A road trip is always worth planning, especially if there are some rewarding tasty breaks at some point. Add these five seasonal eateries to your day trip or weekend getaway itineraries for some fresh air and delicious noshing before summer comes to a close.
Moon Gate Guest House Pizza Night
Elma/Treaty 3 territory
This inviting guest house nestled in the Whitemouth River Valley boasts an artisan bakery that welcomes guests on Friday nights in August and September to enjoy pizza in the yard courtesy of their outdoor, wood-fired oven. With a field-to-fork philosophy, owners Jenny and Michael Dupas offer all local ingredients to build your own pie: cheese from Bothwell, meats from Archie’s, in-season veggies from local gardens and crusts made using local grains. Wood-fired sourdough bread and chicken wings are also on the menu. Wind down after a busy week by the river, watching the sunset, with delicious pizza in hand.
Picnic St. B Pique-Nique
Winnipeg/Treaty 1 territory
Spend the afternoon soaking up the ‘passion et histoire’ of one of Winnipeg’s iconic neighbourhoods: Francophone Saint-Boniface. Picnic St. B Pique-Nique, organized by Bonjour Manitoba, is offering again an open-air picnic experience through the neighbourhood. Start at Fromagerie Bothwell on Provencher Avenue to get your basket and load up on local goodies, specifically a bag of Bothwell Squeakers. Then head to Cafe Postal for a latte to go (participants in Picnic St. B get a BOGO offer!). Lastly, stop at Ker Breizh crêperie, located in the little street-car kiosk on the Esplanade Riel for one of their Breton-style pancakes straight from France. Next, find a place to lay your picnic blanket; an interactive map on the Picnic St. B Pique-Nique site shows off plenty of nearby green spaces where you can set out your feast.
Bijou Patio, Exchange District
Winnipeg/Treaty 1 territory
An open-air, European-style dining and drinking experience can now be found along the cobblestone streets of Winnipeg’s Exchange District at Bijou Patio. We all know the Exchange is home to some of the city’s most creative kitchens, and now hungry Manitobans can get their favourite Exchange District fare delivered to their table at this stylish neighbourhood patio. With the help of a smart phone ordering system, Bijou “runners” hand-deliver the food on the patio, while you order a pint of local brew at the pop-up bar. Bijou Park is located on the tree-lined plaza between Old Market Square and Main Street.
Two Old Crow’s BBQ & Smokehouse
Miami/Treaty 2 territory
The smell of BBQ is wafting around the Pembina Valley thanks to Two Old Crow’s BBQ & Smokehouse. A hidden gem hardly known beyond the Maimi/Morden/Manitou circle, Two Old Crows is a food truck and catering service that operates on an acreage about 10 kms west of Miami is on Hwy 23. It’s the perfect destination for supper after a long day road tripping through the stunning scenery and quaint towns in the area. Check out Two Old Crow’s Facebook page for daily specials - like bacon-wrapped turkey legs and pork belly burnt ends - that’ll make you drool. There’s a limited quantity of food, so it’s best to show up early (opens at 4 pm daily) to snag a picnic table.
Jennifer’s Picnic
Seven Sisters Falls/Treaty 3 territory
Cabin dwellers, campers and road trippers heading to north Whiteshell Provincial Park along PR 307 know well the quaint red-and-white food truck with lighted patio located in the town of Seven Sisters Falls. Jennifer’s Picnic is most renowned for Chef Josef’s wiener schnitzel and Hungarian goulash, but his menu also boasts other specialty appetizers that you can’t find anywhere else on a menu in Manitoba like frog, camel, alligator and kangaroo. It’s the perfect way to fuel up or close off your outdoor adventure for the day.
Wherever you travel throughout the province this summer, please remember to continue to practise physical distancing and be COVID careful.
— For more Manitoba travel ideas please visit www.travelmanitoba.com