Five Winnipeg Best of Food Favourites and Where to Find Them

Like any city, Winnipeg has a large variety of foods and something for every palate. This is a list of five favourite food items, stores or restaurants and where they are located.

Best Meatloaf Sandwich

I know not everyone is a big fan of meatloaf. I am, but even so I am fussy about what kinds I like and don't like. It has to have a nice solid texture and good flavour to pass muster.

Elephant and Castle is in downtown Winnipeg at 350 St. Mary Avenue, near the Convention Center. It makes a delicious meatloaf sandwich. It is served on a hearty bun, no wimpy thin bread. You can get fries or potatoes.

They also have a bar for those who like a drink with their meal.

Ask for a window seat. It is fun to watch the people walking by downtown. There is a gorgeous old stone church across the street. They make a really delicious bread pudding for dessert too.

Best Bread

Bread from the bakery or homemade is best of all, but my favourite bread in Winnipeg is the Canadian Rye. It is made in local bakeries and distributed to big chain stores and small corner stores, of which there are many. It is easy to find.

It makes a great meat sandwich, grilled cheese or a peanut butter sandwich. The flavour and texture of Canadian rye is not overwhelming, so it goes well with many kinds of sandwich foods.

Find out what days it gets delivered to your favourite store and make sure you get there when it comes in. That is when it is the very best, fresh and aromatic. There are a couple local Winnipeg companies that make Canadian Rye. You may prefer one brand more than another. If you haven't tried Canadian Rye though, give it a chance.

Best Ribs

This one is a toss up for us. It just depends on what kind of ribs you are in the mood for and what setting you want. For a rack of smaller style ribs or a half rack done in a tasty sauce, we like Beachcomber's ribs. Beachcomber's is at the Forks in downtown Winnipeg, right on the water.

There are also the ribs at The Keg. It is a chain, but we like the one downtown at 115 Garry Street. They have a bar area for drinks and lighter fare and a full sit down restaurant. I love their pork ribs.

If you want hearty big boned ribs try the ones at Big Guy's Ranch and Saloon Restaurant out near St Vital Centre at 16 -200 Meadowood. These are not ribs for the dainty.

Either kind you like, Big Guy's, Beachcomber's and The Keg, make killer ribs.

Best Samosa

Never had a samosa? You have to try one if you never have. They are often triangular in shape and come filled with any number and variety of ingredients. They vary in style a great deal. Some have thick bready crusts and some much more delicate wrappings. Some are filled with potatoes or vegetables. Others are meat filled.

They are not large. They fit in the palm of your hand easily, but they are a wonderful treat.

The best samosas we have found in Winnipeg come from a little store in the West End at 714 Ellice Avenue. It is called Selam Grocery. It is easy to spot with the mural of the Ethiopian Gold medalist, the barefoot marathoner Abebe Bikila painted on the side of the building.

Their samosas are made in a flaky layered pastry crust. They have a delicate crumbled meat and spice filling that is just heavenly. They don't make a lot of them every day and they seem to go quickly. Get there early. We have sometimes had to time a trip there just to get them while they are hot and fresh and not all immediately gone.

Make sure you get an even amount of them for each person. Otherwise there is going to be some complaining about who got more. These make you close your eyes when you bite into them and groan with pleasure. They are so good.

Best German Food

Going south on Portage Ave you find a small German restaurant located at 2583 Portage Avenue.
Inside it is like stepping into a taste of Germany. Admittedly the décor is a bit dated but it still gives you a distinctly European feel. This is a sit down restaurant, not fast food.

Gasthaus Gutenberger serves a nice variety of very tasty German foods. We have gone there many times. If you are on a more limited budget, try going during the lunch hour, not at dinner time.

We haven't hit the crowds there ourselves, as we seem to go at off hours, which suits us just fine. The service is polite and efficient. The food is really delicious. It took me right back to Munich!

Best Food in the Middle of the Night

Most restaurants and bars are closed when Papa George's is still up and running. They stay open until 4 a.m., which is pretty unique. They are located on the main drag going through Osborne Village at 93 Osborne Street. Parking is a bear there, so it might be better to take a taxi, especially in the middle of the night.

Papa George's is a Greek food, sit down restaurant. They also serve things like lasagne, pizza, chicken, steak and burgers. They have some vegetarian fare too. The food is good and filling.

If you are really craving a good meal at odd hours, that's the place to go. Of course you can go at other times too, but we have fun going there late. We have tried a number of menu items there. They have all been good.

This is just a taste of five favourite Winnipeg restaurants and foods. Give them a try and see if you like them as much as we do.