This one is definitely a hidden gem. It is located in an out-of-the-way strip mall in north Edmonton. I was tipped off by another great burger lover, Mr. Gerry Gratziano. When he recommends a burger place, you listen! If you have tried the burgers at Re:Grub then you will appreciate YEGburger.
So besides being hidden away in a discreet location, this place has another unique quality – everything on the menu is Halal or Zabiha. (Beef bacon is available as well) The owners are wonderful at supporting their Muslim community; they have currently adjusted their opening hours to accommodate Ramadan.
The atmosphere is minimalistic with lots of wood. There is definitely a “street vibe” with the graffiti-type mural on the long wall. There is plenty of seating, booths along the wall, and tables in the main area. I’m not sure that I would bring a huge group in, but I am sure they would be able to accommodate.
Fresh and natural ingredients are the theme of the menu. I would highly recommend the “featured burger” for those that would like to have a taste adventure. On my visit the featured burger was buttermilk chicken and waffles with sriracha maple syrup. I can’t even remember which burger my husband had, but it was super delicious looking as well. You can even lettuce wrap it if you are worried about the carbs. It is nice to see healthier options available, although there are no salads on the menu here.
The burgers cater to a wide range of tastes and are very creative. Sauces are made in house (YEGmustard and YEGbbq sauce to name a couple). There is a donair burger and a falafel burger on the menu as well as Havarti Grilled Cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
They also have hotdogs, poutine, and milkshakes. Not just your typical flavours either; double Reese, Oreo, Nutella, Ferrero Rocher etc., and they are only $5!! Just the milkshake is worth the drive.
The joint is family friendly, accessible and has a parking lot. The kids menu is tiny with only four items, but I am sure they are just as delicious as everything else on the menu. There is no alcohol served here.
The staff was very friendly. Your burgers are “made to order” and brought to your table. Make sure you get lots of napkins, you are going to need them. It’s messy, but it’s “good messy”. It might not be the greatest place for a first date, but you will definitely not go home hungry.
Economic!! The most expensive burger on the menu is $10. The pricing was refreshing because I have had a lot of gourmet burgers in the city that are double that price.
There is no snooty, epicurean fare here. Fresh, natural and simple with creative ingredients are what you will find at YEGburger.
I am at least ¼ Cree on my father’s side. My family always told us not to tell anyone about our Aboriginal roots because we would be looked at differently. I never met my Kookum and that fact makes me sad. I was too young when she passed to know any different.
My father was adopted by his Aunt. This is the lady that I grew up to call Grandmother. She was a wonderful lady that raised my Dad and his brother as her own. She had a huge heart and did a lot of charity work throughout her lifetime. I really looked up to her. Out of respect, I waited until I was an adult and she had passed to do any kind of searching on my family history. The first search I did came to a dead end because my Dad’s adoption records were sealed, even though I could identify myself as his daughter.
It struck me really hard as a kid in elementary school. My brother looks very Aboriginal, looks very much like my father. I got the German looks from my Mom’s side; blonde hair and blue eyes. Chief Dan George was coming to our school to do a presentation and a healing circle. All the Aboriginal children were allowed to attend and take time off of their regular classes to go. I asked my teacher but was denied because I “wasn’t aboriginal”. My brother got to enjoy meeting a man that I had looked up to my whole life. I never did get to meet him before he passed a short time later.
That struggle continued for me my whole life. Wanting to learn, wanting to belong but never fitting in.
Fast forward to meeting Ian and discovering Native Delights
It wasn’t just a restaurant and it is not just a kiosk. It is an experience.
Ian was born in Treaty 8 territory. When all the other kids wanted to grow up and play hockey or become doctors or scientists, Ian wanted to cook. It spoke to him. He did go out and work in the oil patch like just about every Albertan does at some point in their life. His dream was always to cook, to open that restaurant and he never swayed from that path. Ian overcame a lot of adversity to be where he is today, and I have nothing but love and respect for him and his family. They are amazing human beings.
When I first experienced one of his bannock burgers, I was hooked from the delicious tastes and textures that hit me. I am also one of those people that quietly observes (introverted) and you can see the people enjoying themselves and friends going up to talk to Ian. It was good energy all around.
When Ian got to open a brick and mortar restaurant, I was thrilled! Now there was flavoured bannock and locally made medicinal teas, stew and more. I liked how there was no liquor on the menu and it wasn’t even something that Ian was considering. The atmosphere here was one of family. When you stepped into the restaurant for dinner, many of the people there knew each other. It was relaxing to be able to enjoy a meal with my family in a space filled with such positive energy.
The restaurant closed its doors a couple of years ago. I miss it. Native Delights went back on the road with the trailers to different events. I enjoyed the bannock when I could.
2017 brought back the Native Delights kiosk and “Pânsâwân”. “Pânsâwân” is traditional dry meat. (Elder Approved!) Thin strips of Buffalo meat that are smoke to dry them. No salt, no added preservatives. If you like a nice smoky flavour without all the crap that is in commercial jerky, then you really need to get yourself some Pânsâwân. It is available at both kiosks. The smaller size is $20 and there is a lot of jerky for your money, and much healthier for you!
The kiosk in the Super Flea Market in Edmonton has a separate store area with the Pânsâwân, some products from local makers and Mother Earth Essentials. I do need to give praise to Mother Earth Essentials. I first discovered their products on a trip to Ft McMurray. The hotel I was staying in uses their shampoo and conditioner in the rooms. I looked them up and found out that they were Edmonton based and immediately went and bought items for home. Her products are AMAZING. I can see why Ian supports her. Give the store a visit. The Peppermint and Sage line makes your scalp feel so good.
2018 brought the first franchise for Ian and family. The Super Flea Market location is now owned by the lovely Melissa, who will be sure to uphold the same quality as Ian would himself. I attended the grand opening of the kiosk on February 24th. They know how to put on a party! It all opens with a prayer… There was free bannock and stew, face painting for the kids, singers and drummers and so much more. I was sad that I couldn’t stay longer. The place was super busy and the energy was amazing! The drummers overflowed my heart with pride and brought tears to my eyes.
I got to congratulate Ian briefly as he was very busy and also got to meet Melissa.
The menu at the Super Flea kiosk is a little different. They took over a kiosk that had been there for years churning out breakfast, pub type foods and ice cream. They decided to keep all of these flea market favourites and add the Native Delights menu to it as well. From what I can see, it works for this space!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The Bison Bannock Burger is my favourite and the Indian Taco is a close second. If you follow the Facebook Page, they are very good about getting the daily specials out there for the Athletic Club kiosk. If you haven’t experienced bannock yet, this is a great place to get started. Their bannock is pretty damn good.
If you see Native Delights out and about on the streets of Edmonton this summer, be sure to stop and grab a burger. A great local business that supports other great local businesses.
Thank you Ian for all that you do for the Aboriginal community here in Alberta. Âyihây!
Denizen Hall is located in one of the very few heritage buildings that Edmonton has left standing at the corner of 103 avenue and 103 street. Formerly the Richelieu Pub, it has been open since 1904 and provided live music, kegs and whiskey bottles to the growing and newly incorporated City of Edmonton.
When I used to live in a different city and travel to Edmonton on the Greyhound bus as a teenager, this place scared the crap out of me, not going to lie! It took me a while to be able to convince my Husband that we should really go and visit because I have heard a lot of good things about this space. I am sure I mentioned the word “Arcade” but apparently he didn’t hear that part!
The Grand Hotel has been completely re-vamped and is now home to “Denizen Hall” and is again providing live music, kegs and classic arcade and pinball machines to the people of Edmonton.
Soda Jerks was one of the first places in Edmonton to bring about the “Build Your Own Burger”. You can always have your burger the way YOU like it. Many, many, many choices! The ingredients are all top quality.
The name for me brought about visions of a “Soda Jerk” behind a chrome counter with an ice cream freezer and a pile of milkshake blenders. You won’t find an actual Soda Jerk here. The decor has lots of bottles of soda everywhere and comfy booths and seating throughout the restaurant. They also have a secondary location in St. Albert now that has a more open concept than the original restaurant.
Among the sides are the best deep fried pickles in the city. Hand breaded in tempura, they are always crispy and juicy at the same time.
As the name suggests, soda is what makes the Jerks go ’round! There are 45 different flavours of sodas. They also offer floats and milkshakes; non-alcoholic and the adult variety! My favourite is the Guinness float. I had to try it because I just couldn’t imagine ice cream and beer but it is phenomenal! I even bought one for my hard core Guinness drinking friend Ben, and he loved it!
The Barn Yard, The Big Jerk and the Doris, are three really BIG burgers. There is a contest to eat all three of them. One of my friends was able to eat Doris and got a t-shirt for his efforts.
If you are going to the restaurant during a peak time, expect a 45 minute to an hour wait. At the original restaurant in West Edmonton, you can go to the lounge to grab a drink while you wait. The menu is online so you can peruse before you go!
So NAIT has one of the best culinary programs and that means that the resto-bar should be fabulous right? Right!
It is your typical gastro-pub setup and decor. Newly renovated. Very cozy, with some pool tables and dart boards. Your menus are already at the table and you seat yourself.
I am a huge beer fanatic and along with some local micro-breweries (Alley Kat) they had one of my favourites on tap which is a Belgian White that pairs well with just about anything, Shock Top.
The menu is imaginative and innovative. I had the Crawfish Corndog which was shrimp and crawfish sausage in a sweet corn batter served with fiery mustard dip. I had a side of soup (potato bacon chowder). Very tasty!
The only drawback to going to The Nest on a regular basis is that there is no free parking. What you pay will vary on the time of day that you are at the restaurant.
