steak & seafood
Chop Steakhouse & Bar 1750 Sargent Ave, 204‐788‐2015. The Shades-of-grey interior in this stylish and swanky steakhouse oozes sex appeal. Boasts in-house butcher and pastry chef. WA, LP, A, IA, M, V 529 Wellington Steakhouse 529 Wellington Cres, 204-487‐8325. A renovated historic mansion offers grand style along with top Canadian prime beef. Over 800 wine list selections draws the city ' s toniest clientele. WA, LP, SP, A, IA, M, V Hy’ s Steakhouse 1 Lombard Pl, 204‐942‐1000. A classic Winnipeg establishment for more than 40 years. Canadian prime rib and perfectly aged steaks are outstanding. WA, LP, A, IA, M, V The Keg Steakhouse & Bar 115 Garry St, 204-942‐7619; 2034 McGillivray Blvd, 204-477‐5300; 2553 Portage Ave, 204-885‐5275. It’ s all about consistency, with sizzling steaks off the grill, slow-roasted prime rib, and Alaskan king crab in a friendly, casual atmosphere. WA, LP, SP, A, IA, M, V Rae & Jerry’ s 1405 Portage Ave, 204-783‐6155. Little has changed this steakhouse since its inception in 1957. Attentive service and consistent well-executed meals. Old school favourites like liver dinners and prime rib sandwiches are superior. WA, LP, SP, A, IA, M, V
Taprooms
Barn Hammer Brewing Co 595 Wall St, barnhammerbrewing. ca. A stylish industrial space in the West End houses this welcoming taproom. Sample six signature beers and two experimental flavours. LP, A, IA, M, V Half Pints Brewing Company 550 Roseberry St, 204‐832‐PINT( 7468). Four flagship beers and seasonal specialties are on tap for sipping by taster or draught, or fill a growler to go. Free brewery tours on Saturdays. WA, LP, A, IA, M, V Little Brown Jug 336 William Ave, 204‐500‐0441. Sleek taproom inside a renovated Exchange District heritage space, with an open concept design that gives visitors a view of the brewery. WA, LP, A, IA, M, V Torque Brewing Co 330‐830 King Edward St, 204‐941‐1723. Sample four different tried-and-true brews as well as a changing selection of varieties which are available only at the brewery. WA, LP, A, IA, M, V bestlist
tea house
Tea Story 224 Osborne St, 204‐477‐1102. Bright and playful Japan-influenced space boasts an extensive list of flowering, aged, organic, and bubble teas. WA, A, IA, M, V Panda Tea 2999 Pembina Hwy, 204‐504‐8299. South end tea room serves bubble tea in flavours like passionfruit, red bean, and taro in a casual and fun atmoshpere. IA, M, V
thai
Bangkok Thai 100 Osborne St, 2nd floor, 204‐474‐0908. Located within the beautiful courtyard at the corner of Osborne and River, this sunlit room creates the perfect setting for exotic Thai dishes LP, IA, M, V Coconut Island 1607 Pembina Hwy, 204‐615‐8288. Fresh tastes of Thailand delight at this South end spot, like spice-lashed soups and creamy coconut curries. WA, LP, A, IA, M, V Sabai Thai Eatery 1113 Corydon Ave, 204‐888‐6508. The succinct menu at this neighbourhood hot spot houses contemporary specials like pickerel cheeks in rich peanutsesame sauce. WA, LP, SP, IA, M, V Siam Thai 587 St. Anne’ s Rd, 204-254‐7765. This small, suburban ethnic eatery focuses its cuisine on central Thailand and uses the freshest produce. WA, LP, IA, M, V Sukhothai 191 Osborne St, 204-633‐6907. The comfortable modern interior is a good counterpoint to classic Thai cuisine. The perfect hot and sour soup keep fans returning. WA, LP, IA, M, V
vietnamese
Bahn Mi King 510 Portage Ave, 204‐775‐9323. Orderat-the-counter spot offers trendy takes on Vietnamese fare, like pork belly burgers that swap buns for steamed bao. WA, IA, M, V Dalat 2‐1170 Taylor Ave, 204-895‐3222. Highlights among almost 200 menu choices are hot and sour soup, gingerfried beef and shrimp with lemongrass. WA, LP, A, IA, M, V Pho No. 1 81 Isabel St, 204-943‐7449. Charming Vietnamese noodle soup house with hundreds of menu options. Try the creamy coconut tom yum soup. WA, LP, IA, V
Viva 505 Sargent Ave, 204-772‐3167. Family-owned and-operated West End hot spot. Traditional favourites like deluxe vermicelli and bánh mì are highlights. WA, LP, A, IA, M, V
World Food
Reflecting Winnipeg’ s ethnocultural diversity, this category represents our top choices from the many small, primarily family‐run restaurants. Each restaurant represents food from the owner’ s culture, with sometimes astonishingly low prices that reflect the simplicity of the service and surroundings, not the quality of the food.
Asian Hot Pot [ Southeast Asian ] 740 Corydon Ave, 204‐615‐8878. Doit-yourself-deliciousness in the form of soups that simmer at the table. 20 broth options and more than 70 ingredients to add. WA, LP, A, M, V Baraka Pita Bakery [ Lebanese ] 1783 Main St, 204‐334‐2004. Famous for in-house fired pita bread, this North End gem offers pitas and specialty dips like hummus. WA, IA, V, M
Bisita [ Filipino ] 637 Corydon Ave, 204‐615‐7423. Comforting Filipino cuisine in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Crispy pork belly sliders on a pandesal bun are a must-try. WA, LP, SP, IA, M, V Boun’ s [ Southeast Asian / Laotian ] 4‐208 Marion St, 204-231-3005. An extensive stir-fry menu offers the best in Southeast Asian spices and curries. WA, LP, IA, M, V Casa Grande [ Italian ] 984 Sargent Ave, 204-783‐6231. Checkered tablecloths and candlelight create the ambience for Italian fare like homestyle pizza and pasta. LP, A, IA, M, V The Dancing Noodle [ Chinese ] 1393 Pembina Hwy, 204‐691‐0205. Soup and noodle bowls filled with freshly hand-pulled noodles. WA, IA, M, V Dwarf no Cachette [ Japanese ] 157 Provencher Blvd, 204‐691‐9950. Quirky cafe offers Japanese specialties like ramen and okonomiyaki on handwritten menus. Gift shop upstairs stocks imported collectibles. WA, LP, SP, IA, M, V Emerald Palace [ Chinese ] 704 Sargent Ave, 204‐788‐4573. Authentic fare served up in a bustling atmosphere. Try the famous fried butter chicken. WA, A, IA, M, V
TASTE
TIP
If seafood seems out of reach for a prairie province, think again: almost 11.4 million kgs of fish are annually pulled from Manitoba ' s freshwater lakes. Pickerel lead the way, making up almost half of commercial production, followed by Lake Whitefish, Northern Pike, Suckers, and Sauger.
34 TASTE Winnipeg’ s Culinary Guide 2017-2018