Winnipeg's vibrant culinary scene continues to garner national attention, with both new and much-loved hidden gems that should be on every gourmand's radar.
Here's just a few sure bets that are new or nationally notable for 2024 and beyond!
Nationally noted
It's official: Winnipeg is home to several of Canada's best new restaurants.
Landing at No. 5 on Air Canada/enRoute's Canada's Best New Restaurants list is Petit Socco, an intimate two-person operation by chef Adam Donnelly and Courtney Molaro. This tiny restaurant seats just 10 (plus an additional eight on the patio), presenting a new four-course menu every week where reservations-weeks in advance-are now even more of a must.
Petit Socco is joined by Saint-Boniface's Bar Accanto on the Best New Restaurants longlist, which sees this charming wine bar following in the footsteps of its flagship restaurant Nola, which made the list in 2022.
Both restaurants are part of Burnley Place Hospitality and connected via a hallway. At Nola, the dishes come courtesy of Top Chef Canada alum Emily Butcher, who garnered a glowing review from The Globe and Mail in May 2022. That same year in December, the publication went even further calling Nola the best new culinary concept on the prairies, with Winnipeg's Hoagie Boyz and Low Life Barrel House also coming in at No. 9 and 10 respectively.
Bar Accanto features a menu by Nola alum Colin Naylor, and it shines just as bright with elegant plates and a joyfully curated selection of natural wines.
Another spot that received a rave review in The Globe is Clementine, the city's most celebrated brunch spot. Celebrities often gladly wait for a table here (they don't take reservations) and NHL star John Tavares singled it out to ESPN as his favourite place to eat when he's on the road.
Speaking of Canada's best, the 2023 Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list featured both deer + almond and Máquè. It turned out to be a swan song for Máquè, which chef/owner Scott Bagshaw closed in 2023 to focus on expanding his equally acclaimed restaurant, Passero. The artfully plated Italian dishes at Passero are guaranteed to impress, while Bagshaw's wine bar Enoteca has made both the Canada's 100 Best and enRoute top 10 in the past.
At deer + almond, chefs Mandel Hitzer and Kris Kurus are known to take delicious risks on their ever-evolving tasting menus. Hitzer will again combine forces with architect Joe Kalturnyk to bring RAW:almond-a festive 'fine-dining on ice experience' featuring some of North America's best chefs-back to the frozen Assiniboine River this winter.
And we just have to mention Cake-ology in the Exchange District where chef/owner Austin Granados brings a world of pastry chef experience-including Noma, VEA in Hong Kong, and under the "world's best pastry chef" Dominique Ansel in NYC-to create incredibly flaky creations like his signature kouign-amann.
What's new
Winnipeg has embraced the arrival of Italian celebrity chef Rosanna Marziale, the executive chef of the luxurious new Vida Cucina Italia at The Fort Garry Hotel. Marziale's menu is all about Southern Italian fine dining featuring a few of the dishes that earned her a Michelin star in Campania, Italy.
Want to try one of the world's best crullers? Head to Crumb Queen in Osborne Village for several types of decadent doughnuts and a selection of fresh focaccia sandwiches (it even mills its own wheat!). It's just one of a few new and notable Winnipeg bakeries, which includes Friend Bakery and Pizzeria, the Ukrainian-influenced Honey Bunny Bake Shop, and the recently revamped Le Croissant in Saint-Boniface.
Winnipeg's Filipino food scene continues to expand. Tito Boy Restaurant in St. Vital has found a loyal following for its all-day breakfast, traditional family-style dishes and all things ube.
The city's Indigenous food scene also took off in the last few years. Joining the nationally celebrated Feast Café Bistro is Manoomin Restaurant at the Indigenous-owned Wyndham Garden Winnipeg Airport; Sharecuterie for locally sourced edible gifts; and Métis-influenced farm-to-table fare at Promenade Brasserie and Bistro on Notre Dame.
Tourism Winnipeg's Peg City Grub
Want to dig into even more of Winnipeg's culinary scene? Peg City Grub is a treasure trove for food enthusiasts looking to discover new dining experiences and learn more about the rich food culture of Winnipeg.
Visit the Peg City Grub blog or Instagram for all the latest on Winnipeg chef profiles, restaurant happenings and food news.
This story has been adapted from an original article available at: https://www.travelmanitoba.com/blog/start-exploring-winnipegs-vibrant-culinary-scene/.
