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    Lemongrass Cafe

    4.2 (86 reviews)
    ModerateVietnamese, Cafes
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

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    LEMONGRASS CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Lemongrass Cafe

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    Lemon grass chicken and noodle bowl
    Milt B.

    This place is classic and does a pretty decent job of Vietnamese food. I've been coming here for years. It has changed owners a few times I think, but still maintain a loyal and deserved following. I eat gluten free, but I don't recommend for celiacs, as you may be taking your life in your hands, depending on who is in the kitchen. We frequently order this from skip the dishes.

    Shahab P.

    I've been going to this restaurant for many years but the last time I went there was the first time after their renovation. The place looks nicer and more interesting for sure. The food as it was expected was still good. The staff is always friendly and helpful and it seems the place is very efficient. Overall I like the quality and value of the food, customer service and the atmosphere. I recommend this place and I will definitely go back there.

    Thai Tiger (8.00)
    Erika G.

    Lemongrass is a restaurant that has been around for as long as I can remember. Located in the southside neighbourhood of Empire Park, it's the kind of place that might not always come to mind - but maybe it should. Edmonton Journal named Lemongrass Best Vietnamese Restaurant 2020 and with the beautiful updates that they've made in recent years, they are certainly worth checking out. I visited on a Saturday evening and was reminded of the ways that the restaurant has kicked things up a notch. Their signature colour is a beautiful green that is reflected on their outdoor signage and on the walls inside. They used to go by the name Lemongrass Café but have now simplified to only Lemongrass, which feels a bit more modern. The restaurant has installed several garden boxes out front, all beautifully inscribed with the names of different herbs and plants, which they use to grow actual ingredients for the restaurant (in the warmer months). Entering the space, everything feels fresh. The pop of green on the walls really stands out and the beautiful rattan lanterns hanging from the ceiling help to complete the atmosphere. They've done a wonderful job in refreshing the restaurant and making it feel more current. It's like they've taken the idea of the lemongrass plant and channeled it into the vibe of the restaurant, which I love. It feels more cohesive. Seated at one of the round tables, I began to consider my beverage choice. Lemongrass has got a truly insane caesar called "The LG Fireworks" that I was tempted to try. In fact, the restaurant dares you to try it. It's a caesar topped with a green onion cake, spring roll, kimchi and shrimp. This type of "piled-high" caesar has certainly been a trend over the last few years and I liked seeing that Lemongrass has thrown an entry into the ring. I didn't order it this time but I will definitely return to do so. Instead, I was pretty excited by some of the other very fun drinks on the menu, such as; boba iced Vietnamese coffee and a beautiful whipped matcha drink. I chose the Thai Tiger (Traditional Thai black tea brewed then sweetened and topped with brown sugar stripes, tapioca pearls, and fresh cream - $8.00) due to my very strong love for Thai iced tea. The brown sugar style of boba is another very hot trend these days and it became very clear to me that Lemongrass is attempting to keep things current, which I don't mind seeing at all. This bubble tea drink was HUGE! As a Thai iced tea it tased delicious and combined the flavours of a milky iced tea really well. But then you toss some brown sugar pearls on there... And that just can't be wrong. I loved the sweet, syrupy flavour and the whole drink just spoke my language. For an appetizer it had to be the Green Onion Cakes ($7.00), a true Edmonton food innovation. An order comes with "two pieces" but what they mean by that is "tons of green onion cake!" The value is very good. Served with a sweet chili sauce, these morsels are satisfying and easy to eat. Green onion cakes are a huge deal in this city and you'll typically find two types. There are the ones that are made in more of a pancake style (think Fringe) and then there are the more fluffy style which is what Lemongrass serves. Both are good in their own right. The benefit to the fluffy ones is that because of their puffiness, there are more cervices for the dipping sauce to get into. I typically prefer a spicy sauce myself but sweet chili was a nice alternative. Golden brown with a slight chew on the inside, I enjoyed this version of a classic Edmonton offering. The food menu is long and extensive at Lemongrass. There is a lot to choose from and certainly different ways that you can choose to approach your meal. I gravitated to the "Vermicelli in a Bowl" section of the menu because I felt that these dishes might encapsulate the overall Lemongrass experience the best. I wanted something that truly felt like a Vietnamese dish (but wasn't phở, which they do also serve) and that showcases an array of ingredients. I went for the Combination of Spring Rolls, Charbroiled Prawns and Lemongrass Chicken ($14.50). A vermicelli bowl with cut up spring roll on top has always been a little item of joy for me. The food came out quickly and I was excited to get into it. Served on a bed of vermicelli noodles, fresh bean sprouts, shredded lettuce, and cucumbers. Garnished with pickled carrots, fried green onions, and peanuts. Served with a homemade fish sauce. I immediately poured the entire contents of the fish sauce overtop the entire bowl. Vermicelli is a very thin rice noodle that absorbs the flavours of whatever is served around it. I went about tossing everything together so that my bites would be more of a mix of everything. The spring rolls were maybe my favourite part, hand wrapped rolls filled with shrimp, seasoned ground pork, vegetables, and glass noodles. Deep fried to a golden crisp, these were flavourful and I enjoyed their light crunch. The proteins were very en

    Michael T.

    I ate here not long ago with my family and it was very enjoyable. The staff were kind and the restaurant was peaceful. I loved the tea that we ordered, and the food was pretty good too. I would definitely recommend this restaurant simply for the atmosphere though.

    Madeleine B.

    Seriously guys , my husband I have been going here for 7 years . It's amazing . It's clean , the staff is the original from day one . If you go at lunch time it's hard to get a table . This place is amazing I usually get chicken coconut curry soup or vermicelli bowl (spring rolls , shrimp and fried tofu ) . Hubby gets traditional pho

    Am in South Edmonton on business, ordered from here through SkipTheDishes, BIG MISTAKE! When ordering through SkipTheDishes the first line asks for how many cutlery out require, which I input 1. The order came in a timely manner however no cutlery was to be found! So I called the restaurant to ask how they could fix it, the gentleman tried blaming me that none was ordered while I was sitting here in my hotel room looking at the order on my phone (see attached picture) confirming it WAS on there. Needless to say a vermicelli bowl is tough to eat with no utensils. In the end their solution was I could drive down there and pick some up which my response that's an asinine solution, if I wanted to drive down there I would of just picked up the dinner myself! Needless to say the above was NOT acceptable, so I messaged support on SkipTheDishes and going back and forth for 20 min they finally agreed the restaurant messed up and refunded me the complete order price, I then threw it in garbage and went to hotel restaurant which I was trying to avoid in the first place. I sure hope SkipTheDishes charged the restaurant back as it was no fault of theirs either. I can't rate the food nor will I ever be supporting this establishment with future orders or visits.

    Lauren N.

    We had just eaten dinner here tonight, and I'm still feeling quite full from the meal. The Lemongrass Cafe serves both Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, although mainly Vietnamese. The layout of the restaurant doesn't look like your typical it's-just-about-the-food Vietnamese restaurant; it looks a bit fancier, and slightly feels like a European cafe, which is strange ambiance for an Asian restaurant. It's like a Vietnamese restaurant in the time of French colonization really. The service is friendly and quick, we didn't have to wait long at all for our meal. I'd say about 10 minutes tops. I was tempted to order the pho, but I was very doubtful of what the quality would be like, based on the atmosphere of the place. Plus their pho selection is very limited. There's like four dishes you can choose from (I don't think it's their specialty). So I ordered the springs rolls on vermicelli instead, and my boyfriend got the wonton soup and green onion cakes. My spring rolls were good, but nothing will ever compare to my grandmother's spring rolls. I sampled my boyfriend's wonton soup, and it was delicious, but they put such a tiny amount of pork meat inside the wonton. You barely bite into it and realize that's all there is! It's not even a teaspoon of meat in there. The portion of the soup is really small too, definitely not something to be ordered on its own. The green onion cakes were really good though. They give you lots, and these ones are chewy and non-greasy. Our bill came to about $20 including tip. Not bad, but I think I still prefer the places in Chinatown, or Phobulous near Whyte.

    Brewing Vietnamese ice coffee
    Jai E.

    I went to this place on a recommendation. And I highly recommend you go too. It is a very casual place with deliciously tasty food. The menu is about 10 pages long and most of the menu is shareable sized which is typical of Asian restaurants. I recommend trying a sizzling plate at least once, but be warned, it does come out sizzling on a cast iron tray. Don't be surprised if you're not careful and burn yourself. Huge selection of pho. Start with the salad rolls and spring rolls, they're divine. Have a Vietnamese iced tea while you are there. Great for post dinner.

    medium-rare beef noodle soup $9
    Chanda N.

    When I went to this cafe it wasn't too busy, we were quickly seated and served our appetizers. The onion cake was perfect, and they served a generous portion of it. I had the medium-rare beef noodle which only costs nine dollars and it was so tasty! The soup was perfect and the noodles were perfectly cooked. I was all set for lunch the next day too! The staff is super friendly and will always make sure that your water glasses are filled. (I hate it when you're at a restaurant and you run out of water but have to wait for forever to get it refilled. :p) I definitely recommend this cafe!

    Ginger beef yum yum yum

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    4 years ago

    MY GO TO VIETNAMESE PLACE ON THE SOUTH! Always fire!! Big portions! Very flavourful! My kids love it to! Also very great for takeout!

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    8 years ago

    Absolutely love Lemongrass Cafe - never been disappointed...only challenge is get a seat some days as it's so popular.

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    La Bosco Bakery & Cafe

    La Bosco Bakery & Cafe

    3.7
    (30 reviews)
    3.1 km

    Upon walking in, I was impressed by the amount of space there was inside. There were many full…read moretables of people when we arrived past noon, and I loved seeing the wide assortment of green plants scattered throughout the cafe. We got a couple of things: an Almond Croissant, Bulgogi Poutine, a Lavender London Fog with oat milk, and a Peppermint Mocha with oat milk. My Almond Croissant was okay. I know almond croissants are made with leftover pastries, but there was no texture at all. It just fell flat, and lookswise it was physically flat as well lol. It was alright. I wouldn't get the almond croissant again. The Bulgogi Poutine was pretty good. The fries were delicious and crispy. The sauce on top of the fries was slightly sweet, salty, and savory. For me, the bulgogi could've been more flavorful and it didn't taste fresh but I liked the overall dish. Lastly, the Peppermint Mocha was alright. It wasn't spectacular. And I felt the same way about my Lavender London Fog with oat milk. I wish there was more depth in my drink. I think the tea could've been steeped a little longer. Flavor was there in my drink, but it wasn't strong enough. It was slightly disappointing since I've had amazing London Fogs before, and this one just wasn't up to par. Also my drink was slightly warm, not too far off from lukewarm. I feel like the price doesn't exactly correlate with quality for most things here. If we come back here, I'd be willing to try different things and pastries. But I don't think my rating would change much.

    This place is great, clean, good food and drinks, staff is great, all of them are nice, and…read moreeverything went smoothly. We came in with 6 band kids and they were fine with it, very very PEAK here.

    Photos
    The counter. The menu
    The counter. The menu
    Earl Grey Cake
    Earl Grey Cake
    Mocha latte, kids hot chocolate and brownie

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    Mocha latte, kids hot chocolate and brownie
    Block 1912

    Block 1912

    3.4
    (209 reviews)
    3.4 km
    $$

    In my (heavily biased) opinion Old Strathcona and Whyte Ave is the best part of the entire city. It…read moreprobably helps that I live nearby and have frequented this part of town practically every day of the combined fifteen years that I have called Edmonton home. The vibrant history of the area is one of Whyte Ave's defining features, each part of the streetscape telling its own story. One such example is the Hulbert block; a three-storey, brick clad, Edwardian commercial building that was built in 1912. On the street level of this building Edmontonians have been enjoying cozy cafe visits at Block 1912 (the cafe's name a tribute to the year that the building was built) since 1992. This cafe is one of the most notable spots on the avenue and their 33 year tenure makes them an iconic and reliable mainstay. Named Favourite Coffee Shop 2023 in the Edmonton Journal, it goes to show that even after this many years people seek out the familiar and comfortable spaces in the city. After all, Block 1912 really does feel a lot like going home. I have spent plenty of time at Block 1912 over the years and I have always been impressed by the immense amount of space that this cafe occupies. Full of time-weathered quirks, there is never any shortage of things to see and discover in this original-exposed-brick hideaway. Deep within the cafe the lighting dims as there are only windows at the very front of the space making natural light sparse. There are different levels of seating and mis-matched chairs. An entire nook is lined with shelves of books. I happen to know that there are secret drawers in various pieces of furniture that are filled with hundreds of notes, left by past patrons. Artists and musicians are encouraged to pitch their portfolios to the manager in order to be featured in the space - whether it be on the walls or to perform during one of the regular live music evenings. Visiting on a Saturday afternoon, I hadn't been to Block 1912 in a while and was interested in exploring everything that their menu has to offer these days. And there's a lot! The counter for ordering is about halfway into the cafe and the glass case full of pastries is an immediate distraction. Did you know that they also make their own gelato?? Of course all sorts of coffee beverages are available but Block 1912 also serves alcohol. There's a full menu of sandwiches, small plates, and comfort food. The staff is friendly and happy to answer any questions. I wanted to order a coffee to stick with the cafe vibe... But I'm not a straight black coffee kind of girl. The Ganache Mocha ($8.75) caught my eye but then I saw the list of 46 (!!) flavoured syrups that there are to choose from! It's almost impossible to decide on only one and after much difficulty I selected Toasted Marshmallow as an add-on to my mocha. Seemed like flavours that would make a lot of sense together! (If you ever want to find out what a "pineberry" latte tastes like go to Block 1912 and let me know what happens.) I settled into a table right at the front of the restaurant so that I could enjoy the small amount of natural light that reaches the interior. Receiving my coffee, I have to say that they got the memo! I was impressed at how much my toasted marshmallow ganache mocha looked exactly the part - there were even mini marshmallows on top! Was it incredibly sweet? Yes. Was there even coffee in this? Who knows! But this warm beverage was what I had been hoping for. Chocolatey with a definite toasted marshmallow flavour, I was delighted that this drink felt like a specialty cafe creation. In the interest of having an entire lunch, I wanted to order something off of the sandwich menu. The Hot Italian Grill seems like the sandwich to get. But the Turkey Apple Brie Sandwich ($16.00) felt seasonally appropriate and I picked that one. A soup or salad is also included, turning this dish into a meal. There were two daily soups available and the Vegetable Beetroot Soup also seemed to match the falltime vibe. I liked that the bread was a lot more interesting than a plain white or brown type. Instead, this bread was studded with what appeared to be cranberries - an ideal match for a turkey sandwich! The brie cheese was gooey and melty. I barely noticed the apples. It was a decently good sandwich but there wasn't a whole lot of filling and I could have easily made something like this at home. I liked the flavour combination though. The soup was warm and flavourful with a fairly fine dice of veggies within. I was expecting a more prominent beet component (maybe not a full borscht but somewhat closer to that) and I'm not sure if I noted the beets at all. If there was any, they were chopped very small and completely mixed in with the other vegetables. I also had to try the Herb Crusted Chicken Pot Pie ($18.00) from the Comfort Food part of the menu. Who doesn't love a soul-warming comfort food on a chilly day? It was even raining! Also served with soup or salad, we decided to try a salad

    This cafe has a really nice interior. There was recorded jazz playing when we were there…read more Got a peach smoothie. It was a bit icey but the peach flavour was good

    Photos
    Block 1912
    Block 1912
    Block 1912

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    Da Capo

    Da Capo

    3.5
    (31 reviews)
    3.4 km
    $$

    A friendly little coffee shop perched onto Roots on Whyte. The room is an interesting shape, small…read morebut they made good use of the space by running seats along the length of the windowed wall. It's a bit cramped but it's not bad if the tabes are not full. I managed to bag the table with the plug in but its really cold by the window in winter. Really drafty! I ordered a soup to keep warm, it was red lentil and feta which was tasty. The portion was large and it came with two warm cheese scones. The scones were worth a star alone! I wanted a vanilla latte but they don't do any flavoured coffees. The normal latte was fine but small. It came in a cute glass :) It's a nice open spot for a short meeting, or a quick coffee and catch up. But not somewhere I'd spend a few hours working... not in winter... too chilly.

    Stepped in to grab some coffee to go during a walk on Whyte. I was interested in the caffe Canadese…read moreand asked how it was different from the Americano. The girl at the cash till explained that instead of adding water to espresso, it's done by running more water through the espresso coffee grind and therefore making it much stronger than a Americano. So basically their version of a lungo. I enjoyed it but I can't say I'll order it again simply because it tasted like a stronger brew of a dark roast, which I can get at many other coffee shops. The cappuccino was delicious! I almost wanted to go back to ask what the secret was! It's possible that they milk with a higher percentage in fat or cream, which gave it a very nutty flavour. I'll definitely be coming back for a cappuccino the next time I'm in the area, as well as looking forward to trying their affogato and gelato when the weather is warmer.

    Photos
    Da Capo
    After ten affagato mmmmm yum!
    After ten affagato mmmmm yum!
    Da Capo

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    Lemongrass Cafe - vietnamese - Updated June 2026

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