If you’re looking to dine at the best restaurants in Saskatoon, you’ve come to the right place.
Straddling the South Saskatchewan River, Saskatoon is the largest city in Saskatchewan. It has some of the sunniest days in Canada as well as some of the coldest temperatures during the winter months. But more importantly, it has one of the highest concentrations of restaurants per capita in the country!
So after learning about all the things to do in Saskatoon, it’s time to eat. In this guide, we’ll fill you in on some of the best places to eat in Saskatoon, including a few that have won some nationwide awards.
Let’s go!
1. Hearth
Popular with both locals and tourists, Hearth is a contemporary Prairie eatery that “takes the cake” when it comes to the best restaurants in Saskatoon. No, we’re not talking about their Sticky Toffee Pudding Date Cake dessert. We’re talking about the fact that Hearth, which only opened in 2018, quickly received distinction from publications like Air Canada enRoute (Canada’s Best New Restaurants nominee in 2019), and from Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list in 2020 (85th) and again in 2022 as they soared even higher to 62nd. But there’s another reason Hearth stood out to us. They serve big portions. As much as we love the great taste, we also love value, and when it comes to Hearth, you get both. Some of the dishes we loved during our visit were the Fish Fry appetizer (fried smoked trout cake, beer-battered pike, and fried pickerel wing served with tartar sauce), the Mushroom appetizer (wild & cultivated mushrooms with melty cheese and crostini), and the Beef main (grilled sirloin, smoked & grilled brisket, crispy scalloped potatoes, veggies, and red wine sauce).
As an added bonus, by the time you read this article, they will have likely moved to their new location, which conveniently resides within the Remai Modern Art Museum, which is one of the top things to do in Saskatoon.
2. Primal Pasta
Another award-winning restaurant in Saskatoon is Primal Pasta, which focuses on creating time-honoured Italian food and handmade pasta using Saskatchewan heritage grains and whole animal butchery. Not only did Primal Pasta become the only restaurant in Saskatchewan to crack the top 100 for OpenTable’s top 100 restaurants in Canada but they also made the list for Air Canada’s top 100 restaurants in Canada, coming in at 54th. The chefs at Primal Pasta have extensive experience from around the world and if you’re looking for a unique take on some classic pasta dishes, it’s a great spot to dine. If you can, we recommend going on Tuesdays when they feature a Pasta & Wine special for $30.
3. Odla and Farm One Forty
It’s not very often that someone owns both a farm and a restaurant, both of which are risky, but as you can imagine, the combination can pay off well.
Odla is a farm-driven restaurant in Saskatoon’s historic broadway neighbourhood, which is co-owned by a chef, a sommelier, and a farmer. They locally source their ingredients and boast more than 50 local producers as vendors, serving up a family-style dining experience that is upper-scale without being pretentious. They have taken this devotion to local so seriously that instead of using citrus in the kitchen they have started their own vinegar program to add acidity to their recipes! How cool is that?
If you want to up the game even further, however, you’ll want to try and have this restaurant experience out at Farm One Forty, a small-scale holistic operation outside Saskatoon that raises pastured chickens, pigs, sheep and cattle. If you can time your visit might, you can attend one of their on-farm dinner events, which combines delicious food, a lovely environment, and a tour of the farm.
4. Odd Couple
Currently ranked #1 on TripAdvisor, Odd Couple is another one of the best restaurants in Saskatoon, serving up popular high-quality, well-presented versions of classic Chinese/Vietnamese dishes in a nice, cozy atmosphere. Despite the tasty food and popularity, the prices are also quite good, making this a great place to get both taste and value.
5. Black Fox Farm & Distillery
Although Black Fox Farm & Distillery is not really a restaurant, the Charcuterie board they offer is one of the best we’ve ever had. Combine that delicious concoction of meats, cheeses, fruit and nuts, with award-winning whisky and gin, and you’ll see why it also made the list of the top places to eat in Saskatchewan.
In fact, Black Fox is one of the few farm-to-still distilleries in North America. These grain farmers turned distillers grow 90% of what is in their products, from honey to haskap berries to pumpkin flowers. It’s not too often you find actual farmers who also know how to make gin and whisky, but it’s a relationship that works out perfectly, earning them the Master award in World Whisky Masters and Gold in the Canadian Artisan Spirits Competition in 2021.
Toss in the beautiful location and their self-pick flower farm and this is a place you don’t want to miss.
6. Ayden Kitchen and Bar
After winning the first season of Top Chef Canada in 2011, Chef Dale MacKay moved back to his hometown of Saskatoon to open up Ayden Kitchen & Bar, which offers a sophisticated approach to homegrown and globally inspired comfort food paired with properly hand-crafted cocktails and wines, quickly becoming one of the top restaurants in Saskatoon.
The restaurant itself is beautiful, creating a relaxed and inviting setting that evokes rich dark woods and antique curiosities while the menu offers items such as trout, pork loin, steak, and charcuterie.
7. Bon Temps Cafe
Specializing in authentic Cajun cuisine, Bon Temps Cafe brings the taste of Louisiana to Saskatoon, greeting its customers with music that filters into the street and boasting a lively yet warm atmosphere. What stands out to us immediately is the beauty of the environment, featuring wrought iron, custom millwork, and comfortable lighting.
Seafood Creole, Maple Pecan Crusted Salmon, Colonel Bob’s Buttermilk Fried Frikin’ Chicken, and Blackened Chicken are just some of the delights found here, in addition to an extensive cocktail menu with a special focus on bourbon.
8. Manos Restaurant and Lounge
From Greece with love, Mano’s, which opened up way back in 1981, is one of the many local favourite restaurants in Saskatoon, combining a young, hip, vibe with an extensive menu featuring dishes such as Baked Lasagna, Shrimp Scampi, Dry Aged New York Steak, Greek Ribs & Chicken Alexander, and even burgers and pizza.
They’ve won awards for both their food (OpenTable) and even their design, earning the Design Council of Saskatchewan’s 2009 Premier’s Design Award of Excellence. The upscale interior features a theme of earth, rain and fire, balancing stone and water features with a dramatic sunburst ceiling.
9. Taverna Italian Kitchen + Bar
Specializing in rustic Italian dishes, Taverna Italian Kitchen + Bar has had a long storied history in Saskatoon, including bragging rights when Oprah Winfrey dined here in 2013. The restaurant imports much of its pasta from Italy, but makes its ravioli, gnocchi and tortellini fresh in-house.
There’s a reason Italian food is so popular around the world. Simple ingredients like vine-ripened San Marzano tomatoes, fresh garlic, warm basil and thick golden olive oil bring a certain zest to the food that everyone loves.
10. The Rook & Raven Pub
If you’re looking for a quality pub with delicious food, it’s hard to beat The Rook & Raven. Opened back in 2011, it was one of the founding locally-owned pubs that started the downtown Saskatoon food and drink revolution.
Opened in 2011, the rook was one of the founding locally owned and operated pubs that started the downtown food and drink revolution. Locals love it for its comfortable and casual atmosphere and fair prices, not to mention the great food and extensive drink menu. Some items that stand out to us include the Spicy Smokehouse Burger, Braised Brisket, Beet and Goat Cheese Salad, and the Newfoundland Mussels.
11. Sticks and Stones
Founded by Chef Dale Mackay (Ayden Kitchen and Bar) alongside seasoned restaurateur and nationally acclaimed mixologist Christopher Cho, Sticks and Stones is yet another quality restaurant brought to you by the Grassroots Restaurant Group.
This is the place to go for those interested in Japanese/Korean fares, such as ramen, steamed buns & sushi rolls, all served in a modern space with playful murals.
12. Konga Cafe
One of the things that makes Canada special is the abundance of food from all over the world and when it comes to ethnic restaurants in Saskatoon, Konga Cafe rises to the top. Serving delicious Caribbean food at great prices, this restaurant has almost completely 5-star reviews thanks in part to their friendly service and dishes such as West Indian Curry Chicken, Jamaicans Jerk Chicken, Tropical BBQ Chicken, Sweetfire chicken, Canajun Pork Chops, and Shrimp Creole.
13. Hometown Diner
Enough with dinner, let’s talk about breakfast! Hometown Diner, which is located in Saskatoon’s eclectic Riversdale district serves all-day breakfast and lunch, seven days a week. They offer a modern diner with each dish made from scratch with the freshest ingredients. They also use seasonal and local suppliers as much as possible and offer tasty dishes such as Carrot Cake Pancakes, Chicken + Waffles, Salmon Eggs Benny, Huevos Rancheros, and more.
14. Poached Breakfast Bistro & Flint Saloon
Come in the morning for a delicious hearty breakfast or come in the evening for delicious cocktails. Actually, why not do both?
Opened daily from 8 am – 2 pm, Poached Breakfast Bistro offers up a unique and delicious array of all things brunch, with a selection of eggs benedicts, omelettes, and housemade creations that will make you want to wake up early. Then, on select days from 4 pm to Midnight, Poached becomes Flint Saloon, offering a great selection of cocktails, martinis, signature mason jars, and a rotating tap of Saskatchewan-made beer in addition to tasty charcuterie boards.
15. Baba’s Homestyle Perogies
Although this is the least fancy option on this list, we couldn’t help but feature Baba’s Homestyle Perogies. Saskatchewan is home to a large Ukrainian population and with that comes delicious authentic perogies, beet borscht, cabbage rolls, and smokies. In addition to eating inside, you can also buy frozen perogies to take home with you or order from their perogy drive-thru, which is likely the only one in Canada.
Want More?
While there are so many tasty restaurants in Saskatoon, there’s also a lot more to do in Saskatchewan. If you’re looking to explore more of the province, check out our other travel guides below.
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