Dining at Bull & Filly: A Hidden Gem in North Kildonan, Winnipeg

Bull & Filly has been on my restaurant-to-try list for a while. My friend and I finally made it happen.

Neither of us makes the trek out to North Kildonan very often, and even with GPS we still managed to miss it 😂. We ended up circling the McIvor Mall parking lot before realizing we had already driven past it. Turns out the restaurant is inside the Nor-Villa Motor Hotel.

The restaurant is nicely decorated with a vintage vibe. There’s a bar area, and a faux tree stands right in the middle of the main dining room, which adds some character.

The head chef, Tristan Foucault, used to own Preservation Hall and has also worked at several well-known Winnipeg spots, including Hu’s on First and Peasant Cookery. (If you want the full backstory on Chef Tristan and the owner, check out Bull & Filly’s website.)

We kicked things off with Mussels & Fries — apparently one of their most popular dishes, and I get why. It was delicious, and we noticed a few other tables had ordered the same.

For mains, my friend went with the French Onion Soup and Dry Ribs, while I had The Bull Burger. The soup was rich and packed with flavor. The ribs? Fall-off-the-bone good.

French Onion Soup | CDN$14
Dry Ribs (GF) | CDN$18

The Bull Burger is a Between the Buns Burger Week winner, and I can see why. It comes with fries or salad and features a chuck & brisket patty, ancho lime mayo, smoked Bothwell cheddar, candied pickled jalapeño, guacamole, peameal bacon, and pepperoncini on an Ace brioche bun. All those flavors together are basically a party in your mouth, and the jalapeño gives it just the right amount of kick.

For dessert, we split the Chocolate Terrine. The portion was huge — we almost couldn’t finish it. Almost.

Bull & Filly also has daily specials and Happy Hour from 2–5 pm and again from 8–11 pm, Thursdays to Saturdays. Deals include select wine, One Great City pints, cocktails, and certain menu items. I already know I’ll be back for their Thursday special: Buck-a-Shuck Oysters.

Here’s a short video of our visit — food, vibes, and a little glimpse of that faux tree.