By Jack Brittle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Starting on January 27, Tourism Burlington will host the 17th annual Taste of Burlington program.
The event, which runs until February 9, brings together 35 restaurants from across Burlington, each with its own prix-fixe menu designed by its chefs.
Claire Green, the director of destination development and marketing at Burlington Economic Development (BED) and Tourism, explained the program’s purpose.
“Our job at Taste of Burlington is to promote these fantastic menus and encourage people to get out and enjoy it,” Green said.
All of the menus are available on Taste of Burlington’s website and require no registration or sign-up to order. All regular menu items will also be available for purchase.
“There’s a variety of different restaurants, global flavours, different cuisines, and techniques,” Green said. “There’s really something for everyone. Even family-friendly options if you want to go out with the whole family. And a range of different price points as well. And some are doing lunch and dinner, so you can go out for either.”
Each restaurant’s prices for their Taste of Burlington menu are pre-fixed and include an appetizer, main course, and dessert.
Green said that BED puts a call out for restaurants in Burlington who are interested in participating in the program and asks them to apply. If accepted, they are asked to send in their menus, which are then posted and advertised on Taste of Burlington’s website.
“We really look for restaurants that are distinctly Burlington in terms of offering something that’s really unique,” Green said. “Unique menus, local ingredients, and putting that as the focus.”
Green explained what the program provides to local restaurants.
“It puts a spotlight on the culinary scene,” Green said. “Restaurants are head down, especially that time of year. They are busy with the holiday season. They’re focused on doing what they do, which is delivering great food and a guest experience. And part of our role is to promote the culinary industry here in Burlington and make sure that people outside of Burlington know that Burlington is here in terms of offering great culinary experiences.”
“So attracting people from outside of Burlington to come in and go for dinner here [is a goal],” Green continued. “You don’t need to go all the way into Toronto to have an incredible culinary experience. We have wonderful restaurants and wonderful chefs here.”
Green said that one of her goals this year is to also put an emphasis on highlighting the owners who created the businesses and chefs who designed the menus.
She also said that ever since the pandemic, fewer customers have been dining in, another thing that Taste of Burlington is designed to promote.
“Restaurants took a huge hit during the pandemic,” Green said. “Platforms like Uber [Eats] and Skip the Dishes impacted restaurants in that a lot of people are taking their food to go more. They’re not necessarily going in and sitting down as often.”
“Taste of Burlington encourages people to get back to that in-restaurant experience,” Green continued. “And I think that’s what we’re still trying to do in this post-pandemic period.”
Green said that many restaurants in the program offer open-concept experiences, where patrons can see the chefs preparing their meals while they wait.
“It’s not just about the food on the plate, it’s about that full guest experience,” Green said.
Green said that all areas of the city are represented, not just downtown, as well as many different cuisines. High-end French restaurants, raw bars, Asian fusion restaurants, pubs, and casual bistros are all included in the lineup.
“We’ve got tacos, wings, seafood, you name it,” Green said. “Burgers, Greek food, Peruvian. There’s definitely a little bit of something [for everyone].”
Green said that she would like to see the program expand beyond the once-a-year prix-fixe menu into something that celebrates restaurants in Burlington all year round.
“I think there’s huge potential for us to grow the Taste of Burlington brand,” Green said.
“We have a lot of incredible food businesses in Burlington and food producers,” she continued. “And [we are] making sure that we’re celebrating those businesses as well. So I think there’s a lot of potential there.”
To find out more about Taste of Burlington, visit https://tasteofburlington.ca/.
