Where to Find Authentic Canadian Cuisine in Toronto
On your next visit to Toronto, sink your teeth into these favorite local spots for a taste of true Canadian cuisine.
Boralia: Canadian History Brought to Life Through Food
Taken from a name first proposed for Canada at the time of confederation, Boralia imbues each dish that exits the kitchen with the same historical inspiration. Dates scrawled next to menu items reference traditional Aboriginal and settler recipes as far back as the 17th century.
The tapas-style menu lets you try a bit of everything, which is exactly what you want to do here. Start with the Deviled Chinese Tea Eggs (c. 1860) and Chopsuey Croquettes (c. 1860), both nods to Canada’s Chinese history.
Without a doubt the star of the culinary show is the L’éclade (c. 1605). The smokey pine aromas wafting from these succulent mussels will reach you before they do. This inventive preparation of a well-loved classic is as close as you can get to the sensory experience of Canadian wilderness camping in the heart of the city.
Other standouts include the tender Pan-Roasted Elk and sublimely glazed Sugar Shack ‘Ham’ (c. 1889). You’d be remiss if you didn’t pair all this with one of the restaurant’s divine shrub-based cocktails: Grapefruit Shrub Spritz if you’re in the mood for bubbles, or Lemon Sage Iced Tea for those long hot days.
It’s Boralia’s attention to detail that wins it top marks in my books. Gaze upward and you’ll find you’re sitting under the timber frame of a longhouse. A bespoke wallhanging in the back depicts the buffalo migration, and if you take a peek above the bar you’ll find mystery bottles of “XXX” and piles of furs.
Woodlot: Honest, Simple Cooking With Fresh Local Ingredients
Housed in a converted garage, the airy, industrial-accented Woodlot is one of the most unique restaurant spaces in the city. Head to the upper loft-style seating and grab a spot by the railing for an unobstructed view of the kitchen and wood-fired brick oven below.
Woodlot prides itself on food that is “simple, honest and handmade,” and they do it with impossibly fresh ingredients. In my opinion you can judge the level of care a restaurant takes with its ingredients by its most basic offering: bread and butter. Woodlot’s loaves are served fresh every day by an overnight team of bakers. If you only have time for a grab-and-go meal, it’s worth stopping by to pick up a red fife or sour dough loaf any time from 3:00pm onwards.
Believe it or not some of my favorite dishes are actually the salads, particularly the Beetroot and Roasted Peanut Salad – a wonderful medley of crisp, earthy flavors, another testament to the freshness of the ingredients. Make sure to pair your meal with a local brew or glass of wine – try a Pearl-Morisette Chardonnay or Gamay to match the earthy flavors.
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For the Love of Canadian Cuisine
Although these three restaurants offer very different experiences, the chefs and owners behind these unique spots share something in common: an honest, humble approach to food that’s fueled by a simple passion for what authentic Canadian cuisine has to offer – and it’s enough to impress a full spectrum of tastes.
This article was published through a partnership with Marriott Traveler and Destination Canada. Read the original here.
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