs such as the Fluid Lounge, a cosmopolitan-style lounge with live DJs and luscious martinis, also line Jasper Avenue offering nightly diversions. Known for its cobblestones and accessible only to pedestrian traffic, Rice Howard Way is a popular downtown dining stop with its many pubs and bistros. Patio dining is in demand during the summer months and many downtown restaurants offer comfortable outdoor seating with pleasant views. But no patio view is as spectacular as the view from the La Ronde Revolving Restaurant, located on the 24th floor of the Crowne Plaza Chateau Lacombe. With exceptional food and a gorgeous vista, this restaurant is a favourite for special occasions.
Working to increase public awareness of Edmonton’s vast gastronomic options, many downtown restaurants participate in the annual Downtown Dining Week held in spring. Over 10 days, visitors and locals have a chance to enjoy an assortment of custom menu options at fixed prices.
OLD STRATHCONA (WHYTE AVENUE) & THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Centred along the popular and trendy Whyte (82nd) Avenue, the district of Old Strathcona is situated in South Central Edmonton. Best known for its abundant shopping, live music, festivals and dining, this 30-square-block area is home to a wealth of cafes, bistros and ethnic cuisine. Food lovers can choose from eateries such as Chianti's Cafe and Italian Restaurant, a casual Italian restaurant located in a historic post office, or Da-De-O (Dadeo), a Cajun and Creole bar and diner. Old Strathcona also has a lively nightlife with numerous nightclubs, lounges and pubs such as the Cook County Saloon, a hip Western nightclub, and the Wunderbar Hofbrauhaus, a German pub that offers a wide assortment of local and European food and over 60 varieties of beer.
Not far from Whyte Ave is the University of Alberta. Many dining establishments are located on or near the campus to meet the needs of famished students and include many cafes, coffee houses, fast-food chains and pizzerias. One such pizza place that caters to the appetite and late hours of students is the Funky Pickle Pizza Company.
WEST EDMONTON
A retail haven, West Edmonton offers some of the best shopping in the city with numerous outlet stores, big-name chain stores and the enormous and ever popular West Edmonton Mall. There are over 100 dining establishments located throughout the mall, mainly centered in two food courts and along the themed Bourbon Street, which is fashioned after New Orleans' French Quarter and includes several restaurants, lounges and pubs. While shopping at stores along 170th Street, 100th Avenue and Stony Plain Road, shoppers can grab a bite to eat in one of the plentiful fast-food outlets, chain restaurants, grills and steakhouses or family restaurants such as the Chef's Grill, located in the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites West Edmonton. Nightlife in West Edmonton is a little more casual and laid-back with ample pubs and sports bars offering an informal setting for people to meet and hang out while watching televised sporting events or live music.
CALGARY TRAIL & GATEWAY BOULEVARD
Edmonton's gateway to the south, Calgary Trail and Gateway Boulevard (Highway 2) see large amounts of traffic and are lined with dining establishments of various natures to fulfill the needs of both the traveller on the go and holidaymakers looking to stop for a fine dining experience. While the bulk of eateries are of the usual fast-food and popular chain types, this strip does offer a number of ethnic dining opportunities at restaurants such as the Tropika Malaysian and Thai Cuisine Restaurant.
What better way to experience exceptional Edmonton dining than with a meal of prime Alberta beef, found in many of the city's restaurants. While Edmonton prides itself on its mouth-watering beef, it is also friendly to both vegetarian and vegan palates. Many eateries offer vegetarian choices on their menus and there are several vegan restaurants located in the city such as the Padmanadi Vegetarian Restaurant, which serves a blend of Indonesian, Chinese, Thai and Indian cuisine. Diners will also find ample traditional Chinese, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Thai, Greek and Vietnamese restaurants as well as many exciting and innovative fusion restaurants.
What of the city's nightlife? After the sun goes down, Edmonton heats up as the music starts to play, the DJ's start to spin and bodies glisten with sweat on nightclub dance floors. Suits sip on chilled martinis at the end of their nine to five, schmoozing at a chic downtown lounge. Friends gather around a pint and listen to the latest local talent at a nearby pub.
DOWNTOWN
Divided into six different districts, Edmonton's downtown is a combination of commercial towers, high-rise apartments, government buildings, converted warehouses and trendy stores. This area is also home to more than 600 restaurants and pubs, more than 100 of which serve locally grown food. The repertoire includes numerous cafes, coffee houses, fast-food eateries and regional and ethnic restaurants.
Flowing through downtown is one of Edmonton's most active streets, Jasper Avenue. This important street presents commercial and retail businesses as well as a variety of popular chain coffee houses and restaurants. Lively pubs and hot nightclubs such as the Fluid Lounge, a cosmopolitan-style lounge with live DJs and luscious martinis, also line Jasper Avenue offering nightly diversions. Known for its cobblestones and accessible only to pedestrian traffic, Rice Howard Way is a popular downtown dining stop with its many pubs and bistros. Patio dining is in demand during the summer months and many downtown restaurants offer comfortable outdoor seating with pleasant views. But no patio view is as spectacular as the view from the La Ronde Revolving Restaurant, located on the 24th floor of the Crowne Plaza Chateau Lacombe. With exceptional food and a gorgeous vista, this restaurant is a favourite for special occasions.
Working to increase public awareness of Edmonton’s vast gastronomic options, many downtown restaurants participate in the annual Downtown Dining Week held in spring. Over 10 days, visitors and locals have a chance to enjoy an assortment of custom menu options at fixed prices.
OLD STRATHCONA (WHYTE AVENUE) & THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Centred along the popular and trendy Whyte (82nd) Avenue, the district of Old Strathcona is situated in South Central Edmonton. Best known for its abundant shopping, live music, festivals and dining, this 30-square-block area is home to a wealth of cafes, bistros and ethnic cuisine. Food lovers can choose from eateries such as Chianti's Cafe and Italian Restaurant, a casual Italian restaurant located in a historic post office, or Da-De-O (Dadeo), a Cajun and Creole bar and diner. Old Strathcona also has a lively nightlife with numerous nightclubs, lounges and pubs such as the Cook County Saloon, a hip Western nightclub, and the Wunderbar Hofbrauhaus, a German pub that offers a wide assortment of local and European food and over 60 varieties of beer.
Not far from Whyte Ave is the University of Alberta. Many dining establishments are located on or near the campus to meet the needs of famished students and include many cafes, coffee houses, fast-food chains and pizzerias. One such pizza place that caters to the appetite and late hours of students is the Funky Pickle Pizza Company.
WEST EDMONTON
A retail haven, West Edmonton offers some of the best shopping in the city with numerous outlet stores, big-name chain stores and the enormous and ever popular West Edmonton Mall. There are over 100 dining establishments located throughout the mall, mainly centered in two food courts and along the themed Bourbon Street, which is fashioned after New Orleans' French Quarter and includes several restaurants, lounges and pubs. While shopping at stores along 170th Street, 100th Avenue and Stony Plain Road, shoppers can grab a bite to eat in one of the plentiful fast-food outlets, chain restaurants, grills and steakhouses or family restaurants such as the Chef's Grill, located in the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites West Edmonton. Nightlife in West Edmonton is a little more casual and laid-back with ample pubs and sports bars offering an informal setting for people to meet and hang out while watching televised sporting events or live music.
CALGARY TRAIL & GATEWAY BOULEVARD
Edmonton's gateway to the south, Calgary Trail and Gateway Boulevard (Highway 2) see large amounts of traffic and are lined with dining establishments of various natures to fulfill the needs of both the traveller on the go and holidaymakers looking to stop for a fine dining experience. While the bulk of eateries are of the usual fast-food and popular chain types, this strip does offer a number of ethnic dining opportunities at restaurants such as the Tropika Malaysian and Thai Cuisine Restaurant.
Upscale Food Market
Commercial District Hotel
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Indoor Pool
Family Friendly
