Taste Regina
Consumerism is always changing and evolving. At the forefront of consumerism today is supporting local. One of the first things many people think of when they think of local is food and drinks. And here in our Queen City there are lots of cool, local establishments that are worth a try.
Eats:
Free Bird – located in Lumsden, Free Bird offers unique twists on classic dishes and cool features that never disappoint! Dip n’ Drip Birria Tacos, Pork Belly Shrimp & Gritz and a weekly feature pizza on their signature sourdough crust are just the tip of the iceberg. Free Bird has a chill vibe with music memorabilia on the walls blended with modern and rustic décor. They frequently host live music, and when the weather’s fine, patrons can enjoy a small patio in front of the restaurant.
Cap off your meal with one of Free Bird’s delicious desserts, or take a quick stroll down the sidewalk and enjoy Street Treats Ice Cream Shoppe!
Wann Izakaya Japanese Gastropub – if you like, love or have never tried authentic Japanese cuisine and drinks, Wann is a must-try. Situated at 1950 Broad Street, Wann offers phenomenal sushi, ramen, tapas and more. Staying true to the Japanese Izakaya experience, Wann is as much about drinks as it is incredible food. Sake and Sapporo beer are just a few of the unique beverages available at Wann.
Tipsy Samurai – the younger sibling to Wann Izakaya, the Tipsy Samurai builds on traditional Japanese food and drinks with Yakatori, chicken skewers commonly served at Izakayas. Not only is the food traditional but the cooking too. The owners of Wann and Tipsy had the Tipsy Samurai kitchen specially made to accommodate a charcoal grill, essential for authentic Yakatori. You can find the Tipsy Samurai at 3753-2 Chuka Boulevard.
Bar Willow Eatery – with one of the biggest and best patios in Regina and the surrounding area, Bar Willow is a great spot to enjoy some amazing food and beverages while you’re out in Wascana Park. Stop in for delicious tacos or burgers and wash it down with their great selection of local craft beers or cocktails. Bar Willow also often has some of the best musicians Regina has to offer play on the patio for a great cap off to your night.
Blanco Cantina – Hola! If you’re looking for a loud, lively, fun patio, Blanco Cantina is a must! Located downtown Regina and walking distance from some of its major attractions, you can view the city skyline on the patio while sharing…or not, items from their flavourful menu.
Karen, who shared her experience at Blanco for this list, says her favourites are the mouth-watering selection of Margaritas and authentic guacamole that’s smash-made right in front of you at your table. Classic chips and dip are replaced with tortilla chips and fresh salsa, guac and pico de gallo! You can check out more of their colourful authentic dishes here…the sugar skull décor is pretty fun too!…disfruta de mi amiga (enjoy my friend)!
Breweries:
This past fall, we took it upon ourselves to courageously (😉) visit a few breweries here in Regina so we could share our experiences with you! For the purposes of this blog, we stuck to crafted beverages made by the companies themselves and we all opted for flights so we could try more varieties.
Pile O Bones Brewing Company – just off Saskatchewan Drive at 1808 Cameron Street, Pile O Bones has almost everything! Cool atmosphere, a large drink selection that offers more than just beer and a great food menu. Combined, we sampled the Red Ale, Grapefruit Ratter, Scarth Street, Cosmic Celebration, White IPA, Lime Hibiscus, Raspberry Wheat and Saison Bloquee. Overall, we enjoyed our flights, but one flavour stood out, the Saison Bloquee.
The Saison Bloquee was a small batch run that had just been tapped. It had a comforting, robust flavour with the perfect amount of spicy notes. If you visit Pile O Bones in the fall (we visited in October) and are lucky enough to see it on the board, it is a MUST TRY!
Like many other businesses in or around downtown, the only downfall of Pile O Bones is limited parking.
Fun Fact: Pile O Bones is a verified Metis Business!
Rebellion Brewing Company – also located not far from downtown at 1901 Dewdney Avenue, Rebellion has been around since 2014. Rebellion boasts an inviting ambience, lots of beer alternatives, and an awesome authentic Mexican menu from El Tropezon. Between us we sampled the Lentil Beer, Strength in the Herd, Bunny Hug, Hazy IPA, Summer Sour, Lemon Radler, Cats Got the Cream, Flanders Sour, Atomic Glitter Bomb, Orange Radler, Homegrown IPA, Frenemies and Michelada. Just like Pile O Bones, there was a clear favourite. Cats Got the Cream. Another great fall choice, we all agree it is the Pumpkin Spice Latte of craft beers.
Like Pile O Bones, Rebellion doesn’t offer a ton of parking directly out front, but there is ample street parking on Dewdney.
Fun Fact: You can become a Rebellion Taproom VIP and earn punches towards free growlers and pints!
We visited a third brewery for our research, Warehouse Brewing, and all thoroughly enjoyed it, from the service to the drinks, but Warehouse has unfortunately closed!
We only included two here but there are others in Regina that are worth checking out if you have the time. If you don’t have plans on a nice evening or an upcoming weekend and you live in or near our capital city, consider checking out a brewery (or two!):
Minhas Sask Distillery, Winery and Brewery
-Paige Sandvold is a Marketing Manager on the Revenue Growth Team at Directwest