The Almanac

I really enjoyed the overall atmosphere and service. My waiter was very patient with us and seemed quite knowledgeable. The furnishings were well chosen and seemed to suite it well. The food was particularly good, I had the burger with fries and it was by far one of the best i’ve had. The rest of my friends seemed to also enjoy their meals. Will definitely be going back and I will be recommending this place to others for sure.

Very nice little spot on Whyte Avenue that is sort of a cross between a French bistro and brunch joint. I went here for brunch and tried the sausage hash. To my surprise, I found out the sausage was maple turkey (not pork) and gluten-​free to boot! I hope they put this information on the menu, because there are a lot of gluten-​free and non-​pork eaters out there. The portion was HUGE and I still had sausage left on my plate after all of the baby potatoes and sauteed peppers, onions, and mushrooms were gone. The fried egg on top brought the dish together, with its runny yolk. My server was friendly, the place is clean and elegant, and the rest of the menu is rather short (and a bit on the pricey side) but looks very interesting. There is also live music on some nights in the back area. As for me, I’ll be back for the brunch.

This place seems like a work in progress. The atmosphere and service were warm & friendly. The décor is nice. The cocktails were impressive, well-​presented and well-​mixed. The food, however, was a miss. Soggy chips, bland flavours. It was a bit of a disappointment because we were excited to try the food.
Also, a really loud, bad rock band started playing around 10 p.m., it was so loud that my party had to quickly pay and leave because we could not even carry on a conversation. It seems weird for a place with nice cocktails and a relaxed atmosphere to have that kind of loud music, and I was annoyed that nobody warned us.
This place seems to have promise, they are brand new to Whyte Avenue, I hope some things like food and live music choices get figured out and they can become a five-​star establishment.

Good beer selection. Bad popcorn chicken. Overpriced and absolutely no flavour. Just tasted like chicken fried in flour and served with mayo. This place is a façade of good eateries like The Three Boars, but lacks the quality. Would not recommend and will not be coming back.

We went on a Saturday night, and the place was packed. We were able to get reservations just a couple of hours before, and we’re really glad we did.
Our server was personable, and friendly. She was able to answer any questions we had about the menu, or beer options. To start we had the charcuterie board, and it was one of the best I have ever had. The creamy brie, candied salmon, and pickles were my favouite. For a main I had the mushroom ragout, and it was by far the best gnocchi I have ever had. They were handmade, full of flavour, and not too heavy. The other main ordered was the burger with fries, and they really liked it. By the end of our meal we were both too full to indulge in dessert, so we declined to even see the menu.
We will definitely be back, and are telling all our friends about it.

The Almanac is a new French spot on Whyte that offers a mix of pub fare and traditional French dishes. I always have a soft spot for French food (Montréal me manqué) especially considering quality options are limited in town (The Marc being the exception, the rest are pricey as eff).
Opened early December, the word clearly isn’t out yet. Perfect spot to catch up with a couple buddies of mine visiting during the holidays. We came on a Wednesday evening and only the booths in the front were occupied. The layout is as bit cramped but has a very cozy, intimate feeling to it. Lights are dimmed low, candles on the table, perfect spot to impress a date. Too bad I brought two bros with me? Oops.
Service was friendly. We were busy chatting so our waitress had to come back a couple times before we were ready to order. When we went, several of their beers were on special for $ 4.25/pint. Buddy número uno was happy.
Menu is short and sweet. First page a couple typical French appetizers (moules frites always a good choice). Second page is the main entrees. They also have a snack menu if you’re looking for something small or easy to share.
— Mushroom ragu ($ 16.00) — truffled gnocchi with seasonal vegetables. My buddy N went with the ragu. Lots of savoury mushrooms and the gnocchi was nicely al dente.
— Arctic char ($ 18.00) — couscous, seasonal vegetables and brown butter. My other bud S ordered the artic char, which I originally wanted to get. At least I got to sample it. The fish was perfectly cooked — super tender, flaky and nicely seasoned. Couscous, which I never eat enough, was nicely flavoured.
— Boeuf bourguignon ($ 19.00) — bacon, pearl onions, roasted potatoes, red wine and vegetables. Holy beefiness. Beef bourguignon is a classic French dish that used to be eaten by peasants back in the day. Think hearty, stewed beef slowly simmered in red wine. This was my dish and if you’re a beef lover, you’ll love it. So much beef. The sauce was pretty rich and could have used some sort of bread to soap up all the sauce and give the dish a bit more balance.
— White chocolate pot de crème ($ 9.00) — fall fruit compote. I’m a sucker for any type of custard dessert and the Almanac’s was faaaaaaaaaantastic. I don’t recall ever eating a pot de crème even though I lived in Montréal. What’s wrong with me? If you like egg tarts/​natas/​crème brulee/​crème caramel, this is right up your alley. It was silky smooth, I could have easily ate one all to myself. The figs and orange added a bit of sweet and tartness to give the dessert some contrasting flavours. Order it!
Pretty impressed with my first visit. I always seem to be in the area so I’ll have to come back to try their snack menu (or even their brunch). Heck, they have board games on a shelf behind their bar that you can play. Say whaaaaaaaaaat. Check them out the next time you’re out on Whyte!

Great food, and a great atmosphere. The portions were a bit huge, but there is nothing wrong with that.
Check it out if you’re looking for some great food, a good drink, and an adult atmosphere on Whyte.

The Almanac is quickly becoming one of my favourite little restaurants on Whyte Ave. Located in the old Red Square Vodka Bar, The Almanac is a daytime and evening friendly place for a bite and a pint.
The menu is French inspired and will have you torn between great choices for a while!
The space is simple with two booths beside the window and a lot of tall tables and chairs in the main restaurant. I haven’t yet peaked in the back but I know there’s more space back there too.
Without a doubt I recommend the fries and I dare say, they are the best in the Ave. If you like fries with the skin on and cooked to perfection, these are the fries for you. I recommend paying for some chipotle mayo on the side as the perfect compliment.
The Almanac Burger has been my favourite menu item so far so that’s what I would recommend you try!
This month they’ll be a new venue for live music in Edmonton and I’m excited to see how that will go — I think it will be a great addition to Edmonton’s music scene and will add another fun dimension to this new restaurant.