Hermanos raises curtain on new chapter Exchange District eatery moves to Centennial Concert Hall space closed since 1990s By: Nicole Buffie Posted: 5:13 PM CDT Friday, May. 22, 2026

A longstanding Winnipeg eatery is moving to a space attached to the Centennial Concert Hall that has been closed since the 1990s.

Hermanos will move from the historic Ashdown Warehouse, at 179 Bannatyne Ave., to the long-shuttered restaurant space at the concert venue, to cater to the theatre crowd, its owners told the Free Press Friday.

“This is our opportunity to expand and ensure the long-term success of the family business,” Noel Bernier, co-owner of Hermanos, said Friday.

Bernier announced this month the South American steakhouse would close after 17 years. He promised it would reopen in the east Exchange District.

“This is our opportunity to expand and ensure the long-term success of the family business.”

After a brief search, Bernier connected with the Manitoba Centennial Centre Corp., the Crown corporation that manages multiple arts and cultural buildings in the city, including the concert hall, planetarium, Manitoba Museum and Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.

The last business to operate in the space, which sits between the entrances to the concert hall and planetarium, was Bridgeport Lounge, an offshoot of chain restaurant Brannigans. The space has been vacant since the late 1990s.

Michelle Bernier, Noel’s wife, will be at the helm of the restaurant that’s expected to open in the fall to coincide with Nuit Blanche. The annual arts festival, set for Sept. 26 in the Exchange, attracts 35,000 people.

She plans to introduce a new concept near and dear to her heart: the Nanny’s Howse Cafe.

“My nanny was always baking, cooking, and she was my inspiration,” Michelle said. “My whole life I always thought, ‘wouldn’t it be great to have my own business?’ and then when this space came up and there was too much room, I said I had an idea.”

The 50-seat café will be open during the day, before an 80-seat reimagined Hermanos Steakhouse opens to guests at night. The spot will be open five days a week.

Michelle is a newcomer to the restaurant industry. She and Noel recently married and she joined the family business. While working as a registry officer for the Manitoba Métis Federation, she began brainstorming.

As a fan of theatre and music, the fit felt natural, she said.

The eatery will retain staff and chefs from the Bannatyne location, which Noel said was important.

“The people are at the centre of what we do,” Noel said. “The food is handmade by people with 20,000 hours of experience preparing our food and they know it best.”

Robert Olson, chief executive officer of the Manitoba Centennial Centre Corporation, looks forward to reactivating the space for its intended purpose. The area had most recently been sparsely used as a meeting room for school groups.

“Those attending the concert hall or any other activities within the Centennial Centre will really benefit from having a food service that caters to the theatre crowd,” said Olson. “We’re excited for it, especially with an established restaurant like Hermanos.”

Noel said he was excited the restaurant would allow patrons to be steps from their seats at the concert hall, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Artspace building, and other arts destinations.

“The food is handmade by people with 20,000 hours of experience preparing our food and they know it best.”

In the corporation’s 2017 conceptual development plan for its properties, it identified the restaurant and kitchen space as potential revenue generators for the company.

The space is also accessible via an underground walkway from Winnipeg City Hall, which Olson would like to see used to bring in the office crowd during the day.

The Berniers have plans to include a private dining room and a lounge to eventually host Latin music nights.

A recent cash injection into the Pantages Playhouse Theatre next door was also welcome news, the Berniers said. On May 5, the province announced it would give the shuttered theatre $15 million to restore the 112-year-old performing arts centre.

Hermanos remaining in the area is a testament to the continued success of the area, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and tenant turnover, said Exchange District BIZ executive director David Pensato.

The Maw’s Garage in the West Exchange is set to be developed into a residential building, in addition to an incoming 10-storey complex on James Avenue.

“There is a lot of investment and a lot of development happening in the Exchange,” he said. “I would say we’ve had a pause for a couple of years, and it’s nice to see the play button being hit again.”

Hermanos last day of service at 179 Bannatyne Ave. is May 30. Riley Bernier, Noel’s son, is set to open a Hermanos location in Brandon later this year.

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca