Anchored by the funky, bohemian spirit of Whyte Avenue, historic buildings blend with youthful exuberance to make Old Strathcona one of Edmonton’s trendiest neighbourhoods. The city's celebrated arts and cultural community makes its home here, as does a plethora of unique local boutiques, one-of-a-kind art galleries and music shops, and trendy restaurants and cafés.
There is almost no end to the great food and drink options Whyte Avenue has to offer. No matter your preference, you’ll find something tasty to suit your palate. As a province known for producing great beef, Alberta is the perfect place for a restaurant like MEAT, which serves up authentic southern BBQ meats, tasty side dishes, and a selection of house-made sauces to accompany everything. The menu at El Cortez is filled with traditional and modern Mexican dishes, and the restaurant serves food to hungry patrons late into the night. The cozy Cafe Mosaics is home to a fully vegetarian and vegan food and drink menu that features more burgers than you would expect. Inspired by its close proximity to the nearby theatres, The Next Act is a casual pub that has a commitment to serving local craft beer along with tasty sandwiches and a menu of theatrically named burgers, such as The Critic and The Drama Queen.
After hours, make sure to check out the incredible nightlife Whyte Avenue has to offer at The Buckingham, O'Byrne's Irish Pub and The Black Dog Freehouse.
Many great shopping trips in the area begin on Saturdays, where the weekly Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market takes place. This year-round indoor market is home to some of the area’s freshest produce, local food, and handmade crafts. Down the street, Bamboo Ballroom offers up a stylish experience with on-trend women’s fashions, adorable items for babies, and home decor. If footwear is your thing, then Gravitypope has you covered with hundreds of different styles of shoes and clothing for both men and women. Bookworms will love browsing the stacks of used books at the Wee Book Inn, where they can keep company with the shop’s residential cat.
In the mood to thrift? Old Strathcona has a huge variety of consignment/vintage stores. If your vibe is a 90s windbreaker and an 80s vintage tee, we recommend Wildrose Vintage, The Flea and From Another. If you aim for more of a preppy aesthetic, we recommend checking out Wrinkled, Red Pony Consignment, MOD Uncorked, and The R.A.K for all of your favorite trendy and preppy threads.
