For me, Diwali is the feeling of home. The first sign of the festive season isn’t a date on the calendar, it’s the ghost of a scent. The sweetness of fresh mithai spreading when a wrapped box is opened, the zephyr of incense sticks drifting after prayer as the feast cooks — the feeling of celebration knocking at our doors.
Back in India, as the autumn winds cool, the excitement is tangible. Homes glow golden, markets stay busy after sunset, families shop for new clothes and boxes of sweets begin making their way from one doorstep to another.
Like a mirror, Edmonton’s chilly winds arrive, the evenings grow darker and I miss India. Diwali is a season of togetherness, generosity, new beginnings and, importantly, food. But I have learned to find its magic outside India, in the city I now call home.
“The culinary scene is a really big part of Diwali in Edmonton, one of the biggest elements is the food,” says Sapreet Buttar. “It’s a bridge for communities to see and experience the culture through the food and the spices.” Buttar is CEO of The Universal Radio Network (TURN), connecting the first and second generation South Asian immigrants.
She encourages Edmontonians to “be curious and take the opportunity to experience a culture that may be different from your own.”
Diwali in India means eating under a canopy of festive lights, stopping at one food stall after another and sharing bites with friends. It’s difficult to recreate.
The restaurant Goggi’s Gully explores the flavours of Indian street-food culture in Edmonton. Think of an evening spent with family and friends, ordering different snacks, passing plates and making a meal out of a little bit of everything. To maintain the quality and authenticity, the restaurant doesn’t offer takeout. And there is no explicit choice of spice levels included in the ordering process.
The crown jewel here is the Gol Gappe. These cracked-open crispy, hollow puri shells — bursting with a perfect harmony of fiery spiced water, sweet chutneys, and savory potato-chickpea fillings — are exquisite flavour bombs. Goggi’s Gully doesn’t serve these at the table like other places; they are served from a built-in stall near the counter. The menu boasts staples like the impeccably spiced Churchur Patty Kulcha and the comforting Dahi Bhalle Chaat — perfect as shareables.
In an Indian household, a celebration rarely comes with a small menu. Diwali is an excuse to bring out the good food, invite people and make sure nobody leaves hungry.
To feel the warm level of Indian hospitality, and taste the dishes outside the expected butter chicken and garlic naan, Monsoon Bistro and Bar is a luxury oasis. “It is a fine-dining experience. Everything — from the music to the ambiance to the food to the service — makes you feel like you’re somewhere special,” Buttar says.
Buttar’s favourite menu items are the Dahi Kebabs and Lamb Chops, both bestsellers at the restaurant, according to Goldie Hazrah, owner of Monsoon. Hazrah says that her team is working on a Diwali-special dessert this year, which she’ll reveal soon.
For entrees, Buttar says another of her Monsoon favourites is the Murgh Methi Dhabewala. Another favourite is the Kerala Fish Curry, ordered with either a side of Lachha Parantha or Basmati Saffron Rice.
Diwali truly begins when someone opens a box of Indian sweets, mithai. In Edmonton, All India Restaurant and Sweets is a destination to explore when looking for traditional Indian sweets and festive treats. “All India was my first exposure to what Diwali looks like, and how people come together as a community to celebrate,” Buttar says.
All India is a multi-generational family business. The restaurant opened in 2006, says Rocky Dhanju, owner of All India, and this year, “it’s going to be our 20th anniversary Diwali.” He recommends Kaju Katli as the safest sweets choice for first-timers, but not if you have nut-allergies. (Kaju means cashew.) Other staples include Jalebi and Gulab Jamun, if you are a total sweet tooth.
But after that, “your palate is the window,” so make sure to try the Milk Cake, which is “a hundred per cent milk boiled down, condensed, with a little bit of citric added to make it thicken up into a cake-like format,” Dhanju says.
To complete the Diwali experience, come as you are or dress up full-on desi and show up to the Edmonton United Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas event. It’s a fireworks display organized by the City of Edmonton in conjunction with the Sifarish Network, says Buttar. Community partners include the Universal Radio Network and My Radio 580. It’s free, happening on Diwali Nov. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m at Mill Woods Park.
Perhaps that’s what moving away from home teaches you: traditions aren’t necessarily tied to a place. They live in the things we do, the food we choose to share and the people we invite into our celebrations. Diwali is about carrying home with us, one bite at a time.
Edmonton United Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas
Mill Woods | Mill Woods Park 2730 66 St NW, Edmonton | November 8, 2026, 6 to 9 p.m.
