There are so many new communities developing around Edmonton and aside from all the beautiful, newly built homes, my favourite thing is finding the hidden food gems in these areas. Too often, I notice that the suburbs around the city seldom have something unique and local. Sure, chain restaurants are convenient and well-loved but as someone who lives further out from the city’s core, it’s such a win when I find a local spot near home. When I discovered locally owned Meat the Bun in the Summerside community, I was super excited to try their selection of freshly made burgers and sides!
Meat the Bun is a casual style eatery – come in, order first, then dine in or take it to-go. The space is open and modern, and I personally like the thoughtful decor/touches they’ve added to play up their burger-centric offerings. As their punny name suggests, their menu consists of burgers that are made with locally raised and handcrafted patties, freshly baked buns, and house-made sauces. You can also opt for hot dogs, a variety of sides, and milkshakes/drinks. I definitely recommend popping in to try their burgers. There’s even something for vegans and vegetarians.
While there are options to build your own burger, I thought it’d be better to try out their signature options to start… and I wasn’t wrong because they were delicious. Upon first bite, you can immediately tell that their patties and buns are made fresh. The meat is so juicy and tender and the buns are just the right texture. I tried the Swish Swish ($10.99) a beef burger sandwiched between brioche buns, topped with roasted garlic aioli, sauteed mushrooms, swiss cheese, and fresh tomatoes/lettuce.
If you are looking for a burger that is both Instagram ready and extremely tasty, The Queen ($15.99) is definitely the one. It’s the most expensive item on their menu but it is probably one of the best burgers that I’ve enjoyed! It’s made with a Meat the Bun black bun (black sesame bun), truffle infused mushrooms, smoked gouda cheese, arugula, an onion ring and truffle aioli. I found the gouda overpowers the truffle a bit but I loved it anyhow – super savoury and the flavours were right up my alley.
The menu currently offers two hot dog options and I recently tried the MTB Hot Dog ($4.99). This was unfortunately my least favourite item here so far but if you’re a hot dog fan, it could be a contending choice. The all beef hot dog can be dressed up with whatever toppings you prefer but I just found that it wasn’t anything special overall and the sliced cheese that it came with wasn’t really my thing.
To accompany your burger (or hot dog), check out the Truffle Poutine ($7.99)! It is topped off with gravy and a truffle aioli. The flavour is definitely prominent and while it was filling, it was quickly finished. If you want to stick to something more simple, you can’t go wrong with the Curly Fries ($5.99) which are fried to perfection and seasoned well. I may be biased though because curly fries are definitely in my top 3 choices of “different ways to enjoy potatoes” haha.
The milkshakes ($4.99) are also a nice treat. I personally liked the Dutch Chocolate Milkshake over the Strawberry Milkshake, but at the end of the day, you can’t go wrong with either. It was nice to see that the milkshakes are made fresh with real ice cream too.
With an open kitchen space, it’s great to be able to see the staff cooking and knowing that everything is made fresh-to-order. Menu prices are pretty fair and even if you’re on the hunt for a budget meal, I feel that their cheapest items will still be satisfying. Nonetheless, I know I will definitely be returning to enjoy more items and look forward to devouring another burger at Meat the Bun!
Meat the Bun
118, 9080 25 Ave SW
Edmonton, AB
Eat with Sharon 