Breakfast in Winnipeg - Not what we expected! (Canada)
Visited - November 2016
Location - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Best Breakfast in Winnipeg goes to ...
Clementine - 123 Princess St (Easily our favourite Breakfast spot in Winnipeg, Canada and probably North America)
So you probably know, Perthites are rather picky when it comes to their coffee, and I'm afraid we are (slightly embarrasingly) no exceptions. It absolutely must be espresso, the flavour strong but certainly not too bitter, the grind definitely not burnt, and the milk must be soft and creamy. We find that what Perthites consider "good" coffee difficult to find when travelling. That is particularly the case in the US (but for New York in cafes run but Aussies or Kiwis) and initially we were having similar problems in Canada, most specifically in Niagara. Things had obviously improved substantially in Montreal, but the real winner, and to be honest the real surprise, was when we found Clementine in Winnipeg.
We can easily say it was the best coffee we had throughout the entire trip across Canada. Velvety, balanced and very relaxing.
Then we come to the food ...
Well the truth is, we only tried one dish, both times we visited! It was the "Braised Bacon Benedict" with Maple Sabayon, Dill, Poached Eggs and aCheddar Biscuit. Obviously it is not a light option, but it is AMAZING and it achieves its comforting goal without needing to be so rich you feel beaten afterwards.
Speaking of our two visits. The first was well planned having sought advice from the super friendly and super helpful Attendants on the Canadian (Toronto to Winnipeg leg). It allowed a slow, relaxing breakfast providing a day of sight seeing with the perfect start.
The second, was quite the opposite, but equally satisfying and similarly the beginning to an amazing day back on the Canadian on our way to Jasper. Having arrived back in Winnipeg late the evening before from Churchill, and then in D's case saying a long, liquid goodbye to our new German friends in the Airport Hotel Bar, the morning was a rush from the get go. An early taxi to Winnipeg train station, followed by a quick check in of our luggage, we enquired as to precisely how long we had till the train left. The answer, 50 minutes! So straight out the door, into the street we went to flag down a cab and race across town back to Clementine for what felt like our obligatory fix. The staff were great, if a little surprised at what we were trying to achieve, and they managed to get our coffee and breakfast out quick smart, giving us just enough time to enjoy it, before back out into the street, waving at more taxis and a very last minute hop onto our home for the next three days. Stressful? Yes! Worth it? Absolutely?
We would say if you are in Winnipeg, you HAVE to visit Clementine. Especially if you are after "good" (read Perth / Melbourne / Sydney style) coffee!
Check out the TripAdvisor reviews, though as at the time of writing, number two for Breafast in Winnipeg is well below where it should be.
Another Favourite Breakfast Spot ...
Stella's Osborne - 166 Osborne Street
Stella's Osborne was our first breakfast in Winnipeg, also recommended to us by our Attendants on the Canadian. They provided a (typically North American) large, filling start to the day. The setting is simple, but inviting and the service (typically Canadian) friendly. The food fresh and accessible.
D had the Mexican Breakfast with literally all the fruit (two sunny side eggs, soft corn tortillas, refried beans, cheddar cheese, green onion & tomato. With salsa, guacamole, cilantro sauce & hash browns).
Unfortunately coffee wasn't a highlight, a little big and milky for our tastes, but it provided us with our early morning caffeine hit and we didn't leave any for the waitress.
The place is well reviewed on TripAdvisor, at the time of writing number one for breakfast in Winnipeg, so you really can't go wrong.
For us, it does come in second behind Clementine, though we enjoyed our visit and many will find Stella's Osborne more easy going.
