14°c Light rain showers
17°c Cloudy with showers
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
We mourn these three
... but there are still lots of places to get your iconic eatery fix
Alycia's, an iconic North End Ukranian restaurant, is no more. (TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
Kelekis Restaurant will close at the end of January, when owner Mary Kelekis, 87, retires. (MELISSA TAIT / WINNIPEG FREE PRE)
People line up for lunch on one of the last days of the Wagon Wheel Restaurant being open. It closed last July. (RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store
It's been a lousy year for lovers of iconic eateries in Winnipeg.
First, there was Alycia's in the North End, whose perogies were so good the late actor John Candy called it his favourite restaurant. It shut its doors last winter.
Then there was the Wagon Wheel Lunch, which served world-famous clubhouse sandwiches downtown for more than a half-century. It turned off its ovens for good in July.
And last Friday, C. Kelekis Restaurant, a Main Street institution since the 1940s, announced it would stop selling its shoestring fries at the end of next month.
If you believe bad things always come in threes, you can relax.
But if you're worried about where you're going to get your next home-cooked-like meal, we've compiled a list (in no particular order) of some of our favourite remaining local iconic eateries, where the face of the place can often be found flipping meat behind the grill, filling coffee cups and greeting customers at the door.
RAE AND JERRY'S: Arguably the best-known steakhouse in town, the waitresses in matching uniforms at the Portage Avenue mainstay have been serving up prime rib since 1957. Sitting on your red leather chair and looking at the wood-panelled walls, you can be excused if you think owner Steve Hrousalas has a time machine.
THE GARWOOD GRILL: One of the few places in town to use real turkey in its clubhouse sandwiches, the 40-year-old Pembina Highway eatery is also known for its hangover-curing breakfasts, Greek-style pizza, Denver sandwiches, burgers and large portions.
BLONDIE'S RESTAURANT: The number of places in the world that serve a nine-pound burger are few and far between, and this is the only one in Winnipeg -- as long as you order it at least 24 hours in advance. The 22-year-old Main Street eatery's signature burger also includes 50 slices of bacon and 50 slabs of cheese.
VJ'S DRIVE INN: A favourite among the late-night downtown bar crowd, this take-out counter across the street from the train station is famous for its burgers, hotdogs and shakes -- and for customers sitting on their outdoor picnic tables in the middle of winter. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008.
RED TOP DRIVE INN: The St. Mary's Road mainstay has been serving its six-patty "Monster" burger for nearly 50 years. The decor has had more than one customer feeling like they had walked into Arnold's on Happy Days.
DAIRI WIP DRIVE IN: Nearly as famous for the picture of John and Robert Kennedy that hangs behind the counter as it is for its Fat Boy and Chili Burger in a Bowl, the Dairi Wip has been feeding residents of St. Boniface since 1957.
TUXEDO VILLAGE FAMILY RESTAURANT: Considering the neighbourhood, you probably wouldn't expect to find a family-style restaurant with very reasonable prices just a few blocks from some of the biggest houses in the city. A relative newcomer to the restaurant scene, it has been on Corydon Avenue for 13 years.
NICK'S INN: Technically, this institution is in Headingley, but it's been worth the trip for the burgers, fries and coleslaw since 1939. Even though it's a bit of a drive, don't pack a lunch.
geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 2, 2012 A5
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
More Local
(1 of 35 articles for today)
Teachers vote to donate $1.5M to human rights museum
9:17 PM 0Manitoba public school teachers have voted to donate $1.5 million to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in return for ...
Poll
Most Popular Local
- City's first urban reserve born
- Woman drove into river on purpose
- City set to seize derelict hotel
- Crash victims were good friends, free spirits
- Accused fraudster fights extradition to U.S.
- Evidence ignored in dangerous driving acquital, appeal court told
- Doctor charged with sexually assaulting teen at HSC
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Witness changes story of killing
- Police searching for suspect who woke sleeping teen
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Crash claims two young women, RCMP say
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Police identify slaying victims
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- City's first urban reserve born
- 2 dead in crash near Portage la Prairie
- The end of the credit card?
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Parents, community relieved and elated as missing boy found safe
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- City's first urban reserve born
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- Better PTSD treatment for RCMP urged
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Armed forces buys buses from Motor Coach
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Accused fraudster fights extradition to U.S.
- Crash victims were good friends, free spirits
- City chiropractor guilty of beating, sexually assaulting ex-girlfriend
- Athletes could sit under new school rules
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Fishing for fashion
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- Core grocer a challenge: expert
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- City's first urban reserve born
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- North End proud
- Power restored to Linden Woods after goose collides with lines
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- A child-custody catastrophe
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Boost same-sex curricula: union
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.