The absolute best food finds across Canada

Stop 24: Hamilton, ON

For the final stop on the tour, my partner in crime (social media manager Storie Serres) and I found the perfect marriage of our culinary tastes, Butcher and The Vegan. Storie is a longtime vegan, and I am a forever carnivore. I went for the delicate and lovely lake trout, pan seared and served with fingerling potatoes, wilted kale and rapini, and arugula. This is a Hamilton fave for good reason. 

Stop 23: Guelph, ON

Okay, I know beer isn’t food, but I’m pretty proud of the small batch porter I helped create (or at least stirred a little) with the good folks at Wellington Brewery in Guelph. A traditional English Style porter, Slone Road has hints of toffee and coffee, and is smooth as smooth can be. Plus… I kinda dig the name.

Stop 22: Portage La Prairie, MB

Chinese food may not be the first thing that comes to mind in Manitoba, but we were feeling adventurous by this time in the tour. Ron Maclean and I hit up Dick’s Café on Saskatchewan Ave for their beloved Hunan Style Beef. It was spicy and awesome! 

Stop 21: Ottawa, ON

Whoever came up with the idea for a Reuben sandwich should be lauded for this delicious creation. Nate’s does the classic some serious justice with their openfaced version, complete with a side of fries, cole slaw, and the requisite dill pickle. 

Stop 20: Lloydminister, AB/SK

Harvest To Home is a market, café and catering that was started by the parents of Washington Capitals superstar goalie Braden Holtby in 2010. Now under new ownership, the principles are the same: delicious, fresh, local food. This traditional Ukrainian feast was among the best I have ever tasted.

Stop 19: Medicine Hat, AB

You could argue that I should have indulged in some Alberta beef during our trip to The Hat. But since I eat far too much red meat as it is, I opted for the crowd favorite Crispy Chicken Sandwich from The Local. Crispy and delicious as promised!

Stop 18: Nanaimo, BC

There is nothing more ubiquitous than a Nanaimo Bar in Nanaimo; they are literally EVERYWHERE. I tried so many good ones that I cannot possibly endorse just one!

Stop 17: Cranbrook, BC

Surrounded by mountains and simply stunning, Cranbrook is one of Canada’s best kept secrets. Not a secret to the locals there, is the super yummy “The Heid Out & Fisher Peak Brewing Company“. The beer selection is magnificent (including their own Fisher Peak brand), and the menu is eclectic and affordable. I couldn’t resist a full portion of schnitzel, with a homemade mushroom cream sauce. SO satisfying!

Stop 16: Cochrane, AB

If you don’t hit MacKay’s Ice Cream when you visit Cochrane, a quaint western town in Alberta’s foothills, then you’ve missed the boat (or maybe the horse, in this case). Open since 1948, MacKay’s is a destination for locals and tourists alike. I went for a single scoop of Toffee Fudge in a waffle cone, and it was divine!

Stop 15: Edmonton, AB

Full disclosure: I didn’t take anyone else’s advice when looking for a place to dine in Edmonton. Instead, I headed right for a place I visit every time, Tres Carnales, a cool downtown taqueria that never disappoints. I mixed things up a little, and on this trip had both the carne deshebrada (beef short rib) and pesado (fish) tacos, washed down with mango soda.

Stop 14: Vernon, BC

Nestled in the North Okanagan, Vernon is surrounded by lakes and the stunning Monashee mountains. We took a trip up to the Silver Star Mountain Resort for a day of skiing. The “apres” featured some beverages of course, but also this western favorite, the Elk burger, topped with Brie and bacon.

Stop 13: Vancouver, BC

Vancouver is without a doubt the sushi capital of Canada. There are so many great stops to choose from, from the high end fare at Toshi to the Izakaya favorite Guu. I decided to try the famous Salmon Oshi Sushi at Miku; a flame-seared, pressed sockeye salmon with jalapeño and their signature sauce. I finished my meal with a crazy delicious dessert plate called Green Tea Opera; green tea genoise, matcha butter cream, dark chocolate ganache, azuki bean cream, hazelnut wafer and matcha ice cream (!).

Stop 12: Moose Jaw, SK

You might not think of Thai food as the go-to in a prairie city, but that’s exactly what the consensus was when we asked residents what we needed to try during our visit. It turns out that the Guway T’eaw at Nit’s Restaurant — a noodle soup with chicken and special spices — was the perfect antidote to the sub-zero January temperatures in beautiful Moose Jaw.

Stop 11: Petawawa, ON

Trooper Marc Diab was killed in the line of duty while serving in Afghanistan on March 8th, 2009. It had always been his dream to have his family open a restaurant near his base in Petawawa, so his friends and fellow soldiers could taste delicious Lebanese cuisine. After his death, Marc’s entire family uprooted from their home in Mississauga and opened the Madameek restaurant in Petawawa, and went on to open two more; one on the base, and one in neighbouring Pembroke. Go to Madameek not just for the best shawarma you have EVER had, but also to learn about Trooper Marc, a bright light whose life ended far too soon.

Stop 10: Milton, ON

If you’re in the mood for comfort food and great service, then Troy’s Diner is the place to be. Full of old school decor, Troy’s is also a sports lover’s paradise, with tons of memorabilia on the wall, mostly featuring local wrestling legends Tiger Jeet Singh and Tiger Ali Singh. I went for the ultimate in home cooking and tried the meatloaf, with the requisite mashed potatoes and gravy on the side. It was absolutely delicious, but a warning: consume only if you have a napped planned in the near future!

Stop 9: Stratford, ON

Owned and operated by Jenn Stacey and her dad Larry, JENN and Larry’s Brittle ‘n’ Shakes & Ice Cream Cakes is a quaint and authentic throwback to the days of drive-ins and shake shacks; in fact, Larry and his wife Gail actually ran an ice cream joint before their kids were born in the 1970’s. The brittle is Jenn’s specialty, but equally as decadent was the signature Hot Chocolate Ice Cream Float, with milk hot chocolate, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and topped with crushed candy cane. YUM!

Stop 8: Barrie, ON

Downtown Barrie is filled with adorable, unique restaurants. I hit one of those, the Grilled Cheese Social Eatery, for a signature sandwich. My pick? The Spirit Catcher, named after the iconic sculpture on Barrie’s Kempenfelt Bay, for a mouthwatering mountain of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses, with bacon, tomato, avocado and basil.

Stop 7: Timmins, ON

Timmins is a mining hub in our country, with a seemingly endless supply of gold, silver, copper and zinc beneath the rock. Before I went 9,600 feet underground (I really did!), I started with the Miner’s Breakfast at the historic McIntyre Arena. Three eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, beans, potatoes and toast were more than enough to tide me over for the long trip underground. 

Stop 6: Windsor, ON

When I asked Windsorites what I needed to try when I visited the Rose City, the overwhelming response was “Lebanese food!”. So I headed to Ouellette Street, where I found the very busy Shawarma Palace. I decided to try the kafta instead of my go-to shawarma, and I wasn’t disappointed. The spiced ground beef was absolutely deserving of its royal designation.

Stop 5: Montreal, QC

Montreal has lots of fancy food, but this small deli is the number one destination for Montrealers and visitors alike when they need a nosh. My Schwartz’s feast included a medium smoked meat sandwich, poutine, a dill pickle and a black cherry cola. It was divine, as always!

Stop 4: Halifax, NS

Halifax is my hometown, so I know that nothing says Hali like a proper donair from King of Donair. Made with fluffy warm pita and packed with tomatoes, onions, spiced meat and garlic sauce, K.O.D.’s wraps are the real deal.

Stop 3: Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador

Just down the road from Grand Falls-Windsor is a teeny town called Badger. The Badger Diner claimed to have the best fish and chips in Newfoundland, and they weren’t exaggerating. The cod was crispy and light, the fries were handcut and delicious. Perfection.

Stop 2: Saint John, NB

Vito’s restaurant, run by Peter and Nick Georgoudis, is an institution in Saint John. The brothers have been supporters of hockey in the area since the early ’70s, having owned a senior league men’s team and an AHL franchise, and sponsoring countless minor league teams. This chicken parmesan is their signature dish, and a regular pre- and post-game meal for hockey players in the city.

Stop 1: Newmarket, ON

The first stop this season was in Connor McDavid’s hometown of Newmarket, Ontario. In honour of the rising young superstar, I decided I would go big. So I kicked off my food tour with “The King Ferdie 2.0” from Ground Burger Bar: a foot-long hotdog covered in bacon, onions, and deep fried mac and cheese, served with sweet potato fries. I’ll bet McDavid stays well away from this dish on game day, but it sure was delicious!

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