The Posh Foodie

I’m a big fan of Japanese cuisine.

Winnipeg may not be a coastal city, but we’re lucky to have some fantastic Japanese restaurants.

These are my top 3 picks (⚠️ heads up — they can be pricey):

Sabi on Taylor by Wasabi Group
📍1360 Taylor Ave, Winnipeg, MB 
🌐https://www.wasabiwpg.com/

Wasabi Group has been serving the Winnipeg community since 1999. They used to have three locations, but now there are just two: Broadway and Taylor. I prefer the Taylor location — it’s closer to home and parking is way easier.

The restaurant has a lounge and a main dining area, with trendy, modern decor.

One of Wasabi’s co-founders, Cho Venevongsa, trained under Mr. Sadao Ono at Edohei — the first Japanese restaurant in Winnipeg.

Wasabi is known for blending traditional Japanese cuisine with a modern twist. If memory serves, they were the ones who made volcano rolls famous in town.

Here’s a 57-second video of our dining experience in the lounge:

Want to see more? The full 8-minute video titled Top 3 Japanese Restaurants in Winnipeg is at the end of this blog post — it features more dishes we tried in the main dining area.

Yujiro Japanese Restaurant (勇次郎）
📍1822 Grant Ave, Winnipeg, MB
🌐 https://www.yujirowinnipeg.com/

Yujiro has been a neighbourhood favourite in River Heights for over 20 years. What started as a traditional Japanese restaurant has evolved into a fusion of Japanese, Chinese, French, and Italian influences.

Back when ramen options in Winnipeg were basically nonexistent, co-owner and chef Edward Lam made lunchtime ramen a thing — and what a treat it was. And, they still serve ramen at lunch.

In 2024, Yujiro earned a spot in the Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants guide. Not too shabby for a cozy little place on Grant.

I’m also a fan of their updated look and refreshed menu (I think the revamp happened in late 2023 or early 2024). The quality has always been there, but now it feels even more refined — fresh ingredients, thoughtful presentation, and some fun new surprises.

But the real surprise?

The dessert trio. Absolute showstopper.

Edokko Japanese Restaurant
📍532 Waterloo St., Winnipeg, MB

Edokko is a tiny restaurant with a tiny grocery section tucked in the back.

If you’re into cozy, low-key spots with authentic flavours, this is it.

I wrote a full blog post about my experiences there a couple of months ago (shameless plug 😋). Check it out if you want to see what we ordered and the grocery section.

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