MRKT

I came here after looking for restaurants to try while in the city. This one stood out with its interior design, and then the food: P Clearly my priorities are straight!
When I arrived around 7PM the place was quiet, except for a couple people. It was a Tuesday so I suppose this was not one of their busier evenings. I sat myself down and shortly afterwards a server came from the back to help me. I ordered my food first, a lemon pepper tiger prawn dish with potato mash. After some deliberation I figured out a wine to pair with it, a German Reisling.
The food came very quickly and was consumed just the same! The dish was delicious, the shrimp was cooked well, the potatoes were a mix of yam and white I believe, and the pesto was nice and fresh. The wine was equally delicious, light and fruity, and easy to drink.
It was nice coming in on a quiet evening when the tables quiet and the server was able to help quickly, especially being the only one there that night. Really loved the wood panelling and stone work in the restaurant, it would be a great place for a drink with groups, as most of the wines are priced by the bottle (I only had a glass).

This place is always good. The reason for the four is cause the appetizers and drinks are great while the main meals in my experience are always JUST okay.

Came here for a friend’s birthday. There were 7 of us. The food was good, but it was the server that made us dislike this place. The server took our drinks and our food, but did not write it down, nor she made sure of all of our meals were correct. Another person ordered a meal, but she did not get it because of the server’s mistake. And mind you, we came before there was the dinner rush.
And another thing is she messed up on the birthday girl’s bill at the end of the night, not once but THREE TIMES. The last time she didn’t even bother, because she didn’t want to wait around for a new bill. I get that your busy (when we paid it was mid rush), but this is why you need to write. it. down.
I got the special of the night (I can’t remember what the name was –_​_​_​-​) but it was really good! I loved the meat and the scalloped potatoes. I was happy the portions were big! I could not even finish it.
I am even happy that this restaurant supports and buys from local farms, and businesses in town.
MRKT was a good place to try, but I don’t think I will come back.

I forgot how much I enjoy this place! I love the simple décor and the wood paneling gives this place a warm and earthy feel like you are having an indoor picnic. They do not do table service over the lunch hour but they do in the evening when it transforms into a wine bar. The ladies at the counter were friendly and answered any questions we had about the menu. The menu is listed on their wall in colorful chalk and there is a nice selection to choose from for reasonable prices. My friend chose the fish soup and I decided to have the soup and salad combo for $ 13. You have 3 types of soup to choose from — meat, fish or vegetarian. Each are made with different ingredients. I decided to go with the fish soup that had salmon, lentils and curry spices. It was excellent. They only offer one type of salad but it will not disappoint you if you are looking for something fresh, simple and satiating. The salad had big leafy greens, almonds, cranberries and cheese mixed in their own savory dressing. I was quite impressed with the portions that you get for each. It is definitely worth the money! The place really starts to get busy around noon so I would advise that you go earlier or for a later lunch to be able to get a table.

The food and atmosphere are great.
Service was lovely.
We will definitely come back.

MRKT is an amazing fixture on the downtown Edmonton foodie scene. I’ve been here 5 times or so, and have been blown away by the food every time. This is one of those few restaurants where I feel compelled to order the same thing every time, just because the dish is so amazing. For MRKT, this is the shrimp. Topped with a tomato butter sauce and miso chimichurri, the seared shrimp burst with flavor, as does the sweet potato mash beneath. Absolutely scrumptious.
The servers are always attentive and friendly; I’ve never had a problem with the service at MRKT.
Lastly, the room is beautiful. Warm woods and great ambient lighting make for an intimate, cozy dining experience. The space is equally appropriate for large groups (with its large communal tables) or dates (MRKT has a few cozy booths, as well).
The last time I was here, I noticed that even at 6:30pm on a Thursday night, the place was quiet. I hope it gets slammed with customers and is open for business for a very long time, because MRKT is a gem.

My first thoughts — LOVE the décor! Such cool walls and fixtures. There are an assortment of 3 or 4 sandwiches and soups each day. While I was satisfied with my meal, I found the prices to be quite high for a cafeteria style restaurant. Overall though, it’s an okay place to hit up if you’re craving soup and sandwich.

Hands down, best soup/​salad and sandwich place for lunch.
Home made soups are amazing, so flavourful and unique. Sandwiches are so good, spicy calabrese is my favourite. Even their salad is flavourful with the light vinaigrette.
Need to get there at a good time to get a seat, well worth every penny.

I was at MRKT for an event and loved the atmosphere — sort of like an upscale cafeteria. The charcuterie boards looked fabulous, although I was not able to partake due to my aversions to pork and cheese. The appetizers floating around were wonderful though, especially the beef meatballs. Good drink selection and a really down to earth yet classy vibe. Hope to come here some time for a soup and sandwich, or something.

My friends came at 11:30 to make sure we would get a table and they were the only ones when we arrived. There are a few booths to the right of the ordering area and a long table for those who don’t mind sharing with others. Shortly after a large group came, and a steady stream of couples arriving for lunch. I’ve walked by so many times but never went in for lunch.
We looked at the menu board at the various sandwiches, soups, and salads. We joined the lined and my tablemates ordered the soup and sandwich or salad and sandwich combos. I wasn’t feeling too hungry so ordered the braised beef sandwich only ($ 10) which came with some potato chips. We received our number and sat back on our table to chat while waiting for our food.
My beef sandwich was alright but I was expecting a little more wow. It was beef brisket with cheese, tomato sauce, and sour cream. The salty chips were ok, but after my sandwich I didn’t feel like eating anymore.
I liked the help yourself to water, and the feel for meeting friends for lunch. Would be great if there was a few more sandwich choices.

My anxiety and I lunched at MRKT largely because the group of thirty-​somethings walking just in front of us entered, thus making straight the way for us in the manner of John the Baptist. While we had not planned on going into this establishment and would not be hungry for several hours – in fact, we just came out of another restaurant at which we gorged ourselves in the American fashion – well, when one is with anxiety, one goes where the path is worn and the prying eyes are few. Needless to say, we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.
We wanted to get something we could pronounce, so I ordered the Alberta Braised Beef (without cheese) and tomato soup with some kind of beans in it (I forget). My anxiety opted for a heaping of misinterpreted past. «Suit yourself,» I said with fake cheerfulness. (I know it is wrong to pretend to be happy when other people are miserable, but I’ve got to look out for myself. Have you ever seen that movie «Bog Trouble in Little China»? Well, the worst parts of that movie are the best parts of my life, so cut me some slack, Adirondack.)
The soup was really good, and it had a sweetness to it to which I am not accustomed. But the beef was what I call «salty.» That is, it practically made me cry. Here’s the deal: Once a year, my sister Maureen makes roast beef, and it is so good that dadgonnit if I don’t shed a tear or two while eating. It’s that good. The Alberta Braised Beef at MRKT might not have affected me the way my sister’s roast beef did, but it came close. If I weren’t already full, I probably would have shed some tears.
My anxiety, on the other hand, was perfectly miserable. He kept trying to blame other people for the Mustard Incident, and I kept telling him that no one else remembered or cared, so who should he? Alas, this was to no avail.
The décor was elegant but inviting: lots of dark wood but with generous light, which my friend both complemented («Verily, the light lifteth mine spirits!») and condemned («Dude, everyone can see my imperfections!»). Moreover, the service was outstanding. It takes quite a lot to make my freind and I comfortable, but I certainly was. As such, I look forward to going again.

This is just such a fabulous little spot for lunch. I absolutely adore MRKT. The soup and sandwiches are absolutely delish! I love that there is always a meat option, a fish option and a vegan or veggie option for the soups, and lots of different sammies as well. Last time I was in I had a chorizo sandwich with slaw that was to die for, along with a prawn chowder soup (with whole prawns) and a bottled soda, all for $ 15.
The communal seating makes for a fun atmosphere, though I do prefer to come around 1pm as the lunch rush is leaving. It gives you more time to chat with the wonderful staff. I will also mention that I think they have an excellent wine selection too — and that is something I definitely appreciate!
What else is there to say… Soups On!

Came here with two friends for dinner and drinks before a concert at The Starlight Room. We shared a bottle of Riesling, the Charcuterie, Bruscetta, and Mussels. Our service was good and the quality of food was excellent.
The interior is lovely; very warm and intimate. The restaurant was full including a wedding party, yet the noise level was comfortable.
I hear that they make amazing sandwiches at lunch time so I am eager to return.

One of few places that serve crème brûlée in this city. I love this restaurant but if you want a seat for dinner book ahead as there is limited space. Classy place with unique dishes. Highly recommend

Really enjoyed our dinner at Mrkt. Lots of innovative menu items such as bourbon meatballs and fondue-​like melted cheese dip. Each share plate had some great flavour combinations, and the server was very knowledgeable about wine pairings and food suggestions.
The décor is great and it’s a comfy little venue. My only complaint is that the food is overpriced for what you get and the wine markup is higher than most. Think 3.5−4x instead of the usual roughly 2.5x. For 8 of us, three bottles of wine and enough food to almost make us full was $ 330 before tip. I wouldn’t let this stop you as the service is truly excellent and the items are all very tasty.
One odd thing is that much of the venue was reserved according to Opentable for the night. We called ahead and got a reservation at 7 despite this, and found the restaurant generally empty until about 830. Something to think about with online booking.

There’s a whole lot of wood going on at MRKT — the walls, the ceiling, even the cool, chic overhead light above the large communal table I shared with four friends recently. All that wood adds a warm and natural feel to this long, narrow restaurant that also features skylights and a chalkboard wall in the far back describing the lunch menu, daily specials, and drinks.
As we found everywhere in Edmonton, the service was friendly and engaging, and we immediately felt at home. Unfortunately, the food was very hit-​or-​miss, starting with the luscious-​sounding cheese cornbread — dubbed (to our delight) «cheesy» by our server — with jalapeño-​basil butter. No matter how hard I concentrated, the cheese remained barely noticeable, though the cornbread itself was perfectly fine.
Our tamari salad seemed to have all of the right components — chicken, dried cherries, almonds, pears, and a chili-​tamari dressing — but it somehow turned out to be very bland. Two of my companions reported that the short ribs had a pleasing overall taste but were overcooked and dry.
I enjoyed my penne with pork shoulder, chimichurri, and goat cheese. The dish had sweet, spicy, and tangy notes and the pasta was very fresh. One of my companions gave raves to the special of the day, a local pork shoulder with fries and a miso gravy, which looked quite delectable from afar but was gobbled up before I could give it a sample.
The highlight of our night was the dessert, a moist, flour-​less chocolate cake that had a gently crisp exterior and a magical goat cheese cream on top and underneath of it.

So it’s been awhile since I departed the food scene. Mostly because I need to save money for my new condo, but also because it’s tiring writing down all my thoughts! Sometimes it’s nice to just enjoy the food and enjoy the company you’re with and not have to think about how exactly everything was that night. There are times though when I eat a particular dish and I think to myself, damn, now this is something people need to know about. This post definitely is not that. But it was a food experience, nevertheless, and I felt the need to start writing again. Perhaps not as diligent as I once was, but seeing that my last post was in July, a lot has happened in Edmonton’s food scene! Restaurants popping up everywhere! Old habits don’t die hard, and my love of food is pretty hard to suppress.
With the intention of reviewing the newly opened Woodwork, I was determined to try something new again. Something needs to blow my mind, right now! (Although I won’t say that a bowl of bun bo hue at our regular Co Do Hue on the north side, or good ol’ sushi from Kyoto is bad either… that’s what I’ve been living off of when Joe and I do go eat out.) Somehow it slipped my mind that although I had missed out on Edmonton’s newcomers, other people have not. Solidly booked last Saturday night, with no chance of us, a party of 2, getting in. Poo. So we went to MRKT instead. At 5:45PM. That’s almost a senior-​ly hour.
The place was empty, and with only a couple of tables filling up throughout our dinner, it felt kind of lonely. We were told there was a reservation at 8PM by our server and asked if that was okay. She also told the table behind us the same thing, which makes me think the whole restaurant was booked for 8PM… which was fine by us. The menu had changed from the last time we were there and I was pleased to see that the mussels were still on the menu. Fighting the urge to order the same thing, I went towards the following…
To start, we ordered the Proscuitto di Parma, Cambozola custard and apricot jelly served with crostini. Although nothing fancy, it was a pretty darn good dish. Will have to add apricot jelly to my cheese and Italian meats ensemble at home now. The crostini was nice and thin, and even though I had to pull up my old review and reread it, I knew all too well that I would have commented on the bread. I liked their bread before! Fantastic, bread is still a win.
Because I wasn’t planning on making this a post at the time, I don’t even recall what Joe ordered. What I DO know though, is that it looked particularly similar to what he ordered last time… a penne with braised Pembina pork shoulder. Like I said, old habits die hard. He likes his penne. The pasta was made al dente, a little bit on the firmer side of even that definition; the sauce very tomato rich. The dish didn’t make me want to try more than a bite so I left it at that.
My main dish, clearly placed on the «Larger Plates» category of the menu, ended up being exactly what was described. Bruschetta with smoked bacon, served on crostini. Not sure how this constitutes as a main dish… but okay? It was good. Cheesy. smoky. and thank goodness for fresh herbs and a slice of red onion here and there to bring a contrasting note. I found the «bruschetta» part of the whole dish wasn’t very traditional. More like a tomato paste infused with the flavors of the bacon. A good dish, but definitely more suitable for sharing and not as a main course. I wasn’t feeling the need to overeat that night though so I was okay with it.
After a second visit, I still come up with the same conclusion as I did over a year ago: try their lunch instead. How come I don’t read my own reviews and follow my own advice? Dinner was okay, mediocre, and wouldn’t warrant another return for me to try new dishes. Their lunch features on the chalkboard looked delicious though. Again… I emphasize (mostly to my future self), try lunch instead. Soups and sandwiches look like they could be a win. Skip dinner.

In a basement in Edmonton we went and enjoyed a many number of local beers. Their selection was superb.
We had nice salads with soups (which change a lot) but my husband was thrilled about their BLT soup which I had to agree was the best part of our lunch.
Nice experience, however our server wasn’t very knowledgeable about the beers, we had to educate her on many of the selections.

MRKT has a very nice set up, high top wooden tables and nicely decorated. I liked the chalk board menu, with daily specials and wines listed.
The price was a little higher, but the ingredients are also quality ingredients, so overall, I really enjoyed MRKT. The staff was very friendly.
They have a great salad, with a lot of delicious goodies inside. The best part though is the dressing, it was absolutely amazing! There are lot of yummy sandwich options and they have a daily soup with veggies only, meat, or seafood, so there is something for everyone! Great for a lunch to go or to stay, but you have to arrive early to get a seat (before 11:30am) because it fills up fast :) The food takes a bit to come, but that just means it’s even more fresh.

We attempted to eat a late lunch here during our first day in Edmonton, but were disappointed to see that it closed right at 2pm. Not wanting to make the same mistake two days in a row we were the first customers the following day at 11:30am. It may have been empty when we first walked in, but got very crowded right around noon.
I ordered the beet soup, although it had a fancier name, and an amazing salad with asiago cheese. I can go either way when it comes to beets (depends on the day), but this was absolutely delish. I gobbled both the soup and salad up… and even stuck around awhile to take advantage of their complimentary wifi.