Spend a day in Lethbridge on Canada’s Food Tour
Lethbridge is an agricultural community and it’s no surprise their local food scene has a lot to offer tourists and locals alike. Tourism Lethbridge has pulled together a wonderful food tour for families, friends and food lovers to explore. The tours are self-guided and you pick your adventure in southern Alberta. I recently went on a Canada’s Food Tour hosted by Tourism Lethbridge and found some delightful farms, storefronts, restaurants and locally produced food and I’ve highlighted them for you here.
Broxburn greenhouse peppers
Broxburn Vegetables & Café is a restaurant, a greenhouse and a strawberry you-pick. The Broxburn Café is open 10:00 to 4:00 (closed Sunday), and has fresh produce from their own crops and greenhouse as well as products from other local farmers. Everything from the sandwiches to the salads are filled with flavor and freshness. If you want vegetables to take home there is a small store where you can buy produce such as peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant and also cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage when available. Paul de Jonge, the owner, explains that Broxburn specializes in growing Brassica vegetables that are started in the greenhouse and moved to the field. He also mentions the challenges with growing cauliflower and cabbage, but being able to differentiate Broxburn from other vegetable farms is a big advantage. For food safety reasons the Greenhouse is closed to the public, but they are providing mini-tours during their Annual Strawberry Festival (September 1st) or Open Farm Days (August 13th and 14th).
Prairie Hills Farms Haskap Berries
If you love Haskap berries, then Prairie Hills Farms is a must-stop on your food adventure. Prairie Hills Farms grows about 40 acres of these berries and then processes them into juice and jams. You can find their products in local stores and restaurants as well as in their own retail shop near Picture Butte. Haskaps have their own flavor, but I would describe them as a cross between a blueberry and raspberry. These berries are known for their health benefits and are packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Throughout Canada’s Food Tour near Lethbridge you’ll discover many foods made with Haskap, including BBQ sauces, jams, juice, syrup, baking, and also ciders from Little Gem and ice cream at Crystal Springs Cheese.
The Beyers family is a family dairy farm with a passion for making cheese when they purchased Crystal Spring Cheese in 2005. They started small with Feta and Gouda but have since added Cheddar, Curds, and Havarti and have also won awards for their Gouda, goat Feta and Asiago. You can also find Crystal Spring Cheese in many grocery stores across Alberta, but if you do plan to visit Lethbridge, a tour of the cheesery is worth the trip. Tours are offered by request, and you can also see the cheese being made from the large window inside the storefront.
Cheese room at Crystal Springs Cheese
Broek Pork Acres is a farm and butcher shop owned and operated with a hands-on approach by Allan and Joanne Vanden Broek. The Vanden Broek’s raise free range Berkshire Hogs for quality and taste. You will find fresh meat cuts in their storefront including shoulder cuts, loins, legs for roasting, ribs for the BBQ, and ground pork for sausage and patties. They also have cured or smoked products such as bacon, ham, sausage and deli meats. Broek Pork Acres is a chef favourite for the quality and the availability of specialty cuts. The Vanden Broek’s are very open and friendly making the farm-to-plate experience extra special when you can learn about how your food is produced.
Broek Pork Acres - pork belly
The ciders and wine at Little Gem Winery are made with Haskap berries grown in the prairies. I loved the flavour – a little tart with a touch of sweetness. The winery hasn’t been around for very long, but the family has been farming in the Lethbridge area for generations. My favourite was the cider and the Rose was a close second. You can find their wines and cider at several locations in the Lethbridge area.
Mocha Local is a meal kit, an online farmers market, a local retail shop and a restaurant (Mocha Cabana). There is no doubt that the founders, Angel and Jaclyn, support local farmers and businesses. The food served in the restaurant is fresh and delicious with a great deal of recognition for the local farms. Each farm is identified on the menu with a little story on the farmers that grow or raise the products. Mocha Cabana is an excellent restaurant to include in your Canada’s Farm Tour because after you taste the meals, you’ll want to visit the farms and buy your own locally produced food.
Local food found at Local Mocha
You might also want to stop at the Italian Table located in the Sandman Hotel, Lethbridge and the Cattlemen’s Chophouse in Picture Butte. You should try the Traditional Antipasto with some local meats and cheeses at the Italian Table, and you can’t go wrong with any of the beef dishes at Cattlemen’s Chophouse.
Local food at Cattlemen’s Chophouse
Other things to do and see while in Lethbridge are the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden, the Birds of Prey Centre, or going for a walk in the coulees. After devouring such amazing local food, I was thankful for the chance to do some non-food activities.
Canada’s Food Tour in Lethbridge was hosted by Tourism Lethbridge. Check out their website tourismlethbridge.com to plan your own food tour. If you go, be sure to tag #exploreLethbridge in your social media posts.
