West end residents and Indian food lovers have long known that Guru Kitchen + Bar has one of the most unique menus in Edmonton, making it perfect for family feasts. The space itself is sophisticated and spacious, with tables that are big enough for sharing platters and leave elbow room to spare. Guru, of course, does great butter chicken, but don’t hesitate to try the seafood — its chickpea-battered Shrimp Pakora has a zesty taste and the Lamb Vindaloo with Portuguese spices is delightfully rich. With a new downtown location, you’re never far from great Indian food. — Cory Schachtel
17021 100 Ave. NW; #108, 10111 104 Ave. NW, Edmonton Tower, 780-484-4300, 780-399-8210, gururestaurant.com
What better way to get acquainted with traditional East African food, than to dine as they do? Langano Skies, the bright and colourful eatery on Whyte Avenue, presents a truly authentic way to sample Ethiopian food. There are usually no utensils in sight — to get the full experience, you’re encouraged to really connect with the food, and this means using your hands, and scooping it up with an injera flatbread. Dishes are made for sharing, which makes it the perfect place to bring the entire family to and taste a bit of everything. All creations are packed with flavour, spices, curry and almost always cooked with onions — from kik wots (split red lentils) and doro wot (chicken drumsticks) to yebeg tibs (curried lamb) and siga tibs (lean beef cubes). — Kateryna Didukh
9920 82 Ave. NW, 780-432-3334, langanoskies.com
Filistix started in 2008, but you might not have seen it back then, because it was always on the move. The tiny food trailer was one of Edmonton’s first mobile kitchens, inspired by owners Roel Canafranca and Ariel del Rosario’s experience in Asia and Europe. In 2011, the first “What the Truck” food truck event established Filistix as one of Edmonton’s best and led to a stationary location at the University of Alberta. Today, patrons can sit in their downtown location and share largely locally sourced pork, beef, chicken and veggie-based dishes (the Lemongrass Chicken Inasal’s tanginess mixes well with the garlic). It’s a great way to enjoy fine Filipino and Southeast Asian cuisine. — Cory Schachtel
10621 100 Ave. NW; U of A Students’ Union Building, 0-71, 8900 114 St. NW, 780-716-4708, filistix.ca
Back to Edmonton’s Best Restaurants 2020
This article appears in the March 2020 issue of Avenue Edmonton
