Here are the best afternoon tea spots in Alberta. From buttery scones and finger sandwiches to little cakes and petite fours, we love tea service in an elegant atmosphere. Alberta’s offerings will surprise and delight and with Mother’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to dig out your bow tie or dust off your fascinator and make reservations now. Southern Alberta 1. The Noble Teahouse is nestled in a Victorian house built in 1909 in High River.  They offer women in recovery a place to work, a place to belong, and an opportunity to learn new skills while contributing to their communit ..read more

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, here’s our list of the Best New Alberta Beers.  We searched Alberta high and low for fresh flavours from the talented brewmasters working with the world’s best malted barley, Alberta-grown, Alberta’s own! Peace River Brewing’s Irish Red is perfect for St. Paddy’s Day. This beer, released to celebrate the brewery’s sixth birthday, is perfect for the occasion.   East Central Breweries—Cold Lake Brewing and Distilling, 4th Meridian Brewing Company, Ribstone Creek Brewery, Sturgeon Brewing Company, and Lakeland Brewing Company—have released the ..read more

  Here’s four fabulous recipes for Easter Brunch. They are from our President, Karen Anderson’s quintessential Alberta cookbook, Eat Alberta First. And we hope they help you do just that. Berbon Glazed Ham Makes: 10 to 12 servings Takes: 2 – 3 hours Our dear friends Nicole Liboiron-Coles (our community manager and the chief photographer for this book) and her husband Warren Coles are famous for this delicious ham. When I discovered Bridgeland Distillery uses Alberta’s famous Taber Corn to make their award-winning Berbon, I knew this tasty local ingredient would make this ham even more sc ..read more

Here’s our list of the best doughnuts in Alberta.  Did you know Canadians eat more doughnuts per capita than any other country?  We’ve done extensive doughnut research to find the best places in our province. After all, Albertans love doughnuts as much as the rest of Canada and we’re here to  help you Eat Alberta First.  Calgary’s Modern Jelly Modern Doughnuts started the doughnut bakery craze over a decade ago.  This bakery has a reputation for deliciousness based on customer favourites like the Maple Bacon Doughnut.  Our Operations Manager Kim says Edmonton’s ..read more

Are you looking for some wildly delicious Lunar New Year Recipes? Do you wonder about the meaning of the foods eaten to celebrate Lunar New Year? We are happy to share both the meaning of those foods and a few recipes from our president, Karen Anderson’s, cookbook, Eat Alberta First. Food Symbolism at Lunar New Year Alberta is home to many immigrants of Asian descent and Lunar New Year is widely celebrated. The date varies each year according to the lunar calendar. Families gather to exchange gifts and usher in happiness, health and prosperity for a new year by eating certain foods.  Fish ..read more

  Here is our list of the Best Alberta Chocolate for Valentines. Whether you call it Galentine’s, Palentine’s, or Valentine’s it’s a day to celebrate LOVE and we’re into that. Give some locally made chocolate. It’ll do your heart good. Jacek Chocolate Couture in Sherwood Park has a limited edition chocolate LOVE box with an ‘I LOVE YOU’ chocolate as the showpiece. The Chocolate Lab in Calgary has a gorgeous limited edition Diamond Hearts Collection featuring their famous soft caramels surrounded by dark chocolate (see image above).   Celebrate your love with the Celebrate Bar ..read more

Whether you are cooking turkey dinner for the first or fortieth time, these Eat Alberta First Recipes for a Complete Turkey Dinner will be a great help. They are from our founder, Karen Anderson’s, new cookbook Eat Alberta First and they are sure to have some great tips for pulling it all off with panache. Have a delicious holiday from all of us at Alberta Food Tours. Maple Brined Roast Turkey and Gravy Makes: 6 to 10 servings plus leftovers Takes: You need to start this recipe the day before you want to eat it in order to brine the turkey. Then, you’ll need 4 to 5 hours to roast the turkey an ..read more

Attention last minute shoppers!  Our Eat Alberta First store has great last minute gift ideas for your loved ones. Cozy Up with a Good Book from our Eat Alberta First Store.  Eat Albert First, the Gourmand Award Winning Cookbook is the perfect gift for the home cook. Enjoy a round of our self-guided food tour in Canmore or Calgary.  Up to four people can enjoy a fun afternoon getting to know great food businesses for just $45. Book your recipient in for our Calgary Farmers’ Market or Edmonton Strathcona food tours.  Spots can now be booked on our 2024 calendar. Luxuriate ..read more

We have sought and found the 10 best hotel bars in Alberta.  These are great spots to make new friends or gather with old ones. Enjoy a cocktail or mocktail and soak up the ambiance of these 10 beloved Alberta bars. Rundle Bar in the Fairmont Banff Springs – Stunning views in a timeless setting.  The Rundle Bar is always on our list. The house made potato chips and bison tartare are our faves here along with the signature Wildflour cocktail. Fonda Fora in Westley Hotel – Located in one of Calgary’s chicest hotels, the bar at Fonda Fora is your spot for Calgary’s best margaritas.&nbs ..read more

We are so happy to bring you our Alberta Holiday Gift Guide for 2023. From cookbooks to experiences and stellar designs, we’ve got a sleigh load of ideas for you. 1. Jump on this! Start the season early on Friday, December 15 from 3 to 6pm.. Take friends, your sweetheart, or family on our Eat the Castle experience while the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is still fully decorated for the holiday season. It’s resplendent. And, there’s still tickets. Click here to score some now. Can’t make that date? Give a gift certificate for this award-winning experience for any date on our schedule in 2024. B ..read more