The Sabor Group is continuing its expansion in downtown Edmonton, opening The Atrium over the recent summer and planning to open Roca by Sabor in 2026.
The expansion is anchored by an enduring hope that the Sabor Group's owners have for downtown to return to its former 1980s self.
"We had the pleasure of growing up in a downtown that was thriving," Sabor Group co-owner Christian Mena told Taproot of that time.
"We were downtown every day to hang out," co-owner Lino Oliveira added. "It was very safe. We worked in a restaurant called Bones that used to be next to the space where Sabor is now, so it feels like a privilege to own a business where we spent a lot of time as kids."
Sabor Group operates Sabor and Bodega downtown, in addition to six other Bodega locations in the Edmonton area and one in Calgary. In August, the duo launched The Atrium, located on the main floor in the newly renovated Revillon Boardwalk Building at 10310 102 Avenue NW. Sabor is housed in the same building complex, but The Atrium has a completely separate kitchen.
Sabor Group had been approached by Allied Properties, the building's owner, about the idea of operating a full-service café and bistro in the refreshed space (the building has since changed hands and is now owned by Armco Capital). The concept aligned with Mena and Oliveira's ambitions to add a more dynamic events space to their business portfolio.
"We were constantly getting requests to host weddings and other events for years," Mena said. "The idea of having other people catering in the space didn't appeal to us, so we jumped on the idea."
The Atrium allows groups to host a private event with a minimum spend, but without the more significant expense of buying out Sabor at a 200-person rate for an evening.
Mena suggested The Atrium could significantly benefit downtown. "Just from the event space, we're going to bring in thousands of people. For Christmas, 15,000 people will come to this space alone."
Added Oliveira: "A lot of people who have come have been to Sabor or the area before, but are coming from the outskirts of town. We want them to leave happy and bring other people back."
Sabor Group co-owners Lino Oliveira and Christian Mena are invested in downtown. (Sharon Yeo)
Outside of private events, The Atrium is open for lunch on weekdays and for dinner when the space is available. As well, The Atrium will soon add a daytime café to its operations.
Mena is pleased to offer lunch again (Sabor ceased its lunch service after the pandemic, and Bodega opens at 4pm). Oliveira is embracing the opportunity to flex his culinary horizons beyond the Portuguese and Spanish flavours Sabor and Bodega are known for.
"It is hard to grow and be inspired, because 17 years of Sabor has narrowed the menu to the dishes people want," Oliveira said. "At The Atrium, I can create a menu that I can change more often. This is not Portuguese or Spanish. We can still incorporate the flavours, but I don't have to be true to anything. I can draw from other flavours like French and Asian."
Diners familiar with Sabor's menu will also notice differences. "Chicken at Sabor is for the person who can't decide," Oliveira said. "Here at The Atrium, we present it as one of our feature dishes. We do braised meats, more of a French touch. I also reached back to the 80s when I was a kid in the industry and doing comfort food with high end products — we have a pasta with aged cheddar and lobster tail — our version of mac and cheese."
Oliveira indicated that the menu could change with the seasons, and will be dictated more by what he is able to source through suppliers, such as wagyu beef and Skuna Bay salmon he was recently introduced to.
Oliveira views The Atrium as the ideal stepping stone towards their next project, Roca by Sabor. Announced earlier this year, Sabor Group has partnered with David Hawreluk to operate a restaurant in the Union Bank building at 10053 Jasper Avenue NW. Hawreluk purchased the historic landmark to house his business, Union Financial Corporation, in addition to the restaurant.
"We complement each other," Oliveira said. "(Hawreluk's) passion is infectious. We hit it off because we're passionate about the (hospitality) industry we're in."
Both Oliveira and Mena recognize that Roca by Sabor is the most ambitious project they've ever been a part of. Oliveira is concerned about meeting the moment, particularly because he feels the food should match the opulent interior.
"The space itself is luxurious, and they are using materials that are going back to 1910 when it was built," Oliveira said. "Christian believes in me more than I believe in myself, and it is hard to put yourself at a level you haven't achieved yet. It's the only project I've ever been scared of. We will be elevating a level of dining that isn't available in Edmonton. While at Sabor, you can eat the whole sardine, (Roca) is the filling. Sabor is the whole mushroom, (Roca) is the centre."
It is essential to Oliveira, however, that the refined dining still reflects the core value of Sabor's vision of good and honest hospitality. "It goes back to our nature at Sabor, we want you to feel like our guest and pamper you, instead of feeding you food from a magazine. Nothing wrong with that, but I've never been a fan of that kind of dining. You have to cook from the heart, because people will figure it out."
For Mena, Roca by Sabor will be "spectacular," and is a chance for the duo to cement their standing in Edmonton and continue to rebuild downtown.
"Because of the historic nature of the building, Roca gives us the opportunity for legacy. I feel confident in us, our customers, and what we've built. As far as we're concerned, a city should be judged by its downtown core. We've invested in downtown and don't want to see it regress."