DEER + ALMOND

Two menus, one bar, zero reasons to rush dinner elsewhere in Winnipeg

DEER + ALMOND at 85 Princess St is the kind of restaurant that makes you reconsider what a Prairie city dining room can do. Chef Mandel Hitzer runs a four-course prix fixe in the dining room alongside an à la carte menu at the bar, and the bar option matters: if you want to eat well in Winnipeg late in the evening, this is the most considered choice you have. The bar seats are also your easiest entry point when the dining room fills up, and there is genuine overlap between the two menus, so you are not trading quality for convenience.

The cooking is assertively international without losing its grounding in local product. Winnipeg goldeye arrives smoked, plated on a latke with crème fraîche and whitefish caviar. Sidestripe prawns come from B.C. Slow-baked beets and tuna are paired with horseradish emulsion and a ginger-soy dressing. Charcoal-grilled lobster is served with fermented blueberry. These are not timid combinations, and the kitchen earns its ambition: the sourcing is specific, the international references are purposeful rather than decorative, and the dishes read as a coherent point of view rather than a greatest-hits list.

The culinary framing shifts again at the dessert stage, where a course called "Burnt Toast" brings malted ice cream alongside a raisin and walnut tart and Delice de Bourgogne. That range, from Boreal Crisp amuse-bouche to French cheese, is the signature move here. Hitzer is drawing on pierogies and brioche, manzanilla and yuzu kosho, chicken liver and apple gelée in the same meal, and it works because the kitchen has a clear sense of proportion rather than a compulsion to impress.

For a special occasion, the prix fixe dining room is the right call. The space uses warm wood accents, bright artworks, and soft lighting to create an atmosphere that reads as intimate without being quiet in a way that makes conversation feel staged. The energy is convivial. The wine program leans toward small producers and uncommon grape varieties, with a prix fixe pairing available, which is worth taking if you are not already deep into a bottle.

Booking is relatively direct by the standards of Canada's most-discussed creative restaurants. If you want a comparison point: Alo in Toronto requires weeks of advance planning and a fixed commitment to the tasting menu format. Kissa Tanto in Vancouver is similarly competitive for seats. DEER + ALMOND is more accessible than either, and the bar option gives you a genuine fallback if the dining room is unavailable. Nationally, the cooking sits in the same conversation as Tanière³ in Quebec City or Narval in Rimouski for chefs working seriously with Canadian product while refusing to be constrained by regional cuisine categories.

For the broader Winnipeg picture, see our full Winnipeg restaurants guide. If you are building a longer trip, our Winnipeg hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of the city.

Quick reference: Bar à la carte available alongside dining room prix fixe; booking is easy relative to comparable Canadian creative restaurants; wine pairing included with prix fixe.

How It Compares

See the full comparison section below.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I eat at the bar at DEER + ALMOND? Yes, and it is a genuinely good option rather than a fallback. The bar runs its own à la carte menu with meaningful overlap with the dining room's prix fixe. If you are visiting solo, arriving later in the evening, or simply want more flexibility over pacing, the bar is the right seat. The atmosphere holds up in both settings.
• What should a first-timer know about DEER + ALMOND? The menu moves across a wide range of references: Prairie ingredients sit alongside B.C. seafood, French technique, Japanese condiments, and Eastern European formats. Do not come expecting a single-region cuisine. Come expecting a kitchen with a clear point of view that uses local product as a foundation rather than a theme. The prix fixe in the dining room is the fuller experience; the bar à la carte is a legitimate alternative. Booking is easier here than at comparable creative restaurants in Toronto or Vancouver.
• Can DEER + ALMOND accommodate groups? Specific capacity figures are not publicly confirmed, but the restaurant runs both a dining room and a bar, which gives more flexibility than single-room venues. For larger groups, contact the restaurant directly to confirm arrangements. The dining room prix fixe format works well for celebration dinners where the group wants a shared structure rather than individual ordering.
• What are alternatives to DEER + ALMOND in Winnipeg? 529 Wellington is the comparison for a more formal, classic fine-dining experience. NOLA is the right pick if you want a livelier, less structured evening. YUJIRO is worth considering if Japanese cuisine is your preference. Né de Loup occupies a similar creative-cooking space and is worth comparing directly if you want a different chef's take on the same category. DEER + ALMOND is the strongest option in Winnipeg if the combination of local sourcing and international technique is what you are after.
• Is DEER + ALMOND good for a special occasion? Yes, with the dining room prix fixe as the recommended format. The room is intimate without being stiff, the wine pairing is available to reduce decision-making during the meal, and the cooking is ambitious enough to justify the occasion without tipping into self-conscious formality. It compares well against Jérôme Ferrer - Europea in Montreal for special-occasion creative cooking at the Canadian mid-to-upper price tier. If you want the most refined service experience in Winnipeg, 529 Wellington is the alternative to consider.