Photography by Ian McCausland firstword adventures in dining start now
Photography by Ian McCausland firstword adventures in dining start now
Two decades ago , Ciao ! launched Dine About
Winnipeg , a winter restaurant event to celebrate local restaurants and bolster the dining scene during the icy temperatures of winter .
This unique festival is about celebrating the city ’ s unique local flavours and incredible culinary talent . It presents the perfect opportunity for diners to expand their comfort zone and try a new cuisine for the first time . In fact , the season of restaurant weeks has already started in cities across North America , transforming dining down time into a marathon of eating .
Ciao ! Dine About Winnipeg has engaged the restaurant community and some of the city ’ s best chefs to highlight what they do and offer it at an incredible price . Every participating establishment appears in this magazine ’ s best list , reflecting its top-notch status in the city .
For restaurants , presenting super deals on their chef ’ s creations at the beginning of February encourages people to give them a try , while at the same time , expressing their appreciation to the community for their business throughout the year .
This year ’ s event runs from Feb 7-23 and offers a variety of price categories from which to choose . Prix fixe meals are set at $ 29 , $ 39 and $ 49 and the offers are designed to impress . Sample menus are listed in this issue of Ciao ! and a variety of more options offered by each restaurant are found on our website , ciaowinnipeg . com .
You can expect these restaurants to fill up , and reservations are required to allow establishments to prepare . ( You wouldn ’ t want to be surprised by how many were coming over for dinner to your place would you ?) Moreover , being considerate and mindful of these logistics is the best way to get the best experience from the restaurant .
Every reservation made sets a process in motion at the restaurant , from scheduling staff to purchasing and preparing food . For smaller establishments with fewer tables , holding seats for expected patrons often means turning away others . In turn , making multiple reservations on the same night hurts the places getting ‘ no shows ’, incurring costs of lost business . If something unforeseen comes up , be prompt and courteous by informing your choice restaurant of the change . As local loving Ciao ! hounds I am enlisting you as ‘ courtesy dining ambassadors ’, asking you to share the importance of being courteous diners . In doing so , we all help the restaurant community , which benefits all dining enthusiasts . Over the years , Ciao ! Dine About Winnipeg has introduced many people to new tastes and places and this year promises to do the same .
As the first issue of 2025 , we turn our attention to what ’ s predicted to be hot on the food and restaurant scene in the coming year . Just like fashion , food trends come and go , and what ’ s up and coming translates into some very exciting eating . This is the year sustainable , healthy , local foods are taking the stage along with punchy spices and international flavours . See the entire list of top trends for 2025 on page 9 .
In a diverse city like ours , ethnic eats are embedded in the food scene , and now a growing number of chefs are dazzling us with intriguing global fusions in homespun classics . This era of experimentation promises to break out new signature dishes and we can ’ t wait to try them ! To get started , turn to top tables and discover a few casual cafés that are winning hearts with their novel flavour pairings .
Our fascination with fungi is explored with local grower , Daniel Purpur . Read about why Purps Produce founder believes flavour boosting is just one reason we should all be eating more nutrient rich mushrooms in food sources .
Enjoy this issue and all the great eating it leads to ! Be sure to mention Ciao ! to business owners of new places you visit and drop us a line about your favourite dishes and early 2025 discoveries !
Laurie Hughes , Publisher
ciao ! / feb / mar / two thousand twenty-five 3