first word let’ s eat!
There’ s something about winter in Winnipeg that sharpens the appetite. Maybe it’ s the cold that nudges us indoors, or the way a good meal can feel like shelter, celebration, and connection all at once. Whatever the reason, this season has always been one of our city’ s most exciting times to eat and this issue is our love letter to the restaurants, chefs, producers, and diners who keep Winnipeg’ s food scene vibrant, even when the temperatures dip well below hospitable.
At the heart of this issue is our annual celebration of Ciao! Dine About Winnipeg, now in its 23rd season. For more than two decades, this dining festival has done something remarkable: it has encouraged us to bundle up, step out, and try something new. It’ s an invitation to rediscover longtime favourites, finally book that restaurant you’ ve been meaning to try, or take a chance on a place you’ ve never heard of before. In a city where hospitality runs deep, Ciao! Dine About Winnipeg is more than a promotion— it’ s a shared ritual that reminds us how deeply food is woven into our winter survival strategy.
This issue also takes a closer look at the restaurant trends shaping how we eat right now, and they tell an interesting story about where Winnipeg, and dining culture more broadly, is headed. There’ s a renewed appreciation for vegetables with personality( yes, cabbage is having a moment), an embrace of smaller portions done with intention, and a growing love for textures, fibers, beans, and thoughtfully indulgent details. We’ re seeing sustainability practiced creatively,
first word let’ s eat!
menus that proudly reflect regional ingredients, and global flavours that feel familiar rather than performative. Taken together, these trends point to something reassuring: food is becoming more human, more about how it makes us feel. That sense of care can be spotted in food sources, our attention focused on Von Slicks, a local artisanal producer of finishing butters, adding something special to breakfast, lunch and dinner plates. It’ s a reminder that sometimes the most impactful tastes come from small, thoughtful touches.
That philosophy mirrors what’ s happening across the city. Winnipeg’ s food scene thrives on details, craftsmanship, and an unshakeable belief that quality matters.
What makes this moment particularly exciting is how well it suits Winnipeg. This is a city that understands seasonality, values resourcefulness, and celebrates comfort without sacrificing creativity. Our restaurants don’ t chase trends for the sake of it; they adapt them, interpret them, and make them their own. The result is a dining culture that feels grounded, welcoming, and quietly confident.
As you flip through these pages, we hope you’ ll feel inspired to make a reservation, order the unfamiliar dish, or linger a little longer over dessert. Winter may be long, but in Winnipeg, it’ s never dull, especially at the table.
Here’ s to warm rooms, good company, and a city that knows how to eat well.
Laurie Hughes, Publisher
ciao! / feb / mar / two thousand twenty-six 3