Brit Cafe vying for prestigious crown

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This article was published 04/03/2010 (5674 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

At the Brit Cafe you can order authentic British fare, including everything from bacon butties to bangers and mash.

But the Portage Avenue restaurant may soon be serving up the something even tastier — the title of best restaurant in the world.

The Brit Café is in the running for title in the Daily Telegraph’s Expat Best of British Awards.

The Telegraph is one of the most widely read papers in the United Kingdom. The fact that the Brit Café is competing against other restaurants from around the world in the online contest has owner Sally Mann completely gobsmacked.

“It’s unbelievable, absolutely amazing,” said Mann, who lives in Charleswood.

Mann entered the contest on a whim after learning about it from a customer. Her loyal customers kept voting and she soon found out her café won best British restaurant in Canada.

“Now we’re in the finals for the best in the world so we need to get some serious voting going on here if we stand a chance to win,” she said.

Contest winners will receive a trip to England for the awards ceremony in April, and each person who votes is entered into a draw to win a trip to the ceremonies as well.

Mann’s own journey brought her and her family to Winnipeg in 1998 from Fordham Village, which is located approximately 60 miles northeast of London.

A printer by trade, Mann says that adjusting to life on the Canadian prairies was harder than she originally thought because of all the differences, especially in language.

“Our language has moved on so much, whereas yours is quite pure so all the strange sayings we have aren’t recognized here and you find yourself slowly getting rid of part of your vocabulary,” Mann said.

However, food seems to be the one language that everyone can agree on and has had staff at the Brit Café hopping since it opened in 2008.

But before Mann hit on the recipe for success, she says the family originally started a T-shirt printing business in Kildonan Place Shopping Centre, and soon after opened the Raging Brit on Academy Road featuring gifts and food.

But with more and more people clamouring for authentic English cuisine, Mann had the idea to open the Brit Café.

She says they get visitors from out of town and a lot of expats who come to the restaurant looking for a little piece of home.

“What makes us different is that we cook everything from scratch and it doesn’t taste the same as everything else,” Mann said, adding that three of her children work at the cafe.

“I think customers like it because is like a big family here, we laugh and we joke a lot. It’s a great atmosphere.”

Mann’s son, Hadley, said the atmosphere is so friendly that some customers have even taken to calling his mother mum.

Phil and Pat Stockburn recently visited the cafe for the first time and say it won’t be the last.

“Phil’s mom is English and they like fish and chips and this has been really good and authentic,” said Pat, who lives in West Kildonan.

The Brit Café is located at 2615 Portage Ave. and is open Tuesday to Sunday.

For more information and a link to the Telegraph’s online voting, visit www.ragingbrit.com.