MKT Fresh Food & Beer Market: Stay for the Beer

We were out running errands on a recent Sunday afternoon. At some point some of us (okay, one of us... ) started to get a little cranky and the hanger was setting in. We were shocked to realize that it was already 3pm and we hadn't eaten lunch yet! Low blood sugar was definitely a problem. Since we were near Whyte Ave and in the mood for burgers or pub food, we stopped into MKT Fresh Food & Beer Market.

MKT has been open for over a year now and is a favourite of ours in the summer. It's an easy walk from our place, and they have a fantastic patio and beer selection. However, it seems that we have never actually ordered a meal there. Sure, we've had the nachos (delicious and large serving size) and other appetizers, but never a full meal.

On a side note, MKT should not be confused with MRKT (downtown on Jasper). MKT is owned by the Century Hospitality Group (100, Lux, etc.). Why they chose a name so similar to another restaurant is beyond me. 

Anyway, it was relatively quiet for a Sunday afternoon, though there were definitely groups seated at the bar and in some of the booths. Given our mood, we were happy for the quiet environment.

The boyfriend is a huge fan of MKT for their massive beer selection. They have 60 beers on tap and another 60 bottled varieties. While I am definitely a wine girl through and through, I quite enjoy MKT since they have lots of beers that I like. 

These days, Blanche de Chambly seems to be my favourite! It was a nice and refreshing choice on this Sunday afternoon.

Pretzel's n' Dips

We started with an order of the pretzels to share (Pretzels n’ Dips: Artistic Bakery’s soft & warm pretzels, Stiegl cheese sauce, German mustard, $10). The pretzels arrived warm and were delicious all on their own. They were soft and fluffy on the inside with just the right amount of chewiness on the outside, and perfectly salted. The mustard dip tasted a lot more like a very spicy horseradish, just yellow in colour. It was very tasty but man, was it spicy! The cheese sauce was unfortunately bland and thin in comparison.

Prime Beef Dip

I was in the mood for a beef dip and the description sounded like it was going to hit the spot perfectly (Prime Beef Dip: Slow roasted beef, shaved thin, caramelized onions, roasted garlic jus, French roll, $16). The beef itself was tender and flavourful and you really can't go wrong with caramelized onions. The French roll, on the other hand, was extremely dry and lacked any discernable flavour. A garlic aioli and a nice toast would have been much appreciated. I left a lot of the very dry roll on the plate. 



The boyfriend went with the burger (MKT Brgr’: 7 oz. Spirit View Ranch Heritage Angus beef burger, double smoked bacon, aged cheddar, roasted tomatoes, arugula, spicy mayo, fresh baked bun, $15). He was extremely satisfied with his burger. The patty was thick and cooked through without being dry. Plus he's really a sucker for anything with bacon on it. I tried a bite and thought the arugala was a nice touch, as opposed to the standard lettuce.

MKT Brgr'

We both got french fries with our meals; clearly we are not really salad people and wouldn't do well on a low-carb diet. The fries were crispy and well-seasoned, which is exactly how I like them! There were plenty of fries left over to take home, which were delicious with our favourite steamed mussels a few nights later.

MAC N' CHEESE

Finally, my sister was craving some comfort food. She went with the macaroni and cheese (MAC N’ CHEESE:  Corkscrew macaroni, Sleeman’s Honey Brown & Applewood cheddar cheese sauce, baked golden crispy, $15). The mac and cheese was actually topped with potato chips, which was a bit odd and didn't really add anything. I'm also not sure there was any noticeable flavour from the Sleeman's honey brown as advertised. The noodles were al dente to the point where they almost had too much bite to them. Chewiness of the noodles aside, she enjoyed her meal and had plenty leftover to take home for lunch on Monday. 

All things considered, our meal really hit the spot. There were a few little things that could be improved with each dish, but overall it was tasty and satisfying. This is definitely a place that is worth frequenting for the beer list alone! And the food is pretty good as well. They have a large food menu and I would definitely be willing to try some of their other dishes next time we are there. 

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MKT Fresh Food & Beer Market

8101 Gateway Blvd 

Edmonton, AB T6E 3X8

(780) 439-2337