Edmonton AM's guide to the city's hidden gems

Everyone has a special restaurant, a favourite store, an out-of-the-way park, that is a little off the beaten track. On Friday, Edmonton AM devoted a whole show to revealing these hidden gems! 

Here's a list and relevant links when possible. (some of the restaurants are so off the beaten track, they don't have their own website!)

Edmonton AM crew picks

• Farrow Sandwich and Coffee - 8422 109th Street (Ethan Sawyer)
• Revolver Records, Bonnie Boon Shopping Centre (Ariel Fournier)
• Lan's Asian Grill - 11826 - 103rd Street (Wallis Snowden)
• Abyssinia Ethiopian restaurant - 10810 95th Street (Kim Nakrieko)
• The Drake Hotel - 3945 118th Street (Ashley Geddes)

Architectural gems with Dan Rose from Heritage Forward

• Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium in Coronation Park
• Hotel Grand/Hagmann Block - 10765 98th Street
• Keillor Cabin - 12504 Fox Drive
• McCray's Garage - 102nd Avenue & 125th Street

Hidden gem bands from Craig Martell, co-owner Wunderbar and Trevor Belsher, owner, Mercury Room 

• Counterfeit Jeans
• Feverfew
• Post Script
• The Dabs

Hole-in-the-wall restaurants from Gastropost community manager Brittney Leblanc

• Tao Garden - 9642 107th Avenue
• Urban Shabu -  9700 105th Avenue
• Bulgogi House - 8813 92nd Street
• Shanghai 456 - 14456 118th Avenue
• Handy Bakery - 8660 118th Avenue
• Paradiso Tropical -  9136 118th Avenue

Hidden trails from personal trainer Chris Tse

• Strathcona Science Park to Gold Bar Park (Haunted Forest Trail)
• Hawrelak Park to Quesnell Bridge
• Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area

Secret swimming hole from Paul Bunner, river swimming enthusiast 

• located between the Cloverdale footbridge and the Edmonton Queen Riverboat launch

Secret foods to forage - Elisabeth Beaubien, biologist, University of Alberta,  Alberta Plant Watch coordinator

• Chokecherry
• Saskatoon berry
• Raspberry
• Creeping thistle - remove the leaves, make a soup
• Cattail - Use clean, unpolluted plant. Can consume bottom part of stalk

Secret coffee spots from Cindy Ngyuen, blogger, Let's Om Nom

Best Roasters

• Transcend - various locations in Edmonton 
• Rogue Wave Coffee Co.: 10571A 114th Street
• Ace Roasters 
• Iconoclast Coffee  - 11807 105 Ave. 

Best Cafe

• Barking Buffalo - 10842 124th Street
• Farrow Sandwiches and Coffee - 8422 109th Street
• Lock Stock Coffee - 10534 Jasper Ave

Best secret but coming soon Cafe Spots

• Bru Coffee and Beer - 119th Street & Jasper Avenue
• De Capo (second location coming downtown)
• Woodrack Cafe - 7603 109th Street

Best beer spots - Shane Groendahl founder and president of Beer Geeks Anonymous 

• Cha Island - 10332 81st Avenue
• Accent Lounge - 8223 104th Street

Well known beer spots:

• Craft Beer Market - 10013 101A Avenue
• Underground Tap & Grill - 10004 Jasper Avenue
• Beer Revolution -  11736 104th Avenue

Experiences/events from Renee Williams, communications manager for Edmonton Tourism

• Elk Island - easy camping
• Elk Island - July 31/August 1 - Blue Moon Canoe Tour
• Dark Matters - August 20 - Telus World of Science - adult event

Other noteworthy events and tourist spots:

• Heritage Days
• Prairie Gardens and Adventure Farm
• Jurassic Forest
• Fort Edmonton Park
• Lactuca - the urban farm location at Northlands 

Best kids spots from Jennifer Schaffer, editor of City and Baby

• Alberta Railway Museum
• Real Family Cinema at the Garneau Theatre
• Giovanni Caboto Park

Best date spots from Blue Knox, outgoing editor editor in chief of Wanderer Online magazine 

• Nerd Nite Edmonton
• Space Cadet Adventure
• Manhunt Edmonton

Blogs and podcasts from Karen Unland, creator of Seen and Heard podcast and blog

• Reading in Bed - blog about books
• #Lost YEG - blog about Edmonton's history
• What It Is - podcast about Edmonton's theatre and arts scene
• JayRunham.com - blog about 'sexy film news'