2024 Fourteen Days of Poutine

2025 Fourteen Days of Poutine: Fanciful Fries arrive around Kootenay Lake

The local restaurants around Kootenay Lake have created these incredible takes on the traditional Quebecois dish. Taking the classic combination of fries, gravy, and cheese curds to the nth degree, it’s Canada’s favourite cheat meal like you’ve never seen before.

2025 Event Details

Runs from April 14 to April 27
29 participating restaurants in both Nelson and Kaslo
Vote to win a $20 voucher from each participating restaurant, totalling $580!

You'll have the opportunity to vote for your favourites from these three judging categories:

Best Tasting
Most Unique
Best Presentation

The winners will be announced by The Nelson Star.

Thank you to the Black Press and our local Nelson Star for organizing this annual contest, all the chefs and restaurants who invest time and energy to make amazing poutine, and to you, for going out and trying all these incredible creations.

2025 Participating Restaurants

With 29 restaurants signed up across Nelson, Kaslo and Balfour, here's the list of who is bringing a fresh take on this Quebecois classic.

Ashman's Smash Burgers, Nelson	Beauties, Nelson	Brixx Brewhouse, Nelson
Broken Hill, Nelson	Busaba Thai Cafe, Nelson	Cantina Del Centro, Nelson
Finley's Bar and Grill, Nelson	Hume Hotel & Spa, Nelson	Jackson's Hole, Nelson
Kootenay Tamil Kitchen, Nelson	KTK Rosemont Market, Nelson	Ktunaxa Grill, Ainsworth Hot Springs
Main Street Diner, Nelson	Marzano, Nelson	Osprey Mountain Grill, Balfour
Rel-ish Bistro, Nelson	Sage Tapas & Wine Bar, Nelson	Sleep is for Sissies, Winlaw
Sprout Eatery, Nelson	Tandoori Grill, Nelson	Taqueria Tiburon, Kaslo
The Dam Restaurant & Bar, Crescent Valley	The Royal, Nelson	Torchlight Brewing Co, Nelson
Uptown Sports Bar, Nelson	Vienna Cafe, Nelson	Wait's on Nelson, Nelson
Waypoint Restaurant & Bar - Kaslo Hotel	Yum Son, Nelson

BUT WHAT IS POUTINE?

If you’re visiting from outside of Canada, poutine may not be a familiar restaurant staple. In a nutshell, it’s a dish originating from the French-Canadian province Quebec; with the three essential ingredients being fries, cheese curds, and hot gravy. If it doesn’t have real curds, it ain’t poutine. Past these ingredients your imagination is the only limit, and that’s where this contest lives. Nothing is off limits as local chefs work to blow your mind and take home the crown. Put your beach body worries aside and dive headfirst into two glorious weeks of deep-fried, cheesy goodness.

TRYING TO FIND A PARTICULAR RESTAURANT?

Check out our interactive map of Eat and Drink places around Kootenay Lake.

WANT TO WALK OFF A FEW OF THOSE FRIES?

The Kootenay Lake Road Trip App is a new experience offering fun and informative self-guided audio tours around Kootenay Lake. You can enjoy the tours in the privacy of your car, walking or even on your bike.

Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism, in collaboration with the Nelson District Arts Council, have developed a fully-immersive self-guided tour of the Murals of Nelson! Download our road trip app today to experience an audio-visual enhanced tour of nearly 50 murals centred around Downtown Nelson.

If you're in Kaslo, try out a unique audio tour experience that will guide you on a forest bathing journey along the Kaslo River Trail. Let us take you on journey along the Kaslo River Trail that flows beside the lively Kaslo River with mossy banks, bright bridges and hidden sculptures, all unveiled to capture your curiosity. Local character Dan from KORTS (Kaslo Outdoor Recreation & Trails Society), will guide you along the path with fun facts and history about the trail. Kaslo musician, Diemm, will mesmerize you with poetic meditations and music to enhance the magical experience.

Kootenay Lake Road Trip App

2024 Winners

Congratulations to the 2024 winners:

Most Unique 1st place Chez Serge, 2nd place Desi Donair and 3rd place Beauties
Best Tasting 1st place Chez Serge, 2nd place Broken Hill and 3rd place Desi Donair
Best Presentation 1st place Torchlight Brewing Co., 2nd place Chez Serge and 3rd place Broken Hill

2023 Winners

Congratulations to the 2023 winners:

Most Unique 1st place Chez Serge, 2nd place Cantina Del Centro and 3rd place Hume Hotel & Spa
Best Tasting 1st place Chez Serge, 2nd place Cantina Del Centro and 3rd place The Royal
Best Presentation 1st place Chez Serge, 2nd place Cantina Del Centro and 3rd place The Ktunaxa Grill
Most Creative Name 1st place Cantina Del Centro (Birri-Ya Face Into This Poutine), 2nd place Chez Serge (The Crowded Poutine) and 3rd place Vienna Cafe (No Country For Old Hen)