Every once in a while, a new dining concept comes along that’s poised to meet the moment. Right now, that spot is Relish — the new bar and market in Ritchie.
Situated across the lobby from Campio Brewing Co., the brew pub in the space once occupied by Ritchie Market’s Biera, Relish is an innovative approach in a post-COVID hospitality environment. When high food costs, reduced sales and a decline in late-night lingering made Biera unsustainable, Ritchie Market owner and craft beer impresario Greg Zeschuk decided to launch an eatery that combined a small, reasonably priced food and drink menu with a bold retail concept. It is, as he likes to call it, “a shop you can have a drink in.”
Relish’s patrons (they’re not quite diners or customers) encounter a cozy nook with 18 seats for those seeking the community feel of a wine bar. But there are also numerous shelves and coolers of food and beverages that can be purchased to enjoy in-house at a menu-set price or at home at a slightly lower retail price. Developed by former Biera chef Davina Moraiko, the tightly focused and approachable food menu centres around mostly local meats, cheeses and snacks designed to be prepared and served by one or two staff members. At the heart of it all are two simple but delicious grilled sandwiches made with Brio Prairie Sourdough: a gooey Reuben stuffed with Meuwly’s smoked brisket and a grilled cheese oozing Havarti and Gruyere and smeared with Shorty’s Garlic Hot Honey.
You can also order a cheese plate plumped with charcuterie, olives and thoughtful jams. There are four “bar snacks,” including Mojo Jojo Pickles (proudly Edmontonian since 2011). If you’re the dessert type, there’s a pretty little pot of Peach Melba for afters, but you can also scale up the sweets with treats on nearby shelves, such as Jacqueline Jacek’s jewel-inspired chocolates, and enjoy them at your table.
While food and high-end groceries are part of the experience at Relish, it should come as no surprise that the biggest draw is the drinks.
After all, Zeschuk is the founder of Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Company and a stalwart champion of Alberta craft beer. There are two Blind Enthusiasm beers on tap, plus a rotating glass pour of the brewery’s spontaneous or mixed fermentation blends. If you crave other brand favourites, such as Finest Hour (a hoppy English Ale) or Lil’Broski (a light beer), you’ll find them canned in tall coolers for $8 in-house ($5 for take out).
Relish also sells chilled wine and spirits by Canadian and international producers, carefully curated by general manager Kristin Morandi, and again priced for dine-in or take-out options. Sip a can of Nova 7 by the east coast’s Benjamin Bridge, a sprightly Troubled Tea by Red Deer’s Troubled Monk, or a canned cocktail of tequila and citrus fruits by Calgary’s Confluence Distilling. Sober curious folks have the County Bounty artisanal sodas from Ontario to choose from, including an apple, lemon and fennel combo.
Outside the cooler, you’ll find a seasonal selection of red wines and several spirits from largely local distillers such as Black Diamond and Strathcona Spirits. There are also tempting cocktails on the menu. Morandi (who also preps food and drink) stirred up a rum Old Fashioned for us that spread warmth throughout the body with one delicious sip. House highballs (with local spirits except tequila) are frisky with mixers like kombucha and strawberry rhubarb sparkling tea.
With any new concept, it takes a while to figure out how you want to roll. But the fun of Relish is in its giddy mix of retail and restaurant. Late at night, it feels like you’ve been let into a department store after closing and been given permission to jump on all the beds.
This article appears in the June 2025 issue of Edify
