Duchess Bake Shop is arguably one of the best patisseries in Canada. On any given day there is guaranteed to be a line up for their beautiful baked goods, which are always worth the wait. Last year at Christmas in November I learned that there were plans to open up a breakfast spot 5 blocks east of their current location, so I've been waiting eagerly ever since.

Cafe Linnea - 10932 119 Street - Edmonton AB

Following the opening of the new Duchess Provisions at Holland Plaza comes the opening of Cafe Linnea, co-owned by Chef Kelsey Johnson and Garner Beggs (part owner of Duchess Bake Shop). This breakfast and lunch spot takes its inspiration from traditional Scandinavian and French cuisine, both of which share a part of Chef Kelsey's heritage.

I stopped by for lunch with a friend on a Thursday to find a busy restaurant with a small wait list. Although Cafe Linnea is tucked away from the busy 111 Avenue traffic, its hidden location has not stopped patrons from finding the space. The open concept restaurant features clean lines and minimalist Scandinavian-style decor, with copper accents giving the space a bit of warmth. Concrete boxes filled with plants and mossy vegetation bring some life to room, and in some ways it feels like you're dining in a greenhouse with the sunlight coming in through the windows along the roof.

We opted to sit at the bar by the espresso machine, where the barista worked non-stop throughout our entire meal. What's interesting about Cafe Linnea is that it is a no-tipping establishment. Prices on the menu are reflective of using high-quality locally-sourced ingredients and are inclusive of GST, so what you see is what you pay. The reasoning is that by paying their staff high wages (full time staff are salaried and get benefits) the staff are motivated to come to work, and tips are not expected.

The menu is split between small bites and main dishes, both of which have a fair number of options to choose from. As we debated between a few different dishes we had our drinks to start. The cappuccino came along with a baby meringue - a sweet little touch! The bar also features a juicer for daily made-to-order juice. During our visit it was a mix of peaches and other seasonal fruit.


Daily Juice
For lunch my girlfriend went with the Seared Carrot Galette ($16). Caramelized carrots, raclette cheese, crunchy cabbage, kobocha squash puree, and a perfectly soft poached egg sat beautifully on a folded buckwheat crepe. The sweetness of the carrots and squash paired well with the savoury cheese, and the cabbage added a different textural element. The runny egg yolk tied it all together.

While I get tempted by sweet brunch dishes I almost always end up going in the savoury direction, and the Oeufs-en-Cocotte ($21) caught my eye. The dish came with two soft-baked eggs on a caramelized onion and mushroom ragu with potatoes, topped with baby kale and served with a side of whipped butter and housemade sourdough. After one bite into the eggs and ragu I was done for. The creamy ragu was packed full of umami from the different mushrooms used in the sauce, and each variety gave the dish a different texture. With creamy egg yolks added to the mix, it was a perfect pairing with the lightly toasted sourdough and butter. You bet I wiped the dish clean with my bread!

A meal isn't complete without dessert, even when you're full, so we opted to share the Roasted Nectarine Crepe ($11) with bourbon vanilla semifreddo and caramel. The roasted nectarines had a slightly nutty flavour and paired well with the silky custard of the semifreddo. Even with the caramel sauce the dessert wasn't overly sweet and rounded off the meal just right.

Edmonton's brunch scene is growing and it's great to have another option available in the city. Prices range from $6-$21 per plate, putting this cafe on par with other establishments in the city. The use of local ingredients and house-made condiments brings to the table high quality dishes that customers of Duchess Bake Shop have come to expect. Stop by for breakfast or brunch, but be prepared to wait - there are no reservations unless you have a party of 6 or more. Reservations can also be made for high tea service on Sundays ($55/person), which I hope to check out soon!

Edmonton has transitioned into fall with the brisk mornings and orange leaves scattered about. When the cool weather comes I crave foods that warm me up. Soups, stews, and anything that falls under the comfort food category works for me!

Good Earth Coffeehouse - 8623 112 Street - Edmonton AB

Good Earth Coffeehouse is a Calgary-based coffeehouse franchise with 40+ locations across Canada. Back in my university days, Good Earth was a spot I visited from time to time to catch up with friends over coffee and pastries. There's a comfortable, casual vibe and it's a great spot on campus to sit down and get some work done. During my undergrad, I never quite ventured into their savoury dishes, but I recently heard about their fall menu and stopped by with my boyfriend to check it out. With soups and stews to warm up, I couldn't say no. After all, it's what I've been craving lately!

As described by Good Earth, the fall menu features dishes with classic flavours and some uncommon touches. New on the fall menu this year is a Chicken Pot Pie ($4.75 sm/$6.75 lg), served deconstructed with two pieces of herbed pastry on top. Chicken pot pie is a comfort food classic and Good Earth's version hit the spot. A generous portion of chicken and vegetables sat in a well-seasoned gravy sauce. Combined with the flaky pastry, this was hearty dish to warm up with.

Next we tried the two flatbreads available on the menu. The Kale Pesto Flatbread ($5.25) is topped with a kale and basil pesto, roasted asparagus, heirloom tomatoes and feta. The Sicilian Flatbread ($5.25) features three types of Italian salami, roasted red peppers and olives. While the Sicilian Flatbread had great flavour reminiscent of those in a pizza, I was partial to the kale pesto version given the contrasting textures and vibrancy of colour and flavour.

The flatbreads were paired with a Pumpkin Spice Latte ($4.75 med), which had just a hint of pumpkin spice. The spices were not overwhelming and the latte not too sweet, which is what this fall-themed drink should be!

To finish off the visit we enjoyed a Pumpkin Spice Muffin ($2.25) paired with a Vanilla Rooibos Latte ($4.10 med). The pumpkin spice muffin at Good Earth is vegan-friendly and the most popular muffin at the cafe year after year. I can see why - the muffin is incredibly moist, not too sweet, and chock full of dried fruit and seeds. The muffin is filling and pairs well with the fragrant vanilla scented tea latte.

Sitting down at Good Earth for a quick lunch brought a bit of nostalgia, but I'm in no rush to resume any post-secondary education any time soon! Regardless, it was great to take in the surroundings and enjoy some of the new items on the Fall Menu. I love that Good Earth is affordable and a great option around the city for coffee and a quick, hearty meal. Stop by to grab a muffin and a latte, or sit and have a bite to eat. The Fall Menu is available for a limited time, and as we all know, pumpkin spice will be gone in a flash!


*Disclosure: I was invited to try the Fall Menu at Good Earth Coffeehouse. Views expressed in this post are solely mine. This post is 100% my opinion, and as always, my priority is to you, the reader, to present an unbiased, thorough review.

Cafes are popping up all over the city, so it can be a difficult decision when it comes to picking out the perfect spot for your caffeine fix. But if you ask me, there's one spot that's caught my attention, and you can find it inside a historic house in the quaint community of Riverdale.

Little Brick Cafe & General Store - 10004 90 Street - Edmonton AB

Little Brick is the newest addition to the empire of cafes owned by Nate Box, and is the little sister to Elm Cafe, District Coffee Co., and Burrow. The historic home currently occupied by Little Brick belonged to that of J.B. Little, a brickyard owner in the late 1800s/early 1900s. The home was passed from one generation to the next, until it ultimately became a storefront in the early 2000s, and later turned over for rent. Nate Box spotted the space last summer and with his business partners decided that the space had the potential to engage and fit the needs of the surrounding community. From there, Little Brick Cafe was born. Given that the brickworks industry defined the Riverdale area, it was only right to have the name of the space pay homage to that of it's original builder and inhabitant.

Once you step inside the building, you're invited in by the smell of pastries and freshly brewed coffee. To the left you can find a wide variety of locally made goods in the general store. The shelves carry coffee beans brought in from Phil & Sebastian, Four Barrel, and Bows & Arrows, and there's an assortment of coffeeware available to help you brew the perfect cup at home. There's locally made kitchenware, serveware, bakeware, and even local art available for purchase - there are so many gems sitting on the shelves waiting to be discovered, and it's great to see the support that businesses have for one another.

To the right of the entranceway you will find seating in the dining and living rooms. The interior of the house has been renovated to give it a modern feel, but amongst the navy blue walls and geometric chairs, distinct pieces of history like the exposed brick and fireplace in the living room remain.

I stopped by Little Brick a few weeks ago after their new menu launch and was pretty excited about the new dishes available. Tartine's are becoming increasingly popular on menus these days, and Little Brick has a couple versions available. I ordered the Duck Tartine ($12) made with thyme butter and rhubarb, topped with local haskaps and served with a side salad. The duck was well seasoned, and almost pate-like in texture. The side salad was well-dressed and refreshing, and all together this dish made for a tasty light lunch option.

My friend ordered the Breakfast Sandwich ($10) off the breakfast menu (which is available all day!), which came with the same side salad I had. Bacon, greens, and a sunny side up egg were sandwiched between two soft slices of brioche, and made for a filling meal too.

We also had a side order of the Coconut Rice Pudding ($4) made with almond milk and orange zest. To my surprise, the pudding was served warm, but it was delicious nonetheless. It was quite a comforting bowl, and I really enjoyed the strong orange fragrance with each bite.

The community of Riverdale has welcomed Little brick to the neighborhood with open arms, and this cafe has definitely increased the foot traffic in the area too. Little Brick has the capacity to host large group meetings and private events, and for the summer they have begun hosting neighborhood BBQs every Saturday afternoon. With a location close to the River Valley, ample seating, and a large backyard space to accommodate dining al fresco, Little Brick is one of my new favourite spots to visit! Stop by for some coffee or a snack, and go exploring in this neat Edmonton community.

It's the inaugural YEG Coffee Week, or what I am now calling the week where Edmonton gets buzzed on caffeine! From March 7-15th, 27 different cafes across the city are hosting different events and letting the quality of locally-roasted coffee beans speak for themselves.

Leva - 11053 86 Avenue - Edmonton AB

Throughout my university years I was never a real coffee drinker. Sure, I had a little caffeine here and there to get me through classes and writing those papers into the early morning, but I never really loved it. Fast forward to this new career where I work 12 hour days and nights, and coffee is slowly becoming my new best friend.


Lemon Meringue Tart
To kick off coffee week my boyfriend and I stopped by Leva for coffee and breakfast. What I particularly love about Leva is that it isn't on any major roads, making it a quiet place to visit during the day. It's tucked away in the heart of Garneau and really is a great spot to grab a bite to eat and get some work done!

The breakfast menu at Leva has a variety of offerings ranging from yogurt and fruit salads to heavier items like breakfast sandwiches and pizzas. There's a little something for every appetite, and it's definitely a challenge to resist the tempting display case full of freshly baked pastries.

My boyfriend opted for the Smashed Avocado Open Faced Sandwich ($13.25) served with a potato hash. Avocado is mashed and spread over artisanal toast and topped with cherry tomatoes, maple bacon, and an over easy egg. The crisp bacon was the perfect combination of salty and sweet, and the runny yolk brought every ingredient together. The potatoes were soft with a crisp golden exterior, and with a bit more seasoning they would have been perfect.

Gluttony began early in the day for me as I chose to go with the Breakfast Prosciutto Cotto Pizza ($15). This was actually a margherita pizza topped with prosciutto, finished with an over easy egg and fresh basil. If there's an egg, it's breakfast! The crust on my pizza was nice and thin, whereas the underside was crisp and browned and the cornicone (outer ring of the pizza crust!) was crunchy and airy. Due to the heavy nature of the garlicky tomato sauce, prosciutto, and cheese, the crust itself didn't hold together well enough to be picked up, so I enjoyed my pizza with a fork and knife. It was a massive portion for breakfast, but I worked my way through it since it was so tasty.


Chocolate Croissant
All meals have to end with something sweet, and when you're at a cafe with freshly baked pastries the rule definitely applies. I would have loved to try one of each item behind the display case but ultimately went with the beautiful lemon meringue tart and chocolate croissant. Leva's lemon tart is delightfully tangy, giving your lips a bit of a pucker, but is balanced out with just the right amount of sugar. The cream is velvety smooth and the tart crust is soft and flaky. If you're a citrus fan you definitely have to give the tart a try. Now if you're more of a chocolate lover, the chocolate croissant will do you no wrong. Layers of flaky, buttery croissant dough are wrapped around a stick of semisweet chocolate and baked to a point where the crust has the right crunch and airy texture. It is so, so good.

Great coffee, in-house pastries, a seasonal menu, and the use of local ingredients are just some of the things that make Leva one of the great cafes in Edmonton. With 27 different cafes participating in YEG Coffee Week, I urge you to go check out at least one you've never been to before. And even if you don't like coffee, YEG coffee week is meant to use coffee as a means of connecting with others and building community. Get yourself to a great cafe, meet up with a friend and enjoy your favourite non-coffee beverage!

For more info on YEG Coffee Week, visit the website here.

The new year started with a bang for me in terms of food! After a late night of ringing in the new year with friends, my boyfriend and I did not want to have to make our own food the morning after. There aren't too many brunch spots in Edmonton, and most of the ones in Edmonton weren't open on New Years Day. Luckily one of the newest cafes came to our rescue.

Cafe Blackbird - 9640 142 Street - Edmonton AB

Cafe Blackbird opened its doors at the beginning of October and is located conveniently along 142 Street in the heart of Crestwood right by Delux Burger Bar, Cobs Bread and Careit Urban Deli. I stopped by once before for drink to go, and knew I had to return to try out their brunch and lunch options. Their New Years 'All Day Hangover Brunch' fit the bill, so off we were on Thursday morning to meet a friend for brunch.

My morning started off with a Vanilla Latte ($4.50) made with beans roasted by Edmonton's own Iconoclast Coffee. The latte had great flavour and definitely woke me up. It was nice to know that high quality, locally roasted coffee is the choice at Cafe Blackbird, since it's so important to support local producers! (On a side note - YEG Coffee Week is coming March 7th-15th, and Cafe Blackbird is participating! Details to come.)

The main feature on the Hangover Brunch menu was a Loaded Waffle Panini ($17) which featured two waffles with eggs, bacon and cheese, served with maple syrup, brunch potatoes and fruit. My boyfriend and I are known to visit District Coffee Co. on the weekends for their breakfast waffle sandwiches, so this waffle panini was calling our names. When the dish arrived at the table we couldn't wait to dig in. The waffle panini tasted just like we would have imagined, savoury from the gooey cheese and bacon, and slightly sweet with the addition of maple syrup. The portion size was very generous (read: TWO whole giant waffles!) and I feel two people could have shared this one.

For myself I wanted to try the Eggs Benedict ($16) which is my typical go-to on brunch menus. The version at Blackbird is two poached eggs on ham, with hollandaise and served on top of Cobs Bread sourdough with a side of brunch potatoes. The eggs were poached beautifully with soft whites and an oozing yolk, and I liked the kick of heat to the hollandaise. The use of sourdough as the base for the dish was novel choice, but I found it was very difficult to cut through. With a bit of effort I was able to cut through and the payoff was some fresh, chewy sourdough, but I would prefer the traditional English muffin. The brunch potatoes served with our dishes were fluffy and flavourful, making them a filling side for both plates.

Cafe Blackbird is a great spot in the Crestwood community and I'm sure the local residents are loving it! They offer comforting cafe fare, and support local producers at the same time. Brunch is available on weekends, and tapas are available in the evenings from 5pm til close. They even have some wines for you to indulge in! I'd love to have a locally owned cafe like this near my home - those of you in the west end are lucky.

For many, coffee is essential to get them through the day. I'll admit that I'm not a major coffee drinker, but I definitely appreciate the aromas that come from those roasted coffee beans!

District Coffee Co. Cafe & Bakery - #101 10011 109 Street - Edmonton AB

District Coffee Co. is one of the newer cafes in downtown Edmonton and I finally had the chance to stop by for the first time a few weeks ago. Those of you that follow me through my other social media outlets will know that my boyfriend and I have already grown attached to this place as we've stopped by once a week since our first visit.

Nate Box of Elm Cafe (and the fantastic sandwiches!) is the owner of District and with this space the focus is on quality coffee and baked goods. It's a small space with limited seating, but given the downtown location I would imagine most customers will take their orders to go. And if not, there's great patio outside where I've found myself seated and soaking up the sunshine more than a few times.

District Coffee Co. is the first cafe to bring Calgary's Phil & Sebastian Coffee to Edmonton, and it doesn't disappoint. At $3 a cup it tastes great and gets the seal of approval from my boyfriend & I. Especially when I get to dip the delicious Salted Caramel Biscotti ($1) into it.

Aside from the coffee and pastries, District also offers a small food menu with oatmeal, granola, rice pudding, soup, salads and sandwiches. On my first visit I tried out the Orange Salad ($8) and it hit the spot. The combination of cucumbers, cauliflower, wild rice, carrots, radishes, snap peas and green onion in a lemon canola vinaigrette was refreshing and perfect for a sunny afternoon on the patio. The sweet and tangy vinaigrette over the crunchy vegetables and chewy bits of rice made it so easy to eat and held me over 'til dinner time.


Bacon & Egg Waffle Sandwich // Toasted Marshmallow Rice Krispie Square
District Coffee Co. is a great addition to the downtown core. Even though I live in the far south end of the city, my boyfriend and I have added a stop at District into our Saturday morning routine. The location makes it convenient for us to drop by before hitting up the City Market down on 104th street on Saturday mornings and we get delicious waffle sandwiches ($7) to munch on while walking from one vendor to the next. The bacon & egg with a tiny bit of syrup give the perfect sweet and savoury balance sandwiched between the fluffy waffles. The Toasted Marshmallow Rice Krispie ($2.50) is soft, chewy and not too sweet, making it the perfect guilt-free indulgent treat! So make a quick stop at the cafe whenever you have the chance and make sure to pick up a rice krispie square if they aren't sold out. I promise you won't regret it!

A few weeks back it was about 9:30PM and I was craving something warm and comforting to eat. Given that most restaurants close around 9:00PM, Diane, Teresa and I found ourselves checking out the snacks at a bubble tea cafe.

Teapsy Cafe - 9959 82 Avenue - Edmonton AB

Like most bubble tea places in the city, Teapsy was quite full on a Friday night. Tables were full of patrons enjoying bubble tea and playing card games and we were lucky to snag one of the last open tables. The space is small and cozy with red accents and artwork placed around the dining area. Upon opening the menu it was quite clear that Teapsy's specialty is their drinks, and there were numerous combinations available for to choose from.

We started off with some Egg Puffs ($5.50) which are an Asian snack favourite. Typically served as a street food with a crust and a bit of a cakey interior, they're the Asian equivalent of the Belgian waffle. At Teapsy, the waffle is golden and served with some matcha whipped cream. I was so excited to dig in until I picked up a small piece - it was soggy and definitely not freshly made. If anything, it was made earlier in the day and microwaved to a lukewarm temperature. Needless to say, it was not an impressive start.

Takoyaki ($5.50) is another popular Asian snack in which octopus pieces are cooked in a batter and topped with bonito flakes and various condiments. We had hoped the takoyaki would be made in house as it is fairly simple to make, but these were prepackaged then plated. Again, the takoyaki was made earlier in the day and reheated to a lukewarm temperature before being served at the table. From a food safety standpoint, Teapsy really doesn't do a good job of fully heating up their food. The flavour was good but I was so unimpressed at this point with the microwaved food.

We also ordered the Homemade Wontons with Spicy Garlic Sauce ($5.50) which turned out to be better. See what happens when you actually make the food in house? The wontons, however, were overcooked, leading them to be very firm with an extremely sticky skin. The wontons themselves had very little flavour, but the oil they were served in had enough heat and garlic to flavour the dish. Without it, this dish would have been another dud.

Teresa ordered the shrimp dumplings ($5.50) to satisfy her dimsum craving, and we already guessed beforehand that they were going to be store bought. Our suspicions were right, and the shrimp dumplings had very little flavour. On the plus side, they came to the table piping hot.

To go with the food, I had ordered the Pudding Milk Tea ($5.25) which is supposed to be one of Teapsy's special drinks. I expected it to be creamy with a custard flavour, but my drink ended up quite watery with a few small pieces of custard here and there. The custard chunks didn't add much to the drink, and after the first sip I instantly knew I should have ordered my go-to green tea. Oh well!

Unfortunately the late-night trip to Teapsy Cafe was a huge disappointment. If the food been served properly to food safety standards it would have been better. The cafe does feature shaved ice and a waffle that I'm interested in checking out, but whether I'm open to giving this place another shot is pretty slim. Has anyone else been there and had a better experience? Let me know!

It's 9:30PM on a weeknight in Edmonton and you're hungry. Where are you supposed to go? Most restaurants close around 9:00-10:00 and you don't want to be that person showing up half an hour before closing, prohibiting the kitchen from cleaning after dinner service. You want to be as healthy as possible, so McDonalds is out of the question. Where do you go?

Cafe de Tropika - 3040 Calgary Trail NW - Edmonton AB

I found myself looking for the answer to this question a while back and it was difficult to answer. Sure, there are restaurants and pubs that stay open a little later, but it's usually going to be something deep fried or be small plates that won't necessarily fill you without racking up a huge bill. This is where Hong Kong style cafes step in, and Cafe de Tropika came to my rescue one day.

Open until 11:00PM Monday through Thursday, 1:00AM Friday to Saturday, and until 10:00PM on Sundays, Cafe de Tropika could be an option in the south side of Edmonton when you're hungry and it's getting late. Diane, Teresa and I found ourselves there one night for a second dinner (I know, we are ridiculous) to check things out. We all ordered some of our favourite late night cravings off their comprehensive menu.

I ordered the Snow Cabbage and Shredded Duck Meat with Rice Vermicelli in Soup ($9). This is a HK style comfort food favourite of mine and Cafe de Tropika does a pretty good job with theirs. It's by no means as good as the one my mom makes but there's a good portion of duck meat amongst within the al dente vermicelli and snow cabbage. The saltiness of the preserved cabbage is balanced with some sweetness in the broth and the portion will definitely fill you up.

As a side I also ordered the Toast with Condensed Milk and Butter ($3). I have an obsession with condensed milk and when I'm in Hong Kong I order this dish all the time. At Cafe de Tropika, some of the condensed milk oozes out from between the pieces of toast, but the toast itself remains pretty dry. There's not enough condensed milk in this toast for an addict like me.

Diane ordered the Fried Tofu with Spicy Salt and Pepper ($6). The deep fried tofu pieces came out crispy, golden, and were seasoned quite well. A kick of heat was provided by the chili flakes, and some additional flavour from the sprinkling of chopped green onion. Although it is a little greasy, I love having deep fried tofu as a late night snack!

Last but not least, Teresa ordered the Beef Fried Ho Fan with Bean Sprouts ($11). This stir fried noodle dish is a favourite of mine when dining in HK style cafes. When cooked in a wok over high heat an almost burnt flavour gives this dish it's signature taste (see more in this post). Cafe de Tropika did a great job on this one as it wasn't overly greasy and the "wok air" flavour was present. Not to mention, it was a huge portion that could easily feed two people.

As a late night option, I like having Cafe de Tropika in the south side of Edmonton. I've been back a few times and will have to mention that the dishes can be hit or miss depending on who is in the kitchen. The prices are affordable given the amount of food that you are served, and most importantly, the restaurant is clean. By Edmonton standards the HK style food is pretty good, and I'd probably equate it to the same as the Golden Bee BBQ HK Cafe in the North end of the city. If you choose to stop by make sure you have debit or cash to pay, as they do not accept credit cards.

Have you been to Cafe de Tropika? Let me know about your experience!