Taste of Edmonton 2024: Let's Eat 27 Different Things!

As the food-loving person that I am, it’s an easy assumption that Taste of Edmonton is one of my favourite festivals of the year. Can you believe that it’s ToE’s 40th anniversary?! It just goes to show that Edmontonians have enjoyed eating small tasty plates of food for a long time. This year Taste of Edmonton has 50 restaurants/food trucks participating, with each vendor offering 3-4 dishes. Lots of old favourites are on hand but there are also a large number of brand-new vendors and new dishes to explore. As always, the website was very helpful in organizing a food game plan in advance. One thing that I would have liked to see at the festival is a water bottle refill station on site. With the blazing hot temperatures, it would have been very helpful to have access to a glass of the Sask. Running from July 18-27 at Sir Winston Churchill Square, you still have plenty of time to head down and to try everything! Without further ado, let's get to the food.

Here is how I ranked what I ate: 27. Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos from Ribeye Butcher Shop (3 tickets)

Loved the idea, did not love the execution. The bacon was not at all cooked enough, in my opinion. I like crispy bacon and this was not that. The texture of this dish was not pleasant. 26. Choripan from Paraiso Tropical (4 tickets)

I liked seeing something new from Paraiso Tropical on the menu however this fell a bit flat. The chorizo was kinda dry and the bun was way too crusty and bready. 25. Croissant Bites from Flurrries Bingsoo Cafe and More (2 tickets)

Made with real pistachio cream, this idea was a lot of fun! My only issue is that the croissant pieces were almost like croutons. They were quite buttery tasting but it was almost like eating stale bread. 24. Elote from Our Truck is Your Truck (3 tickets)

I love a Mexican street corn! Very flavourful but I didn’t really enjoy that the cob was served cold. 23. Jerk Chicken with Rice & Peas from Irie Foods (4 tickets)

I get this every year and as usual the chicken drumstick was very delicious and tender. Irie makes their jerk chicken very saucy and I tend to prefer a drier jerk preparation.

22. Fettuccine Crepe from Choco N' Dip (3 tickets)

How fun! The crepe is cut into long strips so that it’s like pasta. Served with chocolate as the sauce, there is nothing not to like about this.

21. Mochi Donut from Hong Kong Bakery (3 tickets)

They had four different donuts to choose from; green tea, taro, cookies & cream, and strawberry. I picked taro because purple! I love the chewy texture of a mochi donut. Easy to eat and a lot of fun.

20. Banh Cuon Thanh Long from Đa Kao Bistro (4 tickets)

This one might have been the most unique and interesting dish of the festival. I have never seen a dragon fruit steamed rice roll before! The bright pink dragon fruit wrappers were beautiful.

19. Tostada de Birria from PiKante (4 tickets)

Another annual favourite, this ultra crispy-crunchy tostada is satisfying to eat! The beef was tender and I liked the bit of heat.

18. Mini Donair from Blowers & Grafton (4 tickets)

It's both Halifax and Edmonton’s favourite food! They did a good job with this little donair wrap and the meat inside was savoury and delish. Not to mention that sweet, sweet signature sauce! 17. Face Off Fried Pickles from The Canadian Brewhouse (3 tickets)

A staple each year, I always get these. What can I say? I loves me a pickle! They’re cooked well and I especially like the dill in the batter. The tzatziki dipping sauce on the side is great too.

16. Takoyaki from Tokyo Noodle Shop (3 tickets)

I love a Japanese fried octopus ball! They only served two so it was a pretty small portion but they tasted good. They even put the bonito on top which made them just right!

15. Mac & Cheese Bites from Love Kitchen Catering (2 tickets)

These golden triangles didn’t seem like much but I somehow really liked them? They have literal Kraft Dinner on the inside but that made me like them more? It was just a really fun item to eat and I enjoyed how well it worked. 14. Dill Pickle Soup from Continental Treat (3 tickets)

Hot soup on a hot day? It’s worth it for this legendary soup. It packs a pickle punch (have I mentioned that I love pickles?) and is creamy but not too thick. If you’ve never tried this, you must. It’s one of the city’s most special dishes. 13. Lobster Poke with a side of Tortilla Chips from Splash Poke (5 tickets)

Obviously I loved the entire idea of lobster poke! How ambitious! It tasted good but there wasn’t that much to it and the portion was pretty small. Some of the chips were literal Doritos and I felt that that caused a lot of conflicting flavours. At 5 tickets, this was the most expensive item that I tried and I'm not sure that it was worth it. 12. Sushi Banana Crepe from Choco N' Dip (4 tickets)

A really cute idea! The crepe wrapped around banana pieces totally does look like sushi! I enjoyed the crispy rice on top for the added texture. 11. Butter Chicken with Rice from Khazana (4 tickets)

A classic dish every year, and arguably the best butter chicken in town. I felt like they got back a bit of their magic this year! (The distinctive smoky tandoori flavour!) The portion size is great, the chicken is tender, and the rich curry was delicious.

10. Dry Spicy Chicken from The Lingnan (4 tickets)

A forever classic! Crack chicken is a must!! Spicy, salty, and addictive… If you’re an Edmontonian, you know.

9. Diavola Pizza from La Diavola Pizzeria (4 tickets)

I really liked this pizza a lot. They were cooking the pizzas in a wood-fired oven on-site and the slice tasted so fresh. I loved the zingy spice of the meats and the gooey cheese.

8. Smoked Brisket Slider from Transit Smokehouse & BBQ (4 tickets)

The slab of brisket on this sandwich was very generous! Deliciously smoked and so tender. There are three sauces to choose from; Alberta sweet BBQ, Carolina gold BBQ, and Alabama white BBQ. I went for the Alberta – made with half Coca Cola which made it very sweet.

7. Tequila Lime Chicken Taco with Rice from The 3 Amigos (4 tickets)

This dish ranked highly last year as well. So much flavour! The chicken was delicious and their rice is always SO amazing.

6. Mixed Pupusa from Paraiso Tropical (4 tickets)

I could eat a Paraiso Tropical pupusa every day of my life. You can choose meat and cheese on the inside or just cheese. I got the former. Topped with all the fixins, this Salvadorian treat needs to be a part of your repertoire.

5. Brothers Fried Pepperoni from Blowers & Grafton (3 tickets)

I loved these last year and I loved them again this year. These fried pep curls are SO much fun, easy to eat, and quintessentially Haligonian.

4. Gamsung Hotdog from Chungchun Rice Hotdog (4 tickets)

LOVED this Korean corn dog (made with beef and chicken) SO MUCH! Coated with crispy potatoes, drizzled with ketchup and spicy mayo, and sprinkled with honey butter sugar (yes, it sounds a bit wild but trust me on this one), and served on a stick. This was easily one of my overall favourite dishes.

3. Lobster Roll from Blowers & Grafton (4 tickets)

What a success!! This buttery lobster roll was positively PACKED with actual chunks of lobster. I saw full claws in there! For an event of this size, I found this dish incredibly impressive. Juicy, delicious, and an absolute must-try! 2. Cheese Empanada from Paraiso Tropical (3 tickets)

I can’t quit you, cheesy empanada. This simple pocket of cheese is such a smash hit. I could eat twelve in one sitting. So much gooey cheese. These are a complete delight.

1. Poke Donut from Splash Poke (4 tickets)

My #1 pick for 2024! This dish landed at #3 last year and has risen to the top spot! It’s just really well done. It’s cute and colourful, a fun and unique idea, full of fresh flavour… What’s not to love? The artfully laid tuna, salmon, crab, and cucumber is gorgeous. Splash Poke does such an excellent job with this item and I hope to see it again year after year!

Another fabulous Taste of Edmonton is in the books for me and I can't wait to do it all again next year!