Dining in Winnipeg – blog #2

Canada’s Best Hotdog
A trip to Winnipeg (see Dining in Winnipeg – blog #1) would not be complete without a visit to the Half Moon Drive In. The Half Moon has been awarded ‘Canada’s Best Hotdog’ honors and has been a Manitoba destination since 1938. I do not remember the original building which stood until 1983 but have many memories of visiting the larger and more modern restaurant every summer while growing up. It is a short 20 minute drive from the north end of Winnipeg and even on a Monday evening in November the dinner crowd was fairly steady. Since my last visit the indoor seating area has again been expanded to accommodate more seats.

The Moon Dog
The menu includes both burgers and hotdogs with a large selection of each including double and triple burgers and double dogs for those with an appetite. But when at the home of one of Canada’s Best it only makes sense to choose the specialty, the Moon Dog, which consists of a foot long crunchy wiener, crispy bacon, grated cheddar cheese, fried onions, pickles and mustard. Jeff always wonders how I can eat one of these when I choose to avoid meat on most occasions but I always arrive armed with Zantac for the heartburn and an appetite. It was a special treat to go to Half Moon growing up and I still love it. Add an order of fresh cut fries, large enough for sharing, and we are set.

Video Game Room
My nine-year old niece is now a fan of the Half Moon but I think it is more for the video games room and the soft ice cream than the hotdogs. The Ice Cream window is not busy on this night but is always lined up during the summer months. The restaurant will be closing in December for the family’s usual month-off but will be open again in mid-January from Wednesday to Sunday and full time in the spring. If you have never been it is worth the trip even if you do not like hotdogs to check out the photo history along the walls, take a walk down to the river or to sit outside in the summer and enjoy an ice cream treat.