Edmonton restaurant recommendations?
 

Hi all,
I'll be going on a business/vacation trip to Edmonton in a while. Never been there, so don't really know much about the city. Can anyone recommend a good restaurant, in either downtown or Old Strathcona, where someone dining on their own wouldn't feel uncomfortable? I like pretty much everything, and would sure like to try the Alberta steaks...

Also, more specifically, on my first night there I'll arrive to YEG at 6.15 pm, pick up a car and drive to my hotel, Comfort Inn downtown on 105 st/100 av. Is there a nice restaurant nearby that would be open late on a wednesday night? Also, any suggestions for nice bars in the area would be appreciated.

Thanks a million for any suggestions!

Every restaurant below is smart casual in the evening, which in Edmonton includes nice jeans but ask. All restaurants and bars are non-smoking including outdoor patios.

Close to where you are staying is the Wildflower Grill www.wildfloweredmonton.com that although not a steakhouse is outstanding. The Marc Restaurant is a very good French restaurant also close by www.themarc.ca but tends to be a bit formal for my taste.

Another outstanding restaurant although several blocks away is the Hardware Grill www.hardwaregrill.com East of this restaurant is a bit rough in the evening, however.

You can also try for a steak and very good bars in the evenings, Lux and/or 100 Restaurant, in the centre of the business district both of which are owned by the Century Group and can be found at www.centuryhospitality.com You can walk there from your hotel or take the Light Rail Transit underground. Parking is expensive

In Old Strathcona my favouite is Murrieta's www.murrietas.ca . Old Strathcona has far more bars, restaurants and night life then the business area downtown but tends toward a younger crowd (teens - the drinking age in Alberta is 18 - to mid-20s). It can get very rowdy later at night and especially on weekends. Parking is somewhat difficult to find and I would recommend taking a taxicab.

On Jasper Avenue west of 109 Street not far from where you are staying, there are also a lot of bars and restaurants and they cater more to the office crowd at night after work. It is safe to walk there from your hotel.

If you like gambling and lots of evening action (i.e., good-looking people including many singles of all ages!) with very good restaurants check out the River Cree Casino, which is a good drive away just west of the City limits www.rivercreeresort.com Smokinng is allowed in the casino but not in the restaurants.

Drinking and driving are treated very, very seriously here so keep that in mind at all times.

Thanks, that's very helpful!

Everything you suggest looks very good, I only have 3 days in Edmonton so I'll pick carefully. Think I'l be able to eat steak 3 nights in a row without much difficulty...

I'll probably go to Strathcona one of the evenings just to check it out, but I would be pushing it to consider myself part of the young crowd anymore, unfortunately.

The casino looks good for a late night of something different, I'm not much of a gambler but don't mind spending a few bucks just for fun. Is there a bus into that part of town at night, or would I be better off using cabs there and back if I decide to go? Will certainly not do any driving at that stage...

Which casino?
The one downtown has good bus service and it shouldn't be far from your hotel.
River Cree is very far away on a First Nation reserve but it should have bus service IIRC Fromm the mall (I was here once for a presentation in the Ramada right beside it.)

There's a casual bar & grill called MKT right in the heart of Old Strathcona that's worth checking out for their vast selection of beer on tap.

Also Packrat Louie has a nice patio and a good location, menu and service that keeps me coming back especially in summer for a visit.

Enjoy our fair city. ^

Thanks AA-EXP09 and tcook052, I appreciate it!

I'll add those to my list of places to choose from.

I'm sure I'll enjoy Edmonton, I always like coming to and discovering new places.

A bit OT: After my 3 days there I've planned for 3 days in or around Banff NP before going home. As Albertans with local knowledge, would you recommend staying in Banff town or in Canmore? It seems hotels in Banff are a lot more expensive, but of course Canmore is a bit further away.

Banff is closer to Calgary than Edmonton.
If I were taking a bus there I would just stay there for convenience.
If I were driving I have no problem sleeping in a vehicle.
(OT : I spent only a bit of time there to make money, see more of Canada, and expedite my path to citizenship when I was a student on an immigrant visa with PR status.
I live in YVR but have residence in HK for tax purposes.)

Yeah, my return flight is out of Calgary so I have planned to drive from Edmonton to Banff or Canmore and stay there for a few days and see the mountains before going home.

Think I'm a bit to lazy to sleep in cars these days, but have certainly done my share of that in younger years...

I have a reservation at the Ramada in Canmore, 270 CAD for 3 nights which was much cheaper than anything I could find in Banff. But I would consider cancelling that if staying in Canmore is much less convenient than Banff?

I'm not sure when you are coming but it sounds like this summer.

If you have the time you ought to consider driving from Edmonton to Jasper and then taking the Banff-Jasper highway to Banff. It is often called the Icefields Parkway and has spectacular scenary. www.icefieldsparkway.ca

Jasper is a wonderful mountain town that is worth a night's stay if you can swing it before doing the highway drive.

To enter the National Parks of Canada (Jasper and/or Banff) there is a entry fee at the park gate that is applicable to both of them once paid. I do not recall whether or not you can buy more than a single day entry as opposed to an annual pass since whenever I go I always buy the latter. I would not recommend sleeping in your car in the National Parks as they check vehicles for their entry fee passes in the townsites and you are not allowed to stop overnight elsewhere except to camp with a paid permit in designated areas inside the parks otherwise.

Thanks again!
I'm coming in the beginning of September.
I considered going via Jasper, but I also want to see the Tyrell Museum in Drumheller and plan to do that on the way down from Edmonton. I will certainly do a drive on the Icefields Parkway, it looks absolutely stunning, but figured I could do that one of the days in Banff or Canmore. It would mean driving it both north and south in one day of course, but perhaps a full day would be enough for that? Please let me know if that is a bad idea!

If you want mountains and less shopping I would suggest seeing about staying in Lake Louise. Hotels will likely be much more expensive but you could try The Lake Louise Alpine Centre (www.hihostelspm.ca) as a more reasonable option. The Icefields Parkway starts from Lake Louise so that would be convenient. Also, if you know the dates you could get a bus ticket up to Lake O'Hara in Yoho (about 20 mins from Lake Louise). The Larch trees will just be starting to turn yellow and the area is spectacular. You must book exactly 3 months ahead or you will not get a bus ticket! See: http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/yoh...l/ohara/a.aspx

Thanks Altaflyer!
Also sounds like a good idea, I'll look into that.

Not really-I had some amazing scenery as well driving along the transcanada when driving to YYC as well (from YVR). (getting to see some views climbing the mountains using the vehicle, and it was exceptionally fun going downhill on the return in neutral at the speed limit-also helped to save with petrol!)
Then again it looks like OP isn't visiting BC (maybe company policy thinks it's too expensive :D)

The Canteen on 124st and Jasper is good as well.

I´ll strongly recommend using the icefields parkway - mainly because I did it about one week ago and it was amazing. Although the weather was far from perfect ....
(pics may be found in my german blog: http://travellingdevil.de/wordpress/?p=1517)

Thanks for the suggestions about the restaurants in Edmonton - I will use that list, when I arrive there in 2 days.

Greetings,
Askartus (currently in Calgary, and going to Drumheller tomorrow)