What’s one word I would use to describe Sofra? Warm. The atmosphere transports you to a culture of vibrancy — visible in the restaurant’s copper-coloured walls, tapestry cushions and mosaic lamps.
I might not be the best judge of authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, but when my Turkish friend took a bite of the Sebzeli Pide — a flatbread topped with vegetables — I knew this was the real deal.
People might be surprised to hear that within Sofra’s vast variety of delicious homemade dishes, the Sucuklu Humus is the dish I would recommend everyone try. It’s a delicacy by itself, made undoubtedly better by the inclusion of fragrant sausage and a garnish of tomato basil sauce and garlic yogurt. –Mariana Gutierrez Serna
Sofra
Downtown | 10345 106 St NW, Edmonton | 780.423.3044 | sofrarestaurant.ca
Imagine satisfying, fragrant dishes, mild heat and tender meats: you are imagining The Bedouins in northwest Edmonton, a hop from the Henday and St. Albert. The Lamb Mendi we ordered, made with a smoky, spice-steamed lamb, was rich and dark and came on a pile of golden rice, beside a potato-forward veggie stew. I couldn’t decide on an appetizer to accompany my pillowy pita; fortunately, The Bedouins offers a dish called Half Hummus Half Mashweeya, the second part being a silky, charred-vegetable dip. Next, imagine if a spring roll and a perogy had a baby: I present the Buraik. Our last delicious surprise was a Chicken Tawook Wrap: tangy marinated chicken smothered in toum (garlic sauce), embraced in a soft pita. – Mifi Purvis
The Bedouins Restaurant
Pembina | 12832 137 Ave NW, Edmonton | 780.478.6979 | thebedouinsrestaurant.com
When my friend and I went to Lotus, it lived up to our expectations. My friend had the Lamb Shank dish which came with a pile of fluffy saffron rice and a grilled tomato, a nicely acidic compliment to the hearty chunks of meat. I wasn’t expecting to be bowled over by the Mirza-Ghasemi that I ordered as a starter. It was an umami-rich combo of eggplant, tomato paste, eggs, garlic and spice, served with triangles of Persian flatbread. If you think you don’t care for eggplant this dish says otherwise. We followed our meal with a pot of delicious Persian Black Tea. My Edmonton food bucket list now includes a future trip to Lotus with a few friends to try the Lotus Gold Platter, a sharing dish for four or five people — preceded by Mirza-Ghasemi! – Kim Larson, as told to Mifi Purvis
Lotus House of Bebab & Grocery
Ritchie | 10015 82 Ave NW, Edmonton | 438.990.9380 | lotuscuisine.ca
This article appears in the March 2026 issue of Edify
