More brunch ideas from readers
Over the summer, we asked Journal readers for suggestions of where we should send our reviewers to choose the best brunch spots in Edmonton. Alas, we couldn’t go to them all, so we narrowed it down to 14 restaurants. Here are some of your recommendations
Hands down, Hap’s Hungry House in Jasper Place. Great menu, great prices, great service. Oh yeah, the food is pretty good too. Can’t lose.
Ian P. Johnston
Rick & Alice’s Grill on 109th! Best pancakes in the city. They are a little sweeter than others. Hash browns are good too. Good coffee. The staff are welcoming and friendly. Love that you can always get a seat. And toddler-friendly place too.
Janine
Urban Diner, south side. Dutch pancakes, puffy little bites of heaven and gluten free. A family favourite, but get there early!
Valaine Belton
Love La Boheme’s French café style, its fresh baked croissants and homemade preserves, the fruit and dessert display to tempt us as we wait for the arrival of individually prepared breakfast entrees. Nice combo of buffet and sit-down service.
Sheila Edmonds
You should definitely add Local Eatery in South Edmonton Common to your brunch places to review. They have the best egg bennies and breakfast Caesars served in a boot! The best part has to be the patio — nothing like brunch in the sun.
Melissa Erickson
We regularly have brunch at Ricky’s Grill at South Edmonton Common. Coffee is really fresh and hot. Eggs Benedict is just right and you can get one or two. We usually have french toast with strawberries and whipped cream on the side. The best! Nora, a waitress, bustles around and is really friendly and chipper. If you go frequently you get 10 per cent off as friends of Ricky’s. Hope you check it out. Another favourite is Romans on Stony Plain Road near 156th Street.
The Kempsters
Our favourite Sunday brunch spot is Albert’s Restaurant, 13234 137th Ave. I enjoy their mixed grill with potato pancakes. My wife usually has one of the seniors platters, also with potato pancakes. Homey atmosphere, friendly and reliable service, and food of consistent good quality.
Julius Buski I would suggest Brown’s Social House in the Currents Shopping Centre in Windermere. They have the best fresh grapefruit juice and best waffles ever. A new restaurant on the Edmonton scene, busy most of the time.
Krystyna Tadman
I wanted to send in my surprise new spot that I have added into my rotation — Central Social Hall. I have been there before for drinks and appies but was honestly really surprised by how good the brunch was. We shared two things. One was this crazy poutine dish topped with two poached eggs and their house sauce, poblano pepper and white cheddar sauce. We also shared one of the eggs benny (same sauce) but the potatoes that came with it were amazing. Real potatoes with a delicious seasoning. I never would have expected such freshness and quality from a pub. They earned a spot on my list.
Frank East 75 Restaurant at the Four Points Sheraton on Argyll Road has a very good brunch buffet that many people don’t know about. It is worth a visit.
Travis Mnoholitny
My breakfast club has attended many of these restaurants over the years, weekly. Recommend: Normands, Upper Crust, Urban Barn, State & Main (food’s good, atmosphere?), Rick and Alice (tiny, very casual but good). Outdoors, try Jagere Ridge golf course — food is good and atmosphere is fabulous. (Branches at) Greenland is also excellent.
Judy Chahley
Barb and Ernie’s has the best eggs Benedicts ever. Plural is intended as you can get it about 15 ways. The wine hollandaise sauce makes it different than eggs Benedict anywhere else. I am not so sure if I just like the sauce. Then my aunt at 93 loves that there is a seniors section with portions that she can actually manage and afford.
B.M.
My favourite is the Chateau Louis Sunday brunch. It includes seafood such as crab, smoked salmon, mussels and prawns, awesome eggs Benedict, homemade desserts, omelettes, and Belgian waffles with whipped cream. The choices boggle the mind. Atmosphere is elegant but comfortable. Service is attentive. Choose this for a special treat out.
Gail Lidkea
We have been impressed with the Sawridge on Gateway Boulevard. Their buffet brunch is pricier than the Chateau Louis but has both breakfast and dinner for the price. Their breakfast brunch has all the usual suspects such as eggs Benedict, scrambled eggs, waffles, french toast, two choices of potatoes, bacon, sausages and an omelette bar along with cold salads, shrimp, crab legs, and smoked fish and, if you have a special request such as eggs Benedict without the ham, they will gladly and quickly make it for you. In another area they feature more of a dinner selection with prime rib, which is standard for their Sunday brunches. In this section they also had au jus for the prime rib (the best au jus I’ve had), mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, vegetables and risotto. And the room is magnificent as they extend their dining room into their (almost) connected lounge, which has vaulted two-storey ceilings and beautiful stone, woodwork and a water feature. I almost hate to tell anyone about this wonderful buffet as it’s so nice and ‘gently’ busy there right now.
Vera
Not sure if you guys are venturing into the suburbs, but there is a wonderful place called Sandyview Farms. It’s actually a butcher shop that they have created a loft restaurant in. All of their meats are specially made in-house (and there are about 20 different options — regular bacon, maple bacon, honey bacon, turkey bacon, bison bacon, beef bacon, you name it, they make it). They also have amazing dessert perogies. They don’t take reservations, so be sure to go in good time on the weekend, if you don’t want to wait for a while. It’s a secret gem in Spruce Grove, with some of the freshest delicacies around.
Patricia Hoyland
I write to you with two suggestions for Sunday brunch at both ends of the price scale. The first one is The Creperie. This restaurant has been in business on the Boardwalk for about 40 years. It is of course great for dinner but it is also a wonderful place to take that special someone for Sunday brunch. The brunch menu is crepe-based. The food, service and ambience are fantastic. This is the place to go if you have some extra dollars in your pocket. At the other end of the scale we have Cora’s. It is very busy on weekends, but if there are only two of you the wait is not too long. The food is great and the service is fast and efficient. The prices are quite reasonable and they do offer menus for seniors and children.
Craig Harris