Indigenous Inspired Restaurants

Indigenous-inspired restaurants showcase the rich tradition of Indigenous cuisine, offering seasonal, local ingredients. Explore the Métis Crossing menu and unique Métis Crossing food experiences, or visit other Indigenous restaurants for similar authentic flavours from the First Nations peoples. The Aboriginal nations hunted, farmed, fished, and preserved foods long before the European settlers arrived with their fancy sauces. Sadly, Canada only has a few Indigenous restaurants, but many Indigenous chefs are trying to change that through their innovative culinary approaches. Finding Indigenous food and restaurants in Alberta can be challenging, but it’s worth the time to learn more about the Aboriginal peoples and their traditions.

Indigenous Ingredients for Indigenous Flavours

Indigenous cuisine focuses on traditional ingredients, such as corn, squash, beans, wild rice, fiddleheads, berries, and other plants that could be harvested through the growing season. The Indigenous peoples of Canada were the original nose-to-tail chefs because no part of the animal would be wasted. They ate caribou, bison, rabbit, salmon, and trout. The Métis adapted the Scottish fry bread to create Bannock, a bread that is usually cooked over an open fire. These traditional Indigenous foods tell the story of the Aboriginal peoples.

Indigenous Food Fusions From Our Chefs in Canada

Many of the Canadian restaurants where you can find Indigenous food have taken modern techniques and combined them with traditional ingredients. At Salmon n’ Bannock in Vancouver, you’ll find Bannock tacos, salmon mousse, and game sausage on the menu. Feast in Winnipig features a butternut Bannock pizza for lunch or a roasted butternut squash ravioli with bison for dinner infusing delicious Indigenous food with modern classics. Wanuskewin Heritage Park, in Saskatoon, makes a bison muffuletta and a bison French dip for a play on fusion cuisine with an Indigenous flavour.

Indigenous-Inspired Restaurants in Alberta

On the surface, Alberta may seem to lack Indigenous restaurants, but if you know where to look, you’ll find some great places to enjoy the flavours of the past. In Calgary, the Little Chief Restaurant at the Grey Eagle Hotel Resort features native foods, such as pemmican, Bannock, and salmon.  Check out Homefire Grill in Edmonton, where you can find elk lasagna, Bannock bread pudding, and Greek salmon salad. There are a few Indigenous food trucks in Alberta that rotate through the festivals and cities.

Métis Crossing also offers a daily lunch menu that relies on local ingredients, reflecting the flavours of Indigenous communities. Our catering menu revolves around the seasons and what nature offers. We can create a feast in the traditions of the Métis for your wedding or event. Contact us for more information on hosting your event in our cultural center. Visit some of the Indigenous restaurants in Canada on your next visit to Métis Crossing