Tourism Winnipeg

Wining & dining Winnipeg's culinary scene has seemingly always been celebrated, as our mid-sized city continues to serve up restaurants that would receive rave reviews in North America's largest metropolises. Take for instance Segovia, which has been on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list since its inception. Chef Adam Donnelly's dishes are nothing short of spectacular, ensuring the 40-seat room fills up fast. They don't take reservations, but you can leave your name at the door then explore the many bars and lounges of Osborne Village while you wait for your table. Some of the original Segovia crew – including owners Carolina Conrad, sister Raya Conrad and chef Chris Gama – have gone on to open Clementine, which the Globe and Mail dubbed one of the country's best brunch spots. It also made Air Canada's enRoute magazine long list for Canada's best new restaurant. A mainstay on those enRoute lists is chef Scott Bagshaw, who has landed in the top ten with Enoteca, and on the long list for Máquè and most-recently Passero (which also received five stars in the Winnipeg Free Press). All three of his elegant, intimate small plate wine bars offer excellent service and plating akin to an impressionist painting. Winnipeg also excels at French fare, represented by the fun and funky (yet refined in terms of cuisine) Sous Sol, along with Black Bird Brasserie, Promenade Café and Wine (great for group dining), Peasant Cookery, and the unapologetically old school Resto Gare. In the Exchange District, The Mitchell Block is great for pasta while its upstairs tapas bar, The Wet & Dry Department, excels at delicious late-night bites served in a hip setting. More small plates in the Exchange come courtesy of Amsterdam Tea Room – whose Scottish co-owner Mark Turner is incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to tea cocktails, and Cordova Tapas & Wine – whose young European owners Gael Winandy (Belgium) and Gregoire Stevenard (France) have created one gem of a room that harkens back to traditional tapas bars you'd find in Spain. Across from both of these spaces in Old Market Square is the iconic Peasant Cookery, which excels at housemade charcuterie and pickled local products. Its patio is primetime for people watching too. The Exchange is also where you'll find Winnipeg's nationally best-known chef Mandel Hitzer, whose deer+almond is a go-to for visiting celebrities like Samuel L Jackson and Ed Sheeran (who gave it a rave review on Instagram). Less than a two-minute walk from the RBC Convention Centre are numerous options that excel at serving large groups. At The Merchant Kitchen you'll find a bustling atmosphere and sizable sharing plates that take inspiration from Latin American and Asian street food, all prepared by two-time Gold Medal Plate-winning chef Jesse Friesen. continued on next page Stantec Jeff Frenette www.meetingswinnipeg.com | Tourism Winnipeg | 43

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