Road Trip Restaurants

 There’s dining out, and then there’s dining way out…

Families take day trips to get away from it all, if just for a short while. It’s a bonus if a beach, music festival or heritage site is on the itinerary, but how far would folks travel just to nosh? With that in mind, we mapped out a few eateries featuring unique epicurean experiences surrounding St. Albert and the region. Using a series of pre-determined ranges extending up to 200 km away, and basing results on reviews from travelling patrons on the likes of TripAdvisor and Yelp!, we selected one notable spot within each area that might be enticing enough for folks to hit the road. Here’s a look at a few establishments we came up with: 

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0-25 km:

Chartier

Beaumont’s Chartier presents French-Canadian food with style and substance. The extensive menus include a brunch featuring an epic, huge cinnamon bun. Lunch and dinner features several options for different appetites and budgets, from a smoked meat sandwich and chicken pot pie to the gigantic and decadent lobster tail poutine. An onsite bakery also specializes in sourdough-based bread and treats. This establishment’s clientele is so loyal, that when the restaurant was faced with having to close last year, an anonymous donor invested enough to keep Chartier going.

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25-50 km:

New Diamond Restaurant

New Diamond Restaurant has been a mainstay in Legal for over three decades. Serving up common Asian-Canadian fare from chicken chow mein to ginger beef, the eatery has earned online raves for its quality, portions, and service. Milton Ng, a Vancouver-based filmmaker and one of the original owner’s sons, is currently producing an “action-zombie” film based on growing up in a small town and working at the restaurant. The film’s crowdfunding campaign video features footage of original owner Paul Ng talking about how he treated customers like friends. When it comes to Legal’s local legacy, New Diamond is a gem.

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50-100 km:

Mamas’ in the Kitchen 

Like the name of the restaurant implies, fans of this popular diner in Alberta Beach enjoy meals reminiscent of home cooking, served in abundantly large portions. Some come for the all-day breakfast, while others rave about the fish and chips. Service also tends to be wonderful, even during peak busy times. Definitely worth a drive for people who like diner food in large quantities. 

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100-150 km:

Tollers Bistro

Numerous online reviews note that Tollers Bistro in Lacombe has excellent coffee and donuts. However, the menu is far more extensive with a variety of sandwiches, wraps, burgers, soups, salads, rice and noodle bowls, and pasta. Bring the kids, because there is a menu for smaller people 12 and under. If you want to stop in for a coffee – which means choosing from a solid list that includes espresso-based drinks, teas, and drip coffee – consider pairing it with breakfast, which features a selection of omelettes, “benedicts,” waffles, French toast, and more. 

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LOCATIONS

Chartier

• 102- 5012, 50th St.
• Beaumont, AB
• dinechartier.com

Mamas’ in the Kitchen Restaurant and Catering

• 4728 47 St.
• Alberta Beach
• facebook.com/p/Mamas-In-The-Kitchen-Restuarant-and-Catering-100062295081736/

Tollers Bistro

• 2-4801 63 St., Bay 2
• Lacombe, AB
• tollersbistro.com

New Diamond Restaurant

• 4940 50 Ave.
• Legal, AB
• facebook.com/p/New-Diamond-Restaurant-100077680613858/

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