One of the new highlights at Festival du Voyageur this year is ISHKODE, an Indigenous cuisine pop-up offering several dinners themed around The Métis Nation – A Journey in Time. Chefs Melissa "Urban Brownee" Brown, Glenna Henderson, Steve Watson and Rachel Sansregret will be showcasing modern Indigenous cuisine and sharing the traditions that have been passed down for generations. Dinners will take place at La maison des artistes, a short walk away from Voyageur Park. Tickets can be purchased here and include a single day ticket to the Festival for before or after the dinner.

HOT OFF THE PIZZA OVEN! The doors opened just over a week ago and we’ve heard nothing but rave reviews from everyone who visits. This uber-cool space is modern with touches of nostalgia that make you think Al Capone might just walk through the door at any moment. Except you won’t find Chicago-style deep-dish here. Most of these pies are New York-style, with a hearty crust that holds up well to the loads of interesting (and SO tasty!) combinations they’ve put together. There’s also a limited number of Detroit-style pizzas available each day – these magic za’s are square shaped with a thick crust, simple toppings and a sauce so good you’ll want to get a job there just so you can steal learn the recipe.

Fun fact: Chef/owner Thomas Schneider is from Winnipeg and was recently named the best pizza maker in Canada at the Pizza World Championships in Italy. Try the Tommy’s Special to see why!

St. Boniface recently welcomed Fortify, a wellness collective, to their expanding line-up of local businesses. Part clinic, part shop and part eatery – this place takes wellness and healthy living to a new level. The Eatery menu is chock-full of bright and nourishing whole foods that will elevate your body and mind throughout your busy day. There is also an inviting lineup of designed smoothies and functional lattes that make it difficult to pick just one!

In the newly restored, historic Scott Block on Main Street, you’ll find this lovely new dessert café full of Asian-inspired delights. Here, all your sweet dreams come true with everything from flavourful bubble teas to cozy toffee cookies. To kick it up another notch, they even have alcohol infused desserts – think pina colada cupcakes with Malibu rum or Vietnamese coffee cream puff with Kahlua. *drool* And…rumour has it, there’s a new savoury menu coming soon!

“But it’s winter…who goes out for ice cream when it’s cold outside?” This is what I was naively asked recently by a friend from southern California. To which I promptly replied, accompanied by a vigorous eyeroll: “Ummm…everyone, duh.” This is Winnipeg after all, where we pride ourselves on celebrating winter like champs and would never avoid this precious made-from-scratch treat just because the temperature outside is lower than that of the freezer the ice cream calls home. And besides that, Fête also has a wide variety of hot beverages on offer as well. Win-win! The adorable shop has breathed new life into this little corner of downtown and is a must visit.