Toronto is one of the most culturally diverse cities on Earth, with international food districts that run from Chinatown to Little Italy and Greektown. But true Canadian dishes like the peameal bacon sandwich and the butter tart are things you won't find anywhere in the world outside Canada. One thing to know: food in Toronto isn't cheap. CAD 20-40 per person for a single sit-down meal is normal, though fresh markets and food courts still leave you plenty of reasonable options.
#1 Peameal Bacon Sandwich
Toronto's signature dish, invented here in the early 20th century. It's made from cured pork loin rolled in ground cornmeal, then sliced thick and fried until golden and crisp, set in a soft round bun with mustard or mayo to taste. The flavour is lightly salty, faintly smoky and juicy, with far less fat than regular bacon. Carousel Bakery inside St. Lawrence Market has been selling it for over 50 years and has a line all day.
- Carousel Bakery is open 5am-4pm Tuesday to Saturday, CAD 7-8 a sandwich. The line is long in the morning but moves fast.
- Order it plain, or ask for a fried egg and cheese to round it out. It makes a very filling breakfast.
- Beyond Carousel, other stalls in St. Lawrence Market sell fresh peameal bacon you can take home or to your hotel to fry yourself.
#2 Poutine
Canada's national dish, famous worldwide. It started in Quebec in the 1950s but is now an everyday food in every corner of Canada. It's french fries — crisp outside, soft inside — under hot, thick chicken or beef gravy and fresh white cheese curds that still squeak when you bite them. The heat of the gravy melts the curds partway but not all the way. The flavour is rich and warming, and it suits Toronto's cold weather perfectly.
- Smoke's Poutinerie has the most locations in Toronto and stays open late, until 3am, which makes it ideal after a night out. CAD 10-15.
- Order classic poutine first to taste the original, then try a loaded version with extra vegetables or meat if you like it.
- Fresh cheese curds squeak when you bite them. No squeak means the cheese isn't fresh enough — that's the Canadian quality check.
#3 Butter Tart
A distinctly Canadian baked good dating back to 1900 that you won't find anywhere else in the world. A thin, crisp shortcrust shell holds a filling of butter, brown sugar, egg and corn syrup. The special part is that the centre stays a little runny when it's fresh out of the oven. Try it plain, or with raisins, or with pecans — Canadians still haven't settled the argument over which is best. The flavour is intensely sweet, with caramel and butter.
- Choose a place that bakes fresh daily — the filling should still be slightly soft in the middle. If the whole thing is stiff, it's a day old.
- CAD 2-4 a tart, best enjoyed with hot coffee or tea as an afternoon treat.
- In the fall, some bakeries make seasonal pumpkin or cinnamon butter tarts that are well worth trying.
#4 Montreal Smoked Meat
A signature dish of the Ashkenazi Jews who immigrated to Canada starting in the late 1800s. It's made from beef brisket cured in spices and salt for several days, then smoked and steamed until tender, sliced thick and served on rye bread with yellow mustard. The flavour is salty and smoky, the meat melt-in-your-mouth tender — different from American pastrami, which uses more pepper. The original is in Montreal, but Toronto has several places that do it just as well.
- Order it medium fat for the balance between flavour and richness. Order it lean and the meat comes out too dry.
- Caplansky's Deli on College Street is a Toronto favourite, open for lunch and dinner. CAD 18-25.
- Eat it with cold coleslaw to cut the richness and salt of the meat — that's the correct, traditional combination.
#5 BeaverTails
A fried pastry shaped like a beaver's tail that has been a Canadian icon since 1978. It's made from hand-stretched wheat dough fried flat in oil until golden and crisp, dusted with cinnamon sugar in the original style, or topped with Nutella, fruit or maple syrup. The flavour is sweet and crisp, like a flat doughnut but thicker and with its own charm. It's perfect to grab and eat while walking the city on a nice day — though it's big enough to share between two or three people.
- CAD 5-8 each. They're large, so one to yourself can be a lot — sharing between two is about right.
- Try classic cinnamon sugar first if it's your first time. Canadians say it's the most original and the best.
- The BeaverTails at Harbourfront Centre, on the edge of Lake Ontario, has the best setting — eat it with a view of the CN Tower.
#6 Nanaimo Bar
A no-bake treat that's a Canadian symbol, named after the city of Nanaimo in British Columbia. The three layers are a base of crushed shortbread with cocoa and coconut, a thick vanilla buttercream middle, and a glossy dark chocolate top. The flavour is rich and very sweet — one piece is enough to try, but if you love sweets you won't be able to stop. It's cheap and sold everywhere, from coffee shops to supermarkets.
- Eat it in the evening after it's been chilled rather than at room temperature — the cream layer sets and the chocolate snaps better.
- CAD 3-5 a piece. Buy a boxful to take home as a gift if you're travelling a short distance.
- Some find it too sweet — eating it with black coffee, no sugar, helps a lot.
Where to stay in Toronto for this trip
A well-located hotel means less commuting and more sightseeing. Here are real, top-rated stays in Toronto — compare Agoda · Booking · Trip.com in one click.
The Hazelton Hotel
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Le Germain Hotel Toronto Maple Leaf Square
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Four Seasons Hotel Toronto at Yorkville
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The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto
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Tours, tickets & activities in Toronto
Day tours, attraction tickets and travel essentials for Toronto — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
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Before You Pack
The best food in Toronto is often in St. Lawrence Market and the various ethnic neighbourhoods where locals go regularly. Don't miss trying true Canadian dishes before you turn to other cuisines, because this is the city where you can find the real thing most easily.