Diners are encouraged to support local and enjoy a culinary staycation over the coming weeks as Countylicious, The County’s twice-annual restaurant promotion opens Friday. The Fall Countylicious runs from October 30 to November 22 and features $20 lunch menus and $40 dinner menus.

“Countylicious 2020 is an invitation to our community to support and enjoy the County’s restaurants, whether that is through take-out or safely dining-in,” said Todd Davis, Director of Community Services, Programs and Initiatives. “These are uncertain times for the hospitality sector, and Countylicious is an opportunity to highlight the resilience, creativity, passion and talent of our chefs and restaurateurs.”

There are 18 County restaurants participating, which is the largest contingent in recent memory:

• 555 Brewing Company
• 7 Numbers Picton
• Big Mike’s BBQ
• Bloomfield Public House
• Drake Devonshire
• East & Main Bistro
• flame + smith
• Hartley’s Tavern
• Idle Wild
• Koenji
• Merrill House
• Midtown Brewing
• Parsons Brewing Company
• Piccolina
• The Marans
• The Vic Drive-In
• The Waring House Restaurant & Inn
• Waupoos Estates Winery

Chef Guerin Sykes of The Marans has been participating in Countylicious since his Picton Main Street restaurant opened.

“Countylicious is one of the best County yearly traditions,” Sykes said. “It’s a great way to support local restaurants, farmers, artists and artisans in otherwise challenging times.”

Jordan Martin, Owner and Creative Director of Merrill House, is looking forward to participating in Countylicious. “Nearing the end of a seemingly impossible year, Countylicious is an opportunity for our community to take stock and enjoy the bounty and talents of our wonderful island,” Martin said.

This year’s Countylicious looks a bit different than previous years owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Take-out and heat-and-serve options are featured on the majority of Countylicious restaurant menus. Dine-in restaurants are all adhering to public health protocols for physical distancing, enhanced cleaning and sanitizing, and contact tracing for guests. Some restaurants are continuing to offer patio seating, weather permitting.

Diners are encouraged to feast their way through Countylicious, collecting stamps on the Countylicious Staycation Passport as they sample multiple restaurants.

All passports with more than 3 stamps will be entered in a draw to win one of two County Staycation prizes including an overnight stay at a Stay PEC member inn and a basket of County-made goods curated by Busy Hands Craft Show. Passports can be downloaded from the Countylicious website (www.countylicious.ca), or picked up at participating restaurants. One stamp is earned for each Countylicious restaurant that the diner visits. For each Passport entry, Countylicious will donate $5 to Food to Share to support their partnerships with local food banks.

All of the campaign details including participating restaurants, menus, take-out options, reservation information and the Countylicious Staycation Passport can be found on the Countylicious website: www.countylicious.ca
Follow @countylicious on Instagram for updates, or sign up for Countylicious-related news.

The Countylicious program is funded in part by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario.

-Staff