Winnipeg | Restaurants

[trueviking]

the restaurant in the ZU building, sottobraccio, looks to be close to opening. They are adding plants and chairs.

[Sheepish]

Any word on the progress of th two restaurants in the new apartment on Bannatyne?

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by Sheepish

Any word on the progress of th two restaurants in the new apartment on Bannatyne?

Fit-ups are ongoing.

[neutroniks]

Hermanos in an e-mail that horribly spelt Bannatyne, is closing down and will relocate somewhere in the East Exchange. Anyone got the inside scoop where? I wonder if this has anything to do with Sofia's Cigars not taking off.

[trueviking]

^ interesting. I heard someone was poking around at the old Free Press Cafe spot. Maybe that's it.

[Sheepish]

Hmmm...seems that would be West Exchange, and probably too small. Wasn't there a mention of someone interested in the old Arts Club location?

[zalf]

Originally Posted by trueviking

^ interesting. I heard someone was poking around at the old Free Press Cafe spot. Maybe that's it.

I thought the Marriaggi's people had taken it over?

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by zalf

I thought the Marriaggi's people had taken it over?

Yes, Dahlia by Mariaggi’s Restaurant and Grotto lounge is being developed.

[neutroniks]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

Yes, Dahlia by Mariaggi’s Restaurant and Grotto lounge is being developed.

Correct, Dahlia took over both Cakeology and The Free Press Cafe. They knocked down a wall and extended Cakeology and are renovating the inside. She said the menu would be french inspired food.

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by neutroniks

Hermanos in an e-mail that horribly spelt Bannatyne, is closing down and will relocate somewhere in the East Exchange. Anyone got the inside scoop where? I wonder if this has anything to do with Sofia's Cigars not taking off.

Yet they are opening a huge space in Brandon next month.
The son and his wife are relocating there.
Expansion did not work when they tried Osborne South a few years past.

[trueviking]

Just came across a tik tok of Noel talking about this....definitely had to do with the ashdown building owners.

as mentioned, Hermanos opening in the old fire hall in brandon by his son and daughter in law.

He stressed several times that the new location will be more convenient to theatre go-ers, so it must be on Market or James....will be open by Nuit Blanche....I wonder if it is a space in one of the new buildings on Waterfront?...i cant think of any other large open CRU's around there.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

Yes, Dahlia by Mariaggi’s Restaurant and Grotto lounge is being developed.

That's a lot of words in a name...who is Dahlia?

[trueviking]

I wish there were more lunch spots in the exchange instead of fancy restaurants.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by neutroniks

Correct, Dahlia took over both Cakeology and The Free Press Cafe. They knocked down a wall and extended Cakeology and are renovating the inside. She said the menu would be french inspired food.

"under construction" for over a year I'm pretty sure, hope they havent given up!

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by trueviking

I wish there were more lunch spots in the exchange instead of fancy restaurants.

100% agree! the RRC campus quick serve is jam packed daily (when it's open). good food, good price

the new Shwarma place replacing Khan will be a hit with me (i hope)

[FactaNV]

A shame about Sofias. It was such a cool idea.

[Wpg_Guy]

Hermanos steakhouse to shutter, relocate in Exchange
Nicole Buffie
Monday, May. 11, 2026


MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES

Hermanos’s last day of service at its current location is May 29.

Winnipeggers have three weeks to get a Baby Cabrera at Hermanos before the longtime South American steakhouse closes its doors — for now.

On Monday, co-owner Noel Bernier announced Hermanos would be closing its anchor location at 179 Bannatyne Ave. on May 30 (after 17 years in the historic Ashdown Warehouse building in the Exchange District) and moving elsewhere.

“Our family is really growing into this business and taking charge of the brand and determining our own outcomes, so we’re doing it in a way that our customers will be most happy,” Bernier said.

The restaurateur said the closure and relocation is part of the family’s restructuring of the business and brand. Bernier’s son, Riley, is opening a new Hermanos location in Brandon (in the city’s historic central fire station) this year and Bernier wants to dedicate plenty of time to helping his son ensure that business is a success.

“I have other other projects I want to do, but we’re a restaurant family now,” he joked.

While Bernier is mum on details of the new Winnipeg location, which he aims to open in the fall, it will be in the East Exchange and be run by Bernier’s spouse Michelle. Offering a taste of what diners can expect of the new spot, Bernier said it will better serve the city’s theatre crowd.

Bernier opened Hermanos in the Ashdown Warehouse in 2009. In 2018, he briefly operated a second location at 725 Osborne St., but that eatery folded a year later.

Bernier has been at the helm of multiple restaurants and business ventures in Winnipeg, including Corrientes Argentine Pizzeria, Carnaval Brazilian BBQ and the now-shuttered Barley Brothers and Sherbrook Street Delicatessen.

Bernier credits Hermanos’ continued success despite changes in the Exchange and a two-year closure during the COVID-19 pandemic to the restaurant’s brand as a cultural export of South American cuisine. The eatery serves dishes such as paella (Spanish rice dish), milanesa (breaded cutlets) and chivitos (beefsteak sandwiches).

With the new location, the restaurateur hopes to make the eatery more accessible to the masses. The new location will have the same staff and chefs, Bernier added.

“Come and see us. We miss you, and we want to say goodbye to our people. Whenever we come back in the neighbourhood, it’s going to be in a different place, with a different look but the same people,” he said.

Hermanos’s last day of service is May 29. Bernier encouraged patrons to use up remaining gift cards and have one last meal in the dining room before saying goodbye to the current location.

Free Press

[neutroniks]

Originally Posted by trueviking

Just came across a tik tok of Noel talking about this....definitely had to do with the ashdown building owners.

as mentioned, Hermanos opening in the old fire hall in brandon by his son and daughter in law.

He stressed several times that the new location will be more convenient to theatre go-ers, so it must be on Market or James....will be open by Nuit Blanche....I wonder if it is a space in one of the new buildings on Waterfront?...i cant think of any other large open CRU's around there.

Maybe, but if it's any of those new CRU's that'll need some time to fully build out, because they're all bare bones. I know that the Saddlery isn't very busy, so maybe they'd take over that space?

[neutroniks]

Originally Posted by trueviking

I wish there were more lunch spots in the exchange instead of fancy restaurants.

Wall St. Slice needs a location in The Exchange to get good pizza by the slice. I wonder when Habibiz is fully taking over Shwarma Khan?

[neutroniks]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

"under construction" for over a year I'm pretty sure, hope they havent given up!

I imagine they'd need some time to fully build out the Free Press Cafe. It was very barebones when that korean family was still running it.