The biggest local Edmonton food stories of 2022

Dec 15 2022, 5:28 pm

It’s been quite the year for Edmonton food stories – from new chains to major openings to devastating closings, there’s been no shortage of things to talk about in 2022.

And whether the year felt like a flash in the pan or like one long slog (or sometimes a bit of both!), it’s always fun to look back and reflect on what we were eating, drinking, and talking about over the last twelve months.

These are the stories you read the most – the ones you shared with friends and gawked over, the ones that made you hungry and happy and angry and excited.

We share a lot of food news here at Dished, and not everything sticks, but these – these stories slapped.

So without further ado, here are the biggest Dished Edmonton stories from the past year.

Two Alberta restaurants named on La Liste’s World’s Best Restaurants

la liste Alberta

@rimrockresort | @rivercafeyyc/Instagram

La Liste, a France-based awards program, is composed of an international advisory board that compiles information based on guidebooks, media publications, and millions of online reviews to present a list of the very best of the best around the world.

Eden at The Rimrock Resort in Banff scored the highest on La Liste’s international ranking, with 82.5 out of a possible 100.

The other Alberta spot was Calgary’s The River Cafe, which earned a score of 78.5 on the list. It also earned a spot on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants in June. Sitting along the river in the scenic Prince’s Island Park in the heart of the city, it’s a dining experience like no other in Calgary.

Golden 88 Restaurant in Edmonton area closed by Alberta Health Services

Golden 88 Restaurant

Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock

The Golden 88 Restaurant in Sherwood Park was recently closed after an executive officer of Alberta Health Services inspected the establishment.

The inspector found more than 15 violations at the restaurant located at 65 Graham Road that could be harmful or dangerous to public health. There were a number of AHS closures in 2022, and this was one of the most surprising. These aren’t the best Edmonton food stories to read, but they are important to know.

Inside Canada’s first-ever California Pizza Kitchen before it opens (VIDEO)

California Pizza Kitchen

Laine Mitchell/Daily Hive

The massive international food chain announced back in November 2021 that it would be expanding into Canada, and people will soon be able to get their hands on their tasty, delicious dishes.

The California-fresh pizza concept finally opened on August 1 in Edmonton, Alberta, located at 5260 Windermere Boulevard NW. The inside is stunning and welcoming, you could certainly spend a couple of hours here enjoying your food and taking in the gorgeous summer sun. It’s like a little plot of Cali in YEG!

Famous restaurant P.F. Chang’s opening Alberta’s first location very soon

P.F. Chang's Edmonton

@shopcurrents/Instagram | @pfchangsedmonton/Instagram

At a whopping 6,000 sq ft, this new outpost has an enclosed patio area and is decorated with iconic murals, dynamic design elements, and stunning statues, like the large golden horse that greets the guests.

Well-known for the exciting style of the wok-cooking method, some of the most popular made-from-scratch dishes the residents of Edmonton can now enjoy are Chang’s Spicy Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Chang’s Lettuce Wraps, sushi, and so much more.

High Dough: Edmonton pizza restaurant closes after 3 years in business

HIgh Dough

@thehighdough/Instagram

Known for serving square pies with square slices instead of round and triangular slices with crispy, cheesy, and charred edges, this is a sad loss for the Garneau community.

It’s a loss that will affect many YEG diners in the area, but luckily there is still the new location at 7341 104th Street in Strathcona.

We will miss this original outpost and all of the incredible pizzas the kitchen has created and served over the years, like the Little Bit Country topped with roasted chicken, tomato, banana pepper, bbq sauce, pimento cheese, green onion, and mozza, or the Mort & Mindy with shaved mortadella, pistachio pesto, arugula, grana padano, balsamic glaze, mozza, and tomato sauce.

Edmonton eatery makes “Ben Burger” a permanent menu item with partial proceeds going to charity

Ben Burger

Woodshed Burgers/Facebook

Earlier this year, Woodshed Burgers partnered up with Ben Stelter’s family and created the “Ben Burger” during the Oilers playoff run.

Stelter passed away after a battle with a rare form of cancer, sparking a massive outpour of support from hockey fans, organizations, and players.

The Edmonton-based burger chain says it wanted to do something to “continue his good work” upon hearing of his passing.

“We are proud to announce that effective immediately the Ben Burger will be a fixture on our menu moving forward, with $1 from every burger sold going to the Kids With Cancer Society,” the restaurant said in a Facebook post.

Garth Brooks just shared his favourite food to eat while in Edmonton

Garth brooks food

@garthbrooks/Instagram

Country music superstar Garth Brooks was in Edmonton for two sold-out shows at Commonwealth Stadium, and we found out his favourite food to eat while in town.

“We love pizza. Last time we were here we hit up three or four spots and tried them all. That’s the complete food right there,” Brooks said.

He asked what the specialty is in Edmonton. We had to mention the beef and steaks.

Edmonton food stories are always fun when they involve celebrities.

Edmonton’s Coffee Bureau is one of Canada’s top-rated coffee shops

Coffee Bureau

@coffee.bureau/Instagram

Yelp revealed a list of its highest-rated coffee shops across Canada, and there were several Alberta spots on the list. Coffee Bureau is one of them.

Placing fifth, this YEG spot was one of just three Alberta coffee shops to make this national top 25 list. It’s a cozy, no-frills place to enjoy coffee, tea, baked goods, and tasty pastries.

Canadian Icehouse and Banquet Bar opening in Edmonton’s Ice District

Canadian Icehouse and Banquet Bar

@icedistrict/Instagram

The Banquet Bar and The Canadian Icehouse (both part of The Canadian Brewhouse family) opened side by side, making for a truly epic spot. There are a lot of great sports bars in Edmonton, but this spot is hard to beat.

This Canadian Icehouse will be the flagship location for The Canadian Brewhouse, featuring the largest outdoor patio in western Canada. There will not only be fireplaces and outdoor games out on this massive space but also batting cages!

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opening new Edmonton-area location next week

barbecue quebec

@dickeysbarbecuepit/Instagram

With over 550 restaurants in the US and in several other countries across the world, this popular barbecue spot has been a welcome addition to YEG.

Famous for serving all of the classics, like pulled pork, ribs, and brisket, with all the sides, fixings, sandwiches, and more, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is barbecue heaven. Big chains opening like this one definitely for some of the biggest Edmonton food stories in 2022.

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