Food columnists Larry and Shelley McIntosh reviewed Food Culture Ukrainian Restaurant & Bar, located at 645 Sterling Lyon Parkway in Winnipeg. Opened in May 2025, the restaurant is owned by Sergii and Nataliia Luts, with their son Nikata working as a server alongside Lisa, who both met at the restaurant and were married there.
The interior features a warm, inviting atmosphere with comfortable orange chairs and contemporary and traditional Ukrainian folk artwork—specifically Petrykivka painting—designed by Canadian-Ukrainian artist Kateryna Kryvolap.
The menu highlights dishes prepared entirely in-house using locally sourced ingredients where possible. For appetizers, the reviewers tried the traditional Ukrainian borscht, served with garlic buns, sour cream, cured pork fatback (salo), and a side plate containing a red pepper, garlic clove, and red onion. They followed traditional eating instructions provided by their server, minus the recommended shot of vodka. They also ordered a salad featuring mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, baked peppers, black olives, baby mozzarella, feta dressing, and crispy fried cheese croquettes.
For the main courses, Larry chose the Kyiv-style cutlet—a crispy breaded chicken fillet filled with melted butter and herbs, served with creamy mashed potatoes and a salad—while the review also notes the availability of classic cabbage rolls (Holubtsi) stuffed with rice and seasoned meat.
For dessert, the reviewers sampled the “Cherry House,” an in-house creation shaped like a small house made of sour cherries and whipped cream encased in a light pastry.
Concluding the review, the columnists recommended the restaurant for anyone looking to enjoy Ukrainian cuisine, noting it operates every day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
