After 10 years in Toronto, I have several questions that come up regularly in my Instagram messages. From newcomers who want to discover Toronto. But also from tourists planning their stay in the city. What specialities should I try in Toronto? As you may know, Toronto is a multicultural city, so you’ll see that the specialties to try in Toronto are influenced by all these cultures. If you want a list of specialities to try in Canada, I recommend you read this article (coming soon).
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Peameal bacon sandwich
It’s a classic to try in Toronto, and I even have an address to recommend. But before we go any further, what is peameal bacon? It’s unsmoked bacon rolled in cornmeal. Visually, you’ll see that it’s much thicker than the bacon we’re used to. It’s a style of bacon that’s more common in southern Ontario and Toronto in particular. The two most recommended addresses in Toronto are in St Lawrence Market. Carousel Bakery and Paddington’s Pump. Bon appétit!
Beaver tails
Don’t be alarmed by this title. I’m not suggesting you eat real beaver tails. It’s a pastry made from fried dough that’s worked into the shape of a beavertail. You can add a variety of toppings: spread, fruit, candy, etc. Now you can find them all over Canada, it’s become a chain. But the beaver tail was born 4 hours north of Toronto in the late 70s. It was a family recipe. The couple sold their pastries in 2 stores until a student started working there, grew the business and even became CEO. You can find out more here.
Hawaiian pizza
I know it’s a food that divides pizza lovers. There’s the pro camp and the con camp. Pineapple on pizza. And contrary to what the name might lead you to believe, this pizza has its origins 3 hours from Toronto, not far from Niagara Falls, in the small town of Chatham. Sam Panopoulos, a Greek immigrant, created the recipe in the 60s. He experimented with flavour combinations inspired by the salty-sweet mix found in Chinese culture.
Jerk Chicken
You may not know it, but Toronto has a very large Jamaican community. You’ll have no trouble sampling Caribbean specialities in Toronto, but living with a Jamaican myself, I have a few tips for you. If you’re looking for Jamaican food, head for a small, family-run restaurant to sample the most authentic version possible. In the Little Jamaica area, you’ll have several options. If you see one cooking on a barrel barbecue: go for it, it’s my favourite. And finally, there are several dishes I’d recommend, but if you have to choose just one: try the jerk chicken.
Butter tart
Finally, we end our list of Toronto specialities with a little bit of sweetness. Butter tarts are a Canadian speciality that originated in Ontario. Today it’s considered a Canadian speciality, but the first traces of the recipe for this pastry date back to 1900 in Barrie, 1 hour from Toronto. It’s a small pastry made from butter, sugar, syrup and eggs. This mixture is placed inside a pastry shell, put in the oven and voilà! It’s easy to find in Toronto.
I hope you enjoyed this list, please let me know which specialty you liked best in Toronto. You can also read other articles about Toronto that might interest you, such as my favourite coffee shops in Toronto or 25 free things to do in Toronto.
