Tourism Burnaby is inviting Burnaby residents to send their tastebuds on a journey of the city.
The Passport to Food contest is part of a three-pronged approach to introduce the city’s culinary delights to those in Burnaby and beyond.
Participating restaurants offer stamps to those who spend $10 or more.
“The Passport to Food, that’s being dropped in 40,000 homes in Burnaby, where they can go to 10 different restaurants, get stamps and they can enter to win a prize worth almost $1,000 – a staycation in Burnaby,” Nancy Small, executive director of Tourism Burnaby, told the NOW. “We want them to experience all the good stuff that Burnaby has to offer.”
The staycation includes two nights at the Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre, a car rental, money for shopping at Metropolis at Metrotown, and dinner at ebo.
The Heights is a well-known culinary destination, and four neighbourhood hotspots are taking part in Passport to Food.
Anton’s Pasta Bar at 4260 Hastings St. is well-known for its big portions and lively atmosphere, and of course, for its huge variety of delectable pasta dishes.
Baci Ristorante at 3728 Hastings St. offers an elegant, romantic setting with classic Italian cuisine, including dishes such as scaloppini, ossobuco with risotto, and more.
Chez Christophe Chocolaterie Patisserie at 4712 Hastings St. is a chocolate lover’s delight, with imaginative desserts and flaky pastries alongside the shop’s specialty, bon bons.
Cristos Greek Taverna at 4624 Hastings St. has everything from calamari to souvlaki to saganaki – delicious Greek comfort food served in a lively, family-run restaurant.
The Passport to Food is the second initiative put on by Tourism Burnaby this summer and fall geared towards highlighting Burnaby’s restaurants.
The first was Small Plates on the Lake at Deer Lake Park earlier this month, and the third is Taste of Burnaby, which will take place at the end of September and beginning of October.
“There’s a three-pronged culinary attack, I guess you’d call it,” Small said. “It’s been kind of an exciting process. We’ve been looking at how we can help boost and help from a hospitality standpoint, what are some of the key areas we need to be looking at.”
The Passport to Food contest runs until Sept. 30. To download a passport, go to www.tourismburnaby.com/passporttofood.
