Hi, my name’s Alex Heath, and along with my daughter, Michela Becher, I own the Honeypot Eatery and Pub in Wainwright, Alberta. The Honeypot was started in 1979 by my late mother-in-law. She decided to build a restaurant in the driveway of her house with her husband, Bruce Middleton. The restaurant has since gone through various family members, until the present day. In fact, the Honeypot was where the great fire of Wainwright happened. In 1929, there was a spark in the ash can out back, and it razed the entire community to the ground. It’s safe to say that we have a fairly eclectic history.
In 2001, my wife and I decided to buy the Honeypot. My brother-in-law wanted to move to Ontario to explore different opportunities, and we felt it would be a great opportunity for our family to carry on the tradition of owning the restaurant and taking it to a new place. In the past 20 years, the Honeypot has gone through three renovations, two additions, and constant upgrades to keep the old building feeling new and fresh. We always want to ensure that it feels warm and welcoming whenever you come in.
Our customers come from cradle to grave. Parents bring their babies here. They grow up as kids and they visit all the way through till their 18th birthday. We have even taken meals up to the hospice room at the hospital for terminally ill patients because they just love the Honeypot and our food.
Local ingredients star in our menu – locally produced beef, honey, and dairy. Alberta farmers are just the best. The menu is created by the preferences and feedback of our guests, and we do a lot of experimentation with new products. Michela and I come up with the ideas and then we work with our chefs to come up with a menu item that will work for Alberta palates. We take items from all over the world and “Albertanize” them, which is how we like to phrase it.
Our menu changes twice a year and we generally change four items each time. People don’t want us to get rid of all the old items and they would probably be very upset if we took away some of the originals. For example, the Boarding House Burger, which was created by my mother-in-law in 1979, is still on the menu today, and it’s still the top-selling burger. We have weekly and daily features, and we have a cheesecake of the month.
My favourite menu item is our hand-cut boneless wings. Yes, we actually have a chef that stands there and cuts the chicken and creates the boneless wings. The most popular menu item is the Crispy Thai Chicken Salad. When you visit the Honeypot for the first time you should have the Boneless Wings and the Brisket Bowl. It’s one of a kind.
“The best thing to do after having a long day of travel through our region is to come into the Honeypot, order a pint of beer, order some Smoky Pork Bites, have a Honey Garlic Chicken Salad next, and then finish off with a delicious piece of handmade cheesecake”
Alex Heath
Why should people come to the Honeypot? They should come to the Honeypot because it’s the best place to eat in Wainwright. We have the best menu. We have the most eclectic menu. We offer cleanliness, consistency, comfort. At the Honeypot, comfort is a commitment.
