1. St. James Tap & Table
2. Tallest Poppy
3. Enoteca

Western suburb dwellers of Winnipeg rejoice - you have a new local hangout! St. James Tap and Table opened its doors in October and has become a neighbourhood favourite in only a few months. 

The restaurant and bar is another business venture spearheaded by the FB Hospitality Group, which also backs Carnival, Billabong and Prairie 360. Located on Portage Avenue just past the Moray Bridge, the venue totally revamped the former Dylan O’Connor’s - a local Irish pub chain which shut down in 2012.

According to Frank McCann, head chef at Tap and Table, renovations to the practically condemned building took close to seven months - but the results were well worth the effort. The large, open concept space has a sleek, modern feel with touches of woodsy warmth. There are plush leather booths and high top tables throughout the restaurant for seating and a lounge area with couches in the back. A small stage located in the restaurant’s northern section is open to local performers throughout the week. The spacious and lustrous bar top is open and inviting. It features an impressive stainless steel tap which highlights the bountiful draft selection that includes rotating local craft beers.

But if ambiance and the promise of a frosty mug of deliciousness isn’t enough to entice you, then the menu might do the trick. McCann, who brings 14 years’ experience and fine dining influence to the table designed the menu - classic pub style with more than a few twists. According to McCann he tries to keep things interesting, with a culinary point of view that focuses on using fresh ingredients and making as much in-house as possible.

“We want to bring good food to St. James at a good price,” McCann says. And with menu items like the Cultured Caprese Salad made with fresh basil and Maldon salt, and the Prairie Pickerel with cauliflower puree, the Tap and Table is a must try if you find yourself down in St. James.

Part of the series: The Uniter 30

Published in Volume 69, Number 15 of The Uniter (January 7, 2015)