IanO
Superstar
I still miss the Queen of Tarts on 104st.
A small butcher has been lacking for years.
A small butcher has been lacking for years.
- Thread starter Daveography
- Start date
David A
Senior Member
No city in Canada has 30 million people, but several way short of that do have more vibrant downtown's. So, its not all doom and gloom.
What people will not drive downtown is to visit fairly empty malls or vacant store fronts. However, the seemingly always forgotten yet important retail market are people that live nearby. So, first start filling some of the empty spaces that are within walking distance with services for people that live nearby.
Second add a few more unique and interesting businesses with local flavor you can't find in your typical suburban mall. People drive across the city to go to IKEA and will go to unique destination locations downtown. Some exist, but we do need more.
These things will happen to some extent on their own as people go back to working downtown and going to more events downtown, but I think given the situation the city and the DBA need to be proactive in focusing on these two important types of downtown businesses.
Clearshades
Senior Member
How many restaurants have come and go since our boom? Further to that, how many pubs, clubs or other sociable establishments have also come and go? You, of all people should be able to recall all of those places starting from 106st-Jasper down to the Savon/109st...
Aside from the few independently restaurants, Edmonton's dining out is franchised gangs like Earls. Just take a look at the new ICE Plaza. Outside of hockey games, who is willing to constantly dine at Earls, and the rest of those homogenized forms that you can find at any power center?
IanO
Superstar
30% fail within their first couple of years; it's a tough industry.
Edmonton is less gastronomically exploratory than other cities for sure, but that's not to say you cannot be a long-lasting indie and this block could be something interesting in that regard.
Edmonton is less gastronomically exploratory than other cities for sure, but that's not to say you cannot be a long-lasting indie and this block could be something interesting in that regard.
Clearshades
Senior Member
Revolving doors are no good either...
IanO
Superstar
The challenge is that a new building like that will want top of market rates and so very few can (or should) sign.
archited
Senior Member
What a pack of B.S.
Oilers99
Active Member
I agree. Edmonton has a great restaurant scene - lots of great ethnic options throughout the city. What Edmonton lacks is a diverse restaurant scene downtown. We have some great ones such as Sabor, Uccellino, RNG RD, Bundok, etc. We haven't had a new exciting restaurant in a while and for corporate dinners the same 3 or 4 get picked every time.
We also don't have a major restaurant group like Concorde in Calgary routinely churning out great new spots every year. For those of you not familiar with Concorde, their team are the restaurateurs behind: Bridgette Bar, Model Milk, Major Tom, Lonely Mouth, etc.
Concorde Group
www.concordegroup.ca
IanO
Superstar
Edmonton has diverse offerings, like most cities, but the overall culinary sector seems to be lagging vis a vis other major cities.
David A
Senior Member
While I found the initial criticism overly negative, I believe it has a point. Having lived here a long time, I think Edmonton was more at the cutting edge decades ago when we had things like Mongolian Food Experience on Rice Howard Way. Maybe we have become complacent and slid back a bit, other places have caught up or most likely a bit of both. Yes, downtown still has a reasonable variety of decent restaurants, but nothing too outstanding or unique.I agree. Edmonton has a great restaurant scene - lots of great ethnic options throughout the city. What Edmonton lacks is a diverse restaurant scene downtown. We have some great ones such as Sabor, Uccellino, RNG RD, Bundok, etc. We haven't had a new exciting restaurant in a while and for corporate dinners the same 3 or 4 get picked every time.
We also don't have a major restaurant group like Concorde in Calgary routinely churning out great new spots every year. For those of you not familiar with Concorde, their team are the restaurateurs behind: Bridgette Bar, Model Milk, Major Tom, Lonely Mouth, etc.
Obviously Concorde has some significant capital behind them to be able to do all of the diverse things that they do including the bars like National, but it would be great to see a similar group develop up here or have Concorde expand north.Concorde Group
I don't know anything about Concorde or if it is as good as it sounds. Even if so, surely our city is not so bereft of money, talent and initiative that someone locally can't emulate it, instead of having to beg a business from Calgary to bring life to our stodgy downtown. I hope we are not becoming helpless children and can do it ourselves.
MacLac
Senior Member
Recession on its way…..half of those fancy restaurants would/ will go belly up anyway. I’m content with our scene. I know one thing for sure….companies like CNRL took away spending for lunches for their 3000 staff in the City of Cows…..those days of “2 martini lunches” in their plus 15 system ceased to exist 7 years ago
northlands
Senior Member
Guys working for the big energy giants don't need lunch stips, all of the smaller service and supplier companies pay for wet lunches anytime they want. One call and the business development guy from Precision Drilling or sales guy from Civeo Camps will have their steak and beer combo covered.
Avenuer
Senior Member
Our sector isn't much different from cities of comparable size like Calgary and Ottawa. Sure, we have less food options than Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver but that is mainly due to population size and tourist levels.
IanO
Superstar
Both Calgary and to a lesser extent Ottawa have deeper scenes, but that's partially due to demographic and tourism as you mention. That said, Edmonton's Downtown culinary breadth is nothing close and has lost a lot of ground in the last 5-10.
roe_
Active Member
I shouldn't be surprised that some people don't think food can be excellent unless it is served in a trendy restaurant based on the latest "concept". Heck, food stalls in Singapore have received Michelin stars!
A city can have lots of high end dining and still be boring and an unadventurous. I'm not saying Edmonton is some foody paradise, but you can get authentic Pakistani and Jamaican food in a city on the frozen prairie. That's pretty remarkable. The food scene here is fine despite what Calgarians or Vancouverites might like to suggest.
A city can have lots of high end dining and still be boring and an unadventurous. I'm not saying Edmonton is some foody paradise, but you can get authentic Pakistani and Jamaican food in a city on the frozen prairie. That's pretty remarkable. The food scene here is fine despite what Calgarians or Vancouverites might like to suggest.