Chartier
If you’re on the hunt for a rustic, French feeling for dinner (and since you can’t jet off to Montreal or Paris anytime soon), look to Chartier in Beaumont.
This award-winning spot is the perfect mix of chic cafe and cozy family eatery, where you can enjoy both a glass of small-batch malbec from Bergerac, France, and a homestyle crispy chicken sandwich in one stop.
Chartier’s street-side, full-service patio boasts comfortable wooden booths that are semi-private, allowing you and your cohort to enjoy a meal and take in the sight of the historic St. Vital church. Hearing church bells in the distance only adds to the authentic French vibes. Who needs Sacre Coeur?
5012 50 St., #102, Beaumont | 780.737.3633 | Website
Confederation Lounge
With crystal-clear views of the river valley and North Saskatchewan River, the Confederation Lounge patio at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald is a must-visit.
Standouts on the newly released summer patio menu include smoked meats — including ribs, pulled pork, brisket and sausage, which can be ordered as a platter or separately as entrees — as well as the seafood platter. Featured cocktails include the Chipotle Pineapple Margarita and Basil Ginger Mojito. And try the new Taco Tuesday happening every week throughout the season!
With large umbrellas to protect you from the sun, comfortable seating and a front-row seat to the river valley, you should check out Confederation Lounge’s expansive patio this summer.
10065 100 St NW, Edmonton (in Fairmont Hotel Macdonald) | 780.424.5181 | Website
Fox Burger
In principle, a burger should be a simple thing, but somewhere between the ascent of the KFC Double Down and our growing obsession with culinary schadenfreude (tell me again why eating ghost peppers is a thing?), we seem to have lost the plot.
Thankfully there are places like Fox Burger that recognize that a burger doesn’t have to be alien to be interesting. Boasting favourites like their Bacon Pepper Smash, Bleu Cheese Tomato and Inferno Smash, Fox Burger manages to have all the fixings and none of the fluff. The Highlands burger joint also keeps things fun and accessible with 10 Alberta-brewed beers on tap, a simple but effective wine selection and a no-fuss kid’s menu.