Who We Are

Hey, all! I’m Brian Jones. After working as a web developer for 12 years, I decided to shift my focus and became the full-time owner and publisher of Best in Edmonton.

As you know, Edmonton is a big city, with lots of sights and sounds to see and experience. Since there’s so much to do and so little time, it makes sense that you’d only want to go for the experiences that are worth your time and money, right?

Having grown up in Edmonton, I wanted to do something to give back to the community. And so, I started a personal project of mine—Best in Edmonton, a review site that features only the best of local businesses, service providers, and products.

We first started as a small team of reviewers and writers. But through sheer dedication and hard work, our team grew and we were able to get a wider reach and cover more topics from various industries, from restaurants to HVAC repairs and everything in between.

Man in blue sweater

We were also able to refine our review process to make sure that we only put out quality reviews and recommendations you can trust.

Our main goal is to help you, our readers, make the best buying decisions—no matter what kind of product or service you’re looking for. And to give you the best possible service, we realize how important it is to listen to your feedback.

If you want to bring something to our attention or have some thoughts about our reviews, feel free to send us a message and we’ll happily accommodate you.

That said, we would like to thank all our readers for the support we’ve received throughout the years, and we hope that you’ll continue for more years to come.

With much love,

Brian and the rest of the BiE team

Our Core Values

Team in Best in Edmonton

OUR GOAL

We started Best in Edmonton to help other Edmontonians figure out where best to spend their dollars.
There are so many great products and services here in Alberta’s capital that it’s difficult to know where you can get the most value for your money. Our crack reviewers – most born-and-bred Edmontonians, and city residents all – take on that challenge in your stead.
While we started out small, what began as a personal project among friends has now turned into a full-fledged company, covering myriad services and shops here in our city.

BEST IN EDMONTON’S TEAM

Here are the people who produce our reviews:

Brian Jones

Co-founder & Contributing Editor
Brian worked as a web developer for 12 years before shifting his focus and creating Best in Edmonton with several friends. Having grown up in Edmonton, he was always keenly aware of the many things to see and experience in the city. With Best in Edmonton, he can share the very best of them with others who wish to see all Edmonton has to offer.

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Scott Auriat

Contributing Editor
A Ph.D. candidate at the University of Alberta studying Economics, Scott is on his way to working as an applied economist. His passion for his field extends to applying the concepts of the discipline to different areas of life. Economics isn’t all he does, however. He’s also a music-lover, sports fan, and a believer in Web3 and its potential to transform the world.

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Melanie Morales

Staff Writer
Born and raised in Edmonton, Melanie is a proud yegger and on a mission to find the next top spot in this ever-growing city. A passionate advocate of thriving local businesses, Melanie also writes, organizes events and helps curate marketing campaigns. As of late, Melanie has founded a drive-in brand called Flix For Hope, which partners with local foundations, including the University Hospital Foundation in Edmonton.

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Karsten Sturmay

Staff Writer

Born and raised in Alberta’s capital region, Karsten has always cherished the charm and spirit of Edmonton. His days are often filled with exploring the city’s culinary delights, reveling in the city’s vibrant cultural mix. An adventurer at heart, he seeks out unique, entertaining experiences around the city, and embraces all of the exciting things Edmonton has to offer.



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Sanyukta Srivastava

Staff Writer
Sanyukta is a food science professional with over 5 years of experience. Passionate about making the world of food better and healthier, she loves coming up with innovative ideas for new food products and processes. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, cooking, and watching documentaries. She’s also an animal lover and hopes to own a dog next year, with her ultimate goal being to become an entrepreneur and open a successful food business. In addition, she’s a person who tries to spread positivity wherever she goes everyday.

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Ethan Cote

Staff Writer
Ethan Cote was one of our very first writers when we started, and his verve for finding new things worth trying in Edmonton has also made him one of our most popular ones. Aside from walking the city for us, Ethan also serves as one of the lead marketers in his family business.

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FEATURED ON

How do we do our reviews?

We research. That means doing full-bore investigations that may include anything and everything, from surveys of other consumers to tests of the services we’re assessing.
We follow the most rigorous standards we can find for each service to ensure we find the top option for each one.

How do we make money?

Best in Edmonton is reader-supported. There are cases where we may earn a commission from your selection or purchase of a service provider’s offerings, or when you click on a link from our site.
It’s worth clarifying, however, that we don’t sell reviews. We call things as we see them regardless of commissions and will not recommend a service we don’t think worthwhile.