Classic Winnipeg spot for ice cream -- definitely worth visiting at least once. The ice cream is good and creamy, with lots of fun options and toppings to choose from. Friendly service with old-school vibes, but just be mindful of long lines here. The long lines are not necessarily a complaint, though -- it means the place is a must-hit! That said, it can feel a bit heavy and rich, which is why I personally prefer Sargent Sundae for something a little lighter. Still, BDI is a great place to stop on a summer day and enjoy a treat by the bridge. read more

Bridge Drive-In - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Winnipeg, Manitoba

Bridge Drive-In (commonly known as BDI) is a Winnipeg institution! It has been around since 1957 serving soft-serve ice cream, milkshakes, and more. It a favourite place for locals and tourists to drop by during warmer weather. A couple of years after I had moved to Winnipeg, a friend of mine took me to BDI. She had a car and I did not at the time. There is parking available, but it does get busy. I last visited Winnipeg in July 2016. I had no problem nabbing a parking spot at around 7 pm. BDI is on Jubilee Avenue. It faces the Red River. There are a few benches where you can enjoy your dairy treat, which is what my friend and I did. There is also a pedestrian bridge that goes over the river if you'd like to take a stroll. When I was last there, I lined up to get a soft-serve cone. This place has plenty of flavour varieties and some specials each day. I was pleased to see vegan options. BDI's most famous flavour is the Goog. It's essentially an upside-down blueberry shake, with a hot fudge sundae and bananas. I believe it comes with whipped cream, too. I love the Saltzberg, which is a Nutella-filled waffle cone with vanilla ice cream, is dipped in chocolate, and has caramel drizzle, sea salt, and whipped cream on top. I realize why I have never walked across the pedestrian bridge with an ice cream delicacy. It's messy to eat and I'm not coordinated enough to eat anything at BDI and walk without a major disaster happening to my ice cream treat. No one wants to see me cry. I ordered a cool lemon soft-service ice cream cone when I was last here. I typically get sprinkles, but decided to try it without them. I love lemon and the ice cream was so creamy. The lemon was bright and refreshing. The cone was perfect. I liked the maple leaf wrap around the bottom of the cone. That evening, it was pouring rain. I had a car rental and no umbrella. I ended up enjoying my ice cream in the car. There was still a steady customer lineup, which shows that folks will come out for yummy ice cream regardless of what Mother Nature has in mind. When I was last here, you could only pay by cash. I'm not sure if it's still the case. For those who love ice cream year-round, there is a BDI store at Kildonan Place now. Yay! I hope to return and get my ice cream fix at BDI when I'm back in Winnipeg. (129) read more

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This is my absolute favorite place for ice cream. I loved coming here as a little girl. The ice cream shop is located right before the pedestrian bridge for a beautiful overlook. It's perfect for grabbing ice cream and walking around the park. BDI can get very busy over the summer, but at 4pm on a Monday, there was no line. They serve chocolate and vanilla soft-serve, a variety of milkshakes and sundaes. They also serve ice cream macarons and specialty cones. My go-to is a vanilla soft serve dipped in chocolate and nuts. Definitely stop by when you're in Winnipeg! Note: It's CASH ONLY! read more

Bridge Drive-In - Baby size cone - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Winnipeg, Manitoba

This place is a classic in Winnipeg! The lines are usually long, but we got lucky on a Friday afternoon. Quick service and lots of choices for soft serve ice cream. Husband ordered a twist cone and it was very big! I got a creamy pineapple shake that had an awesome wide straw, I loved it. Well worth the trip for this classic drive up ice cream joint. read more

A bit pricey, but it's always really good because it's awesome. The wasps can be a bit annoying taking your ice cream doesn't take too long, but at least there is more of a seating. I love walking on all the time so the ambience is good. read more

Like many Winnipeg institutions, I don't get why this place is so hyped up. The ice cream is ok. It's really no better or worse than what you'd get at a chain restaurant like DQ. The servings are large, and tend to be extremely sweet. It's a little more expensive than other ice cream places in the city, and often has a long lineup in nice weather. There's a cute little pedestrian bridge you can walk over to a nice neighbourhood while you enjoy your ice cream, that's the best part. read more

The ice cream was pretty good. But it was confusing how to order. They only had soft serve in a cone. If you wanted the different flavors, youd have to get a sundae or something else. The line was long! We waited about 20 minutes. While there is a parking lot, parking was difficult but this is such a popular place. You can get your ice cream and walk down the bridge which is nice. read more

Bridge Drive-In - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Winnipeg, Manitoba

The prices here are amazing in comparison to similar places where I live. One star off for long lines but still worth it! Look at the pic of the treat I got and that should decide You. Go for a walk across the bridge and amble around the beautiful Kingston Row neighbourhood. A Winnipeg institution for good reason. read more

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Why here as a kid and I continue to go whenever I am in the area. These guys make up some great food and are not shy to let the customers know that they are pretty good by serving up some good eats. Keep up the good cookin. I will be back! read more

This place is a classic spot in Winnipeg to get Ice Cream. The thing about BDI is the options are really nice, and it's better to try walking or biking there as it makes the experience much better -- trust me. The place is also surrounded with very nice parks so if you're going to enjoy your ice cream there's lots of places to enjoy it at. It's definitely worth trying. read more

Bridge Drive In is a staple in Winnipeg. If you like soft serve ice cream and walking over the bridge with views of the red river you'll enjoy this place. Prices range between $3 - $10 or an ice cream depending on size or if you want a specialty ice cream. read more

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This is probably the second time I've had ice cream at this Winnipeg institution. Not sure if it's the ice cream that makes this place that renowned or the fact that it's located by a bridge or both? The small twist cone ($1.99) wasn't that memorable but was good. The milkshake is very thick here (BDI claims to serve the thickest milkshake) but needs to be colder. I think this place is successful because it's fun get your dessert and walk across the bridge and enjoy a nice night. Very family friendly and very romantic if you are on a date. They are known for the "goog" though the flavours didn't appeal to me. Pricing is fairly moderate and comparable to other places. The "upside down thick milkshakes" range from $3.85/$4.20/$4.45 and offer flavours like banana, chocolate, blueberry, coconut, coffee, coke, grape etc. The special sundaes are $3.85/$4.30. Soft serve cones come in vanilla/choc/twist $1.99/$2.40/$2.81. They also serve frozen lemonade and kool aid slushie $1.85/2.30. My biggest pet peeves about this place is how the menu is set soooo far back so it's really hard to see the choices until you're right up against the counter. And for some reason, the staff/16 year olds working there don't seem to move very fast. Maybe it was just the line we were in but the server moved at a snails pace. I don't think the orders are that complicated but I guess they have a captive audience so they don't care. LOL. Oh well...at least there are no mosquitoes out this year so the wait isn't so bad. So overall, I don't think the wait justified the end product but try this place at least once so you can have an opinion about it. Otherwise, I've had better ice cream elsewhere. Note: CASH ONLY. read more

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Ordered the Spanish cone. Was given to me ice cream side down in a plastic bag? not covered in chocolate as advertised, seemingly not soft serve as advertised. Ice cream and peanuts were rock hard. Fairly certain it was accidentally made hours ago and then put in the freezer until some poor soul decided to order the Spanish cone so it could be shoved on them. Horrible experience, waited like 30 minutes to be served that. Wish I took a picture to show the monstrous weird vanilla ball covered in peanuts I was served. read more

So yummy!! If you like fruit in your ice cream you'll find lots of options here. Their vegan versions on their ice creams are also very delicious and for the prices listed, the portion sizes are pretty reasonable. You definitely have to pick your days and times to go because the line can get quite long, but if you go before the evening, I've noticed it's generally shorter. read more

Great ice cream is one of the best I have tried in Winnipeg! The service was also pretty good. However the highlight is walking over to the bridge on a beautiful evening and enjoying the bliss! Loved it read more

A pretty darn good ice cream joint! It was Sunday at 3ish and we waited in line for about 45 minutes. Locals said the line is always long and a little chaotic. We got a Saltzberg (ice cream covered in chocolate and caramel in a waffle cone) and shake with cookie dough. We walked along the nearby bridge as we ate them and both the view and the ice cream were good. Last piece of advice, the windows say cash only but apparently they do take cards! read more

Bridge Drive-In - Saltzberg - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Winnipeg, Manitoba

It seemed like a good idea at the time... Someone shouts "let's get ice cream!" And who's going to say no? "Where is the best place for ice cream in Winnipeg?" "BDI of course!" While this may be true.... Did I mention that it had been pouring rain all day?? Call us crazy or call us hard core fans but we went in the pouring rain and huddled under the awning to get our fill of soft, smooth, creamy ice cream. I tend to stick with with a classic hot fudge sundae or milkshake when I go... But they have some pretty unique items using half a cantaloupe or half a pineapple. I've yet to see anyone actually order these items though. With how popular BDI is, I would love to see more outdoor seating. Especially some with coverings for us die-hards that go for ice cream in the pouring rain! read more

Best thing about Winnipeg? YES! If you're ever in Winnipeg in the summer time the BDI (as the locals call it) is a MUST DO. Drive in ice cream. Don't let the line ups scare you off, the peeps working behind the counters are super quick. They only have soft serve, but they have 10 different flavours, tons of add ons and really delicious creations - if you've got a good appetite, try the Goog Special. Its an upside down blueberry shake with nuts, whipped cream and cherries, and probably a whole whack of other stuff I've forgotten. Once you've got your treats take a walk across the pedestrian bridge and wander around the fancy houses across the river. read more

The Skinny: 'Peg summer tradition - ice cream at the BDI and a walk across the bridge (taste -4.5, value 5). Definitely a Winnipeg tradition, this establishment truly reminds me of home. Coming here for their exceptionally rich soft-serve followed by a walk across the Bridge... it's totally a summer thing here. Their best stuff is the soft serve - either the sundae or their decadent creamy soft-serve milkshake that you "drink" with a spoon for the first 5 minutes. Then, there is the "Goog" or the "Sleeping Beauty" (half a pineapple hollowed out and filled with ice cream) specials that I have personally never seen anyone finish because they are that big! Wait times can be long during the summer, depending on the time of day you go. But it's well worth the wait. read more

The ice cream seems to give me a bad stomach ache so I don't go there too often. I've actually had the Sleeping Beauty and shared it with my mom. It really is something to share and not for just yourself. It's okay. The pineapple is tough to cut through with a spoon and it's basically vanilla ice cream, berries, whipping cream and pineapple. Nothing super memorable other than walking around with people gaping at you, unbelieving that you bought such a monstrous dessert. I enjoy looking at the fancy houses across the bridge but there has been some issues that community is facing, with a lot of trash piling around the garbage bins and attracting wasps. Please be respectful. read more

Such good ice cream and location!! I recommend the saltzberg- Nutella filled ice cream cone with vanilla ice cream dipped in chocolate with caramel and sea salt on top! read more

Bridge Drive-In - The saltzberg!!! So delicious. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Winnipeg, Manitoba

Went to bdi to enjoy an ice cream treat with my wife and our dog! Both our cool treats were delicious as always, however we were disappointed with the cleanliness of the premises. The garbage cans were way past maximum capacity and litter was everywhere. This causes tons of wasps and bugs and makes a stroll less than ideal. A little housekeeping goes a long way to keep this Winnipeg landmark enjoyable for all. read more

Very good ice cream, affordable and the bridge is a plus. The view while walking is extremely relaxing. It's the perfect date on a sunny day! read more

Bridge Drive-In - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Winnipeg, Manitoba

The place was an overall liking for me. I ordered the goog special and my friends got the saltzberg. It took awhile to get our orders because the line was really long. However it was worth it because my special was really good. Everything is well mixed and it only took them about 4 mins to make. My friends seemed to like their ice cream as well. This is one of the hottest spots in town for ice cream and I honestly believe it lives up to it. 5/5 (They have free wifi too) read more

Reasonaby priced, great stuff quick service. Whipped "topping" was pretty gross. The rest was great! read more

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It's very awesome and yummy! It's my first time ate very special and delicious ice cream in my life. If you go to Winnipeg, you must to eat!!! read more

Bridge Drive-In - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Winnipeg, Manitoba

I love me some ice cream!! Stopped by here with a bunch of my cousins for some ice cream and walking the bridge. I like the unique flavors they have here. The two cones I tried were vanilla nilla and smores! They were both really good, but my complaint is that once the outside is eaten, the inside is plain vanilla. I wish the flavors stayed throughout the ice cream, not just the outside. The prices here are pretty reasonable. read more

Bridge Drive-In - Smores cone - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Winnipeg, Manitoba

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Such a great ice cream place with so many delicious options. As a visitor to Winnipeg, I was really impressed by this place and their service. I appreciate that the staff serves every customer, even past their 11pm closing time, and hands you your ice cream with a smile! Be prepared for long line ups that are worth the wait! read more

Hands down my favorite place to get ice cream in Canada. The Bdi stays true to its word as being one of Winnipegs best ice cream shops with tons of options for the whole family... and yes they even have vegan ice cream too! I've noticed that they had some new additions to the menu (Biggie smalls, Cloud 9) both look amazing but haven't had to try them yet. Lines can be long at times but staff work hard to kill the lines as fast as possible and do a pretty good job considering the volume of people they see a night. Totally worth the wait though. If you haven't been to Bdi in the past these are a few things you have to try: Saltzberg Goog Special Hot Fudge sundae And even a twist cone! read more

Are you looking for a place where you can walk up to an outdoor counter and pick up cheap and delicious ice cream? The only thing this place is missing is servers on roller skates. There are a variety of flavours and extras, and the prices are great. I don't know anywhere else that you can get a giant cone of ice cream for under $3 incl tax. Plus you get to walk across the bridge while you're eating your ice cream. I only have two small complaints. One, the surly teenagers behind the counter could smile a little more. Two, some pictures of the different desserts would be great. Many of the items sound great but I have no idea what they are, and I don't always feel like holding up the line behind me by asking a million questions. read more

Everytime I come to visit Winnipeg, I always have to come by here and grab a banana split!! I Lmaoo from Toronto and we have many local ice cream shops but nothing compares to the ice cream here! I 10/10 recommend! read more

Had the banana bonanza and overall it was good. It had a slightly odd taste at the bottom I think it was from the banana flavoring but other than that the ice cream is very rich and creamy. read more

I've been coming to this place since i can remember and it still tastes the same which is a very good thing. They have a variety of ice cream flavors now but still offer the specials they've always had like the sleeping beauty. I always get a vanilla cone with sprinkles. It may be boring to some but it's delicious. Lines at this place can get ridiculous if you go in the evening. People wait an hour or more some nights but it is worth it. I no longer live in Winnipeg but the BDI is always one of the places I have to go to when I'm in town. read more

The greatest family tradition I have ever encroached upon. For years my husband has been talking of this little ice cream shop which only serves soft ice cream in as many flavors as you can imagine and how it was the best place ever. Well I can't say he is wrong, 125 different flavours of soft sereve ice cream, 3 dips, chocolate, butterscotch, or cherry, coconut, sprinkles, or nuts for toppings, 5 special ice creams like the goog special (a blueberry milkshake on top of a chocolate sunday, with bananas) or the sleeping beauty. (An ice cream sunday inside half a pineapple.) They have milkshakes and cones and cups and for the vegans out there they have a vanilla just for you. The bdi has been around since 1957 and the spot looks like it. Theres parking for about 20 cars, a sitting area that sits maybe 15, there is howerever the bridge that everyone must take a walk across and enjoy the view. It is CASH ONLY, however when you see the lines, you can understand. The faster they can move you through the happier everone is. So is 5-15 min wait time ridiculous to stand in line for an ice cream cone. Not when its this good. read more

Soft serve only. Cash only. Nostalgia only takes you so far.

I've had previous experience here which i don't think are out of the ordinary, the lines are always long but that's just part of the experience. The ice-cream taste beautiful but today wasn't my favourite day there. Two things are clear, its short staffed and there isn't consistency in the quality of service. I went with my friends for a late night treat, i ordered a basic butter pecan waffle cone dipped in chocolate but i got a waffle cone with a small single scoop size of ice-cream which seemed very weird for a waffle cone. I wasn't the only one with that problem the three people ahead of me also complained about the size being so small. The two windows beside me served regular sized cones but for some reason the lady at my window thought she'd help me waste my money instead. The same waitress also messed up my friends order, unfortunately i didn't get her name but I think there has to be some rule to regulate consistency. I understand that it's an exhausting job but you shouldn't have to leave customers feeling like they didn't get their moneys worth. I'm definitely not happy about my waffle cone, it tasted so good but definitely didn't feel right especially when i know how they are meant to be. Fix this please, it's becoming a pattern to always mess up orders. read more

I never understand the sheep mentality that has people lining up even in the freezing cold for this ice cream. The same ice cream that is at most of the ice cream joints in the city. I don't wait in lines, especially when I can get the same product three blocks away with no line and for less money. read more

Worth it just for the saltzberg. So good. Nice that it's across the bridge and can go for a little walk while you eat. They're also fast even though the line ups are often huge read more

The best ice cream, ever!! The only thing i don't like is that it ia so far out of the way for myself and a lot of the people I know. Portions are huge, so make sure you have an enormous craving for ice cream that dairy queen won't be able to handle.. read more