Fu’s Repair Shop is having a moment. OK, several moments. The late-night dim sum spot has taken Edmonton’s gourmands under its spell with a degree of vigour I haven’t seen since the Dorinku twins and Baijiu set up shop. The foodie scene’s obsession with this playfully original Asian restaurant and cocktail bar starts to make sense when you actually go there and realize the reputation it’s earned is hardly just hype. From the kitchen staff’s talent for reinventing the wheel with haute takes on classic dim sum and noodles that show an adeptness in epicurean cuisine, to the tongue-in-cheek, wink-and-a-nod attitude the restaurant curates, it’s no wonder that nearly two years into its tenure, Fu’s still dominates people’s lists of best restaurants, including our own. — Jesse Cole
Fu’s Repair Shop
Downtown | 10524 Jasper Ave NW, Edmonton | fusrepairshop.ca
Canada’s too big to have specific signature flavours, but, in Alberta, it’s prairie food. And no spot does prairie food better than RGE RD, the restaurant named after the signs that section off the landscape.
RGE RD itself came from the land, starting as a series of dinners on central Alberta farms intended to “introduce guests to cuisine from their region.” Chefs use wood-fire cookery and whole-animal butchery to create seasonal menus, just like our prairie ancestors did. And with over 20 local food-and booze-supplying companies on the menu, RGE RD has a whole tribe helping it craft high-end prairie cuisine.
You’re not gonna find better charcuterie, the cuts of beef are always choice (check out the 600-word steak glossary if you’d like some light dinner reading) and the desserts are creamy and rich (you can never go wrong with a S’More Ice Cream Sandwich). Head there for an intimate dinner and find out what your region has to offer. — Cory Schachtel
RGE RD
Westmount | 10643 123 St NW, Edmonton | 780.447.4577 | rgerd.ca
There is something both hip and harmonious about eating at Uccellino. Even on an unremarkable working Wednesday, the dining room is at capacity before 6 p.m. as people sitting at the rows of several dozen tables all clink glasses, plates, and chatter in unison.
The vibe is urban and cosmopolitan — the staff wear cool sneakers, the speakers chime out chill jazz music, and the lighting is soft and muted.
While I meditate on the ambience, I hardly notice the server deliver my food, but the aroma of fresh parmigiana and black truffle vinaigrette from the Beef Carpaccio demands my attention. And in the spaghetti, every flavour — fresh mint, zesty chilies and pink prawns far too fresh for landlocked Edmonton — is heard loud and clear. — Liam Newbigging
Uccellino
Downtown | 10349 Jasper Ave NW, Edmonton | 780-426.0346 | corso32group.com/uccellino
When describing chef Andrew Fung, it’s hard to pigeonhole him with a specific style or cuisine. XIX’s menu, in either the St. Albert or south-side locations, take from Italian, Japanese, French and North American comfort foods. The menu is like a tour of the world, where your table can share arancini featuring kimchi and finished with a sweet wasabi gel. Or, enjoy pressed salmon sushi and baked escargot. We’ve seen many restaurants try for wide-reaching menus, and fail. But Fung pulls this off seamlessly; XIX was on our Best Overall list in 2023, and defends its spot in ’24. — Steven Sandor
XIX Nineteen
Mactaggart | 5940 Mullen Way, Edmonton | 780.395.1119
Oakmount | 150 Bellerose Dr #104, St. Albert | 780.569.1819
dinenineteen.com
According to the The Butternut Tree website, Chef Scot Downey spent 10 years on a global food-seeking adventure before returning to Edmonton in 2017. We don’t know exactly where he went, but the flavours he brought back are delicious — and come entirely from Canada.
The Ahi Tuna, with avocado and cucumber on ginger tapioca chips, makes a great appetizer. The Brome Lake Duck Breast, swimming in wine-soaked cherry jus, is more hearty.
But our favourite part is the Crème Brûlée (with Canadian alpine berry tea). A bit of a cliché dessert order? Maybe. But as we crack the crust and scoop up the flavourful filling while gazing out the windows to a wintery Constable Ezio Faraone Park, it’s the perfect palate cleanser to cap off a wonderful night. — Cory Schachtel
The Butternut Tree
Downtown | 9707 110 St Nw #101, Edmonton | 780.760.2271 | thebutternuttree.ca
This article appears in the Mar/Apr 2024 issue of Edify
