Very expensive for very little food. Japanese Village sesame beef with rice was so small and not worth 4 tickets for a price of approx. $7.00 Also, the dish was very salty. Good venue but this will be last year I attend because the price does not match with portion size. Jennie read more

Hello Summer! Edmonton truly is Festival City whether it's Ice on Whyte or the ever so awesome A Taste of Edmonton! It doesn't get any better than wandering Churchill as the amazing smells waft from site to site. What to pick? What to choose? So many delicious eats and treats to try. Pro tip #1 NEVER GO ALONE. Always come in a group so that you can share and sample among friends. Pro tip #2 Buy your tickets in advance and save $10 on a sheet of 40. Follow them on Facebook, twitter, or on their website for the current details: http://tasteofedm.ca/ A Taste of Edmonton can also be an idea networking or teambuilding outing for colleagues. I've been lucky to participate in a Charity Cook Off here (and yes Judge's choice went to team Pookersons baby!) You can sign up for special VIP tent events in the evenings (perfect for a date night) or just wander around and people watch any time of day. You simply can't go wrong with YEG festivals. A Taste of Edmonton is where it's at in Summer YEG. Do not miss Canada's largest outdoor food festival! read more

Hmmm can't find where my past review is to add to this event but super grateful that YELP gave away some tickets to elites that entered the contest. I was able to share the experience with my friend and even got her to try something new. Parking might be tricky to find with this new location but I have to say for once they figured out the right amount of handicap spots. High five to the event coordinators for even putting them in an accessible location too. I'd recommend if you're able to grab the bus or take the LRT that would be the best for attending the event. Otherwise go prepared to walk a distance between a parking spot and the event as it is downtown with construction happening nearby. Ticket booths and the outhouses are easy to find and seem to be well spaced out. Note that cash isn't a common thing to carry around anymore. So if you're going to buy tickets with cash, check that you're in the right ticket line. They're serious about debit and credit only. With it being at the federal plaza this year, I was worried there would be less seating than what was at Churchill. I was completely wrong. Along 99 Ave there's picnic tables galore! Going into the plaza area, at first seating seems limited but I get why they did that so people would move further towards the stage where there is a ton of seating again. For those that know the leg ground, the fountains by the federal building are not operating during the taste of Edmonton, so no fears about being soaked while trying to figure out what to eat. We of course had some of the classic sweets like tiramisu, chocolate fondue, chuuro and mango lassi. Tequila-lime chicken taco with Mexican rice I honestly had higher expectations for taste satisfaction from 3 amigos but was still good & a fair portion for tickets. Also you can get it without any hot sauce added, which was good for my friend that can't handle various spices. So for her it was perfect as it was. Marinated grill chicken with LOFT peanut sauce was tasty & was a fair amount of chicken but I didn't get why the plain toast pieces were added. To me rice would have been a better pairing. Again, you could get it without the peanut sauce and that worked well for avoiding any spices my friend couldn't handle. We of course grabbed bannock as that's a definite enjoyment treat. You can have jam or Nutella on it. I asked for on one half with jam as I enjoy it plain too. Best value for tickets was the vegetable tempura from Korean village (we actually put most of our dish into to go containers we brought or we wouldn't of had room to try many things!). Also the beef lemongrass skewer was very tasty,- fair size and not hot spice level (bonus for my friend and I was able to add extra hot sauce). Warning is is sticky messy good. I didn't get a coconut macaroon but that seemed to be a popular item for people. As was the perogies lineup (again we passed that line as I only had so much walking and standing in me). My friend grabbed her first ever bubble tea and enjoyed that as I sipped on a cream soda pop. Just before we left my friend grabbed a green onion cake to take home (this is why one brings to go containers with you). We didn't have room to try anything from the food trucks, but they seemed to be pretty popular too. I didn't realize until we got there but the food trucks change over the course of the days. So I'll just have to enjoy something from crooked fork another day when I see them on the street. In summary, I actually prefer this new location. I didn't ever feel like I was going to be trampled even with the ton of people there. That's a pretty big deal for someone waking with a cane or needing to move with a wheel chair (which I have to say they were really well prepared with ramps over the large cords). I don't know for sure if there were more booths but it felt like it. I really enjoyed being able to walk around and view what they had. Booths were really great at letting my friend know about the ingredients. Seating again was so very easy to find and greatly appreciated. I can't wait to see what they do next year and hopefully they're able to add even more booths. read more

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So many delicious places, so little time! I do so appreciate having these events that showcase the huge variety of local eateries and tasty treats available in the city! There's a ton of new places that have opened up even compared to last years event, which is also amazing! This year I had some: Loma House - sweet potato balls (yum!) Loft Thai Eatery - coconut ice cream w/ sticky rice, jackfruit & red bean (creamy coconutty goodness ) Irie Foods Caribbean - Jamaican Jerk Chicken Served w/ Rice & Jerk Sauce (flavourful chicken leg ) Wishbone - Buttermilk Beignets (tasty deep fried dough balls) My favourite was the coconut ice cream from Loft, but tons of tasty places still await testing! read more

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There was absolutely no seating to watch the stage besides the stone steps. Previous years there were lots of tables to sit at. Any seating available was sparse and already gone we'll before 6:30. The beer gardens somehow managed to be booked for private event. If I had known I needed to bring my own seating it would have been different. This was the worst managed event I've seen in all the years I attended. read more

Overall , not a lot of choices. Avoid at all cost "Fiesta Torlaqueno" booth # 20. Everything is deep fried in old oil. the Calamare is half calamari and half onion rings. When we questioned them about this, they laughed. I replied with, you won't be laughing when you get sued, due to onion allergies. They could make some one extremely sick. read more

What a fantastic way to celebrate the variety of restaurants we have in YEG by eating a little bit of all of them. I usually go a couple of times, on Saturday was round 1 and I tried the Fairmont taco, Normands beef and mash, Solstice's braised beef cheeks and I got the bubble tea in a lightbulb. In the past I enjoyed it in Churchill Square but it always seemed like everyone was in a rush to get round all the vendors. This year, at the ledge grounds it's got a new vibe, it seems more relaxed and I'm into it. I'm a fan of the new location and would love it to stay put. The backdrop with the Legislature building is beautiful, walking through the water features, the layout is better to wander around and seems more spacious with lots more seating options. Back for round two this week! read more

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I'm torn. On the one hand I love the location at Capital Plaza and hope it stays here for good. The layout this year was even better than last year with more seating. On the other hand, the price of tickets is so high it makes it unaffordable for so many people and families. We got a sheet of tickets, thankfully ahead of time, so we saved $10 which is nice. But even then, $60 for 40 tickets works out to $1.50 each ticket. Most food items were between 3-4 tickets each and for the portion size, not a great value in my opinion. Highlights from this year: Normand's: Braised beef with mashed potatoes and gravy (we get this every year and it doesn't disappoint) Pampa's: Braised beef with chimichurri sauce and coconut infused mashed potatoes - loved the chimichurri and beef was tender. Couldn't detect the coconut in the mashed potatoes Hong Kong Bakery: Green onion cakes- hot, crispy, tender and perfectly seasoned Disappointments: Hotel Mac: Signature scone with berry compote and chantilly cream. The scone was so dry and hard. Thankfully the compote and cream made up for the dry scone. Vintage Fork: Butler Steak and London Fog Creme Brulee. Both items disappointing. The Butler Steak was voted the tastiest item at the festival this year and that's why we tried it. However, my husband and I both agreed the steak was severely lacking in seasoning and after one bite I didn't want any more. The London Fog creme brulee I was excited for as I love anything with Early Grey in it. However, it was too warm and lacked any intense Early Grey flavour. Japanese Village: Sirloin Beef with sesame sauce on rice. I got this for my 3 year old as it was one of the few things here he would eat (Read: rice). But that sesame sauce was soooo salty, even my husband was turned off and he loves salt on everything. Zinc: Banana Bread Pudding. I usually love this every year as well but this year it wasn't up to par. The Banana Bread was lacking in "banana" flavour like previous years. And the Caramel sauce was much too watery. Something was amiss. Maybe the recipe has changed since the original Chef left. Kiwado Japanese Cuisine: Lastly, my husband wanted to try the Tonkotsu Ramen from one of the Japanese vendors (sorry I didn't pay attention to the name as I wasn't interested). I should've convinced him not to as who can properly serve ramen in this setting? The "broth" was so watery and lacking in so many ways it was entertaining. The noodles were nothing to write home about and who adds a fresh cherry tomato to the mix? The only positive thing to say was the one piece of pork added to the ramen was tender. Hahaha So many misses this year. read more

We hadn't been to Taste in a couple of years. With the new location this year we decided to give it a shot. We loved the new location! It was fantastic, a bit more room, and the "beer gardens" were in more of an open area. We could have a great time with the music and still be far enough to have a conversation. They set up some nice seating areas through the space. The food tickets were a decent value where most main items were between 3-4 tickets as opposed to 4-5 as they had in one of the previous years. It didn't quite get a 5 Star because it was still a bit of an expensive night out, but a lot of fun! read more

I look forward to Taste of Edmonton every year, and this year I was extra excited for the new location. IMO, this year is a much better location. The one stretch on the road is a little tight, but the rest is so much more room than before. And there was a ton of seating, and the stage was set up in a perfect location. The food... well there is always hits and misses! Personal preference plays a huge part in that. I was very happy to see Vintage Fork from Rutherford House, Solstice, and Wishbone. There are some repeat vendors I do love, such as Normand's, but I would really love to see new vendors or at least repeat vendors having new items. I always want to try something I haven't had before, and it can be touch at times. There are so many amazing local restaurants I would love to see at Taste of Edmonton. Could you imagine how amazing it would be if there were twice the amount of vendors?? Maybe if they keep this location, they could expand! I'll keep my fingers crossed. The ticket prices. Wow. The prices are steep. I believe the prices went up this year, and it works out to close to $1.70 per ticket when you buy 40. Considering that most places are 4 tix, that's almost $7 for one taste. Overall, Taste of Edmonton is a fun way to sample some local restaurants, but ticket prices are a little insane, and they really need to find a way to spice it up year after year. read more

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Tried many things while wondering around the food vendors. It was really busy! But we did not end up waiting in may lines and even found places to sit and enjoy our food. Kofte - The Pit Stop Bbq Pork Stick - Grillicious Korean Seafood Pancake - Won Jung Gak Lychee - I love bubble tea Chicken souvlaki w/ slice of bread. - Koutouki! It's all Greek to me. Then laid on the hill in the sunshine and enjoyed a few bands including Said the Whale who I really like and thought did an excellent job. The band before them Wares, was quite good as well. We had so much fun we may come back tomorrow night. As for the food, I loved the Korean seafood pancake ( my favourite of the night) and really liked the kofte. My bf favourite was the bbq pork stick and he did not care for the kofte. I found the lychee bubble tea ok, it is something I get often and I thought the lychee flavour was very week. The jellies saved the bubble tea, but it was an extra ticket so ended up being quite expensive. I did not try the souvlaki but was told it was good. All in all I love the experience of getting to try small portions of things that I have never had the chance to try before. I forgot to take picture of the food but did get one of the band. read more

A Taste of Edmonton - Festivals Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

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Taste of Edmonton is one of my favourite summer festivals because anything food related is always up my alley. Because I work downtown, I always make it a habit to not bring lunch to work a couple times during the 2 weeks period the festival is going so that I can make a few visits. It is a great opportunity ti sample what various restaurants/dining establishments around the city have to offer. I always manage to discover a few places I hadn't heard of before or just hadn't had the opportunity to try yet! The portions are decently sized so its optimal to attend with a friend or coworker so that you can share dishes and maximize the number of items you can try per visit. Although, nothing wrong with going back a couple times either. I always buy my tickets in advance because you save $10 per sheet of 40 that way and also try to buy them in person to avoid having to wait in line to pick up my tickets and the service charges/shipping when you order them online! read more

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Taste 2017!! Love the new layout this year it's great that a family can enjoy a table with a beer food and live entertainment all together. The only thing I would suggest is having water and non alcoholic options available within that area. I know the lemonade and oasis tents are at taste and we made use of them but just for easiness sake I would suggest they offer at least water bottles. Also it would mean the group wouldn't need to be split and there is a limit o the amount of people allowed in the area so when you leave for water or lemonade you may not be let back in. Love the taste of new tent! Over all It's an expensive but enjoyable day out if you plan to try all the ways and all the beers read more

Very expensive for very little and not comfortable. First there are no longer tickets for sale on each corner. prepare to walk at least halfway across to find them. and don't expect maps. use your cellular bandwidth to access this! Cutlery is for sale at Canada Dry but are sold out. don't get anything messy. not a problem tho as most is sold out like the cutlery. lots of volunteers but most are sitting in the shade. don't ask them questions. they don't have answers. read more

A Taste of Edmonton! This year, A Taste of Edmonton is taking place from July 23 - August 1. This is another one of Edmonton's unique festivals that you can't miss. This is a festival that brings together all different cultures and, most importantly, FOOD! A Taste of Edmonton showcases all of the culturally diverse food that you could possibly imagine. And it is all delicious! You can download a map from the website to help you navigate the enormous amount of tents set up at Churchill Square. Here's how it works: You buy your tickets for $1 each. Each plate of food (or dessert) costs 5 tickets. It can get pretty pricey so I recommend going with a date or a friend so you can split all the different foods and get your money's worth. You have a lot of options while at A Taste of Edmonton - and not just your food! There is A Taste of Wine tent, A Taste of Beer tent, A Taste Stage (where they always have fun live music), A Taste of Edmonton Street Market, and a Night of Artists. This festival has so much to offer! For details on all of the different elements you can check out the website. If you've never been, you should definitely get yourself A Taste of Edmonton! read more

A Taste of Edmonton - Image taken from the Events Edmonton website (www.eventsedmonton.ca/) - Festivals Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

I LOVE the new location and really like that they have some food options within the allocated drinking zone. Taste of Edmonton is one of my favourite festivals in Edmonton, this year I was really disappointed that they didn't have music on throughout the day only at night. In previous years it was so nice to go and listen to music outside with a few drinks and a few nibbles from different restaurants. I did hear comments from other people saying the same thing. I found the pricing for tickets more expensive too which can make it an expensive day out. I really hope that they keep at this location as there's so much more space, loads of seating options but they just have to sort of more entertainment. All in all it was a great day out and I'm looking forward to see what they do next year after they've received all the feedback! read more

I had initially brought my cousin down to Taste of Edmonton for a Yelp event in the Sip and Savor tent but eventually curiosity overtook us and we went and bought some tickets so we could sample the rest of the festival. It had been years since I last attended and I have to say going from tent to tent mirrored what it must feel like for a salmon attempting to swim upstream. The crowds are insane and some of the tents are set up in inopportune places like by planters for instance leaving less room for lines to form and people to pass. Food items range in cost from 1-5 tickets and while some are a great value for the portion size you get others seem a bit tiny. The cinnamon nan bread from nanolicious for instance was a generous size but at another tent my cousin got a small tomato and tofu skewer dipped in some kind of sauce for the same amount of tickets. Taste of Edmonton also offers live music which I think always helps pump up the energy level at any festival. I noticed quite a few people dancing in front of the stage and having a great time which is exactly what summer in this city should be about. It's not this cities best festival in my opinion but it's still worth checking out if you don't mind the crowds. read more

Taste of Edmonton is one of those annual venues that is a must thing to do to enjoy everything that the city has to offer in terms of municipal culture, food, and local entertainment; but mainly the food. Being that it was an absolutely gorgeous day and it was located within the vicinity of the legislature grounds which offers spectacular scenery and water fountains for children to cool off and play, it was going to be a great outing. In addition, being very close to LRT station, transportation would make it very easy to access if you were into transit. The food from various vendors was amazing. There was many to choose from: my choices were Irie-Jamaican beef patty,Three amigos-taco, Koutouki Greek- chicken skewer, Hawkeye's-beef bun wasabi sauce,but my personal favourite was the vendor called "Select" that did honey-soy infused lamb kebabs; so good, I came back for more. Unfortunately there was one major issue that I had with this venue: the price. For those unfamiliar, the way to purchase food is by buying tickets which will on average cost you approximately 3 to 4 tickets for a small sample of food. Therefore, if you want your moneys worth, you buy a sheet of 40 tickets. However, a sheet of 40 tickets cost close to $70. For a family of three,that 70 bucks did not go a long way as those tickets were used up within 30 minutes of being there. In addition, if you were lazy like me and opted to drive to the venue,parking was another $20 for the day. Therefore, you're looking at close to $100 for this venue. Therefore, a better option would've been to take the train if you could. It was convenient to have staff walking in the ticket cue, approaching customers selling sheets of tickets to those standing in line. Overall, although it was an enjoyable experience, it was not the best bang for my buck. The food, atmosphere, easy access to the legislature grounds was enjoyable. read more

It is fantastic to see a local festival recognize that there is room for improvement and then improve. This years taste of Edmonton was just fantastic. I'm not sure which precise thing led to the most improvement, but the addition of food trucks helped with breadth, and the mandate of two items per vendor seemed to add a lot of depth. I might be reading too much into it, but it seemed that vendors who were pretty similar in the past found inspiration to be more distinct from that constraint. The event for the year is over, so I wont taunt you with a ton of recommendations, but I bet these ones will apply next year: Urban China really surprised us with their dumplings. The Lignan was of course wonderful with their dry spicy chicken. The Canadian Brewhouse had some of the best fried pickles I've ever had.I hope thats a menu item for them. I want more. The Creperie had the most amazing dessert. The event staff could have improved their cleanliness in the Taste of Beer garden, but that is the only note I'd give the event staff. read more

A Taste of Edmonton - The Taste of Beer gardens, filled with happy Edmontonians - Festivals Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

This review is for the 2011 Taste of Edmonton. I know Yelp doesn't really differentiate between each year with these reviews. A Taste of Edmonton is a festival (this year it goes from July 22 to July 31) that features dishes from local restaurants and bars. Each place offers two dishes, and each dish ranges from 1 to 5 tickets. There are appetizers, main course, side dishes, salads, and desserts. A Taste of Edmonton also has beverages (non alcoholic and alcoholic) which can also be redeemed for tickets, Beverages range from 2 to 6 tickets. Each ticket costs $1. Before July 22 you could preorder a pack of 30 tickets and save 10% - which is what I did. Some people might look at the portions, and think "wow that's quite small for 4 tickets ($4)." But I could only eat about 20 tickets worth of food before I was full. I chose not to get beverages, I was more interested in sampling the food. I actually went back on Sunday with another friend to use the rest of my tickets (plus some leftover tickets my others friends gave me). If you can't use all your tickets you can donate them. I have several favourite dishes that I always enjoy, like the lemongrass beef skewers, and bacon wrapped scallops. However; this year I decided to go for new foods I haven't tried, or foods from restaurants I haven't been to. I don't have any dietary concerns but I liked how it was mentioned if an item was Vegetarian, Celiac friendly, and/or if it contained nuts or seafood. My biggest complaint would be about the set up of the picnic tables on the row between along 99 Street facing the square. The tables were right at the edge of the concrete pillars, instead of being in the grassy area a few feet back. This meant this row was really crowded because you had people sitting and standing to eat, people who were just walking by/browsing and people who were ordered. I know it was rainy, but I think they could have put some thick foam mats and the picnic tables on top there. This area was the most congested, but I'm not sure what else can be done to fix the problem. This is one of my favourite summer events, definitely something to do if you're downtown or haven't been before. As Mike said in his review it can get repetitive, so I also suggest just going every few years. read more

We've been attending Taste of Edmonton for 5+ years now and although I've always enjoyed it, there has been quite a few improvements made for 2018. Pros: 1. Changing locations to the Leg made a huge difference in the feel of the festival and movement of people. It does not feel near as cramped and they've set up little spots to park your bum and enjoy your food all over the festival. 2. Although we didn't partake in the liquor, I liked that once you got a drink, you weren't forced to stay in the beer garden but could walk around and enjoy some nibbles with your drink. 3. We were there on Saturday evening and the stage entertainment was wonderful. It was like you were at an EDM show and they were encouraging both young and old to participate. It felt so inclusive and not like you were actually at a rave. 4. You are now able to purchase tickets with debit/credit instead of taking out cash at an ATM to purchase with cash. 5. Great place for people watching! Cons: 1. There aren't many new restaurants and most of the restaurants keep their menu the same from year to year. 2. The tickets went up in price and the actual value for portion is small at most booths. 3. There is really limited vegetarian options so we mostly ended up eating dessert. Edmonton earned it's name of the Festival City and I think Taste of Edmonton is a great addition to the summer line up. Hopefully they continue to make small improvements over the next few years to really make this festival 5 stars. read more

I went last yr and the yr before but now i'm only going to heritage days this yr as i can't afford both. $7 for a an order of fries or a kebob is too much. At least at heritage days there are other things to do besides just eat. read more

Awesome Experience And Lots Of People Around. Can't Go Wrong With The Choices Of Food. Tried Quite a Bit Of Varieties.

This was the second year we went to this event and it has gone further downhill. Without some substantial changes, we won't be back next year. For starters, the VIP "Sip & Savour" tent was putting on a selection of daring foods... which was more "Fear Factor" and less "fine cuisine". These chefs could have done much better if not forced to use materials normally reserved for dog food production. Secondly, the crowd management was atrocious -- there is not enough space for the booth lineups and the people to get by them to the next booth. Finally, the ticket system results in long (and SLOW) lineups in a very concentrated area. Of course, that's once you figure out where the tickets are being sold. This event has great promise... especially with the vendors it attracts. Unfortunately, it is the victim of its own success. read more

Oh Taste of Edmonton, how I want to love you. This is my second summer in Edmonton and I look forward to any summer event involving food. ToE was no exception, but there are still some kinks to work out. Even though this was only my second year attending, I think the event has already outgrown Churchill Square. Don't get me wrong, as someone who both lives and works downtown, I love the convenience of its location. But either the set up is horrible or there's not enough space (or probably both), but it gets so damn crowded walking by all the tents, it can get very claustrophobic and icky. The variety of Taste of Edmonton is fairly extensive for Edmonton's standards, but some of the food selections and vendors themselves are questionable. Like green tea ice cream for $3? You could buy an entire tub of that at your local supermarket for just a couple dollars more. Panda Hut Express? Seriously? Perhaps it's the Vancouverite food snob in me, but something as increasingly commonplace as green tea ice cream not to mention selecting what is essentially the Chinese version of McDonalds kind of makes you question the integrity of the event itself. Which brings me to my next issue, the pricing. Yes, I understand it's literally a "taste" of Edmonton, but I found some items to be a bit overpriced. The only thing I could possibly justify the price on (and even then, it's still pricey when you think about it) were the North Shore style short ribs from Mercer Tavern. I will admit I enjoyed them thoroughly enough that I had them 3 times on separate days. The pad thai from Numchok Wilai was very disappointing, coming from someone who's a big fan of their restaurant. My fiancé noted that last year there was some chicken in the pad thai, but this year there was nothing but noodles and bean sprouts. I enjoyed the Culiflower 65 from Guru, having previously had it at their restaurant. There's something strangely addicting about deep fried sweet and sour cauliflower. It's a weird combination, but I dig it. The tiramisu in a cup was delicious at first but I think all the kahlua (at least I think that's what it was?) soaked all the way to the bottom and made the last few bites very unpleasant. All in all, Taste of Edmonton has the potential to be awesome, but perhaps they should refer to Yelp for additional vendors and consider lowering the prices (or increase the portions to justify it). 2.5 stars. read more

A Taste of Edmonton - North shore style short ribs from Mercer Tavern - Festivals Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

I'm not sure how Taste of Edmonton hasn't received more than a mere 18 reviews. Either Yelp isn't as popular as I once thought, or people simply overlook such a crucial festival to our title of "Festival City". Taste of Edmonton is a tad overpriced, but that is attributed to supply and demand. Obviously people are coming back every year, and more each time judging by the packed and sweaty crowds, because the cost goes up every so often. Mind you, the portion sizes are more than a simple sampler - so beware of eating an entire sampler to yourself...less you are ravished, you will become full after only a few dishes. Not to mention the alcohol if you venture down that road, as well. I go every year, and this year was especially fantastic as my three year old could discern what he liked and didn't like about certain dishes. From a toddlers perspective - everything was fabulous. Especially the lemongrass beef on a skewer, fresh lemonade, scallops and bacon, sausage bites, Canadian Maki, quesadilla Dorado and a bevy of desserts that I dare not mention for fear of excess drool. We even attended in the rain, without an umbrella, completely underdressed and enjoyed ourselves. Considering the circumstances in which a family with a finicky toddler could attend without complaint - I suppose you could say the experience of such an event depends solely on an individual and nothing else. Don't attend this event if you are heavily claustrophobic, impatient, prejudice, cranky, full, unsociable, rude, cheap, or generally a dirt bag. Also - I make it a point to give tickets to some of the homeless. After all, if I can afford $50 bucks of tickets to sample four star hotel restaurant foods, why can't a homeless man grab a pork slider and a pepsi! Have a heart, people! read more

Taste of Edmonton: Picks and Pans 2014 Number one pick of the year! 1) SELECT Chicken Masala Perogies with Satueed Bacon and Onion Unexpected flavors, more Thai than Indian, it was soooooo darn good! More please and that's coming from a Ukrainian who likes her perogies if you know what I mean! Number one pick of dessert of the year! 1) EVA SWEET PRODUCTS Liege Waffle with Fruit Topping Let's just say I ended each day at Taste of Edmonton with that dessert. Had no other one. Why? Cause it was damn good, that's why! Its not JUST a waffle. Secret ingredient........brown sugar in the batter. Shhhhhhhh don't tell know one! SABOR DIVINO Bacon Bullets Gee can you go wrong with Bacon......nope! Fig with goat cheese wrapped in bacon. The bacon was nice and crisp, not under cooked and inside was lovely CHEESE CAKE CAFE Marvelous Stuffed Mushrooms It was good, however I found the sauce was better and the batter not crispy and cooked enough which easily crumbled NATIVE DELIGHTS Nehiyawak (Native) Tacos and Non GMO Organic Bannock Had better Tacos at Bannock Burger and the bannock was nice, could use icing sugar or something. Very bland to have a "TASTE" of Edmonton CREOLE ENVIE Southern Brined Fried Chicken and Southern Fried Green Tomatoes with Creole Aioli Drizzle The Southern Brined was really disappointing, thought it would be awesome, it was just fried chicken Fried Green Tomatoes on the other hand were piping hot, very tasty, but could have used more batter on them ZINC Crispy Avocado Roll with Cilantro Honey Pesto I liked it, was disappointed I only got one, and they could definitely use more pesto GURU - FINE INDIAN CUISINE Cauliflower 65 Not sure what the 65 has to do with this cauliflower but this is not the cauliflower Mom used to make! This is T-A-S-T-Y! Not overly spicey for those with sensitive tummies. This was great, had in a few times! For only $2.50 you got a nice dish full! NORMAND'S BISTRO Beef Short Ribs & Mash This was very much good comfort food. It was like the beef slow cooked roasts I make with mash potatoes. So for me it was good, but I can make this at home. I was expecting Normand to bring out something with a one-two punch. Nope not this year. IRIE FOODS Jamaican Beef Patties Sorry but you can get these now at 7-11 and Safeway. Very average KOREAN VILLAGE Hurricane Potato Best little potato at the TofE! Add some sauce, some vinegar and ketchup and holy catfish keep your paws of my spud! This is mine........ALL OF IT! THE MELTING POT Cheese Fondue in Bread Bowl Thought it would be heavy and too much! Nope I was wrong. It was perfect! The bun bowl was light and just right and well can you say "CHEESE"! It was delicious and left you with a garlic bang in your mouth SMOKEHOUSE BBQ Bacon Bomb Slider It was good, though the meat looked under cooked which threw me off my food game LA PASTA TRATTORIA Deep Fried Calamari with Lemon Garlic Sauce WORST DISH! Rubber calamari that left a fish taste in your mouth and the only good part was the little bit of lemon garlic sauce. The batter was bland, under cooked and it was lack lustered. read more

I was really impressed with the Taste of Edmonton this year! I'm so glad that they have changed the model a bit over the last couple of years. In the past, dishes ranged anywhere from 5 to 8 or 9 tickets each. This year, the dishes were 3 - 4 tickets each. With some desserts at 1 or 2 tickets each. The beverages and ice cream were the only things that seemed too high. Of course, since the tickets required are fewer, the portions are slightly smaller. But that just means that you can sample so much more! I'm really happy to see the inclusion of so many food trucks this year. I don't get downtown very often, so it's nice to be able to try them out. For the last two years, my favourite has been the smoked bison carpaccio (3 tickets) from Normand's. I don't usually get the same dish in consecutive years, but this one I definitely needed to try again. Other highlights this year - The buffalo chicken bomb from O2s (I also tried their loco bread and was disappointed) each were 3 tickets, and the mac & cheese balls (2 tickets) from the Underground Tap & Grill. The only dish really that I was disappointed with was the loco bread from O2s. It gets busy of course, but most of the vendors have been part of this festival for many years and have gotten really used to dealing with the crowds. Enjoy! read more

I've been coming here for years, and I've never been let down. That's not to say I've never had anything bad from any vendor ever, but the event is an amazing concept, and the overall quality of food is very high. Keep in mind each place gets to select their best couple items to put on the menu, so the coolest places in town are picking their best most original items, and all trying to get an edge and win over the hearts and mind of all the townsfolk to get more customers when the event isn't running. Try the Khazana butter chicken, the Irie Foods Jerk Chicken, and the Canadian Brewhouse steak bites. If, you're a vegetarian, disregard my suggestions, and just figure it out for yourself. read more

The Taste of Edmonton really went down a notch this year. The new location is very crowded. (Why didn't they turn off the fountains blasting upwards from the pavement near the stalls?) There wasn't any shade. There is no parking near this site and it is difficult to access. There were very long lines for tickets. There are no longer any good desserts, such as chocolate crepes, chocolate shooter cups, chocolate covered strawberries or Zinc's caramelized banana desserts. The best dish was the pork tacos from the Hotel Macdonald. I had bone fragments in my marinated grilled chicken from LOFT Thai Eatery. My lemongrass chicken wrap from Hawkeyes Too included a lot of wrap, very little chicken and no hint of lemongrass. Grillicious had BBQ port skewers this year (a new item). They tasted like BBQ sauce straight out of a supermarket bottle. I won't be returning to Taste of Edmonton this year. Two thumbs down. read more

Another year, another Taste of Edmonton!! Defintely one of my favorite festivals in Edmonton - free admission?! Well, thank you very mcuh!! This year I tried something a little different - instead of mapping out exactly what I wanted (which usally means going for all my favorites and not trying anything new) I decided to wing it, in the hopes that something new and exciting would catch my eye. It worked for a few minutes - until I tried something new that was not so awesome (in my opinion). After that I was a little gun shy so it was back to the usuals for the most part. Paired with a little Said the Whale action, it was a pretty awesome experience. The crowds were not too bad - I would recommend going after it rains any day - it really clears out the crowds. And if you go a little later in the evening, thankfully the strollers are few and far between (don't get me wrong, I have nothing against children!! I am not, however, a fan of parents using strollers to clear crowds by ramming into unsuspecting ankles......!). Although there wasn't too much about the food itself that stood our for me, the experience was, and always is great. Can't wait for next year (and maybe a few more visits this year...!!). read more

Yum, yum, yummy!!! My only reason for not giving perfect stars is that the price for this event has gone up every year. And some of the dishes are exactly the same or smaller. The set up is much better this year the corridors are wider and there is way more seating with lots of picnic tables. Well done event planners, I'm thorough impressed. read more

Great restaurants! Fantastic variety! Awesome entertainment! Yet 75% of my time was spent in line, and another 15% was spent negotiating around lines through thick crowds. I was able to eat 2 entrees, one dessert, and one beer. Not worth my time. Let's get the crowd control and event planner propeller heads to do better next time. read more

This year marked my second year of attending Taste of Edmonton. In my opinion, 2013 was far better than 2012. I found the prices to be much more fair this year, and the ticket line moved quite quickly. We attended the festival on Wednesday evening, and although the area was quite crowded, the lines moved quite quickly even though they appeared to be long. The longest we waited might have been 5 minutes, if that. Between my husband and myself we spent about $35, and we both felt sufficiently satisfied after trying about 10 different dishes. We tried a new strategy this year, which was waiting in line, getting a dish and eating what we had just purchased, rather than trying to gather a meal's worth of dishes and then finding a place to sit and enjoy them (usually spilling one thing or another in the process). Favourite tastings included the wild mushroom bisque and scone with whipped cream and berry compote from the Fairmont MacDonald, the tandoori samosa and cauliflower from Guru, and the prime rib in yorkshire pudding from On the Rocks. We also tried the deep fried Mars bar (wayyyyy too rich, but interesting nonetheless) and the candied smoked bacon for desserts. A few improvements that I would suggest is to offer more seating, and more structured lines (i.e. using rope barricades) to make the event even more enjoyable. After 2012, I wasn't sure that I was a fan of Taste of Edmonton, but after giving it a second chance in 2013 I think that this will be a regular festival visit in upcoming years! read more

A yearly outting that I always enjoy. I've been going for 4 years and the menus are starting to repeat themselves. It also seemed smaller last year with less booths but I don't know for sure. Great reason to get out of the house and try all sorts of treats in the sun! Go with a group to share more options. I wouldn't waste tickets on the beer gardens, not worth it. read more

This was my second year going to Taste, and it was a good life choice. For $20 worth of tickets, I could sample a few booths while on my lunch break and have leftover stubs for the next day! It's a little pricey, but the experience is great and you get to discover menu items from places you may not have even known about! Longest queues are for Zinc, Lemon Heaven, and On The Rocks (those little yorkshire puddings are the culprit), but none takes any longer than 10 minutes to get through. I haven't taken in the "whole" of Taste of Edmonton as I generally eat and run, but the beer and wine gardens also seem great. It's a nice alternative to the unchanging deep fried culinary delights of the parallel-scheduled K-Days. read more

Hey world, Taste of Edmonton, what a place. I was on a $30 dollar budget, but I think I ventured into corners avoided by others. So here are the Places and dishes I ate, with my subjective opinion: 1. Hawkeyes Too- "Wasabi beef on a bun": The beef was incredibly soft and full of flavour. The wasabi has more of a horseradish taste, which is familiar to the western palate. I wanted the bun to be a bit more warm. 2. Khazana Restaurant- Mango Lasi: I don't know if the maraschino cherry is traditional in India, but I did not think it necessary on a drink so luxurious already. If you are not familiar with this Indian yogurt beverage, get on it, its only 2 tokens! 3. Italian Bakery- Sicilian Canolli: Light, crispy, sweet, and soft. The espresso cuts the richness of the cream. I want one now... 4. Langano Skies Ethiopian Restaurant- Langano Skies Special Tibs (Beef Stir fry) w/Injera: My personal favourite, but I have a love for traditional food. The Beef and vegetables were nicely seasoned, and balanced aesthetically. The injera! You have to try this! Its like a fluffy crepe had a baby with a crumpet and the whole thing went a little sour. It's a fermented bread (Not unlike sourdough) but made out of tef flour so.. gluten free and fermented... Uber healthy, cool bluish grey colour, and uniquely delicious. 5. Won Jung Gak- jajangmyeon: The dish is a pork noodle and black bean sauce. I enjoyed it, but I expected the sauce to be a bit saltier. and; KanpoongGi: Sweet Chicken with a sesame top. I enjoyed it, reminiscing Asia. 6.Select-Honey Soy Lamb Skewer: This was so good, I am dropping all current food projects to sort out this recipe. Unbelievable. If I were financially capable, I would go back and buy ten more. Anyway, I hope this review helps somebody find the perfect snack. Hey BTW, I recently started releasing travel cooking videos on YouTube. www. AnyChef.ca or AnyChef on YouTube. Any support in the early days is much appreciated :). Food lovers unite! Riley read more

I can't give a Taste of Edmonton 5 starts, because I can't stand how it is set up year over year. They could probably space it out a little better. Anyways, I really do enjoy hitting up Taste of Edmonton with the boyfriend, we always have so much fun! It's our third year in a row coming and we always try a bunch of new food. My favourites this year would have to be the lemonade, pineapple chicken, and eclairs. Yummmmm! I love how you are able to try a little bit from each place and it's great that it's all local. A staple dish for us is definitely the green onion cakes, and there is always a HUGE line for them. I am a little sad that there was no Ukrainian food this year, oh well. Definitely always making an effort to hit up this festival, and you should too! read more

I've been going every year for the last 12 years and have enjoyed myself. People have been complaining about prices lately but because I've always gotten a discount it didn't affect me. I was scanning the price menu and I definitely see why people are upset. This year was not impressive. I found they had a lot of the same dishes but under different establishments. I look for variety. There is no need to have 8 butter chicken or pork pulled dishes. This too is seemingly going downhill. I don't think I'll be back. read more

Oh where to start...be sure to come hungry!! I have had the opportunity to go to Taste of Edmonton for the past 3 years in a row, and I plan on making this summer the 4th! I am a very picky eater, so you wouldn't expect someone like me to come out to an event like this - however, I always manage to walk away with a new favorite and a full belly. It's a great opportunity to try some new foods & cuisines. I also like checking out the alcohol tent as well, another opportunity to try something new. They have theme nights (ie. country) and live bands & acts are on the stage at the middle of Churchill Square. My #1 tip would definitely be to make sure you go with someone. Because there are so many options, I always like to split a dish with someone else. This gives me the opportunity to try even more, and enjoy my favorites a 2nd time. The Taste of Edmonton is a fun, chill environment and I can't wait to be back this summer. read more