Edmonton restaurant serving Aboriginal cuisine to the masses

EDMONTON – There’s a new restaurant in town that’s offering Edmontonians a taste of traditional Aboriginal culture. 

On Monday, local businessman Jules Thomas opened the doors to the city’s latest eatery, Bannock Burger at 140th Ave and 142 Street.

Bannock is a doughy treat that’s a fixture in Aboriginal homes and pow-wows. Thomas grew up eating it, then introduced his grandmother’s recipe to the greater public at last summer’s Taste of Edmonton to rave reviews.

“When we opened our first day at Churchill Square and the line was a block long, I knew we had a good product and we were doing something good,” he says.

He saw the success as an opportunity.

“I’m like, well there’s no other place that sells bannock burgers. There’s no place that sells Indian tacos every day. I’m thinking why can’t I do that?

Not only has Thomas now filled that void in Edmonton’s food scene, but after overcoming his own personal struggles, he’s also hoping to inspire his community with his success.

“I wanted to show other people how beautiful our culture is and we can be just as good,” he says. “We can be in business and we can strive for anything we want.”

Thomas would like to eventually open another location near Oliver Square, then one day expand his business across the country.

Follow @TrishKozicka

With files from Laurel Clark, Global News