Red Deer’s Oldest Restaurants

A Taste of History

Beef stirfry at George’s Pizza & Steak House in Red Deer.

The windmill on The Donut Mill has marked a Highway 2 stopping place since the spring of 1994. Next door, Glenn’s Family Restaurant has served travellers since January 28, 1986. George’s Pizza & Steakhouse predates both, opening in Red Deer in 1978.

Red Deer’s current restaurant chronology begins considerably later than those of Calgary or Edmonton. Earlier cafés filled Ross Street and Gaetz Avenue, but the businesses that lasted into the present day were largely established during the city’s growth after the 1970s.

Two entries, Glenn’s and The Donut Mill, are located in Gasoline Alley in Red Deer County rather than inside the municipal boundary. Both have served the Red Deer area for decades and are closely associated with the city by residents and Highway 2 travellers.

The dates below refer to the earliest verified opening of each restaurant business. Relocations and interruptions are identified within the individual entries.

Red Deer Restaurants That Continue Today

George’s Pizza & Steakhouse (1978)

George’s Pizza & Steakhouse has operated in Red Deer since 1978. The independent family restaurant serves the broad combination of pizza, steaks, pasta and Greek dishes associated with Alberta’s neighbourhood steak-and-pizza houses.

George’s continues on Gaetz Avenue, offering dine-in service alongside delivery and takeout. Its verified opening date makes it the earliest current Red Deer restaurant on this list.

Monsieur Wong’s Chinese Cuisine (1981)

Monsieur Wong’s began serving Red Deer in 1981. Its menu belongs to the Chinese Canadian restaurant tradition, with ginger beef, lemon chicken, fried rice, chow mein and combination dinners designed for sharing.

The restaurant has moved during its long history. Monsieur Wong’s now operates from inside Tiffany’s Steakhouse on Gaetz Avenue, where its original phone number and separate Chinese food menu have been retained.

Dino’s 2 for 1 Pizza & Pasta (1985)

Dino’s has operated as a local family-run business since 1985. Its two-for-one pizza format is accompanied by pasta, donairs, ribs and Greek dishes.

The restaurant continues on 49 Avenue, concentrating primarily on takeout and delivery. Its menu reflects the mixture of Greek and Italian cooking found in many independently owned Alberta pizza restaurants during the late twentieth century.

Glenn’s Family Restaurant (January 28, 1986)

Glenn Simon opened Glenn’s Family Restaurant in Gasoline Alley on January 28, 1986. It began as a 24-hour diner serving truck drivers, farmers and people travelling between Calgary and Edmonton.

The business developed into a full-service family restaurant offering breakfast throughout the day, along with lunch and dinner. Its extensive tea menu now includes approximately 250 varieties. Glenn’s remains open in Red Deer County, directly south of the city.

Las Palmeras Restaurant (1992)

Las Palmeras opened in Red Deer in 1992. The locally owned restaurant established its dining room on 50 Avenue with a menu based on Mexican cooking, including enchiladas, fajitas and house-made salsa.

The founding family remains connected to the business and continues using recipes developed when the restaurant opened. Las Palmeras still operates from its South Hill location.

The Donut Mill (Spring 1994)

The Donut Mill opened in Gasoline Alley in the spring of 1994. Its windmill-shaped building quickly became visible from Highway 2, drawing travellers into a bakery where doughnuts are made on-site.

The menu also includes sandwiches, soups and other café meals. Parry and Michelle Dyck now operate the business, which remains open at 123 Leva Avenue in Red Deer County.

Bo’s Bar & Stage (1996)

Bo’s opened in Red Deer in 1996. The business combines a restaurant and bar with a performance space used by local musicians and touring artists.

Food service, Alberta beer and live events remain central to the operation. Bo’s marked its thirtieth anniversary in 2026 with a concert series at its 50 Avenue venue.

It’s All Greek to Me (1996)

Nick Sakkalis and his family first opened It’s All Greek to Me in 1996. The restaurant became known for Greek meals prepared in a small family dining room on 50 Avenue.

Its history has not been continuous. After a period of closure and changes in ownership, Sakkalis reopened the restaurant in September 2019 with the original menu. It remains in operation under the same name.

Shiso Japanese Restaurant (2002)

Shiso opened in Red Deer in 2002. The restaurant’s menu includes sushi, sashimi, tempura and Japanese noodle dishes, along with tasting menus developed around seafood and seasonal ingredients.

Shiso continues at its original section of 50 Avenue. Its opening brought a dedicated Japanese dining room to Red Deer at a time when the city offered relatively few restaurants specializing in the cuisine.

Queen’s Diner (Early December 2008)

Queen’s Diner opened in Red Deer’s Burnt Lake industrial district in early December 2008. The narrow dining room was constructed to evoke a mid-century diner, with chrome details, counter stools and period decorations.

All-day breakfast, burgers and house-made pies remain central to its daytime menu. Vintage vehicle gatherings have also become associated with the restaurant’s 1950s theme.

Red Deer Restaurants That Have Closed

Club Café (Opened 1929; Closed 2006)

George Moon and Charlie Chuck opened the Club Café on Ross Street in 1929 after converting a second-hand store into a restaurant. Moon, Chuck and later members of their families operated the café for almost eighty years.

The original Club Café closed in 2006. Another operator later used the name in the same premises, but the Moon family retained ownership of the restaurant name and recipes. The Ross Street buildings were demolished in 2023.

Saro’s Restaurant (Opened February 1979; Closed February 2, 2025)

Anastasia and Sarantos Giannioudis opened Saro’s in February 1979. Their son John grew up in the restaurant and later took part in its operation.

Saro’s served pizza, steaks and Greek dishes from its downtown dining room on 52 Street. The restaurant and its connected Pegasus Lounge closed permanently on February 2, 2025, ending a run of almost forty-six years.

Rusty Pelican (Opened 1998; Closed January 29, 2023)

Miro Crnkovic opened the Rusty Pelican in 1998 after more than a decade working at Shauney’s Restaurant. The new dining room used an open kitchen and became known for seafood, steaks and meals prepared in wood-burning ovens.

Later owners continued operating the restaurant under the Rusty Pelican name. It closed permanently on January 29, 2023, after approximately twenty-five years.

Toad ’n’ Turtle Pubhouse & Grill (Opened January 26, 2005; Closed November 16, 2024)

The Red Deer Toad ’n’ Turtle opened on January 26, 2005. The Alberta-owned pub served smoked meats and other casual meals from its Southpointe Common location.

The restaurant remained in business for nearly twenty years, including a reopening after a fire interrupted service. Its final day was November 16, 2024.