8th November, 2022

Restaurant Programs and Festivals  Across  Canada in 2023

Each year, several of Canada's biggest cities entice gourmands to experience local restaurants and attractions by offering a roster of discounted prix-fixe menus and culinary experiences. Great dining, great prices: Generally the best dining values of the year – and typically hosted in the winter or fall seasons, which are historically the slowest times of year for restaurants – these dine-arounds are a prime opportunity to try a new eatery, revisit
old haunts, or embark on a palate-tickling culinary journey. And they're not just for residents: dine-arounds are a great way for travellers to taste the flavours of a new city while rubbing shoulders with locals.

Visitors travelling to Canada during a dine-around can book a lunch, dinner or experience on the event's website. A few tips: Canadians typically eat dinner between 6pm and 8pm – you'll likely have an emptier restaurant outside of these hours. Tips are expected for good service (between 15 and 20 percent is standard). You'll also find a delicious variety of cuisines, largely due to immigrants who have incorporated their culinary traditions in neighbourhoods throughout the country.

Keep reading for a menu of dine-around programs offered in Vancouver, Toronto, Montréal and other culinary-minded Canadian cities.

British Columbia 

Dine Out Vancouver Festival, Canada's largest food and drink festival, unites more than 300 restaurants, wineries, craft breweries and suppliers for a month of dining experiences that connect culinary enthusiasts to the best flavours of the city. Gourmands can also book special hotel packages to extend their Dine Out to an overnight affair. Menus are available at four price ranges: $20-$29, $30-39, $40-$49, and $50-$59.
Prepare to feast: January 20 – February 5, 2023.

Dine Around & Stay in Town Victoria features dozens of top restaurants offering three-course menus at deliciously low prices. Culinary purveyors also host winemakers' dinners, brunches and other culinary activities, and many accommodation providers offer special festival rates. Prepare to feast: January 20 – February 5, 2023.

Island Taste Trail in the Comox Valley – which includes Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Nanoose Bay, Deep Bay, Cathedral Grove, Courtenay, Cumberland and Comox – treats food fans to flavours of the local harvest, such as seafood and shellfish, apples and pumpkins, and other stars at the seasonal farmers' market. Small plates are paired with local beer, wine, cider and cocktails, as well as locally roasted coffee and locally harvested tea. Prepare to feast: October – November 2023 (specific dates to be determined).

Nova Scotia

Dine Around Halifax presents savoury menus priced from $10 – $50, including three-course meals, vegetarian/vegan feasts, date night offerings, and meals with drink pairings included. Some restaurants also donate a portion of proceeds to Feed Nova Scotia, with every $2 raised enabling
the charity to distribute three meals to people in need. Prepare to feast: February and March 2023 (specific dates to be determined).

Quebec

La Poutine Week celebrates all things poutine – a Quebecois dish of French fries smothered in cheddar cheese curds and gravy. The two-week event is anchored by creative poutine offerings, with awards granted for “People's Choice”, “Judge's Choice” and other categories. Partial proceeds from every poutine sold is donated to a local non-profit. Prepare feast: February 1-7, 2023.

MTL à Table, a flagship event for Montréal, boasts hundreds of restaurants offering three- or four-course evening menus at fixed prices of $35, $45, $55 and $75. From French and Italian classics to trendy Indian or Japanese, the city's international flavours take centre stage at this gastronomic gathering. Prepare to feast: November 2023 (specific dates to be determined).

Newfoundland and Labrador

Roots, Rants and Roars is hosted annually in Elliston, the root cellar capital of the world. A celebration of Newfoundland and Labrador's food, culture, land and sea, the festival is jam-packed with culinary events, including a competition among award-winning chefs to create the best cod dish; a hike along the rugged coastline that serves samples of culinary creations along with wine and craft beer; and an outdoor feast with seven courses, live entertainment and dancing. Prepare to feast: September 2023 (specific dates to be determined).

For more information on Canada www.explore-canada.co.uk

For more media information please contact Ms. Nim SIngh, Media and PR Manager Destination Canada, singh.nim@destinationcanada.com (Not for publication) 

Images: 

Cuisine at Roots, Rails and Roar  Credit : Brian Ricks

Montreal a Table  Chef : Credit : Tourisme Montreal 

British Columbia Stage Credit : Johann Vincent Photography 

For downloadable images, stories and news check out www.destinationcanada.com/media