Two Winnipeg eateries in same building in the running for Best New Restaurants list

The pickle plate from Shirley’s Restaurant features a rotating selection of briney, seasonal produce. (Air Canada/Shirley’s Restaurant)

Two Winnipeg eateries coincidentally nestled under the same Osborne Village roof are in the running for a prestigious Canadian culinary honour.

Air Canada unveiled the finalists for its 2025 Best New Restaurants list on Tuesday. Among the 31 new hot spots in the running to crack the final top 10 ranking are Winnipeg’s BabyBaby and Shirley’s Restaurant.

The restos are neighbours, situated in the same newly renovated Osborne Village building – one that sat empty for years and now regularly has lineups out the door.

The buzzy BabyBaby features a sprawling menu of small, medium and large plates conceived by head chefs Nick Gladu and Daly Gyles, boasting everything from pickerel beignets to scallop XO noodles to a whole sea bass with passionfruit butter. The cocktail menu is also something to behold, with a cocktail for every slushie, gin, and julep-leaning palate.

Its neighbour in real estate and on the short list is the 35-seat Shirley’s Restaurant, named for chef and owner Renée Girard’s grandmother. In that vein, it serves up a menu rooted in Italian home cooking with dishes like bucatini alle vongole, chicken Milanese, and a chopped salad fittingly called A Very Nice Salad 2.0.

Both restaurants opened in March after much Instagram-fueled hype and intrigue.

The finalists are chosen by a panel of culinary experts, Air Canada said, with judges visiting each spot anonymously to dine as any guest would.

The final top 10 list will be revealed on Nov. 17 at a gala hosted by Air Canada in Toronto, Ont.