Discover Winnibakes: A Taste of the Levant in the Heart of Whyte Ridge

by | July 28, 2024

When you walk into the Winnibakes Levantine Bakery, you’ll quickly realize it’s not your typical bakery. The Levant-style bakery offers more than just baked goods to purchase and leave with. It’s more like a restaurant where the local baker is at the heart of the community serving up Levantine food, especially fresh flatbreads, made to order. The Levant is a historical geographical term that covers a large area of the eastern Mediterranean and includes present day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Palestinian Territories, and much of Turkey.

Winnibakes – named from a blend of Winnipeg and Bakery – is the creation of Fawaz Alsayeh and his wife Batoul Hussein, Jordanians who recently moved to Winnipeg from Saudi Arabia. Fawaz worked in finance and Batoul was an interior designer. They relocated to Winnipeg for their son Zaid’s educational opportunities. With Batoul’s love for baking and cooking, and a noticeable gap in Levantine cuisine in Winnipeg, she saw an opportunity which eventually led to the creation of Winnibakes Levantine Bakery.

Located in the former Floral Fixx spot in the strip mall by Rona+ in Whyte Ridge, it has a warm and inviting interior designed by Batoul herself. The oven dominates the room, with tiles on the outside of the oven picked out by Batoul to match the décor. As warm and inviting as the interior is, it cannot be matched by the exceptional hospitality of Fawaz and Batoul. It’s evident that this restaurant is a true passion of theirs and very much a family affair.

The menu features Levantine cuisine staples that in some cases have been adapted slightly to Canadian tastes, such as incorporating feta in certain recipes. On the topic of cheese, they are particularly proud of their akkawi cheese. Fawaz told me about the challenge of sourcing a high-quality version of this cheese in Canada, jokingly noting that it costs more than chicken. One of their more popular dishes is shawarma (made of beef or chicken) that instead of the typical wrap is served either as pie in a pan (in phyllo pastry) or as a calzone. True to Levantine tradition, the menu is dominated by Mana’eesh – a flatbread with various tasty topping options baked fresh in their giant oven as you wait.

No bakery is complete without desserts. Winnibakes serves up Levant classics like Kunafa, Basbosa, and Baklawa. In my opinion, and theirs, these desserts are best accompanied by their Turkish coffee, a full rich brew flavoured with cardamom, that’s to die for.

I asked Fawaz about their choice of location and he explained that they liked it as it’s a promising area, because of proximity to their home, its uniqueness, and ample safe parking. As a long-time resident of Whyte Ridge, I’m glad to see such a unique business starting up in our neighborhood. I encourage everyone to visit and experience their outstanding hospitality and delicious food.

By: Stu Charles