Because every restaurant is more than just what’s on the plate.
Pub | $$ | 155 Osborne Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Settling In
I crossed a border to get here. And I know Canada doesn’t feel as romantic as Paris or Rome, but it’s been our favorite neighbor for generations, and it’s the home of poutine, Bryan Adams and the Caesar cocktail. Enough said. Winnipeg was the first stop for Taste the Room International, and the pub we landed on was called Toad in the Hole.
The Toad has been open since 1990 in a neighborhood called Osborne Village, one of Winnipeg’s busier strips for bars and restaurants. It moved across the street to its current building back in 2020, and it’s still run by the same family that’s had it for the better part of two decades. Walk in and you know exactly what you’re getting. Dark wood, low light, a little dingy in the best possible way. It feels like a British or Scottish pub that got picked up and set down in the middle of Manitoba. It’s had a few different looks over the years, and the personality never left.
We showed up early on a Friday afternoon, ahead of whatever crowd usually fills the place at night.
The Little Stuff
That worked out fine for us. Our bartender had time to actually talk, and he was born and raised right there in Manitoba. It was an easy, relaxed conversation.
One wall of the Toad is dedicated to whiskey. We didn’t get up close to look at everything on the shelf. What we could see looked like a solid collection for a bar this size. Bourbon was one thing missing entirely, no surprise given everything going on between our two countries these days. Same deal with the cocktail list, classics like the Rusty Nail and the Manhattan sitting right next to the Blood and Sand I ordered. The food menu runs from shareable starters to full handhelds, plenty of options beyond what we ordered.
The Reason You’re There
I started with a Blood and Sand, a classic built with scotch, cherry brandy, sweet vermouth and fresh squeezed orange juice.
We split the spinach and artichoke dip first. It came out hot, with soft garlic naan on the side and cheese melted nice across the top. Both the spinach and the artichoke were blended in smooth and fine, so every scoop came out even and easy to eat.
The Toad Burger came next, and honestly it was about as cliché as a good burger gets. It’s built with American cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce, red onion and pickle, all stacked on a toasted buttery brioche bun. Thick, juicy, exactly what you want a burger to be when you order one at a pub like this. We swapped the regular fries for poutine. Poutine, if you’ve never had it, is a Canadian plate of fries covered in gravy and cheese curds. This one showed up exactly the way it should. Fresh cut fries, warm brown gravy, and big chunks of curd. You just keep picking at it until it’s gone. You can’t help. It’s comfort food in just the best way possible.
What Sticks With You
There’s a lot going on right now between our two countries, and none of us are short on headlines about it. None of that showed up in that room. Just a good bartender, a good drink, and a plate of food that felt so good on that rainy afternoon. Anthony Bourdain once said, “Food may not be the answer to world peace, but it’s a start”. Ok, we’re not exactly invading each other, but the quote still works.
Victoria’s Taste
“I like everything about this, the bartender, the food, the atmosphere. It’s a must stop if you’re here.”
Final Bite
We walked in without much more than the name on the door, and left glad we picked it. A quiet Friday afternoon, one other table in the room, and a couple hours that felt like catching up with an old friend. We’ll be back for the whiskey bar next time, when we’ve got more than an afternoon to spend there. If you find yourself in Winnipeg, the Toad is worth the stop.
Taste the Room pays for every meal we review. We don’t accept comped food, and restaurants aren’t notified of our visit in advance. It’s how we keep our reviews honest and independent.
