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Winnipeg Free Press

‘Our goal was to create kind of a new niche'

There are 32 food options at Tavern on King Edward — more if you count the items on the dog menu. The new restaurant, located at 1760 Sargent Ave., is advertising its focaccia pizzas, prawn sushi hand rolls and chicken tenders. But customers who bring their four-legged friends to the dog-friendly patio will be able to order their pet a fresh-made rice-and-vegetable dish. (Add chicken breast, burger patty or steak for an additional fee.) 'Other places have dog patios,' Chris Chang said. 'We just thought we would take it to the next level.' Chang is vice-president of operations at the Tavern Collective, a new dining brand owned and operated by Vancouver-based Northland Properties Corp. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Chris Chang is vice-president of operations at the Tavern Collective, a new dining brand opening a restaurant at 1760 Sargent Ave. Tavern on King Edward will celebrate its grand opening, Wednesday. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Chris Chang is vice-president of operations at the Tavern Collective, a new dining brand opening a restaurant at 1760 Sargent Ave. Tavern on King Edward will celebrate its grand opening, Wednesday. Tavern on King Edward — which celebrates its grand opening Wednesday — is the chain's second restaurant, after a Calgary location that opened in December. It's situated at the corner of King Edward Street and Sargent Avenue, next to the Sandman Signature hotel. Northland Properties is the parent company of multiple hotel chains and restaurants, including Denny's and Shark Club. Chang said the company chose Winnipeg as the home for the second Tavern restaurant because of the 'strong sense of community' in the city. (The restaurant is not affiliated with the Tavern United chain, he added.) 'It felt like a very diverse cultural scene (in Winnipeg),' Chang said. 'We learned that it had a pretty amazing food scene because we already have some brands here.' 'Other places have dog patios … We just thought we would take it to the next level.'–Chris Chang The 6,300-square-foot space includes seating for 150 guests, with an additional 24 seats on the patio. It's an open, inviting space adorned with plants inside the entrance and at the bar, and a steampunk-inspired aesthetic throughout. There are also plenty of portraits of JD, the French bulldog that serves as the Tavern Collective's mascot. There are three arcade games in a small room at the back and Chang said guests can expect to hear a mix of music from the 1980s, '90s and the early aughts — with corresponding music videos on display on the TVs. (Sports will be broadcast whenever local teams are playing.) 'Our goal was to create kind of a new niche, where you walk in and you feel the comfortability of your neighbourhood pub, social house or bar, but you get the elevated service and offering — what we call premium casual, but without premium casual prices,' Chang said. '(It's) affordable without sacrificing experience and execution.' In addition to the children's menu and weekend brunch options, there's an extensive drinks list that includes a variety of mocktails. The restaurant will feature a daily happy hour and late-night menu from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close, including 20 per cent off select food items and $2-$3 off signature drinks. Chang believes the standard of hospitality people expect from the restaurant industry has fallen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic — and Tavern on King Edward aims to rectify that. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Tavern on King Edward's 6,300-square-foot space includes seating for 150 guests, with an additional 24 seats on the patio. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Tavern on King Edward's 6,300-square-foot space includes seating for 150 guests, with an additional 24 seats on the patio. 'One of the big things we wanted to do was bring back true hospitality,' he said. 'When guests come in here, they'll see we truly understand without them there is no us.' One unique offering from the restaurant is a biscuit for dogs made by Winnipeg's Planet Pup Doggy Bakery. A dollar from each biscuit sold will be donated to local animal charities, Chang said. Bakery owner Deb Kurdydyk said Tavern Collective approached her 'out of the blue' to create the treats and she was happy to oblige. 'I've done different corporate work but never for restaurants,' Kurdydyk said. 'This is a first.' Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Tavern on King Edward hosted a soft opening on Monday and Tuesday for friends and family of the restaurant's 60 employees. Chang said he was extremely pleased with how it went and is looking forward to hosting more guests. 'We're super excited to actually be here in Winnipeg and get the doors open and welcome everyone,' he said. 'When people come in here they can expect for their expectations to be exceeded.' Tavern on King Edward will be open seven days a week: 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday; and 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Per a news release, the Tavern Collective has future expansion plans underway with 'eyes set on Ontario and other major Canadian cities.' Aaron EppReporter Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.