Chili cookoff spices up North Shore restaurants

Feb 2, 2026 | 5:37 PM

KAMLOOPS – The fourth annual North Shore Business Improvement Association (NSBIA) Chili Cookoff begins Monday (Feb. 2) and runs until Thursay, with winners decided Friday. The cook-off invites local restaurants Bailey’s Pub, Barside Lounge & Grill, Bowl ‘n’ Bun, Bright Eye Brewing, Harvest Moon Bakery, Red Beard Cafe, Smashville Burger Bar and Taco Alley to compete for the chili championship.

“It’s all about the competition. And it’s also about getting people into the restaurants who maybe have never been. This year, the one change we’re doing is it is dine-in only, and we’re doing that on purpose. You can go in and enjoy it at the restaurant. Maybe you’ll have a beer, maybe you’ll have a drink or a dessert or something with it. We’re hoping you’ll go in and say, ‘Wow, I’ve never been here before,’ and maybe you want to come back,” said Patti Philips, marketing and events manager at the NSBIA.

Harvest Moon Bakery is in its second year of the contest, and last year had a line outside the door.

“We do our soups and sandwiches on the regular and we do chili on occasion, as well. It’s a really great way to promote the North Shore and helps to really get the word out that all these great businesses are here. That’s really what it’s about, is showcasing all these small businesses all around the North Shore,” said Nick Driver, a co-owner at Harvest Moon Bakery.

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Yew Street Food Hall includes two other types of chili: a Smashburger chili and a very traditional chili, both unique in their own way. The food hall hopes this competition brings new patrons to its door.

“What we’re hoping is that it’ll drive traffic for people who haven’t been to the food hall before. They’re coming in, trying a bit of chili and then they look and go, ‘Wow, we’ve never been here.’ Then they’ll come back and try the seven vendors in the food hall,” said food hall GM Katie Lidguard.

Last year, the competition was won by 35 votes, so organizers hope everyone gets out to try it.

“If you go to all eight restaurants, then your name will go in for an envelope full of eight gift certificates from every single restaurant. It’s like date night for a year. It’s pretty amazing,” said Phillips.

Winners will be announced at the Barside Lounge and Grill on Friday.

by Curtis Goodrum

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Chili cookoff spices up North Shore restaurants

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