Winnipeg coffee shop, long-serving eateries among establishments shut down by health inspectors

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This article was published 08/01/2025 (273 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A popular coffee shop in St. James has been ordered closed after health inspectors found evidence of mice inside as well as food being prepared in insanitary conditions.

The Joe Black coffee shop, at 2037 Portage Ave., was forced to shutter its doors Monday after a health inspection determined it hadn’t taken “effective measures against the entry and presence of rodents,” had prepared food under unsanitary conditions and had failed to make sure food had been protected from contamination.

Joe Black’s owner could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

A post on the coffee shop’s Facebook page read: “Hello folks, we are temporarily closed for some days to undertake some vital repairs and maintenance recommended by the government, paving the way for a brighter future. I apologize for any inconvenience caused.”

Joe Black is one of the 50 food service establishments in Winnipeg and across the province that have been closed by order of the province’s health protection department since late July.

Some of the affected businesses reopened the same day, others opened a few days later, while several have been closed for weeks or even months.

There were more than 11,082 food establishment inspections conducted in 2024, resulting in 86 closures and five convictions.

A provincial spokesman said the number of inspections a restaurant faces are based on a number of factors including whether an establishment is considered high, medium or low risk, their past history and consumer complaints.

“High-risk establishments are inspected up to three times a year, medium risk twice a year and low risk once a year,” said the spokesman. “When complaints are received from the public, they are passed on for investigation and appropriate actions.

“Public health inspectors use a progressive enforcement model and use tools such as education and warnings before charging an establishment. Typically, closures or charges will only be ordered for the most severe issues.”

The kitchens at the Transcona Country Club were closed on Aug. 26, after being found they were not being kept in good repair and clean, as well as having problems with the dishwashing machines.

Georges Bohemier, the facility’s property manager, said the club has since reopened one of their two buildings, at 2060 Dugald Rd., shortly after the closure. The other building, at 2070 Dugald Rd., is still closed for preparing food due to a roof leak.

“We have been able to prepare food at the one building and take it to the other so it hasn’t hurt us much,” said Bohemier. “We have two buildings and two kitchens.

“We just finished the roof (on Monday) and we are now finishing the inside. But the timing was bad. We are still recuperating from COVID. We had trouble because we weren’t making any money.”

Other restaurants and food service establishments that were ordered closed and have since reopened after inspections include:

• Chaise Café and Lounge, at 271 Provencher Blvd., (closed on Aug. 1 and reopened the next day for preparing food in unsanitary conditions);
• Ye’s Buffet, at 616 St. James St., (closed for two days starting Nov. 27 because of insanitary conditions and not taking effective measures against pests);
• Peasant Cookery at 100-283 Bannatyne Ave., (shuttered for five days, starting Nov. 20, for preparing food in unsanitary conditions and not taking effective measures against pests); and
• Uptown Alley, at 1301 St. Matthews Ave., (closed for four days beginning Nov. 21, after being found preparing food under unsanitary conditions).

Doug Stephen, president of Wow Hospitality, which owns the Peasant Cookery, said the restaurant’s closure occurred after a health inspector spotted a single cockroach. He said he was taken by surprise because they pay for regular pest control.

“I’m freaking out when it happens in one of my restaurants,” said Stephen. “I had the owner of Poulin’s (Pest Control) come down. … I called them and said you have to step up.

“I don’t know how many days you have to come in, but we want this dealt with.”

Stephen said they have followed all recommendations, including taking restaurant equipment outside in freezing conditions in case any of the bugs were hiding out.

“We did everything we can.”

Elsewhere in the province:

• the Dairy Queen in The Pas was closed on Dec. 18 for six days after not taking effective measures against rodents;
• the Dencross Cornerstone Café in Dencross was shuttered for three months, reopening on Dec. 31, for not keeping the place in good repair; and
• Sean’s Burger Barn, in the Rural Municipality of Grahamdale, was closed for eight days starting Aug. 13, when found operating without a permit and with cooling equipment in disrepair.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

Establishment closures

Establishment convictions