The Manitoba family owned and operated Alycia’s Restaurant is moving back to Winnipeg after seven years.
Best known for its homemade Ukrainian cooking, Alycia’s announced on its Facebook page Friday evening it will open in May at the Royal Albert Arms Hotel in the Exchange District.
Alycia’s owner Colleen Swifte said a lot of their traffic comes from Winnipeg.
“When I saw the ad for the Royal Albert I just thought it would be a perfect match,” said Swifte. “It’s a lot of Winnipeg nostalgia coming together.”
The restaurant originally opened in 1971 under the name Alice’s and was a two-seater restaurant on the corner of Cathedral Avenue and McGregor Street. It closed down in 2011 after the death of founder Marion Staff.
Swifte said the popular establishment changed its name in 1977 to Alycia’s which is Ukrainian for Alice.
The restaurant re-opened in 2016 in Gimli, Man., when the founder’s grandson Aaron Blanchard decided to take over the family business.
Swifte said after the restaurant was open for a year Blanchard, her son-in-law, approached her and asked if she would like to take over Alycia’s.
Swifte said her hope is that one day her grandchildren will take over and run restaurant.
She said since announcing the decision to move back to Winnipeg the response has been amazing.
“I figured it would get a pretty big reaction but it’s just been overwhelming reaction,” said Swifte. “It was kind of amazing.”
Swifte said they are aiming to open in May 1 depending on how the renovations go.
