Top 5 Canadian Foods to Try in Ontario

Who hasn’t heard of the iconic Canadian Maple Syrup or classic treat Butter Tarts? You don’t necessarily need to go to Canada to taste these delights. However, there’s nothing quite like tasting them in Ontario.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the local cuisine in Ontario is inspired by its unique traditions and cultural identity. This region stands out with its wide range of tastes, which almost always fascinates tourists.

In the process of exploring Ontario’s culinary masterpieces, we found it hard to reveal a single treat that would fascinate everyone. That’s why we decided to provide a list of the top 5 tastes, which will indeed satisfy everyone’s taste.

Top 5 Canadian Foods to Try in Ontario

1. Maple Syrup

If there’s one single must-try food while visiting Ontario, it’s 100% Maple Syrup. It’s true that this product is available in most Western countries and even more — chances are that you’ve tasted it multiple times. However, it carries exceptional cultural significance for people living in Ontario. That’s why you shouldn’t return home without trying this delicacy. 

The best part is that its taste isn’t everything. In fact, it’s a common tradition for local vendors to enlighten tourists about their family traditions for making this honey-like topping. That’s exactly how we understood that some people in Ontario consider maple syrup a symbol of luck. According to a local vendor, maple leaves have almost the same significance as four-leaf clovers in other parts of the world.

That could be why gambling enthusiasts in Ontario often use maple-themed symbols while aiming to win the long-awaited jackpot at Bally Bet Ontario. 

2. Icewine

What is the first association that the name “Icewine” makes you think about? If you have a good intuition, you might have even guessed the grapes used to make this Canadian wine are harvested in the middle of winter when they are naturally frozen. As the name suggests, that’s the secret behind creating Icewine.

What is more interesting is that only 10-20% of the liquid obtained after pressing frozen grapes is used to create Icewine. As for the alcohol, Icewine only consists of 10% alcohol, which is significantly lower compared to traditional wines.

Icewine is surprisingly sweet, sometimes even sweeter than your favorite soft drinks like Panda Cola, Pepsi Blue, or Fanta. Our advice for those who find this wine too sweet is to try it with proper local cheese, like the famous Oka cheese.

3. BeaverTails

This one might be a treat you’ve never even heard about before. The BeaverTail is an oval-shaped fried dough that is covered in butter. Of course, adding a special assortment of toppings makes the dish even more delicious. For first-time visitors, we recommend trying the classic BeaverTail, made with cinnamon and brown sugar. Or, you can even add chocolate sauce and seasonal fruits if it’s suitable for your food preferences.

BeaverTail is popular all around Canada, which means you can easily find this food in Ontario as well. The best way to taste it exactly as the locals prepare BeaveerTails is to explore theme parks and other popular tourist attractions. As locals say, this treat is especially tasty with a cup of hot chocolate. So, the best time to indulge in it for the first time is probably sometime around Christmas.

4. Butter Tarts

A simple but delicious Ontario butter tart is another must-try food for everyone who visits Ontario for the first time. This pastry is usually made from butter, sugar, syrup, and eggs. 

Surprisingly, butter tarts are sometimes considered a traditional French snack. However, it’s actually a mistake since this treat is associated with the English-speaking provinces of Canada, instead of the French-speaking ones. Besides, maple syrup is one of the main ingredients of this snack. That’s why we decided to list it as one of the Canadian delicacies.

Do you know how many different flavors this delicacy has? Classic Butter Tart, Raisin Butter Tart, or Maple Butter Tart are just a small list of options that will unquestionably satisfy your sweet tooth. We will further delight you and tell you that you might even get a chance to participate in an annual tart-making competition, which simply means that you might even come home with an award from Ontario. 

5. Sausages

And the final food that you should try in Ontario is sausage. Yes, as simple as it may sound. Why in Ontario? Because the local cuisine there is somewhat inspired by a German snack called Kitchener-Waterloo. 

Thanks to German-speaking expats who now live in Canada, German-style sausages are available in most places in the city and they taste almost exactly as delicious as in Germany!

Bottom Line

As they say, the way to our hearts goes through our receptors, so we are sure that the delicacies presented in the article have already won your heart! Now you know exactly what to focus on when you come to Ontario and how to enhance the emotions caused by the beauty of the city thanks to these delicious foods. 

But still, beyond the foods we’ve already introduced, you should also know that further amazing culinary adventures await you in Ontario!