There are many exquisite places to eat in Winnipeg. As a result, Winnipeggers are very proud of their culinary scene. Maybe even a little chauvinistic. The reasons to visit this charming little town are numerous. Winnipeg has long been a city of well-hidden small restaurants and fine dining establishments. Immerse yourself in a growing scene of independent drinks, and you will have a good time.
Lunch and Dinner
In winter, a generous breakfast, required to recharge your batteries. Clementine is the perfect place to eat. The restaurant is run by the people who have made Segovia, the number one restaurant in Winnipeg for years, and they excel in preparing both eggs and tapas.
Clementine’s roast fried chicken is probably the best dish you can find in Winnipeg by day. The brine is lemony, the chicken skin is crisp, and the hemp sourdough bread, a masterpiece in itself, is topped with a creamy, tangy, spicy, or sweet sauce. The coffee served there, roasted a few blocks away, at Dogwood inside Forth (a little gem of coffee that turns into a cocktail bar in the evening), is always absolutely tasty.
The art of the breakfast sandwich, perfectly mastered at Miss Browns, where bacon, aioli, microgreens, and local eggs from Nature’s Farm are the ingredients of culinary works of art. The artists: Jenny and Steve Tyrrell. Steve is Australian, so it’s not surprising that his Flat White coffees are so velvety, and you have to taste its smoked meat to appreciate its expertise in this area. Miss Browns’ pressed sandwiches almost moved me to tears more than once.
The benchmark for brunch is undoubtedly Falafel Place, a classic establishment that opened its doors in 1986. The owner, Ami Hassan, scans the room like a perched high falcon, looking for customers who are slow to vacate their table. The “strollers” thus spotted will quickly receive their bill, but they will undoubtedly return for the significant portions of hash browns, hummus, falafel, and eggs.
“See you at the fork”: The Market at La Fourche
Start your tour of the booth at The Common, the market’s craft beer stop, where you’ll watch the crowds in the courtyard over a local beer. Then browse the offers of the surrounding stands. Passero, led by chef Scott Bagshaw, offers modern Italian cuisine (the Enoteca, a fascinating place that also provides plates to share and the Máquè restaurant, an Asian fusion restaurant).
A Bastion of Spanish flavors
Since its opening in 2009 (it helped establish the modern Winnipeg’s kitchen scene), the Segovia Tapas bar-restaurant in Osborne Village is still as popular as ever. Chef-owner Adam Donnelly applies a modern approach to Spanish recipes using local (if possible) and organic ingredients.
Craft Breweries, Coffee, and Cocktails
The independent drink scene is the latest trend in the city, with craft breweries, coffee, and cocktails joining the explosive mix of gourmands.
For hearty breakfasts rich in caffeine, as well as a trendy basement (you have to love wallpaper and a cactus in the 70s style), do not go past Clementine in the trendy district of Exchange District. The owners, Carolina Konrad (formerly from Segovia) and her sister, Raya, serve one of the best meals: porridge (yes, really) is one of the best bites in town.
For moments of relaxation in the evening, the Langside Grocery store located on West Broadway offers cocktails in a comfortable and dimly lit space (former residential grocery store; there is no signage). During your stay here, swim late at night at Roost, a small cocktail bar area that mimics a treehouse. His young team prepares superb mixes and quality tapas plates.
Nostalgic Bites
Regardless of the quality of the food, corporate favorites always thrive (the many ethnic restaurants and holes in the walls of Winnipeg are no exception). For the traveler, it is a fun way to give the head and heart in the city.
Locals will tell you that the best burgers in town are at VJ’s Drive Inn, a hole in the wall in a parking lot. We recommend ordering the iconic VJ’s Special, a chili-flavored thrill. Nearby is Salisbury House, which introduced the term “Nip” into the local hamburger lexicon (for its slightly less meat).
