Getting 'Dilly' in Kamloops

From April 1 to May 31, 2022, Kamloops is bursting with brine-flavoured, lip-puckering, tastebud dancing, and oh-so tangy dishes across 10 locally-owned Kamloops restaurants ready for you to explore.

There are 10 dishes ranging from a perfectly spiced pickled vodka caesar to immaculately balanced bites of pickled-mushroom tacos or a pickle-fied charcuterie board with a view. Each dish comes with its own Pickle Pursuit sticker—and if you're one of the first 100 to collect all 10, you can get an exclusive 'I Got Pickled in Kamloops' t-shirt from Bigfoot Trading Co.!

If you've never seen an Exploring The Okanagan foodie review, you might not understand the full scope of my love of pickles... in everything. And as the self-proclaimed pickle-obsessed queen of the Okanagan, I wanted to give you the dilly-down-low on how to get pickled in Kamloops.

How does one pursue a pickle in Kamloops exactly?

Step 1: Sign up for the Pickle Pursuit on the Tourism Kamloops website and add the pass to your mobile device’s home screen. Trust me; you'll want your pickle pass at your fingertips! 

Step 2: Pick your pickle dish to pursue! Choose the restaurant you want to visit and head on over. Note some restaurants have specifications on the time or days the dish is available, so plan accordingly. 

Our top tip is to pair a restaurant that features a drink with a restaurant that has a meal for the perfect pickly night out in Kamloops. Start the evening with an appy and your Pickle Pursuit drink at one place, and finish the night at another with your Pickle Pursuit main course and dessert. That way, you're not only crossing 2 dishes off your pickle passport, but you get to explore more of the Kamloops foodie scene with a uniquely curated experience.

Step 3: When ordering your dish, let the server know you're participating in the Pickle Pursuit and show them your digital Pass. This is now your opportunity to check into the location and redeem that venue's offer. 

• Simply click the venue you're at

• Hit Redeem

• It will ask to use your location to verify you are where you've selected

• Hit ok and accept

• When complete, you’ll see a sublime green notification that this Pickle Pursuit location has been redeemed!

Step 4: Get your pickle sticker! There are 10 exclusive stickers to collect, and each restaurant has a different one to add to your collection. Don't forget to ask for your sticker if it slips your server's mind—it can be dillin' difficult to remember when there are so many people poppin' pickle jars at once.

**Hot Tip: Head to your local craft store and pick up sticky magnetic paper to turn your Pickle Pursuit stickers into fun fridge magnets, or plaster your favourite skate deck in a unique Kamloops way!

Step 5: Eat. Drink. Enjoy—Snap a photo! While not necessary to be eligible for your pickle shirt, Tourism Kamloops has made it oh so easy to share your pickle pucker right in the Pass. Upload you and your briney friends enjoying the menu items for your chance to be featured on their socials and website.

If you're posting your pictures on Instagram, remember to tag @tourismkamloops, @luvntheloops, and use the hashtag #explorekamloops.

Step 6: Repeat with more pickle places, and collect all 10!

Step 7: Once you've collected all 10, head over to Bigfoot Trading Co. in the Aberdeen Mall to collect your exclusive t-shirt if you are one of the first 100 people to complete the whole pursuit. Simply show them your app with your completed passport and sticker stash, and they will print your t-shirt, in your size, right there in minutes!

You can always check the @tourismkamloops and @luvntheloops Instagram pages to know if you're in the running, as they're posting updates daily!

Suppose you're looking to just dip your toes into the world of pickle dishes. Why not try my 2 favourite Pickle Pursuit dishes (so far) that satisfy those dill-fueled cravings and also get you out exploring some Kamloops restaurants you might not visit regularly? 

**Although, collect those stickers and passport check-ins just in case you get hooked and want to complete the whole thing! 😉

Try the Reuben Flatbread at The Black Iron Club & Grill out at Tobiano Golf. This dish is both inventive and familiar in that cozy comfort food way. The flatbread is piled high with tangy sauerkraut and house-made corned beef. Of course, dill pickles steal the show, and a thousand island dressing drizzled on top perfects every bite.

If you've never been out to Tobiano, you're in for not only a meal of a lifetime but a view of a lifetime. Situated on cliffs above Kamloops Lake, Tobiano is a resort community with a world-class golf course intertwined through it. The rolling green hills give way to epic panoramic shots of Kamloops lake, the Painted Bluffs Provincial Park, and the iconic BC Grasslands that make this part of the Thompson-Okanagan wonderfully unique.

Secondly, the Dill + Jalapeño Margarita at Underbelly By The Pig in Downtown Kamloops is a perfect example of a pickle dish outside the box.

This drink is both smooth and creamy but has a bit of bite—first from the vibrant splash of dill, then from the spice of the jalapeño. A beautiful lime undernote ties it all together, and the salt rim brings it home to Margaritaville. 

Underbelly is one of Kamloops' most vibrant nightspots known for its one-of-a-kind cocktails and innovative dishes. The vibe is always bumping, and it's a great place to spend an evening laughing with friends. There are many sharing-friendly options, and their Italian-inspired mains will have you exclaiming Squisito!

Head over to my Instagram, @exploringtheokanagan, for more details on all the pickle dishes and hot tips on that perfect pickle pucker for all your Pursuit Photos.

And if you haven't yet jumped on the Pickle Pursuit train, make sure you head over for all the dilly-details and to get your free pass today—there are only a few more weeks to get Pickled in Kamloops!!