Join us on a culinary adventure and celebrate local cultural diversity. This February 2026, visit participating cultural restaurants and be eligible to enter a prize draw at the end of the month. This initiative is brought to you by STELIP in partnership with Railway City Tourism and Elgin County Tourism.
Two Ways to Participate
- Get your Global Flavours “passport” stamped at each restaurant you visit. Download and print out your passport or pick up a copy at the YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin, Railway City Tourism, and select restaurants. Drop your passport off at the YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin or send us a photo at globalflavours@stelip.ca at the end of the month to be entered in the prize draw.
- Check in on the Goosechase app (enter game code 6AP6UE) at each restaurant you visit and earn Global Flavours points. You will automatically be entered to win at the end of the month.
Don’t forget to vote for your favourite restaurant at the end of the month.
Three Ways to Win
We will give out multiple prize packs with a variety of gift cards and locally-sourced goodies.
- Two or more stamps on your passport.
- Two or more check-ins (or “missions”) on the Goosechase app.
- The most points on the Goosechase app.
Participating Restaurants
West Lorne:
Aylmer:
- The Curry house – Aylmer
- The Gordita Shop/La Cocina
- Huckleberry Cakes & Coffee
- Ukrainian Homemade Food
St. Thomas:
- Greek & Go
- Jancat Art
- Le Café Siam: Thai Cuisine
- Lotus Thai Restaurant
- Opa’s Pretzels
- Osmow’s Shawarma
- Potato Express
- Pyza Deli
- Saint Boba & Cupbop
- Shelby’s Legendary Shawarma
- Streamliners Espresso Bar
- Taco House Co.
- The Fritter Shop St. Thomas
- The Hungry Twist
- Zesty Dessert Café
Restaurant Highlights
Discover the stories behind some of the incredible restaurants participating in Global Flavours. Each highlight shares a glimpse into the owner’s journey, including newcomer and immigrant experiences, cultural roots, and the passion behind the menu items that bring people together in our community.
Lotus Thai Restaurant
Lotus Thai Restaurant, now in its 20th year of operation, is a proudly female-owned and operated business founded by Pom Quangvan-Montague, who arrived as a teenage refugee from Thailand unable to speak English.
Against significant barriers, she has built a successful and enduring restaurant business, transforming her passion for Thai cuisine and customer service into a thriving enterprise and local favourite that has served the St. Thomas community for over two decades — a true testament to perseverance and entrepreneurial spirit.
SoSo’s Breakfast Tacos
SoSo’s Breakfast Tacos is a bright community-driven breakfast cafe serving fresh-made tacos and craft coffee in a beautifully restored 130-year old heritage building in the heart of West Lorne. Thoughtfully made, fast, and welcoming, it’s a local favourite for starting the day right.
Owner’s Story from Jessica:
After marrying my Canadian wife Kris, I made the decision to immigrate to Canada in search of a better quality of life, leaving behind a fast-paced restaurant career running multiple restaurants in Dallas, Texas. While trying to discover my next path in life, I realized my true passion would always be in the hospitality industry.
We toured around Southwestern Ontario for a year and a half setting up and breaking down a kitchen at local markets introducing our breakfast tacos to whoever would give us a try. After falling in love with the community of West Elgin we were introduced to our landlord and what began as a simple idea, cooking breakfast tacos on a Blackstone at local markets, grew into a labour of love.
We spent a year restoring a 130-year-old heritage building in West Lorne, brick by brick, while becoming rooted in the Elgin County community. We opened the doors to SoSo’s Breakfast Tacos on December 12, 2025.
Taco House Co.
From newcomer to local favourite, Aurora Alcocer brought the flavours of home to St. Thomas with Taco House Co. What started as a small kitchen dream grew into a bustling restaurant where every taco and tamale tells a story of courage, culture, and passion.
Today, Taco House Co. isn’t just about food — it’s about sharing heritage, heart, and a taste of home with every guest.
Huckleberry Cakes & Coffee
Huckleberry Cakes & Coffee began as a heartfelt dream to create a warm, cozy café in Aylmer. What started with home‑baked recipes, late nights, and a lot of love has grown into a space where fresh cakes, good coffee, gourmet sandwiches, pastries, and genuine connection come together.
Behind it all is a small, passionate team that truly cares about every detail. Huckleberry isn’t just a café — it’s a way of sharing comfort, joy, and a little sweetness with the community every single day.
Zesty Dessert Café
Zesty Dessert Café is a dessert‑focused café located in St. Thomas, offering specialty coffee, baked croissants, and freshly prepared crêpes, waffles, and mini pancakes inspired by international flavours. Wherever possible, items are prepared in‑house with a strong focus on quality and consistency.
Zesty Dessert Café is proud to be a community‑driven space dedicated to delivering a welcoming experience and high‑quality desserts. The café was honoured with the Canadian Choice Award for Best Dessert Café in St. Thomas (2025) and is a finalist for Best Café in St. Thomas (2026).
Streamliners Espresso Bar
Streamliners Espresso Bar is featuring its head barista’s signature drink, the Iced Rosquillas Signature Latte, which was presented at the National Barista Competition last year. The drink pays homage to Nicaraguan roots and will be available during the last week of February, while supplies last.
Jancat Art
One unique feature of Jancat Art is that another part of the store, located right beside the café area, sells handcrafted gifts, stationery, and clothing under the Jancat brand. The brand features an original cartoon cat character developed by the owner, Ellen, herself.
One of the most popular dishes at Jancat Art is Tonkotsu Ramen, which has brought many customers to the café. The ramen features a 12‑hour slow‑simmered bone broth, made in‑house with full heart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get my passport stamped multiple times from the same restaurant?
Where can I get a Global Flavours passport?
You can download a copy from the STELIP website. You can also pick up a copy at the YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin, Railway City Tourism, and select restaurants.
How do I get my passport stamped if I order delivery?
If you order delivery, you can submit a photo or screenshot of your receipt along with a scan/photo of your passport to globalflavours@stelip.ca. You can also choose to participate on the Goosechase app instead.
Can I participate using both the passport and Goosechase?
Yes, you can participate in both ways if you choose.
Where can I get more information about Goosechase?
Check out Railway City Tourism’s website to learn more about Goosechase.
Where can I get more information about Global Flavours?
Check out Railway City Tourism’s website to learn more about Global Flavours. You can also contact STELIP at communications@stelip.ca with any questions.
How do I submit my passport to enter the prize draw?
Drop your passport off at the YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin or send us a photo at globalflavours@stelip.ca at the end of the month to be entered in the prize draw.
How do you award the prizes?
We give out multiple prize packs. We enter the names of all participants/teams once into the prize draw. We draw a random selection of names. We also award a prize pack to the Goosechase team with the most points. That team is then not eligible for the random prize draw (i.e. it is not possible for them to win another prize pack). All prize packs are of roughly equal value and usually include a variety of gift cards and locally-sourced goodies.
Does it count if I go to a restaurant not listed in this years’ participants?
No. You can only get stamps for your passport and/or points on the Goosechase app from participating restaurants.
