Indigenous Culinary Experiences in Alberta
Taste tradition, innovation and the spirit of the land through these Indigenous-owned culinary experiences across Alberta. Whether you’re sipping a cocktail inspired by sacred plants, sampling wild game stew, or shopping from a farmer’s market stall, each bite tells a story. These Indigenous chefs and entrepreneurs are reclaiming food sovereignty and sharing their culture through flavour, seasonality, and community.
Here are seven unforgettable Indigenous culinary experiences to explore in Alberta:
Calgary, AB
Full-service restaurant | Inspired cocktails | Elegant ambiance
At Bernadette’s, the menu is both a tribute to the land and a reimagining of traditional ingredients through a modern lens. Led by Chef Scott Iserhoff (Omushkegowuk Cree), the restaurant offers refined dishes that honour family recipes and Northern culinary traditions. Their cocktail list is equally rooted in culture—featuring flavours like sweetgrass, wild berries, and cedar.
Teepee Treats Indigenous Cuisine
Edmonton, AB
Food truck + catering | Wild game, bannock, and stew
Founded by Curtis Cardinal, Teepee Treats is a mobile Indigenous kitchen on a mission to reconnect people with traditional favourites. From bison burgers to stew and bannock, each dish is made with love and teachings passed down through generations. Curtis often shares stories and context behind the ingredients, turning each meal into a cultural experience.
Grey Eagle Resort & Casino, Calgary, AB
Upscale dining | Seasonal menus | Indigenous-led kitchen
Features locally sourced ingredients and a strong commitment to seasonal offerings, the menu is a journey through Alberta’s natural bounty. Guests can enjoy elk striploin or smoked trout while learning about the stories and communities behind each dish. For food that tells a fully immersive story, Chef Brandon Dashnay has introduced a special by-reservation-only chef’s tasting experience. Groups as small as two or as large as 20 can book a multi-course feast that sees the chef pushing his creativity with special items that take on more complex flavours, techniques and artistic presentations.
Edmonton, AB
Takeout + catering | Fresh, seasonal ingredients | Picnic
Founded in 2004 by Métis chef Brad Lazarenko, Culina is a celebrated Edmonton-based culinary group known for its commitment to locally sourced ingredients and community-driven dining experiences. The flagship Culina Muttart Café, nestled within the Muttart Conservatory, offers a menu of soups, salads, sandwiches, and baked goods, with herbs grown onsite in the conservatory’s greenhouse . Another notable venue, Culina on the Lake, located in Hawrelak Park, features Edmonton’s first licensed lakeside patio, serving comfort foods and beverages in a picturesque setting . The Culina To Go outlet provides a variety of hot, cold, and frozen meals, emphasizing fast and fresh comfort foods made with local ingredients.
Sherwood Park, AB
Small-batch distillery | Traditional botanicals | Indigenous-owned
Owned by Douglas Hawke, this family-run distillery blends craft spirit-making with Indigenous plant knowledge. Using ingredients like juniper, sage, and wild herbs, Hawke Prohibition Distillery offers gins and vodkas that reflect the natural world and traditional harvesting methods. Every sip invites a deeper appreciation of Indigenous connection to the land.
Edmonton, AB
Farmer’s Market | Private events | Culinary storytelling
A contemporary Indigenous brunch and lunch concept located inside the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market in Edmonton. Led by renowned Cree chef Shane Chartrand (Top Chef Canada alumnus), the restaurant celebrates local, seasonal ingredients sourced directly from market vendors, offering a rotating menu that blends Indigenous culinary traditions with modern techniques. Open on weekends during market hours, Paperbirch has quickly become a hub for community connection, culture, and creativity. In addition to its market-day offerings, the restaurant also hosts exclusive multi-course dining events such as “An Indigenous Taste of the Market,” where guests enjoy intimate after-hours meals that highlight Indigenous food ways and storytelling. The name “Paperbirch” honours the cultural significance of the birch tree in Indigenous communities, symbolizing versatility, resilience, and tradition. Chef Chartrand’s vision is to create a space where people can learn, laugh, and connect through the shared experience of food.