The Forks Market in Winnipeg: the food hall and what to know

The Forks Market is a market building at The Forks, the meeting place of the Red and Assiniboine rivers in downtown Winnipeg. The Forks' own site lists the Market Building as open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., says hours are subject to seasonal change and notes that tenants are closed only on Christmas Day. A food hall on the ground floor serves a wide range of cuisines, and individual merchants set their own hours.

What is The Forks Market?

A market and food hall in a historic railway-era building at The Forks, a historic meeting place that is now a public space with riverside paths, shops, a skate park, a playground and event space. The market has a ground-floor food hall, specialty food shops, and stalls selling crafts and gifts. It is among the most visited places in Winnipeg for visitors and locals.

What is the food hall like?

The official site describes a wide range of cuisines on the ground floor, including fish and chips, pizza and burgers, and Filipino, Sri Lankan, Greek and Caribbean cooking. The mix changes with tenants. You order at each counter and eat at shared tables or take food to the riverside. It is a good place for a group where everyone wants something different.

When is it open?

The official site gives 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. for the building, with some tenants opening earlier or closing later at their discretion. Other guides give different times, so rely on the official page. Individual merchants vary, and the site advises contacting them for hours. The only holiday closure listed is Christmas Day.

How do you get there?

The Forks is in downtown Winnipeg, a walk from Union Station and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, which sits beside it. Buses serve the area, and there is paid parking on site. Check Winnipeg Transit for current service. In summer, parking fills on weekends and event days.

What should you eat?

Walk the hall first. Look for counters that cook to order, and for dishes you do not usually find. Winnipeg is known for its Indigenous, Filipino, Ukrainian and Métis food traditions, and a hall can be a good first taste. Ask staff about house specialities, and share plates.

Prairie flavours to look for

Pickerel (walleye), bannock, perogies and saskatoon berry desserts are Prairie foods you may see. Ask if they are available that day.

What can you do in the area?

Walk the riverside paths, visit the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, see the market's shops and watch events at the amphitheatre in summer. In winter, The Forks is known for skating on the river trail, and a warm lunch in the market fits well with that.

What about children and dietary needs?

The market is easy with children, and the playground and open spaces outside help. For allergies, ask each counter about ingredients and shared equipment. A food hall often has vegetarian options, but not at every counter.

Planning a visit in winter

Winnipeg winters are long and cold, and the market building gives you a warm place to eat. Dress in layers, wear boots, and check the river trail's conditions if you plan to skate. In summer, take your food outside to the riverside. Either way, check The Forks website for events, since festivals and markets in the area can change crowds and parking.

Eating with children

The market building is easy with children because there is a food hall with many choices and plenty of room to move. The outdoor spaces, including the playground, give children somewhere to run after lunch. Pick a time outside the weekend lunch peak for an easier visit, and check whether there are family events on at The Forks that day.

Check The Forks website before you go for events and market days, as festivals, concerts and seasonal markets change the crowds and the parking.

How do you remember what you ate?

Mosey is a food-first app where diners find places by dish, mood and neighbourhood and rate what they actually ate. A hall page can list its traders, and a rating of a dish stays with the stall that cooked it. Following a hall or market is how you can hear about changes.

More guides to read next:

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• Thanksgiving and big game specials in Canada: how to find them in the Mosey app
• Where to watch the game in Canada: hockey, the big game and sports bars

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.