Where to eat in Edmonton? There’s so many restaurants to choose from and but these are our tried and true.

A disclaimer: I am not professionally trained in culinary arts. I am not a full time food blogger or gastronomic foodie. However, I’m eager about trying new places to eat and I always seek flavor above all else! I’d say rather, I’m a food enthusiast. I don’t have the down-to-the-detail descriptions of each element of a dish. I don’t have any macro-lens SLR photos of dishes like other food bloggers. I haven’t spent time, like my husband, as a chef in a restaurant. But for over 20 years, I have eaten at many places in town and also travelled around the world, eating many various foods both good and bad. Of course, there are a few foods I know I will never be partial to, such as bitter melon, okra, eggplant and offal. But I’m open to trying all types of cuisines and some of the most tastiest food I’ve eaten were places you wouldn’t expect at all, for instance a vegetarian restaurant hidden on the 4th floor of an obscure building in a no-name neighborhood in Guangzhou (and I am not a vegetarian by any means) or conveyor-belt sushi in Tokyo near the Ueno train station. An eatery need not be fancy with dazzling decor, but for me to want to come back as a regular, it should have that special something!

 

Here’s my current lineup of places where I prefer to eat in Edmonton:

Japanese 1st place: Izakaya Tomo

Yes it’s the tastiest and best Japanese food in Edmonton for both cooked items and sushi. Even though Duane works as a chef there during the evenings (he does web design during the day), this is not a biased judgment! Actually on the contrary… Our first date was at Izakaya Tomo’s. We really loved the food and the atmosphere and we talked for hours. It was a magical place! We enjoyed that place so much, that Duane wanted to cook there, and so he got a job at the Izakaya a couple months later. They really take the time to focus on the small details and important things that make all the difference in Japanese food. Now Duane knows all their secrets and I benefit from that! My favorite dishes: Crisply spicy tuna roll, chicken karaage

Izakaya Tomo, 3739 99 St

 

 

Japanese 2nd place: Sushi Wasabi

They really know sushi! It’s always awesome, as good as sushi in Tokyo or Osaka. Both the rice and fish are perfectly the right proportion which is so important to the experience of eating good sushi. The fish is at the perfect temperature and the rice is cooked just right. It’s consistently delicious. My favorite dishes: Omakaze (chef’s choice of sushi)

Sushi Wasabi, 5714 – 111 St

 

Vietnamese 1st place: King Noodle Pho Hoang

This is super tasty pho, and the owner aka Moustache Man is quite entertaining to watch. My favorite dish: #1 XL size house special pho!

King Noodle Pho Hoang, 10613 97 St

 

Vietnamese 2nd place: Pho Huong Mama Pizza

Don’t let the weird name combination scare you off! They do very good pho, consistently good. The owners are super sweet and will always remember you. I have yet to try the pizza but my favorite dish is of course, the house special pho, with always some lemon and Thai basil.

Pho Huong Mama Pizza 10531 107 Ave

 

Chinese 1st place: Taipan Cafe

I go here regularly because it’s consistent, a good price, and tasty. It reminds me of a typical cafe in Hong Kong. The Beef Brisket Noodle Soup with a Hot Milk Tea is by far my regular standby.

Taipan Cafe, 10627 97 St

 

Chinese 2nd place: Shanghai 456

They used to be near the municipal airport but moved far west! You don’t go for the ambiance, you go for the good Shanghai food, especially the Xiao Long Bao (small dumplings) and the Dan Dan noodles. This is the closest you can get to authentic Shanghai food.

Shanghai 456, 14456 118 Ave

 

Italian 1st place: Vivo

The flavors are very thoughtfully put together and definitely very delicious. The caesar salad was surprisingly awesome (and I’m not a salad person) and all the individual components on their entree platter must be sampled and then devoured! It is a very delightful experience to eat here.

Vivo, Hawkstone Plaza, 18352 Lessard Rd NW

 

Italian 2nd place: Corso 32

Unfortunately I’ve only gone once to this place, it’s super hard to get seats. However every dish I tried was great and leaves me wanting to come back and eat more, so this is on my go-to-list to try again.

Corso 32, 10345 Jasper Ave

 

Indian: Narayanni’s 

My clients-turned-friends K+A recommended this place to us and we were delighted at the delicious variety! The quinoa salad was very refreshing, and the curries are great. Roti, what can I say it’s one of my favorite foods. What I like about this place is that the food doesn’t feel heavy either. There were lots of desserts including trifle (really love it) and we want more excuses to return to this place!

Narayanni’s, 10131 81 Ave NW

 

Desserts: Duchess Bake Shop

I spend too much $$$ at this place, especially the macarons. I can devour 15 pretty and petite macarons in a sitting, I counted!

Duchess Bake Shop, 10718 124 Street

 

Sandwiches: Nhon Hoa 2

Every so often, I need to eat Vietnamese subs. It’s a need. This delivers!

Nhon Hoa 2, 10622 97 St

 

So that’s my “for sure” shortlist. Let me know what your favorites are, and what do you think of this lineup!