Poutine Week 2026 – What, Who, Where In Grand Rapids

Yesterday, I was introduced to something I had never tried before, did not know it was a thing, let alone big enough to have an entire week dedicated to it, and now cannot stop thinking about it. Poutine is a Canadian dish made with French fries and cheese curds, then covered with gravy. Visually, not the most appealing meal, but from a consumption standpoint? Stellar.

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But my heart didn't just grow three sizes yesterday; my stomach did too, because my friends and I tried poutine from 6 of the 15 restaurants participating in Grand Rapids' sixth-annual Poutine Week. 

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Here's your guide to Poutine Week on Michigan St., from someone who's partaken in it and has some thoughts to share.

Poutine Week In Grand Rapids - What To Know

The annual celebration of Poutine enters its sixth year, with each restaurant putting its own spin on the classic dish. These range from classic Poutine to Korean Kalbi Poutine with a Korean-braised beef short rib to Canadian Pickled Poutine.

READ MORE: Why You're Seeing Metal Dragonflies Around Downtown GR

Each location gets you a stamp in the Poutine Passport, with prizes earned based on your number of stamps. Poutine Week runs from September 16 to 27.

Tommy McNeill, Townsquare Media

WHO Is Participating?

This year, 15 restaurants on or around Michigan St. are going head-to-head to create their own unique Poutine dish, and leaving it up to the people to decide whose is the best. Previous winners include The Freisian, Kaffeine Place, Duke's Social House, and 7 Monks. View the full list of participants here or in the map below.

Each year's winner is decided by popular vote, so keep your poutine passport handy and dig in. Not to sway your votes, but I quite enjoyed the poutine from American Legion Post 459, Vandermill (with a Honeycrisp cider), and Kaffeine.

Yes, I intend to check out the other spots.