Manitoba's Ingredients Shine Across the Province

Across Manitoba, organic bakeries, fair-trade coffee houses and locally stocked Cafés are opening up like sunflowers in August. Now, travellers can exchange highway pit stops for spotless surroundings, wholesome breads and organic coffee. Each of these Cafés has become a hub of culture while nourishing their communities with local ingredients and delicious food. At the same time, each remains mindful of the larger, global community.

Hõrfrost - Portage La Prairie
Ground Roots Café - St. Norbert
Poor Michael's - Onanole
Harvest Sun Café - Kelwood
Prairie Seasons Bakery - Neepawa
Chipperfield Coffee Company - Minnedosa
Siesta Café - Riding Mountain National Park

Hõrfrost - Portage La Prairie
Open year-round
190a River road
Ph: (204) 857-7203

With its Manitoba-inspired cuisine, Hõrfrost dazzles the appetites of hungry Portage locals and visitors alike. All menu items are fresh, carefully made from scratch, and feature locally sourced and organic products whenever possible. The menu rotates seasonally, but is sure to please all year round with options like Portage greens and vegetable salad with Manitoba pickerel in a local apple vinaigrette, crispy local potato fries tossed in a zesty sweet maple sauce, and homemade saskatoon or strawberry ice-cream. Other locally sourced staples include up to 42 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, 13 types of greens and lettuces, Nichol's honey, pork, bison, Manitoba-made Quark cheese, and flour for the breads. Guests are served in the classic comfort of a one-room bar and restaurant with an open-concept kitchen, styled in airy blues and warming earth tones.

Ground Roots Café - St. Norbert
Patio open into fall until weather permits (catering year-round)
100 rue des Ruines du Monastère
St. Norbert, Manitoba
(204) 275-0470

The Ground Roots Café is situated on the picturesque grounds of the old Trappist's Monastery at the St. Norbert Arts Centre. Menu changes are based on weekly finds and inspiration from the nearby St. Norbert Farmers' Market and neighbouring farms. Combine a visit to the farmers' market to pick up fresh produce, baked goods and Manitoba crafts with a nourishing lunch at Ground Roots. Take a leisurely stroll through the charming gardens before enjoying local and organic fare on the quaint al fresco patio. A rustically rural setting, reasonable prices and generous portions are sure to guarantee repeat and satisfied customers.

Poor Michael's Bookshop - Onanole
Open May to October
Highway #10, minutes south of Riding Mountain National Park
Ph: (204) 848-4087
www.poormichaelsbooks.ca

Poor Michael's Bookshop is an eclectic collection of local art, global crafts, used books and fair-trade organic coffee. Originally established as a bookshop, the addition of a Café and gallery incorporates locally milled spruce timber and plenty of natural sunlight, creating an eco-funky feel of Café culture. Visitors are greeted by the subtle smell of spruce and the aroma of espresso and are encouraged, latté in hand, to browse the shelves of books and crates of vintage magazines. The gallery is a lively combination of local and international art. Poor Michael's is also a popular venue for artists, singers and writers to showcase their talent.

Harvest Sun Café - Kelwood
Open April to December
Highway # 5 in Kelwood, 30 minutes north of Neepawa
Ph: (204) 967-2280
www.harvestsuncafe.com

Amid grain fields and backyard gardens, Harvest Sun Café sits at the heart of this quiet farming community. Inside, coffee mugs are waiting on tables and the colourful chalkboard menu offers a selection of homemade burgers, melts and "the best porridge in Kelwood". The daily special is lightly poached pickerel on a whole wheat bun, served with pan fried potato wedges. The rhubarb pie has a whole wheat crust, so customers will feel guiltless about enjoying it a la mode. The majority of ingredients are local, sometimes dropped off at the kitchen door by neighbours. Buying from farmers and producers in the area creates a modest pride among residents.

Prairie Seasons Bakery - Neepawa
Open all year
370 Mountain Ave., Neepawa
Ph: (204) 476-2024
www.prairieseasonsbakery.com

Prairie Season's Bakery is a delightful infusion for the senses—the smell of fresh bread, the hiss of the espresso machine, the colourful jars of relishes and jellies. By offering fair trade organic coffee, the bakery promotes global awareness but keeps it local by grinding flour from Manitoba grains and using traditional Hutterite recipes. Try a gooey whole wheat cinnamon bun (choose from poppy seed, raisin, plain and savory), or a hearty sandwich with a cup of homemade soup. To accommodate special diets, there's a variety of gluten-free breads and cookies as well as low-sugar jams. After lunch, walk up the sloped street to the Margaret Laurence Home to enjoy a tour of the historic two-storey home of one of Canada's most celebrated writers.

Chipperfield Coffee Company - Minnedosa
Open year-round
50 Main Street North, Minnedosa
Ph: (204) 867-5751

Minnedosa's first general store has been transformed into the town's first contemporary coffeehouse. Chipperfield Coffee Company borrows its name from the prominent family whose successful business once thrived within the same brick walls. The interior retains its early 20th century charm—be sure to look up at the original tin ceiling and exposed chimneys. Specialty lattés boast titles like "Turtle Caramel" and "Snickers Bar" and come in 16-oz. mugs generously topped with chocolate whip cream. All drinks are made with purified water and fair trade coffee. After you've enjoyed a latté on their new patio, drive north on Highway 10 to visit The Old Church Pottery & Gift Shop. Go for the handmade pottery, stay for the Mexican hammocks and Japanese rock garden.

Siesta Café - Riding Mountain National Park
Open May to September
130 Wasagaming Drive
Ph: (204) 848-4432

Located in Riding Mountain National Park's townsite of Wasagaming, Siesta Café has a trendy, urban feel and offers cottagers a good brew, Internet access and soccer updates via a flat screen TV. Siesta Café maintains environmental and social responsibility by using compostable cups made from potato starch (locally grown) and serving fair trade organic coffee (roasted in Clandeboye, Manitoba). A must-try is the Wasagaming Wonderbar, a mélange of hardy ingredients including sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and Shreddies coated in peanut butter and honey. Or, there's the Backwoods Betty, a decadent combination of chocolate and rolled oats. The energetic staff is eager to give customers information on quality products and equitable coffee. After you've checked your e-mail, take time to enjoy the shops along Wasagaming Drive or hike a few of the 300 km of trails in Riding Mountain National Park.