RGE RD is more than just a restaurant, it’s a dining experience that celebrates the flavours of Canada. The ever-evolving menu changes by the season and features ingredients from farms and small-scale producers. Opened in 2013, Chef Blair Lebsack and Caitlin Fulton were inspired by farm-to-table dinners and put a strong emphasis on wood-fire cookery and whole animal butchery. The menu includes small plates, mains and dessert. Create your own menu for the evening with appetizers like Grizzly Gouda & Potato Perogies, Sunchoke & Mushroom Salad and Hunter’s Stew. We tried the Kitchen Board, which comes with the kitchen’s selection of meats, cheeses and bread. It was the perfect size for sharing with four people. Pick from a variety of beef, bison, duck and pork dishes for the main course. The Chickpea Panisse is a delicious meat-free option with squash and hemp seed romesco, pickled onion and squash, and grilled kale. RGE RD is a unique culinary experience where each dish is more flavourful than the last. – Katrina Turchin
10643 123 ST. NW, 780-447-4577, RGERd.ca
Here’s a bit of trivia: When this magazine — once known as Avenue Edmonton — held its first-ever Top 40 Under 40 event, Sabor was the venue of choice. Nearly a decade and a half later, the restaurant still more than holds its own on the Edmonton dining scene. Proprietor Christian Mena and Chef Lino Oliveira have found a unique niche with a Portuguese-inspired, seafood-heavy menu — which truly stands out in Edmonton. That success spawned a series of Bodega eateries: three spots in Edmonton, St. Albert and success spawned a series of Bodega eateries: three spots in Edmonton, St. Albert and Sherwood Park that serve great tapas, cocktails and wine. Whether you’re in for a snack and some drinks, or for a meal with southern European flair, Sabor has established itself as a heavyweight on our dining scene. – Steven Sandor
#109, 10220 103 ST. NW, 780-757-1114, Sabor.ca
Friendly staff welcomed us into the cozy Terwillegar location — which has a glass- partitioned view of the kitchen — but good service and atmosphere alone don’t move you up the best restaurant ranks. For that you need award-winning Chef Andrew Fung’s menu, which includes traditional Alberta-based meals with seafood spread throughout.
We tried the Alberta Prime Burger, which came with double-smoked bacon (crispy, by request), and the Atlantic Lobster Ravioli with spicy Sambuca prawns and red chili flakes. It packed a strong enough kick that I was happy to finish my friend’s fries to put out the tiny tasty fire on my tongue.
We had crème brûlée for dessert, which was made exactly as addictively sweet as it should be. But the best part of the meal came before everything else: the Wagyu Beef Gyoza appetizer plate, served in chili oil and ponzu butter sauce. They were bigger, and more savoury, than possibly any I’ve ever had.
If I ordered them for takeout and ate them at home, I would have slurped the sauce like post-cereal milk. But XIX Nineteen is a classy place, so I settled for a spoonful. – Cory Schachtel
5940 MULLEN WAY, Edmonton, 780-395-1119
#104, 150 BELLEROSE DR., St Albert, 780-569-1819, DineNineteen.com
Uccellino is a great option for a classy night out downtown. The two-level dining room has dozens of tables packed tightly in rows, and reservations are highly recommended. We recommend the House-Made Goat Ricotta Crostini, which is creamy and oozing with flavour. The primi dishes are sizable for one person, but it’s recommended to pick a few dishes to share with the table. But we don’t blame you for wanting to keep the pasta all to yourself. – Katrina Turchin
10349 JASPER AVE., 780-426-0346, Corso32Group.com/Uccellino
Like all “night out” areas of town, the 104th Street strip south of Rogers Place has taken a hit the last couple years, but that hasn’t stopped Bündok from making another appearance on our best overall list.
The main course menu consists of all shared dishes, including devilled eggs with fennel mayo and pickled mustard, and chicken skins were fried just short of being too flaky. If you do choose Bündok as your pre-Oilers game meal, book your table well before puck drop so you can savour every scrumptious bite. – Cory Schachtel
10228 104 ST. NW, 780-420-0192, BundokYEG.com
This article appears in the March 2022 issue of Edify
