124 street’s cookin’!
Look out, Whyte Avenue
With a mix of fresh and shiny eateries, well-supported by veterans of the Edmonton food scene, 124 Street has been giving Whyte Avenue some vigorous culinary competition for at least the last five years.
Now, with three new restaurants entering the area, and the Roxy rising from the ashes in 2021, 24 Street is arguably the go-to for those in search of food and fun. As part of our summer series on walkable food neighbourhoods (we’ve done Chinatown and Beverly so far), the Journal has combed the 124 Street area, coming up with suggestions for your mini-food tour.
We couldn’t include every establishment (this is a large and vibrant area) but we’ve tried to offer up an afternoon’s adventure.
First, the newbies. Farrow Sandwich just opened its third location slightly north of 102 Avenue, while Over Easy Breakfast is also set to crack a second venue a couple of doors down. On July 2, chef Paul Shufelt (of Workshop Eatery fame) launches his second YEG restaurant, Woodshed Burgers (10723 124 St.) But the street also benefits from stalwarts that anchor the vibe, including Canteen (my favourite spot for brunch at 10522 124 St.) and RGE RD (technically on 123 Street and 106 Avenue, but whatever).
The street is also a prime example of the latest culinary trend, which sees restaurants focus on a single specialty. Woodshed Burgers, Zwick’s Pretzels, Northern Chicken (10704 124 St.), and Prairie Noodle Shop (10350 124 St.) have learned that consumers feel comfortable with simple dishes, well-prepared.
While the 124 Grand Market (with two locations at 108 Avenue and 102 Avenue) offers good shopping Thursdays and Sundays, food retail is still limited on 124 Street, with little outside of Duchess Bake Shop (10718 124 St.) to animate the area. But in the last year or two, that, too, has been changing. Chocorrant Patisserie and Cafe is my fave for croissants and gluten-free dessert, and last year, Meuwly’s (10706 124 St.) joined the street with a full-on deli, now seating customers for signature sandwiches at lunch.
“Lunch has been great, it’s the gateway to our retail products,” says Meuwly’s co-owner Peter Keith. “For the next step, we’re making a few changes to the space and then applying for a liquor licence to start an evening service some time in the fall.”
Meuwly’s won’t be offering a full menu, but wine, beer and various cured meats, cheeses, snacks and pickles in a laid-back environment.
Barking Buffalo coffee shop (which shares space at 10842 124 St. with artisanal T-shirt creator Selgado and Fenwick) has developed a fledgling food and history walking tour called YEG Crawl.
“We want to offer something local to help people connect with their community,” says Barking Buffalo co-owner Kassie Burkholder, who, along with her husband, Matt Roth, hopes to launch a first outing for YEG Crawl in July. (See their website YEGcrawl.com for more details.)
One of the stops expected to be on the crawl is Three Vikings (10713 124 St.), where husband and wife co-owners Stephanie Moore and Finn Mollegaard-Laugesen have been promoting the concept of hygge since they took over the space in October.
Hygge is a word that means cosy and comfortable in Norway and Denmark (Mollegaard-Laugesen is Danish). The restaurant combines British and Danish comfort food, and yes, there is a connection between the cultures. (The Vikings attacked England for several hundred years; there are no hard feelings, however, at the restaurant).
“I love all of the galleries and I love that the Roxy was there, and I’m so excited it’s coming back,” says Moore of her attraction to 124 Street. “I can’t say how pleased we are with how welcoming the businesses and the people have been.”
The street has a good range of price points for snacking and dining, with one of the best value propositions being found within Zwick’s Pretzels (12415 107 Ave.) Opened in 2017 by business partners Maria Chau and Darren Zwick, the shop is the very definition of hole-in-thewall. It’s cramped, the front door hardly closes in the winter due to ice buildup, and there is little seating. Obviously, it’s a charmer.
“We wanted a casual vibe, and to provide an experience that was within reach for people,” says Chau, noting the shop cranks out as many as 1,000 fresh pretzels on a busy Saturday. “The neighbourhood support has really crystallized things for us. We feel embraced.”
If you don’t want a full-on meal, or mouth-watering sandwich, 124 St. has options for grazing and libations. Arcadia Bar does a mean (Meuwly’s) hotdog and craft beer combo. If non-alcoholic is your style, pop by Remedy (10310 124 St.) for a chai, or Credo (10350 124 St.) for a coffee. You’ll need a delicious vegan cookie by Bloom (10350 124 St.) to keep things balanced.
With those items in hand, slip just around the corner to the north, where you’ll find my favourite bench (west of Front Gallery in the keyhole). It’s quiet and surrounded by trees, the perfect spot to feel both sated, and grateful.