How can I support local restaurants?

COVID-19 has been rough on local restaurants. At first, some were forced to close dining areas or shut down completely when the Alberta government limited “sit-down restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, food courts and other food-serving facilities” to 50% capacity and a maximum of 50 people. Now all dine-in services are prohibited, though takeout, drive-through and delivery are still permitted.

Here is a list of more than 400 local businesses offering food pickups and deliveries, compiled by Vinson Luong. You can also find a number of local restaurants on Things That Are Open and ShopYEG. Linda Hoang's wheel of local includes lots of restaurants, too. And Edmonton Made has some ideas, too.

Buying gift cards is another way to help provide an immediate cash boost to struggling firms. Farmers market vendors are also putting together fresh food kits for delivery.

For more on what's going on in Edmonton's food community during the pandemic, see Taproot's Food Roundup, curated by Sharon Yeo.