Dairi-Wip
| Dairi-Wip | |
|---|---|
Interactive map of Dairi-Wip | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1958 |
| Owner | The Lambos Family |
| Food type | Fast food |
| Location | 383 Marion St., Winnipeg, St. Boniface, Manitoba, R2H 0V4, .svg.png){kind=small} Canada |
| Coordinates | 49°52′55″N 97°06′34″W / 49.8820°N 97.1095°W |
Seating capacity | Outdoor seating only |
| Reservations | No |
Other locations | None |
Dairi-Wip Drive Inn is a burger joint in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, located in the city's French quarter. The drive-in is a former champion of the city's annual best burger competition and known for their in-house cut French fries.[1][2] This institution is among the oldest places serving food in the city of Winnipeg.[3]
History
In summer of 1958, a local ice cream stand went up for sale next to the auto body shop where a 17-year old immigrant from Greece named Mike Lambos worked. Lambos, along with support from his older brothers Jim Lambos and John Lambos, secured a loan to buy the stand and converted it into a drive-in style restaurant serving burgers, fires, and frozen treats. Over the first decade of operation, their stand grew into a stable building with a parking lot and by 1968, the two storey neon Dairi-wip sign that has become a local food landmark. Dean and Triff Lambos were the next generation of the family to take over and they run the shop today.[4]
Dean Lambos and Triff Lambos made changes of their own, such as adding poutine to the menu and making their staple sandwich, the Fat Boy, available via food delivery services.[5][6] Carson Lambos is the son of Triff and has worked at the drive-in.[7]
Overview
On a typical Friday or Saturday, the Dairi-Wip goes through over 200 kg of potatoes, and at least an equal amount of ground round.[8]
The signature item on the menu is the Fat Boy. This is a Greek style burger invented in Winnipeg first served at Junior's Restaurant and has become a local staple. When the burger first debuted at Junior's, Mike Lambos was an employee before he took over Dairi-Wip and he takes credit for giving the famous burger its name.[9]
References
- ↑ "Dairi-Wip Drive-In". Tourism Winnipeg. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "Home". Dairi-Wip. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "Eternal Eats". Winnipeg Free Press. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "Wip It, Wip It Good". Winnipeg Free Press. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "Wip It, Wip It Good". Winnipeg Free Press. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "A&W to open next to St. Boniface fixture Dairi-Wip Drive-In". CBC News. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "French Fries, Fat Boys, and Milkshakes: The Lambos Family Legacy". Iowa Wild. 11 December 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "Wip It, Wip It Good". Winnipeg Free Press. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ Goodyear, Sheena (14 March 2023). "Winnipeg is famous for its Fat Boy burgers. This man is on a quest to try them all". CBC Radio. Retrieved 29 July 2026.