Restaurant · in Edmonton · ⭐ 9.1/10 · 2963 reviews
Address: 10922 88 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 0Z1
Sugarbowl: Edmonton’s Longest-Running Love Affair
Every city has one restaurant that outlives trends by simply ignoring them. In Edmonton it’s the Sugarbowl, feeding the Garneau and university crowd since 1943 and still producing the most argued-over cinnamon buns in Alberta — enormous, baked daily, served warm with a knife planted in the crown and butter on the side.
The Story
The Sugarbowl’s biography reads like the neighbourhood’s own: a burger joint in the forties and fifties, a coffee shop through the folk-music decades, and since the eighties a bistro-pub that collects regulars by the generation. National television found it — You Gotta Eat Here! featured the room in its first season — yet it remains defiantly local, the kind of place where the server remembers your order from last semester.
What to Order
The cinnamon bun, obviously, while they last — the daily bake sells through with cruel reliability. Weekend brunch is the other pillar: comfort classics done with bistro care. Later in the day the kitchen leans pub — burgers, hearty plates — while the celebrated cellar of craft and Belgian beers gives even a quick lunch a sense of occasion. The coffee program honours the café years.
The Space
Small, warm and story-soaked: wood everywhere, art and clutter that accumulated honestly, windows onto some of the city’s leafiest streets. It feels less designed than grown — bohemian in the original, unironic sense.
Who It’s For
Brunch romantics, parents visiting their students, first dates that need conversation fuel, and anyone who believes an eighty-year-old café-pub is a form of civic treasure.
Good to Know
When should I come for the cinnamon buns? Morning — they are baked once daily and sell out often.
Is brunch busy? Weekends peak late morning; small waits move quickly.
Does it work for dinner? Yes — the pub side of its personality takes over pleasantly by evening.
Is it family-friendly? Daytime, very; evenings skew to the pint-and-conversation crowd.
What makes the beer list special? Its depth — a long-tended collection of craft and Belgian selections rare for the city.
Opening hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 09:00–23:00 |
| Tuesday | 09:00–23:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00–23:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00–23:00 |
| Friday | 09:00–00:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00–00:00 |
| Sunday | 09:00–23:00 |
Photos
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Visitor reviews
Reviews last updated: 2026-06-30 18:48:19
Data is refreshed monthly. Sources: edmontonka.com and editorial picks based on reviews.
We always eat a cinnamon bun every time we come here, because it's incredibly tasty. Even though I love iced cinnamon buns, I'd still choose Sugarbowl every time. The mac and cheese was luxurious and filling. I was alrea…
I came here for breakfast, and it was very busy! But we got in fairly quickly, and our food was very tasty. The cinnamon bun was big and not like a traditional one, but still tasty!
One of my favourite restaurants and patios in Edmonton. It has a wonderful, authentic old-world charm rare for Edmonton, with its history, brick, hardwood floors, antique tables, chairs and other decor, and there's alway…
Sugar Bowl is one of my favourite spots to hang out near the University of Alberta. It's on a scenic, tree-lined street, which creates an especially pleasant atmosphere.
The food here is consistently wonderful. Their ap…