This year saw the much-awaited return of Adam Donnelly (of Segovia fame, a restaurant which most Winnipeggers still claim as their favorite eatery despite its closure in 2020). Donnelly and his partner Courtney Molaro took over the former Close Co. space and opened Petit Socco, a very cozy eatery with ever-changing, always-shareable dishes. The restaurant has just four tables, but service doubles in the summer when the patio is in operation.
With size in mind, making a reservation is always highly recommended.
Two Hands, the dining room inside One Sixteen (home of Good Neighbor Brewing), was a highly anticipated addition to Winnipeg’s food scene this year and it certainly lived up to the hype.
Here, opening chefs Michael Robins (the former head chef of Sydney’s at The Forks and Sous Sol) and Keegan Misanchuck (Segovia) offered a selection of small plates and shareables with seasonal vegetables and sustainable ingredients. The eatery also offers a chef’s table experiences for groups of 8 to 10.
Both Robins and Misanchuk have both returned to Europe (for the time being anyway!), so expect some changes to the menu, but trust that things were left in good hands.
If you ask me, one of the most exciting spots that opened in 2022 is Tito Boy Restaurant, a Filipino eatery in Winnipeg’s south end serving family recipes from owner Jackie Wild and her father, Agustin Doming. The Philippine spaghetti, Shanghai lumpia, and sweet BBQ skewers are all must-tries.
It would be wrong not to mention the contemporary Chinese-Canadian eatery Nola in a year-end roundup as chef Emily Butcher’s black sesame and parsnip cheesecake lives rent-free in the minds (and stomachs) of virtually everyone who has tried it.