Juneberry offers brunch… and maybe more

St. Vital

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This article was published 17/05/2023 (1178 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Juneberry, at 531 St. Mary’s Rd., opened in July 2020 — likely the worst time to launch a new restaurant in recent memory.

Owner Dana Cherski said it was an uphill battle to start a new business just when the pandemic was resulting in government-ordered closures and people were mainly stayinghome.

Cherski said Juneberry’s patio was what got the business through the first few months.

“It definitely helped us through the pandemic.”

Operating a ghost kitchen for about two years also helped keep the restaurant afloat.

Cherski is well versed in the hospitality industry, saying she began working at Moxie’s when she was 17, followed by many years at Stella’s. She shares ownership of Juneberry with partners Marc Priestley and Kyle Matheson, who own and operate other Winnipeg restaurants.

The three were looking to open a brunch place and heard that the owners of The Riverside (formerly the St. Vital Hotel) wanted a restaurant that would operate during daytime hours.

Cherski said that the space was appealing but required extensive renovations.

“It was very much a blank slate,” she said.

She and her partners hired a local interior-design company to create a unique look for Juneberry. This includes Italian tile, textured walls and colour-co-ordinated mobiles.

Their desire to be different extends to Juneberry’s menu.

“We definitely wanted to be more outside the box than the traditional brunch places,” Cherski said, adding that they have embraced the tapas and small plates concept. “It’s very sharing-friendly.”

The most popular menu items are pancakes and Honduran baleadas, which are made with fresh tortillas filled with braised short ribs or spiced sweet potato, egg, refried beans, cheese and avocado.

Patrons can choose from an extensive list of caffeinated beverages. including coffee brewed with beans from Gimli’s Flatland Coffee Roasters.

Cherski said Juneberry’s chef, Carter Bouchard, is adding her own touch to the menu and patrons can expect to soon see new dessert choices.

With a capacity of 40 diners on the patio and 48 inside, Juneberry works as a venue for small private events, and Cherski welcomes inquiries about bookings.

The past year has shown the owners what a normal year is like. Cherski said, as with most other restaurants, staffing issues and rising food costs are a challenge. She gave an example of a 16-litre jug of canola oil increasing in price from about $19 to almost $50.

She’s grateful for the support that Winnipeggers have given Juneberry so far and hints that operating hours might be extended from the current schedule of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday to Monday.