Homemade soups, tender steaks on the menu

Alfred Chan and wife Brenda don’t live in Headingley but the community has become home over the past 14 years.

The Chans own and operate the Headingley Grill at 180 Bridge Rd.

"We know most of our customers by name. It’s a good feeling," Alfred said.

The Chans bought the restaurant from previous owners Ted and Mary Matthews, who ran it for many years under the Highway Host name.

He said a friend who lived in Headingley told him about the business opportunity. The Chans, who also run the cafeteria at Winnipeg’s Sisler High School, decided to invest.

"We changed the interior, and we changed our menus," Alfred said.

More entrees, daily specials and salads were added. Regular lunchtime diners can order a different homemade soup each day of the week, with kale soup listed on June 27.

"We offer a variety of soups. About 95 percent of what we serve, we make here."

Alfred, who has his Red Seal Chef certification, comes in well before the restaurant’s 7 a.m. opening time on weekdays and 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday to start preparing food for the day. While Brenda usually closes the door at 8 p.m., Alfred typically comes back later to make sure that everything is cleaned and locked up.

Looking back, Alfred said, it was tough going in the first year, but regular customers spread the word among their family and friends.

"We have our early morning guys and coffee guys," he said, including a group who come from Charleswood.

While the Headingley Grill is located directly south of another well-known diner, Nick’s Inn, Alfred said there’s enough business to go around.

"We have our clientele and they have theirs."

As well as having two of his four children working at the Headingley Grill, he and Brenda make a point of employing local teens. "We’ve had some start working here when they’re in high school, and all through university."

Customers will soon see a change as the Chans plan to further renovate the restaurant. While they would also like to use the outdoor space on the south side of their building, Alfred said the summer often brings strong winds that wreak havoc with patio umbrellas.

 
— Staff