In Alberta’s countless neighbourhoods, from the vibrant streets of Calgary’s Kensington to the local cafés dotting Edmonton’s Whyte Avenue, and the hidden gems in Red Deer’s downtown core, places to eat and drink are more than just businesses. They are gathering points, rituals, offsets from busy weeks, and anchors of social life.
Whether it’s grabbing a morning coffee, meeting friends for lunch, catching dinner after work, or celebrating a milestone over drinks, these everyday experiences shape how communities function and how residents feel connected — to place, to culture, and to each other.
As Alberta moves toward 2027, restaurants, cafés, bars, and casual eateries continue to play a vital role in the everyday economy — not just economically, but socially and culturally, too.
People Are Eating Out More — and It’s Becoming Part of Daily Life
Across Canada, eating and drinking out is no longer just a weekend luxury — it’s woven into routines.
Statistics Canada data shows that household spending on food purchased from restaurants and other eating establishments increased steadily from 2019 to 2023, reflecting consumers’ willingness to allocate budget to dining experiences.¹ Alberta residents, like Canadians generally, have embraced eating outside the home as part of everyday life, not just for special occasions.
This pattern began before the pandemic but has gained strength as people balance busy schedules and seek convenience without sacrificing quality. For many, a local café or neighbourhood bistro becomes the backdrop for remote work, catch-ups with friends, or simply a break from the routine.
Small and Mid-Sized Places Drive Local Spending
The eat & drink industry isn’t dominated solely by big chains and national players. In Alberta, local entrepreneurs run a wide range of places that make each city feel distinct.
In Calgary, neighbourhood hubs like Inglewood and Mission are filled with locally owned eateries where regulars are often greeted by name. Edmonton’s communities boast intimate cafés, family-run diners, and indie bakeries that anchor residential blocks. In Red Deer, locally owned pubs and cafés are key gathering spots for community events or weekday evenings.
These small and mid-sized places tend to circulate money locally — paying local staff, sourcing some ingredients from nearby producers, and reinvesting profits into the neighbourhood. That matters in an everyday economy, especially in cities where local identity is part of what makes the place feel like home.
Social Well-Being Meets Economic Value
Eating out isn’t just about food — it’s about social connection. Research from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction highlights that shared meals and social eating contribute to emotional wellbeing and community bonding.² While individuals vary in how often they dine out, communal food spaces are consistently associated with belonging and shared cultural experiences.
Even a quick coffee can strengthen routines and relationships — a frequent theme among Albertans who use local cafés as meeting points before work or study. Beyond economics, these establishments contribute to an intangible quality: they help shape the rhythms of daily life.
Adaptability Has Been Key for In Alberta’s neighbourhood restaurants, cafés, pubs.
Over the past decade, the Alberta food scene has adapted in ways that reflect broader consumer behaviour trends.
During the pandemic and beyond, many restaurants and cafés:
- Added online ordering and delivery
- Expanded outdoor or patio seating
- Adjusted menus for convenience and takeaway
- Enhanced digital presence for discoverability
These changes weren’t just survival strategies — many became new expectations among customers. Canadians report continuing to use online ordering or reservation platforms long after restrictions eased, reflecting how digital convenience has integrated into the way people choose where to eat and drink.³
For local businesses, this adaptability demonstrates resilience and customer focus — and it positions them well for ongoing shifts in demand.
A Focus on Local & Authentic Experiences
One strength of Alberta’s local restaurants, cafés, pubs, is its diversity of voices and flavours. Diners increasingly seek:
- Locally sourced ingredients
- Seasonal or regionally inspired menus
- Unique, non-chain dining experiences
- Coffee shops with local character
Consumer research indicates that people are more likely to choose food and drink venues that reflect the authenticity of a place, rather than anonymous, homogeneous chains.⁴ This trend plays to local entrepreneurs’ strengths, making Alberta’s food scene both distinctive and economically resilient.
Looking Ahead to 2027
As Alberta continues to grow and communities evolve, the neighbourhood restaurants and cafés category shows strong promise:
- Hybrid dining experiences (e.g., café-by-day / wine bar-by-night) will appeal to changing routines
- Collaborations with local producers (breweries, farms, artisan bakers) will deepen community ties
- Events-driven demand (e.g., markets, neighbourhood pop-ups, culinary festivals) will strengthen local economic networks
These trends point to a future where eating and drinking isn’t just transactional — it’s experiential, cultural, and community-oriented.
Dining, Gathering, Belonging
Places to eat and drink are much more than destinations for food and beverages. They are the backdrop to moments that matter: catching up with friends, decompressing after a long day, introducing someone to local flavours, or discovering a new favourite spot.
These everyday experiences support both community cohesion and local economies — making places to eat, meet and drink businesses essential not just to how Albertans spend, but to how they live.
That’s why Alberta’s Best Business Directory focuses on helping Albertans connect with local eateries and food-and-drink professionals in their own communities.
Sources:
- Statistics Canada — Survey of Household Spending, 2023: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230521/dq230521a-eng.htm (www150.statcan.gc.ca)
- Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction — Social Eating & Connection: https://ccsa.ca/social-eating-behaviour-and-well-being-canada (ccsa.ca)
- Restaurant Canada — Consumer Online Ordering Trends: https://www.restaurantscanada.org/industry-news/consumer-online-ordering-behaviour/ (restaurantscanada.org)
- Canadian dining authenticity research (industry report): https://www.foodserviceandhospitality.com/consumer-trends-authentic-dining-canada/ (foodserviceandhospitality.com)