Foodie Travels in Canada

It’s not all poutine and Tim Horton’s, y’know. But actually, I quite enjoy both those things when we visit Canada. Canada has that great industrious approach to food – boutique breweries, fusion food, and fun takes on old classics. The small batch breweries, distilleries and wineries are of particular note. We even found a Canadian absinthe in the Okanagan Valley; but more on that later. Here are some of the highlights of our foodie travels in Canada.

My family live in the Canadian Maritimes and Vancouver, and my husband’s extended family live in Moose Jaw and Vancouver Island; so we are lucky to have an excuse to visit this beautiful country regularly. All foodie experiences are our own, and there is something for all tastes and budgets – we are not food snobs here, that’s for sure!

Highlights from our Foodie Travels in Canada

Boutique Breweries & Distilleries in the East Village, Vancouver

Often boutique breweries and industrial style bars are the first wave of regeneration in rundown neighbourhoods. East Vancouver (often called ‘East Van’ or ‘East Village’) is one of those areas that has seen an immense amount of regeneration. From dockyards to brewery haven, East Van is the place to be for delicious beverages and funky industrial bars and restaurants.

Alongside many breweries in the East Village, there are also distillers. Our favourite was Odd Society (1725 Powell St). This small-batch distillery has the class of traditional distilleries, but the flair of modern cocktail mixologists. We had a marvellous few hours working our way through their extensive menu.

Granville Island Public Market

Okanagan Valley Wine & Spirits

When we took the road trip from Vancouver to Banff via the Okanagan Valley, we weren’t expecting to fall so in love with this area; and were sad to not have longer in Kelowna and the surrounding wine country.

Along with wine tours and vineyards to visit, the Okanagan Spirits company will keep you nice and sozzled. They produce vodka and gin, flavoured liquors, and even an absinthe. This lovely entry-level absinthe is mild and delicate, and somewhat reminiscent of Swiss blanche absinthes, although without the complexity. Be sure to stay the night in Kelowna, so that you can enjoy the booze responsibly without driving!

Learn more about our absinthe adventures in Switzerland every year.

Tim Hortons

Dining Along the Railway

The completion of the transcontinental railway by Canadian Pacific in the late 1800s was instrumental in the expansion of Western Canada. My husband’s grandfather and great uncles immigrated to Canada in the 1920s to work on the railway. This artery train line carries with it hope, nostalgia, and incredible architecture and history along the way.

If you visit Lake Louise and Banff (which you really should), make the time to visit Lake Louise Station Restaurant. This restaurant is great for history and train buffs alike. They have a refined menu based on classics, alongside a great wine menu. We enjoyed watching the freight trains clickety-clacking past, and all the historical ephemera on the walls.

Calgary Stampede Fairground Food

Like any good fairground midway, the Calgary Stampede is jam-packed with stalls of ridiculous food combinations, deep fried everything, and enough sugar and calories to knock your socks off. Luckily a time at the Calgary Stampede (mid-July every year) is a one or two day indulgence only.

The ‘blooming onion’ is a perennial favourite. Onions are sliced, but with one end left intact so that it can be fried as a whole. It is dunked in batter and fried, and served with a spicy mayonnaise. While this is not a Canadian-specific food, it is indicative of the fried fun on offer at the Stampede.

Other bizarre midway foods include funnel cakes (a sweet fried dough often laden with toppings), hotdogs with interesting toppings like mac n’ cheese, fried butter, fried cheesecake; and in Calgary – deep fried bulls balls!

Poutine

Poutine was invented in rural Quebec in the 1950s. Comprised of fries, cheese curds and rich gravy; this odd combo has become a food icon of Canada.

Now, I’m a fan of the classic poutine; but on occasion I am partial to the addition of smoked meat, bacon, or (shock horror) the use of sweet potato fries!

Smoked Meat Sandwich at Schwartz’s in Montreal

It’s a hot debate, Montreal’s smoked meat vs. New York’s hot pastrami! I’ve had many samples of both, and my vote is for smoked meat – it’s softer, more juicy, and leaner. That is likely to do with the cut of meat – smoked meat is made from lean brisket, and pastrami is made from the beef plate / cut (although brisket is now commonly used too). Both are delicious, but this smoked meat sandwich from Montreal’s famous Jewish delicatessen (charcuterie hébraïque), Schwartz’s, on St Laurent Boulevard was blow-your-mind delicious.

Other great smoked meat places in Montreal include Wilensky’s Light Lunch Inc and Le Roi du Smoked Meat.

Other Montreal bites to try:

• Apple Cider – There are lots of micro breweries in Montreal, and the local cider is delicious. Try Vices & Versa (St Laurent Blvd) or Dieu du Ciel! (29 Avenue Laurier O).
• Buckwheat Crêpes – Brought over with the French from Brittany, buckwheat crêpes or ‘galettes’ are popular in Montreal.

Tourtière

Tourtière is a meat or game pie, originally eaten on Christmas Eve for Réveillon or New Year’s Eve. It originated with the French-Canadians and spread across Canada. It is especially popular in New Brunswick, and is a favourite with my family. ‘Tourtière’ was the name of the dish it was originally made in, and it has now morphed into a ‘whatever is your local meat’ pie – which means on the coast it can be fish, in Montreal it is finely ground pork; and my family make a vegan one too!

Thanks to my sister-in-law for the photos!

Maple Tapping

Maple syrup is about as Canadian as you can get food-wise. The Maple trees are tapped in the spring, and the sap is boiled to produce maple syrup. Real maple syrup has no other ingredients – so beware imposters! Quebec is the biggest producer of maple syrup, followed by Ontario and Nova Scotia. 71% of the world’s maple syrup is produced in Canada!

If you’re visiting Canada in the Spring, visiting a maple farm and tapping your own sap is a really fun activity.

Butter Tarts in Ontario

Butter tarts are a simple but fabulous maple syrup adjacent treat, a speciality in Ontario. These simple tarts ooze with maple syrup, and can come with many flavour extras, although I prefer the original. So simple and so tasty!

My friends, Linda and David over at Retired & Travelling, wrote about their adventures on the Kawartha Lakes Butter Tart Trail – and it’s definitely on my list for next time we’re in Ontario!

Cow’s Ice Cream

Cow’s Creamery started in the Maritime Province of Prince Edward Island, and now has locations all around Canada (pic from their location in Banff). I had my first taste of their deliciously creamy and inventive flavours in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Try their PEI delicacies like blueberry, strawberry and apple crisp; and fun flavours like ‘Nanaimoo Bar’ and ‘Caramel Moochiato’.

Honorable Mentions

Some extras that deserve a mention, but that I didn’t have photos / first-hand experience of:

• Saskatoon Berry Pie – the city of Saskatoon was named after this berry, and it makes a great pie
• Bannock – a traditional bread from the aboriginal people of Canada
• Peameal Bacon – a lean pork loin that is wet brined and rolled in cornmeal before cooking – a unique take on bacon
• Beavertails – fried dough with yummy toppings – need I say more? I had a great one in Moose Jaw, but they are available everywhere!
• Doukhobor Borscht – famous in Grand Forks, British Colombia, this Russian import found a new home from immigration, and is now a beloved favourite.

Foodie Travels in Canada Bingo

I give foodie travel bingo cards away when you sign up to my newsletter, but didn’t have a Canada one… until now! Feel free to save and use it next time you’re in Canada and fancy trying a this amusing travel game.

If you enjoy foodie travels, check out our USA or Europe foodie adventures!

All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM; and an iPhone.