Diners put Cafe Carlo in Canada’s top 100

Advertisement

Advertise with us

Customers at Cafe Carlo are satisfied — so satisfied, in fact, that their positive feedback has helped push the local Italian eatery into a list of the Top 100 Restaurants in Canada.

Read this article for free:


or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/12/2021 (1717 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Customers at Cafe Carlo are satisfied — so satisfied, in fact, that their positive feedback has helped push the local Italian eatery into a list of the Top 100 Restaurants in Canada.

On Tuesday, OpenTable, an online dining reservation service, published its list of the top restaurants in the country based on user reviews collected over the last year.

Cafe Carlo owner Joel Boulet was surprised by the news and chalks the accolade up to high-quality service.

PHIL HOSSACK / FREE PRESS FILES
Cafe Carlo owner Joel Boulet credits his staff with the restaurant’s high online rating.
PHIL HOSSACK / FREE PRESS FILES Cafe Carlo owner Joel Boulet credits his staff with the restaurant’s high online rating.

“I do think we give (diners) a pretty good experience overall; we try to be as attentive as possible,” he says. “That part I’m not surprised about because I fully believe in the people that I’ve been working with over the last many, many years… so it’s a great credit to them more than anything.”

Boulet has worked at the Corydon Village restaurant for 30 years, first as a server and later as an owner. During his tenure, the rise of online, diner-submitted reviews has changed the landscape considerably. While public forums can provide important feedback, they also create a lot of stress and anxiety for staff.

“A negative review can be a bit hard to take,” he says. “But even consistently good reviews cause a lot of anxiety, because once you set the bar somewhere, it’s really hard to maintain that.”

Where other platforms allow anyone and everyone to comment, Boulet has more faith in the reviews on OpenTable because only verified customers are given the opportunity to weigh in. At press time, Cafe Carlo had more than 1,800 reviews on the website and an overall rating of 4.8 stars out of five.

The restaurant is the only Manitoba establishment featured in this year’s Top 100 list. Since reopening following public health restrictions, Cafe Carlo has been as busy as ever. While Boulet is happy for the recognition, he’s focused on keeping staff and customers satisfied.

“It’s always nice to hear nice things and I’m sure it will put a smile on everyone’s faces and remind (staff) that what they’re doing has value,” he says. “And hopefully we can stay busy right through the winter months, keep doing what we’re doing and look for ways to improve.”

eva.wasney@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @evawasney

Eva Wasney

Eva Wasney
Reporter

Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva.

Every piece of reporting Eva produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.

Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.

Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

Report Error Submit a Tip

More Stories

Fatal stabbing of Ukrainian newcomer left family shattered

Erik Pindera 6 minute read Preview

Fatal stabbing of Ukrainian newcomer left family shattered

Erik Pindera 6 minute read Yesterday at 5:47 PM CDT

A man who fatally stabbed a Ukrainian newcomer in “a random, unprovoked, and senseless act of violence” on the street has been sentenced to 10 years behind bars.

Ethan Gladu, 22, was found guilty of manslaughter in February in the December 20, 2023 killing of Ivan Rubanik, a 46-year-old father of two who had fled to Canada for a better life with his family several months before.

Gladu, then 19, randomly stabbed Rubanik shortly before 8 a.m., near Talbot Avenue and Watt Street, as the victim was walking to work that morning. He died of blood loss soon after.

“The people of Winnipeg, or any community, should feel confident that they can go about their business, walk to work, support their family, and carry on with their lives without being attacked,” said Court of King’s Bench Justice Kenneth Champagne on Thursday afternoon as he sentenced the killer.

Read
Yesterday at 5:47 PM CDT

Climate change, capable ships could extend Churchill shipping season by months, studies show

Gabrielle Piché 3 minute read Preview

Climate change, capable ships could extend Churchill shipping season by months, studies show

Gabrielle Piché 3 minute read 1:14 PM CDT

Climate change and ice-strengthened ships — but not the most expensive icebreakers — could enable a much longer shipping season through the Port of Churchill, new studies released Friday show.

However, the studies flagged tricky navigation to the port.

The Manitoba government shared results of studies from the University of Manitoba, the Arctic Research Foundation and Fednav, Canada’s largest international dry bulk shipping company.

Fednav ships through the Arctic; it recommends Polar Class 4 vessels, which could cost up to $130 million new and up to $85 million used.

Read
1:14 PM CDT

Winnipeg’s postwar architecture well-documented by online archive

Conrad Sweatman 5 minute read Preview

Winnipeg’s postwar architecture well-documented by online archive

Conrad Sweatman 5 minute read 1:00 PM CDT

We live in a city rich with Chicago School high rises, mid-century modernism and much more. And, for the past three decades, Paul Clerkin has amassed arguably the most comprehensive archive of this architecture.

Read
1:00 PM CDT

Province fogging in West St. Paul due to high counts of West Nile-carrying mosquitoes

Free Press staff 3 minute read Preview

Province fogging in West St. Paul due to high counts of West Nile-carrying mosquitoes

Free Press staff 3 minute read 12:37 PM CDT

Manitoba Health will conduct a third round of fogging in the RM of West St. Paul due to high counts of a West Nile virus-carrying mosquito and a high infection rate in the area.

The province said spraying of the DeltaGard 20EW insecticide is scheduled to happen this weekend, as long as weather conditions are suitable, to reduce the risk of human exposure, which remains high.

The RM of West St. Paul will notify residents when the date is confirmed. The date will be published on the Manitoba Health’s website.

Manitoba has reported one confirmed and three probable human cases of West Nile virus in 2026. The confirmed case was in Prairie Mountain Health region in western Manitoba. Two probable cases were in Interlake-Eastern and one was in Southern Health.

Read
12:37 PM CDT

Costco breaks ground on new West St. Paul store

Gabrielle Piché 4 minute read Preview

Costco breaks ground on new West St. Paul store

Gabrielle Piché 4 minute read Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026

Construction has begun on the American retailer's newest Manitoba location which developers expect will open in August 2027.

Read
Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026

Early returns unpromising for Sky Blues

Jerrad Peters 4 minute read Preview

Early returns unpromising for Sky Blues

Jerrad Peters 4 minute read 1:40 PM CDT

It is a question whose answer will shape the near-term future of English football: “How will Manchester City deal with the departure of Pep Guardiola?”

Early returns are not exactly promising.

Last Sunday, in its first competitive match since Guardiola’s resignation back in May, City was whipped 3-0 in the Community Shield by reigning Premier League champion Arsenal. It was a scoreline that flattered the well-beaten side.

Now, it was also just one match, and no doubt incoming City boss Enzo Maresca will make some adjustments ahead of Bournemouth’s visit to Etihad Stadium this weekend (Sunday, 8 a.m., FuboTV). He’ll try, anyway. His starting 11 that took the field at Wembley was close to his strongest available team, so whatever changes he devises will not involve personnel.

Read
1:40 PM CDT