Here’s some delicious irony for you: The whole pandemic thing (you know the one) forced small and independent restaurants to pivot hard and think outside the box. And yet, one of those outside-the-box ideas was INSIDE the box.

To wit, this delectable spread from our pals at @theriseeatery, giving those stay-at-home diners around town in ‘Raincouver’ comfort-food options custom-made for the coziness of their own couches.

There’s no better time than in the midst of Small Business Week (Oct. 20-26) to highlight five ways to support and celebrate small and independent Canadian businesses in the hospitality and foodservice industry as they continue to hold their heads high and navigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Some helpful hints from our friends at @restaurantscanada:

Dine in

Order directly

Post your dining experiences on social channels

We’re thrilled to have First Table as a new Breaking Bread supporter — the restaurant discovery platform is marking its official Victoria, BC launch today by helping people in the Capital city support their local food scene as well as the community at large.

From now until Nov. 15, First Table will donate $5 from each booking made to @unitedwayvictoria’s More Than Meals program that works with local restaurants and food service businesses to provide vulnerable and isolated seniors with increased access to healthy, nutritious meals.