Yum! Grand Rapids’ Poutine Week Returns This Fall

Love poutine? Good news! Coming up soon you'll have a week to enjoy different poutine dishes from restaurants along Michigan Street in Grand Rapids.

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For the first time since its inception in 2020, Michigan Street Poutine Week coincides with Art Prize!

What Is Poutine?

If you've never had poutine, simply put, it's French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. It started in Quebec, Canada in the 1950s, but has become a Midwestern staple throughout the years.

According to the Farmer's Almanac,

Its name comes from a Quebecois slang word meaning 'mess', and one popular story posits that Warwick restaurateur Fernand Lachance created it in 1957 at the request of longtime customer Eddy Lainesse. While making the dish, Lachance is said to have exclaimed, Ca va faire une maudite poutine! (Roughly translated: 'It will make a damn mess!).

As with any dish, there are tons of variations on poutine. I've seen it made with sweet potato fries instead of regular fries, or with different toppings like bacon, avocado, onion, sausage, mushrooms, jalapenos, fried eggs - the list goes on!

Grand Rapids' Michigan Street Poutine Week Sept. 15 - Oct. 2, 2022

So I'm excited to see what creative poutine dishes will be offered at Michigan Street's Poutine Week!

The friendly competition among locally owned businesses on Michigan Street (and nearby) is September 15th through October 2, 2022. So while you're checking out Art Prize in Grand Rapids, you can stuff your face with delicious poutine!

Here are the restaurants participating this year:

• 7Monks Taproom
• Birch Lodge
• Bob's Bar
• Duke's
• Elbow Room
• Friesian Gastro Pub
• Glass House Bar
• Grand Coney
• Kaffeine
• Maggie's
• Vander Mill 

7Monks took home the win last Poutine Week with their yummy Lobster Poutine, but who will win this time around?

Once you've tried the different poutine dishes, you'll be able to vote for your favorite here!