Happy and Olive — Restaurant in Edmonton

You need to eat here. Like, now. Immediately. This is the place that you're going to recommend to your friends, your family and your colleagues, and you'll look like a genius with exceedingly good taste.

I stumbled across Happy and Olive while searching Google for local restaurants while my wife was having her nails done. The menu seemed pretty well put together, so I thought we'd give it a shot. I'm so glad we did.

The restaurant was busy when we arrived, and we didn't have reservations. The owner, Frank, suggested we could sit at the bar. Normally, this isn't a great seat, but in this case, the chairs were comfy, there was plenty of elbow and plate space, and it was better than a lot of booths and tables I've sat at.

Our waitress, Posey, was a sweetheart. She made some excellent choices for us, and with Frank's input, we figured out our meals.

We started with the beet salad, chick pea fries, and seared tuna. The salad was phenomenal. It was crispy, light, and expertly weighted down with halloum fried cheese croutons. It was a great combination of savoury and sweet. Super fresh and tasty.

The chickpea fries were lovely and crispy on the outside, soft and light in the middle. They almost melt in your mouth. The seasoning is on point. Frank suggested to try the potato fries next visit, as they're supposed to be even better.

The seared tuna was served on a bed of pineapple salsa. I'm deathly allergic, so I can't speak for it, but my wife claims it's the best tuna she's ever had. I believe her.

We got an order of bread and butter on the side, it was traditional sourdough rye, with a side of Cajun butter. It was great, with a generous enough portion of butter to cover all the pieces. It's a pet peeve of mine to have to constantly ask for more butter. No such issues here.

For the main, I had beef ragu. It was absolutely insane. The beef was tender, pulled and served in a rich, flavorful ragu sauce, served on top of a bed of crisped up gnocchi. The gnocchi was delicate, with a bit of crunch, but still pillowy and light. Topping the beef ragu was some whipped goat cheese ricotta. Such a wonderful balance. Creamy, savoury, light and rich all at once.

Topping it all off, we had a butterscotch budino. Best dessert of my life, I swear. It was served with rosemary cookies on the side, each bite was amazing. Beautiful butterscotch flavors, accented by the whipped cream, crunchy toffee bits, and cookie. Hands down one of my favorite desserts of all time.

So, yeah. Go here. Go here often. Bring friends. It's my new favorite restaurant in Edmonton, and it'll probably be yours too...

This is easily the best spot in the west end for dinner... or lunch... or breakfast... brunch... coffee n such... this is easily the best patio in the west end as well. Their patio has revolving slats across the ceiling that can block the sun, or let the sunshine in (face it with a grin 😁), or slant East or West to deliver optimal atmospheric conditioning. If that's not already amazing enough, they also have 4 giant blinds that move up and down and long heaters along the edge of the patio that's up against the building. Tonight, they had 3 blinds down, one up and one of the heaters on with the ceiling slats just slightly cracked, this was just right. It was beautiful out there on a late summer Edmonton evening. My server, Amanda, was wonderful and really seems to love working there. I had her surprise me with 3 courses. Each of them was very well prepared. Their spin on a semi sweet baked brie/saganaki type deal was so good you need expletives in your review to do it justice, I used one when Amanda asked how I enjoyed it. It's likely often shared between 2 or 3 people, but I happily gobbled up every last bit of it. The "good/bad salad", as it's known, changed my mind about Kale, generally the only green I don't love; Chef/owner Frank knows how to deal with it dressing it up in super zippy tang fashion and topping it off generously with crispy pork belly and the best parmesan crisp disc you've ever had. I wish there were 3 of them instead of 1 😆, so delinch! I thought multiple times about asking Amanda to steal me an extra one hehe. Fried chicken with Parisian gnocchi (like gnudi) is quite good too, and then in the end I decided I just had to try dessert for a 4th course and we decided I'd have the flourless chocolate torte. I paired it with their excellent espresso, and it was topped with a hefty quenelle of perfect whip, this perfectly executed classic doesn't need any chefy👨‍🍳 embellishments, and the classy H&O team knows it. The little oblong side plates that keep you company throughout your dining experience are a deft touch that hint at the understated elegance to the seemingly effortless dining experience (which isn't surprising, as everyone who's ever seen owner Andrea move about the dining room might also describe her as effortlessly elegant) that was just so... what's the word... EASY, it is so easy to have such an excellent and relaxing experience here. Thank you, Amanda, and the whole Happy and Olive team!!! XOXO...

My recent visit to Happy and Olive in Edmonton was nothing short of fantastic. Despite arriving earlier than our reservation time on a quiet Thursday evening, the staff warmly welcomed us and made us feel right at home. The peaceful ambiance made for a perfect dining experience.

Though we didn’t get to try their cocktails, the menu featured an array of enticing options that certainly piqued our interest for our next visit. Our meal, however, was the true highlight of the evening.

We started with the saganaki, which was a sublime choice. The cheese was perfectly crisped and the hint of lemon added just the right touch. For the main courses, my wife had the duck, and it was truly exceptional. The rich flavors and expert preparation made it one of the best duck dishes we’ve ever had. I opted for the fried chicken, and it was equally impressive—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, showcasing top-notch culinary skills.

Dessert was a triumph. The chocolate cake was hands down the best we’ve ever tasted—rich, velvety, and utterly indulgent.

The atmosphere at Happy and Olive was charming, creating a warm and inviting setting for our meal. Coupled with excellent service that was both attentive and personable, it made for a thoroughly enjoyable dining experience.

We’re already looking forward to returning, perhaps to explore their brunch offerings next time. Happy and Olive is definitely a gem in Edmonton’s dining scene and one we’ll be sure to revisit. Highly...