I came to know of A and V Drive In at 1200 Chevrier Blvd. years ago, when our office was looking at relocating in the area (they’ve been open since 2004).  

In my mind, a suitable lunch spot with great food is the No. 1 priority when office scouting.  We found the name a bit of a misnomer ,as there actually no cars driving in and taking out.  On the other hand, there were a number of customers inside, apparently from the businesses and factories in the area.  Although the restaurant is equipped with plenty of tables, they were all occupied upon our arrival, with the exception of one.  This speaks to A and V’s popularity.

On previous visits, I’d sampled their burgers which were outstanding, but on this occasion I was in the mood for something a bit lighter.  There are a number of salads to choose from as well as omelets, burgers, dogs, sandwiches and platters.  A breakfast special is served weekdays from 6-11 am.  

In the end, I selected the Greek salad, which comes with a garlicky slice of Texas toast that had been placed on their hot grill.  Loaded with creamy feta cheese, the was a meal in itself but with the addition of a chicken breast (a steal at $2), it was more than satisfying.  In fact, I discovered that I couldn’t eat it all!  

The addition of purple cabbage in the salad was a bit non-traditional but the extra crunch proved to be a pleasant twist.

My lunch date went all out with a clubhouse platter.  We were surprised to see ham in place of the usual chicken or turkey but she was well-pleased and remarked that the plentiful bacon was perfectly cooked, which was her primary concern.

The fries were crunchy on the outside and potatoey in the middle and devoid of the greasy taste that sometimes accompanies drive-in fare.  They hadn’t been seasoned by the kitchen, which was also welcome, so liberal amounts of vinegar and salt could be added to taste.

All told lunch for two was $18.50 before tax and tip, which was exceptional value, I thought.

THE DETAILS:

A and V Drive In
1200 Chevrier Blvd.
204-452-7540
Fort Garry (Industrial Park)
Plenty of adjacent parking
Two stairs at entrance
Breakfast, lunch & takeout menus available

—Kathryne Grisim’s foodmusings.ca blog was named best local blog in Uptown Magazine’s Best of Winnipeg readers’ poll