Only restaurant of its kind in Western Canada badly damaged in fire
Cafe Bel Air, Western Canada’s only Mauritian restaurant, is asking for help after a fire caused extensive damage to the family-owned business.
The Old Strathcona restaurant has been bringing the flavours of the small island nation to Edmonton since 2021, and is well-known for its popsicles, vegan treats, and weekly afternoon high tea.
But the restaurant faces an uncertain future after a fire spread into the building, causing severe structural and internal damage.
“This week, a tragic accident occurred,” owner Avinash Soochit said on a GoFundMe page. “Someone experiencing homelessness lit a fire nearby to keep warm, which unfortunately caught onto the building, resulting in catastrophic structural and internal damage to Cafe Bel Air.”
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Soochit said the damage is too extensive for the family to handle alone after a number of setbacks, including a break-in in 2022 and vandalism in 2024 and 2025.
“Between the overwhelming cost of repairs, ongoing overhead, and the difficult economic climate, Cafe Bel Air is facing the real risk of going extinct, just like the iconic Mauritian dodo bird.”
The family says it has covered the costs of previous repairs out of pocket to avoid insurance premium increases, which could threaten the business.
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Soochit’s family moved to Canada in 2005 and launched Cafe Bel Air as a gourmet popsicle booth at farmers’ markets in 2015. The business quickly grew, earning the Alberta Farmers’ Market Association’s Award of Excellence that year.
The family opened its restaurant in Old Strathcona in 2021. It’s one of just a handful in Canada serving up the flavours of Mauritius, a small island nation 2,000 kilometres east of Madagascar with a population about the same as Edmonton’s.
Now, the family is asking the community to help the business recover from the fire.
Donations will go toward repairing fire and smoke damage, replacing damaged equipment and inventory, and covering operating expenses. The family also hopes to rebuild an emergency fund to help protect the business against future setbacks.
“Any amount, no matter how small, is a massive help towards allowing us to keep serving you as we always do with great honour and dedication.”
As of Monday (Oct. 26) morning, just over $9,000 of the restaurant’s $12,000 goal had been met.
Cafe Bel Air
Address: 8020 101st St. NW
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