Tourism Winnipeg

40 2015 FALL/WINTER EVENTS & ITINERARIES GUIDE Winnipeg Boniface usually equates to line-ups on weekends; Falafel Place in River Heights – a Winnipeg institution where massive portions of garlicky Jewish delights served with eggs are top notch; and the Oakwood Bistro on South Osborne – a family- friendly kitschy joint where everything is made from scratch and right on the money (all while being modestly priced). Try the borscht and the French toast #nomnom. LUNCH TO EARLY EVENING Downtown, where business is on the agenda, is where lunch is at its finest, and some of the best stuff is found between bread. The past year saw the start of something akin to sandwich wars, with King+Bannatyne's assortment of slow-roasted and cheesy grilled sammys for the hipset, duking it out with Nick's on Broadway, who are taking handmade to a whole new level with fresh baked breads (the brioche is so good) featuring slow-roasted meats and some superb sides. Just outside of the downtown core in West Broadway, the Sherbrook Street Delicatessen is doing divine kosher-style food with everything – including the condiments – made in-house and hand cut with incredibly delicious results (#bestbrisketintown). Back to downtown, Shawarma Khan also has it going on with garlicky halal platters where crispy chicken or beef/ lamb is buttressed by pickled veg, tabouli and a host of other homemade, hormone-free goodness. And don't forget about the vegetarians who can be found worshipping at the altar of Boon Burger, whose roster of vegan, bean-centric burgers at their Exchange District and Sherbrook St. locations could see carnivores swearing off meat. On pizza, Pizzeria Gusto in River Heights does amazing neapolitan pies along with super-tasty small plates and pastas by chef Eric Lee. It's open for both lunch and dinner, and features a classy, sunny patio where all the cool kids (and usually some Winnipeg Jets) can be found. In fact, there is no shortage of incredible pizza in Winnipeg from Vera Pizzeria on South Osborne (who also rocks neapolitan pies along with meat balls braised in tomato sauce that will blow your mind), to Santa Ana Pizzeria and Bistro in St. Vital (where high-quality, combined with cheap prices have made getting a reservation a hot ticket), to downtown's Carbone, whose coal- fired pies and pour-your-own beer tap system sees this Vegas- style spot go from restaurant to club for the bar star crowd. Finally, from lunch to dinner Capital Bar and Grill in Charleswood deserves a stand-alone paragraph. Chef Wayne Martin and Greg Gunnarson have brought their high- end comfort food concept from Vancouver to Winnipeg this past summer with reservations now a must. Get a glass of white from the Okanagan, order the Dungeness crab cakes to start, then dive into whatever entrée floats your boat (for me, it's the pan roasted halibut with lemon-ricotta gnocchi, along with the short rib rigatoni). EVENINGS Tapas are all the rage in Winnipeg these days with several restaurants standing above the shared plates fray. Since it opened a couple years back, Segovia in Osborne Village has been arguably the most locally and nationally acclaimed restaurant in town. The quaint, impeccably designed room doesn't take resos, so get there early or put your name down at the door then wait to be called at one of the many surrounding bars. Chef Adam Donnelly's open kitchen pumps out exquisite Spanish-inspired dishes that range from the traditional – like tortilla Española, patas bravas and an ever-changing roster of croquetas – to seasonal menus and specials that make great use of game and sustainable seafood (when you see Albacore tuna or some form of tartare on the menu, order it). Other expertly crafted Latin flavours can be found at Deseo Bistro, where the purées and dressings are off the charts and will have your taste buds singing. While its menu reads fairly meat-heavy with mandatory offerings of pork belly, veal cheeks and sweet breads (whose variations are updated often), be sure to tuck into the vegetable dishes and soups which are of an extremely high calibre. Deseo also has arguably the best drink program in the city, giving classic cocktails the respect (through tight fine-tuning) they deserve. The same owner/chef of Deseo, Scott Bagshaw, is more often than not found at his newest restaurant, Enoteca, which has brought artfully-plated Italian and French-inspired dishes to River Heights on a menu that is updated every six weeks or so. At Enoteca the sauces are so good that we've watched customers lick the plates clean, while the pastas are what you would expect from a celebrated nonna in the Old World. Other small plates of note come courtesy of chef Mandel Hitzer whose whimsical offerings at Deer+Almond, along with his ambitious winter pop-up restaurant on ice RAW:Almond, have found national and international notice. Like the Red River, the Pizzeria Gusto: Peg City Grub Segovia: Peg City Grub

• Cover