December 11, 2025
THE DRIVE-IN
If you drive south from downtown Winnipeg along Main Street, cross the Red River and turn left onto Marion Street, it won’t be long before you pass a tall blue arch with an ice cream cone on top. “DAIRI WIP” runs vertically along a pillar in neon letters, while “DRIVE IN” and a glowing arrow point passing cars to an unassuming one-story building.
Dairi Wip serves burgers, hot dogs, fries, chili, milkshakes and ice cream. Although the restaurant recently replaced the traditional hanging menu board for television screens, the menu itself has changed little in the past sixty years. When Carson Lambos was growing up, stops at Dairi Wip were frequent.
“If I had hockey on that side of town, we would go there after practice,” Lambos said. “I mean, I still go there quite regularly.”
Lambos distinguishes itself from other loyal customers by its attachment to the Dairi Wip. He is literally family to the people behind the counter. His uncle, Trif Lambos, currently runs the restaurant with a business partner. In a twist that comes as no surprise to the city’s Greek population, Trif’s partner, Dean Lambos, is not related.
“My grandparents moved separately from Greece and met in Winnipeg,” Lambos said. “It’s funny, when I go somewhere with my dad or my papou (grandfather), it seems like they know every Greek in town.”
Carson’s grandparents, John and Georgia, opened Dairi Wip with a business partner in 1958, a few years after emigrating to Canada. It quickly became a Winnipeg staple and, like many Greek restaurants in the city, was passed down to the next generation.
“It’s a pretty unique place,” Lambos said. “There are other places like this in Winnipeg, but they are places to sit.”
When Lambos visits Dairi Wip, he rarely deviates from his traditional order of a Fat Boy, fries and a milkshake.
“A Fat Boy is a chili burger,” Lambos said. “That’s probably what they’re most known for.”
It is not surprising that Trif knows Carson’s assignment by heart.
“For most of our customers, we start their order before they leave the car,” says Trif.
Many Dairi Wip customers have been visiting for decades. Trif, who started working at Dairi Wip at the age of 13, has been working at the restaurant for 44 years. Consistency has been the key to success, but there have been minor changes over the years.
“The prices have changed slightly between 1958 and 2025, but the recipes are still the same,” says Trif. “We added gravy a while ago, and that was an uproar. I had a fight with the older generation about that. It used to be that you would get yelled at if you weren’t ready to order. Things have changed a little bit. It’s a different atmosphere with a different generation.”
John, now over 90 years old, still works at least one day a week. Carson, who worked a few shifts as a teenager, still has an open invitation to return.
“My dad retired for a while, but two weeks later he went back to work,” Trif said. “Carson was offered a better job, but he always has a place to work here if hockey isn’t his thing.”
THE ORDINARY TOWN CHILD
The Lambos family suspected that Carson would be destined for professional hockey at a relatively young age.
“When he was 13 or 14, they were talking about him in Winnipeg,” Trif said. “When he started RINK (Hockey Academy) and played with older kids, there was a bit of a fuss.”
The chatter grew louder after Lambos joined the Winnipeg Ice of the WHL.
“Then everyone was talking,” Trif said. “He had a chance with our national team, but didn’t get much playing time. He was disappointed at the time, but ultimately became a better person and hockey player because of it.”
Lambos grew up attending the Manitoba Moose games at the Canada Life Centre, a 15,000-seat arena in downtown Winnipeg.
“You grow up dreaming, and that rink is the biggest stage you know,” Lambos said. “When I was five or six, we played there during recess.”
The dream of playing a real game in his hometown arena unexpectedly became a reality at the end of the 2022-2023 season, when the Winnipeg Ice advanced to the WHL Finals.
“We played on a pretty small rink,” Lambos said. “They wanted to bring more people to our games, and the Jets got knocked out of the playoffs. That was the first time I played a real hockey game there.”
During the first two seasons of his professional career, Lambos played eight more games at the Canada Life Centre, this time as a member of the Iowa Wild. During Iowa’s trips to Winnipeg, there are always familiar faces in the stands.
“For this trip I probably need tickets for 40 people,” Lambos said. “There are even more people at the games who are getting their own tickets. This weekend I have some friends who are back from school who are normally never there, so I’m excited to be able to see them and play for them.”
The Lambos family usually gathers in the arena and watches the match intently, while the youngest generation bounces around in their seats.
“I love watching those kids skate,” Trif said. “It’s entertaining and they’re so focused. Even though the team isn’t having the best start to the year in terms of records, they’re still a good group of hockey players.”
Watching Carson play fills many family members with pride, especially his grandfather.
“Carson has a good relationship with his grandfather,” Trif said. “They have a special bond and he is really proud of what Carson has become.”
THE VOLUNTEER
Over the course of his first two seasons, Lambos developed a bond with Des Moines. When he joined the 2025-2026 campaign, he knew he wanted to develop a community program in a way that reflected his values.
“When I met my friend and her family, I didn’t know how many shelters were overwhelmed and how much help they needed,” Lambos said.
Lambos decided he wanted to partner with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) to support animal rescue and care.
“My friend’s mother rescued dogs for years, and I saw how happy they were,” Lambos said. “I heard stories about dogs being abandoned in shelters while people went to breeders instead of adopting them.”
The desire to help animals is no surprise to those who know Lambos best.
“Carson is one of a kind,” Trif said. “He’s a great kid. I’m not just saying that because I’m his uncle. He’s a great person; he’s kind, grateful and doesn’t take anything for granted.”
Trif characterizes his cousin, who was selected as Iowa’s Community Player of the Month in November, as someone who will do good things under the radar.
“That was no surprise to me,” Trif said. “He is a kind-hearted soul who doesn’t do things for recognition or accolades.”
Lambos is already certified as a volunteer by the ARL and plans to visit throughout the season to spend time with dogs. Through a new program, he will offer Iowa Wild fans the opportunity to join him for group volunteer sessions that will focus on building new rescue and treatment facilities. Lambos hopes he and his fans can make a difference and raise awareness of the ARL’s mission to protect animal welfare, preserve the human-animal bond and prevent the overpopulation of companion animals.
“There are a lot of dogs that need homes,” Lambos said. “Hopefully the next time someone wants to buy a dog they will go to the shelter instead of a breeder.”
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