Edmonton's inaugural Sample the City will highlight up to 120 local restaurants between Nov. 12 and 26 in an effort to boost the food and beverage industry.
Each participating business has chosen a dish or item to feature during the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce campaign, explained CEO Jeffrey Sundquist. You can expect to see offers like Guru Kitchen + Bar's custom Sample the City platter, Rosewood Foods' breakfast beer and sandwich special for $15, and more.
"Our local restaurants have been through so much, so we came up with a barrier-free marketing campaign that could drive traffic through their doors and expose them to new customers — the restaurants pay nothing to participate, and it was simple to sign up," Sundquist told Taproot.
Edmontonians who participate and share their experience on social media using the hashtag #SampleYEG will be eligible for prizes like gift cards and custom dining experiences.
Sample the City runs Nov. 12-26, with businesses from all across the city participating. (Supplied)
The campaign is part of the chamber's Better When It's YEG shop-local initiative that aims to highlight local makers and creators in the Edmonton region.
Sundquist said the chamber decided to host this particular event in November because there's a "bit of a lull," and they also wanted to consider the ability to safely dine in during the pandemic. Given the need to provide proof of vaccination and higher rates of confidence among consumers, workers, and businesses, the chamber wanted to further amplify culinary offerings in the city.
"We are very excited about Sample the City since it showcases the diverse flavours of fantastic local restaurants all around the region, and it would be great to get people out to explore them," said Sundquist.
Businesses can still submit applications to be featured by Sample the City.