The hidden restaurant gems in Manitoba

The Fringe located in Shilo, Man. (Source: Roy Benedik)

As Manitobans look to support local businesses amid a trade war with the United States, it’s a perfect time to get out of the city and explore all the province has to offer, especially when it comes to food.

Restaurants, diners, and drive-ins in small towns across Manitoba offer local flavours and unbeatable hospitality you can’t find anywhere else.

One couple that’s making it easier for people to visit these small-town restaurants is Kerry and Stephanie O’Brien, who are the creators of the ‘Manitoba Small Town Drive-ins Review’ Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Through this forum, the couple has visited and reviewed more than 130 establishments in the province over the last several years. The Facebook page, which has nearly 80,000 members, also gives Manitobans a place to look for restaurant suggestions and post about places that they love.

Kerry said visiting these restaurants has given him and his wife not only a chance to try delicious foods but to also visit places they hadn’t before.

“It isn’t just the drive-in itself. It gives us an opportunity to see other parts of the province,” he said.

“Like we’ll make a weekend way up in Asessippi, for example, and we’ll do a drive-in or two there, but we also get to see the area and get to see what’s going on in that part of the province.”

Kerry first discovered his love for small-town drive-ins while travelling around Manitoba for work.

He said each of these places gives their own personal spin to what they make and how they serve it.

“What’s really cool is the way locals all believe that their place is the best, right?” he said.

“Everybody’s so proud of their own restaurant. Oftentimes, people ask on the [Facebook] page, ‘What is the best restaurant?’ And everybody pops in with their favourite and their local ones.”

Kerry added the goal of the Facebook page is to bring awareness to these local businesses—something that the restaurants are thankful for.

Roy Benedik, owner of The Fringe in Shilo, Man., said the Facebook page is beneficial to small-town restaurants because it helps get people through the door.

“I think it’s huge there’s somebody that’s doing that, because people just don’t know… Advertising these days is tough,” he said.

Carlo Guzzi, the chef and owner of Carlo’s Cucina in Gimli, Man., said social media is a huge help to his business and its success.

“One thing that I will say is the moment that you engage and make sure you take care of the people, the people will take care of you tenfold,” he said.

What the restaurants have to offer

From pizza to burgers to sweet treats, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at these small-town restaurants.

At Carlo’s Cucina, customers can indulge in home-cooked breakfasts, daily specials, unforgettable burgers, and more. In fact, the restaurant has previously been named the winner of Le Burger Week.

“Putting your heart and soul into what you do is really important,” Guzzi said.

“That’s one of the key things for us being so successful.”

Brock Couch, who co-owns Stonewall’s The Kiln with his sister Adria, said his restaurant offers a family-owned, drive-in style experience. He said some of their popular dishes include handmade burgers, fries, fish tacos, and ice cream.

“Our food is mostly local, like all of our burgers and fries are produced locally,” Couch said.

“The beef we use, we know that it comes from Manitoba farms through our only supplier. It’s always fresh.”

Small-town restaurants also offer unique settings unlike the ones you find in a big city. This includes The Fringe, located at the Shilo Country Club Golf Course, which is on an army base.

“It’s pretty unique in where it’s located,” Benedik said.

“It’s kind of a little hidden gem because it isn’t super easy to find.”

Why you should visit

When you visit a small-town restaurant, you are supporting a small business with local workers that put their heart into what they do.

For Guzzi, he said it’s all about consistency and connecting with customers.

“Reaching out to the people, making sure that people are happy, that is a big thing that we strive for here at Carlo’s Cucina,” he said.

“So that’s what kind of separates us from the rest out here. Putting out quality, consistent food is the real ticket.”

Benedik noted that it’s the people and communities that make small-town restaurants what they are.

“I think once you’re part of this community, the support is bar none compared to somewhere larger in the city or like a larger chain in the city,” he said.

“People are pretty loyal, and I just think it’s that atmosphere.”