It’s time to start new traditions and honour old ones at The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre.
Downtown Winnipeg’s iconic railway hotel has plenty of excitement to offer guests this spring, including the return of the lavish signature holiday brunch and an evolved menu at Vida Cucina Italia, the upscale Italian eatery that opened in September 2023.
The Return of Signature Brunches
A cherished Winnipeg tradition is back: signature holiday brunch buffets at The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre, signalling a return of a favourite family tradition for many—and for some, an opportunity to start a new one.
After a lengthy hiatus (the brunch buffet hasn’t been offered at the hotel since 2018), reservations are now open for the Signature Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet (May 12), after the hotel's Signature Easter Sunday Brunch Buffet on March 31 sold out. Hosted on the hotel's seventh floor, these lavish brunches are a true revival of grandeur, as showcased by the extraordinary culinary team of The Fort Garry Hotel.
The buffet menu is expansive—guests can select items from six distinct stations, including an assortment of housemade baking (the famous Fort Garry Hotel sourdough included), Quebec artisanal cheeses, and an entire buffet station dedicated to fish and seafood, with large poached shrimp, snow crab legs, fresh-shucked oysters and smoked salmon.
Salad lovers will appreciate fresh, vibrant options, including roasted beet salad and butternut squash panzanella, and hearty appetites are not ignored with stations for eggs, pancakes, and carvery selections, including CAB prime rib au jus and roasted Manitoba leg of lamb.
A chocolate fountain, a cart serving housemade gelato, and an assortment of cakes and cookies ensure a sweet finish to the feast. And don’t miss the mimosa bar for that perfect celebratory toast.
The signature brunches are designed to be family-friendly and also include a special menu that appeals to "the young at heart".
Reservations for both brunches are now open, with time slots between 10 a.m and 3 p.m. available to book through OpenTable. Visit www.fortgarryhotel.com/mothers-day-brunch for more information.
Honouring traditional, Italian dishes at Vida Cucina Italia
Since opening in September 2023, the team at Vida Cucina Italia has been busy bringing Winnipeggers on a journey back to the roots of Italian cooking.
In case you missed it, Executive Chef Rosanna Marziale and Resident Chef Fabrizio Rossi are at the helm of this upscale Italian eatery in The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre, guiding diners through a refined selection of modern, traditional dishes. Tourism Winnipeg stopped by the kitchen in October to learn more about their culinary philosophy and Chef Marziale's Michelin-starred past (you can watch that interview here).
From handmade pastas, including the gnocchi alla sorrentina and cannelloni di pasta fresca zucchine e crostacei, to the tagliata di manzo (tender Alberta CAB Prime ribeye served with a delightful salad of arugula and cherry tomatoes), every dish on Vida’s newly evolved menu, which now includes nine pastas –– six of which are fresh –– is crafted with the intent to showcase the unadulterated flavours of its ingredients.
Chef Marziale's philosophy centers around simplicity and authenticity. She finds North American interpretations of Italian cuisine often result in dishes overwhelmed by innovation and masking the true essence of the ingredients. At Vida, chef Marizale prompts you to taste the richness of the tomato, the earthiness of the pasta, and the delicate balance of flavours that Southern Italian cooking is known for.
It's a return to authentic Italian cuisine, and this simplicity allows the quality of ingredients to shine through, with the menu combining both local ingredients and coveted imports from Italy.
“My role is to refine our service and to preserve Vida's authenticity, from selecting the ingredients to keeping our dishes simple and true to where they come from,” explained Chef Marziale (as translated to the author).
Guests can also try two of Chef Marziale’s dishes that earned a Michelin star in Italy. ‘La Pizza al Contrario’ is a special dish with a base made of stretched buffalo mozzarella DOP –– a technique called ‘rimozzare’ developed by chef Marziale –– topped with crispy bread, San Marzano DOP tomatoes, basil cream, basil leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Palla di mozzarella ripiena di tagliolini al basilico features buffalo mozzarella DOP filled with taglioni (a long, thin pasta) and basil cream, which is breaded and fried like arancini, then placed on two sauces –– one featuring pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuivio (grape tomatoes from Naples) and one made with peas, so you get this gorgeous pop of red and green like the Italian flag.
Vida Cucina Italia is open Tuesday to Saturday from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Visit vidacucinaitalia.com for reservations and information.
