Northern Bites
Yellowknife's markets, restaurants, and makers create a vibrant, globally inspired food scene rooted in northern life
It is a warm August afternoon, and the Yellowknife Farmers Market is buzzing with people. Tables are piled high with honey, jams and baked goods, handmade crafts and farm-fresh vegetables. Against the backdrop of Frame Lake, residents and visitors mingle, shop and picnic under the long northern sun.
As dinner hour approaches, I join the line for samosas, drawn by the aroma of spices. Around me, vendors offer everything from kimchi and dumplings to ramen and curry.
Here on the edge of the subarctic, in one of the coldest cities in the world, this market becomes my first taste of Yellowknife’s vibrant, surprisingly global food scene.
"I'd describe the food scene as diverse," laughs Stacie Arden-Smith, senior tourism coordinator with My Backyard Tours, a Tłı̨chǫ citizen and a lifelong Yellowknifer. "It is eclectic in the best way. And it mirrors the people who live here."
Stacie's own roots run deep: her family has called this northern shore home for generations. Over time, she explains, immigration from every corner of the world has layered new flavours onto that foundation.
"We have a large Filipino and South Asian community and a broader Asian population, so places like Sushi North and Taste of Saigon become comfort favourites," she says. "In the last five to seven years, we've seen a big influx from India. It's changing the makeup of the city and adding to what we eat."
You can taste that mix on a single stroll down Franklin Avenue, the city's main street, where sushi, boba, donair and butter chicken sit shoulder to shoulder.
In Old Town, which juts out into Yellowknife Bay, the classics hold their ground: the Wildcat Cafe (which has the distinction of being the city's first permanent restaurant and is located in a historic miner's log cabin ), Bullock's Bistro (famous for its fish and chips) and The Woodyard (a brewpub of the NWT Brewing Company).
The Woodyard
The Woodyard
Beyond the restaurants, a quiet web of local collaboration keeps the food culture strong.
"Businesses here support one another," Stacie says, noting how stores will stock other local products. "Everybody is kind of moonlighting for another company to help boost the economy."
The Tuesday Farmer's Market, launched only five years ago as a pilot project, has become a showcase of that spirit.
"Our businesses are built to serve the people who live here, not just the visitors," she adds. "And that makes it feel genuine, year-round."
The city is now home to two Asian markets and a new downtown shop, Tastes of the North, featuring products grown, harvested and made across the Northwest Territories. Surprises hide everywhere: a Thai food truck whose pad thai sells out at summer festivals, baklava tucked into an Asian bakery case, Indigenous fry bread served hot at The Underground bar and music venue.
I ask Stacie how it is that the people of this northern city are so food-forward.
"In Yellowknife, we're foodies," she says simply. "Hands down. In the winter, it's cold, and if you don't want to be outside, what do you do? You cook! For a lot of people here, food has become a passion."
Step into Canada's Golden Hour
