Top 10 culinary specialities in Toronto

If you’re travelling to Toronto, there’s a good chance that the food will seem somewhat familiar. Indeed, Toronto’s specialities are known to be similar to French and sometimes English cuisine. This multicultural city will take you on a journey with its tasty and surprising dishes that will not leave your taste buds indifferent. It is a great gastronomic city par excellence. In its past, the great waves of immigration from all over the world have made it a must in terms of “history and culture”… But they have also helped to “redefine” certain recipes. Shall we tell you a little more? We’re off!

What are Toronto’s best specialities?

1) Duck in maple syrup

As you probably know, maple syrup is a Canadian staple. So what could be better than pairing this delicious dish with a melt-in-the-mouth meat like duck breast? Also known as ‘Roast dusk with maple syrup’, this dish is made with a good marinated, fat-free duck breast. If you like the combination of sweet and savoury, you’ll be delighted! To prepare the marinade, mix soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and, of course, maple syrup. When everything is cooked, cranberries are then added on top of the meat. A real treat!

2 – Meat and Potato Pie

Known for its rather fatty dishes, Toronto is the perfect place to enjoy tasty comfort food. The potato meat pie is no exception! This typical Toronto meal is made with a cooked potato stuffing and sausage meat sautéed in garlic and parsley. This stuffing is then mixed and arranged in successive layers and then surrounded by puff pastry. You’ll find this dish in Toronto restaurants under the name “Meat pie withpotatoes” or Tourtière.

3 Butter tart

Let’s move on to desserts, and more specifically to Toronto’s typical butter tarts. These tarts are made with butter, sugar, eggs and a filling. They can be served plain or with sultanas or other dried fruit. In Toronto, many restaurants offer these tasty little desserts. You can even find them with vegan or gluten-free options. It’s a dream, isn’t it?

4 Poutine

How can we not mention this Quebec speciality? Today, many restaurants around the world reproduce this dish. However, many will tell you that nothing beats the delicious poutine made in Canada. Although the recipe has changed a lot over the years, the principle remains the same: it’s a dish of chips covered in cheese curds, topped with a sauce made from chicken and beef stock. Now it’s up to you to try this exquisite dish to round off your day in style.

5- Gourgans soup

You’ve probably heard it all your childhood, but there’s nothing like a good soup to warm you up in winter. In Toronto, broad bean soup is a must. Try a bowl or two of this savoury soup made with beef shank, bacon, broad beans and cabbage, and you’ll be in for an explosion of flavour. Depending on the region, there are several variations of this recipe that incorporate different vegetables or seasonings.

6.hot dog

This soft bun filled with sausage and other ingredients can’t be overstated. Often topped with mayonnaise or ketchup sauce, this is the staple sandwich in Toronto. Many stands have been set up in the streets of the city, so popular is this dish that you can take a little lunch break. Simple, tasty and filling, perhaps that’s why the hot dog is a must-try, and why tourists love it!

7 Rabbit and cider giblet

In Toronto, it’s good to be able to warm up during the cold winter months. With so many Canadian forests, the city of Toronto is teeming with game and rabbits. That’s why Torontonians are so fond of dishes based on these tender meats, which will stay with you forever, both in your memory and on your palate. Rabbit gibelotte with cider is the perfect example if you’re ever in Toronto. Here, gibelotte is made from rabbit simmered in a marinade of cider, sugar and a hint of thyme. The dish is usually accompanied by winter vegetables such as potatoes, turnips or carrots.

8-Baked beans

This dish has become an important part of Toronto’s gastronomy. In 1956, an article was published in Maclean’s magazine in which the head chef of Toronto’s Royal York Hotel, Donat Perreault, declared that “baked beans should be proclaimed Canada’s national dish”. And yet this recipe comes straight from the American coast. Baked beans are made from beans and pieces of bacon seasoned with molasses or maple syrup and baked in the oven. It’s one of the most unusual dishes you’ll ever taste, with flavours from elsewhere that will awaken and sharpen your senses…

9 Submarines

Are you as hungry as a wolf? Then submarines are for you! These huge sandwiches are particularly filling and therefore very hearty. They come straight from the New York influence, because you may not know it, but Toronto is considered to be the New York of Canada. There’s something to suit every taste and every corner of the city. Let yourself be tempted by these appetising sandwiches with hearty fillings.

10. Traditional maple syrup pancakes

When it comes to Canadian desserts, don’t forget to mention the famous maple syrup pancakes! The star ingredient? Maple syrup, of course! Accompanied by a bit of butter and red fruit, Canadian pancakes are thicker and smaller than those we know in Europe. They’re one of the sweetest treats you’ll ever eat, especially for breakfast. It’s easy to find and you’ll love eating it before setting off on a day of sightseeing around Toronto.