New & notable restaurants for spring 2026

Let’s not bother serving up a proper lede and just state that if you want an excellent, boldly original meal at a new(ish) Winnipeg restaurant, look no further than Peacock Kitchen & Drinks or SNACK HäUS in Low Life Barrel House.

Both spots offer cooking that is a cut above courtesy of two of the city’s most acclaimed chefs, those being chef Ed Lam – who led Yujiro to become one of Canada’s best restaurants (opens in new window) for the past two years in a row, and chef Dustin Pajak who brought the tiny but mighty Close Company to the Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list in 2022.

On top of mini reviews of these outstanding spots, this lengthy N&N also covers new locations by Winnipeg staples and highlights some fun stuff to come this summer.

Dig in!

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Two new spots destined for greatness

Peacock Kitchen & Drinks – 1822 Grant Avenue

The dishes at Peacock are luxurious and adventurous and a true expression of what chef Ed Lam wants to cook. The menu, which was created with sous chef Lorenzo Joaquin and pastry chef Keizelle Canaria (opens in new window) looks across all of Asia (opens in new window), flies high with techniques and flavours worthy of a big night out.

For an amuse, the scallop XO croquette – a taro bird’s nest dumpling –– has a delightfully brittle webbing enveloping rich diced scallop. A little tamarind underneath goes a long way, particularly if you do it all in one bite, and when you do bite into it, you’ll want to close your eyes to really appreciate the luxury.

There’s cappelletti filled with braised cumin lamb that soups out like xiao long bao. Sitting on top a mint-spiked labneh sauce, your mind thinks you’re about to eat cheese tortellini, which makes the Middle-East-meets-Northern-China flavours such a saucy surprise.

The lobster risotto, made with a super lusciou prawn stock and a tail that’s treated like char siu on a charcoal grill, is a must for a group, as is the fried softshell crab floating on top of a custard-like scallop cloud in a pool of crab bisque. The crab dish in particular is massive, served in an earthen-ware dish that stays heated over candle flame. Another large dish that can easily be shared for a group of four is the vegetarian ramen, an update on Lam’s dan dan ramen (which is still available at Saburo Kitchen in Hargrave Street Market) that utilizes a rich, veg-forward stock swimming with soba noodles.

If you’re a local still bemoaning the closing of Yujiro, there’s still plenty of fish and raw dishes on the Peacock menu too. The blue fin on a house made mochi cracker is one of the best bites I’ve had this year, while brand new to the current menu is an update on one of my all-time favourite Yujiro dishes – hamachi with a tigre de leche sauce. Plus, there’s always PEI oysters on the half shell with pinakurat (a Filipino coconut vinegar) to kick things off.

Don’t skip pastry chef Keizelle Canaria (opens in new window)‘s desserts, including pavlova kisses with tamarind cream and Yakult sorbet that is as refreshing as a spring breeze. The table beside us was finishing their Peacock experience with the faux cheese board consisting of smoked provolone ice cream, grapes, almond feuilletine and passion fruit gel. They said it was their best bite of the night.

Wednesday to Sunday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. (11 p.m. Friday & Saturday) Book your table at peacockwinnipeg.com (opens in new window)

SNACK HäUS – 398 Daley Street (within Low Life Barrel House)

If you’re a local and you’ve watched any of those go-to wpg (opens in new window) videos, you’ll note just about every chef raves about chef Dustin Pajak’s SNACK HäUS. Located in Low Life Barrel House, and open now for six months, this place should be packing in the crowds for the food alone, while the drinks program (opens in new window) is in and of itself one of Canada’s most original.

Pajak led Close Company (now home to Petit Socco (opens in new window)) to a spot on the Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants in 2022 (#83), and since added to his CV celebrated Toronto restaurants including Canoe, Paris Paris, and Restaurant 20 Victoria.

SNACK HäUS’ menu is very much meal-worthy. For starters, the shrimp and apple salad is a small mountain that takes you on a Thai-inspired holiday with an abundance of crunchy and crisp textures. Sandwich enthusiasts are in good hands with the fluffiest-yet-chewy buns filled with mortadella and Dijonaise for creamy little kick. I wish they sold the buns separately. They are a dream.

The broccoli empanada is insane. The pastry is so buttery and flaky, unlike any other empanada in the city, and it oozes a mornay sauce made with 1,000-day gouda with just a touch of jalapeño. It’s so rich, but more than worth the calories.

Another refreshing bite is the tuna tostada. You get two served on a house made tortilla cut like a flower, with brunoised watermelon radish and cucumbers for crunch, along with a few lines of saffron aioli to round out the flavours. There’s also a whole vegan menu, including creamy hummus with crispy chickpeas served with crackers that chef Pajak makes from the brewery’s spent grains.

I drank a Next Friend Reclaimed Cider –– which was made onsite with grocery store apples, strawberries and cherries that would have otherwise gone to the landfill –– with all the dishes, its acidity and fermented notes paired well with all the dishes.

Given the brewery is kind of hidden a few blocks down Pembina from Confusion Corner, Low Life + SNACK HäUS should get destination restaurant status. All the plates are marvellous, and the drinks aren’t going to get any fresher.

Wednesday & Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday noon to 11 p.m.; Sunday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. More deets on the gram (opens in new window).

More new spots at a glance

Craving sushi in the Exchange? Check out Ocean Bites (opens in new window) (61 Albert St.), by Ukrainian couple Oleg and Liudmyla Mańko. Chef Oleg has six years’ experience as a sushi chef, while the space they’ve opened in January is sleek and spacious.

In North Kildonan, Heavenly Coco Café (opens in new window) (Unit C – 1111 Henderson Hwy.) opened in late-January. Owned by Carla Velho (who is from Portugal) and Stephanie Maldonado, the café combines the couple’s Portuguese and Chilean roots, along with their previous separate businesses, Coco Loco Treats and Heavenly Cakes and Tarts. On the savoury side of things, there are dishes like chacarero (a Chilean beef sandwich), bifanas (a Portuguese pork sandwich), classic breakfast plates and much in the way of cakey things. The couple also offers grazing tables and charcuterie boards for catering, which was one of their original businesses.

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Island Lakes also welcomed Gia Kiệm (opens in new window) (20 Island Shore Blvd.), a new Vietnamese joint, back in autumn. In its cute, minimalistic room you can dine on authentic dishes like bún riêu (a sour tamarind soup), a selection of bánh mì served on crusty buns and numerous vermicelli bowls.

And while not new per se, West Broadway’s Langside Grocery (164 Langside St.) is back open under new owners Liz Wreford and Peter Sampson, whose architecture firm Public City Architecture is now also located upstairs. As stated to Malak Abas in the Free Press, the new menu is cocktail heavy (opens in new window) with a few small plates like a Grocery Salad composed of shredded Brussels sprouts with crispy prosciutto bits and dried cherries, along with a rotating charcuterie board, a classic beef carpaccio and a couple desserts. The circa 1912 building is as gorgeous as ever, plus the courtyard patio is now open too. And they also now take reservations!

New locations

Sharecuterie in The Forks Market

Ojibway-owned and operated, Sharecuterie started as a pandemic-era business, initially doing deliveries and catering. Owner Cassandra Carreiro, who came to Winnipeg from Shoal Lake #40, opened a storefront in March 2023 at 160 Stafford Street where you can create customizable charcuterie, cheese, and vegetarian boards that flaunt a wide range of local products, all while sipping wine and local drinks.

The concept has proven such a success that it’s now available in the Forks Market. The menu at the Forks (opens in new window) has been made easy, with boards available for 2-3 people, along with cute little individual ones, perfect for pairing with the wines, beers and ciders from The Common. Carreiro is also serving bannock buns with jam, while all the boards are pretty customizable when it comes to making vegan, nut-free and lactose-free versions.

Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. www.sharecuteriewpg.com/the-forks (opens in new window)

Even more Stella’s (and Kevin’s) – @1100 Corydon Avenue & EQ3 Polo Park

The Stella’s empire has begun to expand again, with the opening of two new locations in the last couple months. Along with a standard Stella’s Cafe at EQ3 –– which operates breakfast through dinner, with a specialty on brunch and in-house baking (I always elect for the Norwegian waffle, but demand whoever I’m eating with go splitsies so we can do sweet/savoury) –– they’ve opened a dual Kevin’s Bistro/Stella’s concept on the corner of Corydon and Wilton.

Kevin’s first started (opens in new window) as a mac & cheese-centric restaurant in the Exchange, which soon expanded to all sorts of comfort food and salads (opens in new window) of the Stella’s variety. It’s been going strong since 2018, and at this new location in River Heights you can chose whichever dining room you want – Stella’s on the left, with seating for around 20; Kevin’s to the right, with seating up to 50.

Cafe at EQ3 – Monday to Wednesday & Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday & Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Stella’s Cafe @1100 Corydon, daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. stellas.ca (opens in new window)

Cottage Bakery now with three locations – 1382 Pembina Highway (original), 300 Edison Street & newbie at 741 St. Mary’s Road.

Not to be outdone by Stella’s on the bakery/brunch legacy front, Cottage Bakery’s roots date back all the way to 1932. The family who has been expanding it, the Esfahanis, took over in 2005 and just opened its latest shop in December 2025 at 741 St. Mary’s Road.

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The new location is in a strip mall (next to Aroma Bistro) in the southeast side of Winnipeg in St. Vital. It’s cute and cozy and there’s no way you can leave without a treat for the ride home as the pastries on display will summon you.

For a hot breakfast, the Mediterranean omelette –– made with creamy feta, roasted red peppers, sauteed spinach, mushrooms, and green onion, served with assertively seasoned –– is what the staff recommends. It did not disappoint, nor did the house-made jam and bread.

Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday’s until 3 p.m. Cottagebakery.ca (opens in new window)

Shorty’s extends to Charleswood – 3116 Roblin Boulevard

Having found many fans in Wolseley in the former home of Bella Vista – including me, particularly when it comes to the bacon and mushroom pizza that’s topped off with roasted kale and hot honey (dip a slice of that in garlic dill sauce and my friend, you are there) – Shorty’s is now riding tall in Charleswood.

They’ve taken over a former quick service pizza place in that first strip mall that greets you coming from the east in Charleswood, converting the small dining room (it seats just 14) and pickup counter to full Shorty’s mode with wood paneled walls, 50’s style red tables with metal edges, and a black and white checkerboard floor.

The menu has all the New York-style pizzas from Wolseley, along with a “meat likers” pie and a gluten-free pizza crust option for all the pizzas except the square Detroit-style pie. You can also get pizza by the slice, and the salads are all here too, including the kale Caesar with Hickory Stix which I’m also a pretty big fan of.

Daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. – www.shortyspizza.ca (opens in new window)

Coming Soon

And there’s many a room to look forward to on 2026’s menu.

In Osborne Village, the team behind Harth Mozza and Wine Bar and Bellissimo are opening Sotto Braccio (opens in new window) (1160 Osborne St).

Coming to the Inkster area in July, Palm City (1021 McPhillips) promises lechon, karaoke and breezy vibes (learn more about Filipino owners Michelle Reynes and Karl Raynes here in the Free Press) (opens in new window).

On the brewery scene, both Good Neighbour Brewing Co. and Nonsuch Brewing Co. are opening second locations on South Osborne, at 683 (Good Neighbour) and 551 (Nonsuch) respectively. As well, there’s still that Dastardly Villain Brewing Co. is set to open across the street from Tabula Rasa at 726 Osborne. South Osborne is still so hot.

And finally, The Thunderbird, also on McPhillips, is set to reopen this autumn (opens in new window) under the original ownership of John Ginakes and his son Peter. John built the iconic dining room – which is now getting a complete overhaul – back in 1961.