It is impossible to visit Canada and not tuck into a plate of poutine, a quintessential staple of the country. Poutine is greasy, yet the scrumptious dish is a holy trinity of ingredients such as French fries, cheese, curd, and gravy. With its birthplace to be contested, Quebec, Montreal is deemed to hail its invention, and poutine is one of the foods that can't be missed during a visit to Ontario or elsewhere in Canada.
Although owing to the diversity in Canada, various versions of poutine have been concocted throughout this time. Check out the below guide for all the best places to pick up the best poutine in Canada.
10 Le Banquise Montréal, Québec
The vibrant yellow and orange exterior of this snack bar earns it plenty of attention.
Operating since 1968, it offers 30 types of poutine with Classic Poutine, La Veggie Reggie (a combination of the veggie patty, creamy coleslaw, and Banquise sauce), La Bonheur (consisting of sausage, mushrooms, and green peppers), and La Fred Caillou (with ingredients of smoked meat and merguez sausage) as top features.
Also, La Galvaude, a summation of poutine and Quebec-style hot chicken sandwiches is worth trying. Something for health-conscious lovers is the Greek Salad.
9 Poutineville
Poutineville’s name suggests it all with poutine being its primary food item. The fundamental factor which makes this place different is allowing people to create their version of poutine with the choice to choose from 11 different types of cheese, five kinds of sauces, and four kinds of potatoes.
The usage of high-quality Quebec cheese curds, farm fresh produce, and high-quality meats with a fine selection of wines as well as beers make this casual dining atmosphere a must-visit option.
8 Whistlestop Café, Ontario
Having almost 100 poutines to select from, this place is none other in Peterborough, Ontario. From delicious poutines to award-winning butter tarts, the poutine options range from Classic, Vegan, Vegetables, Pork, and Beef.
Their Veggie Poutine, Hawaiian Poutine, Italian Poutine Deluxe, and Beef Deluxe Poutine are the standouts.
7 Au Pied De Cochon, Quebec
Call it a Parisian Brasserie or a legendary food outlet: Au Pied De Cochon began earning accolades in 1947 and it's still one of the best poutine spots in Montreal.
With its authentic French cuisine, Pied De Cochon as pork on the poutine is quite remarkable here. Also, if one wishes to try something fancier, "Foie Gras Poutine" is like no other poutine.
6 Le Gras Dur, Montreal
Although Poutine is the staple dish of Canada, every food outlet can’t prepare the best version of it. If one wishes to try the high-end version of poutine, Le Gras Dur has its fancy version of poutine.
The unique gravy here comprises veal, beer, and bacon along with poutine including smoked stuffed sausages, chicken schnitzel, cabbage, and Swiss cheese.
5 Linh Café, Vancouver
This food outlet based in Vancouver is a casual family-style restaurant that serves authentic French cuisine with a dash of Vietnamese cuisine. Its breakfast poutine featuring poached egg, butter-poached lobster along with Swiss cheese makes up for a hearty meal.
The café is quite spacious with high ceilings and Parisian vibes. Mussels with cream, white wine, and herbs along with spicy baguette sticks are also quite good here.
4 Coney Island Café, Regina
This café has the reputation of lending new versions to a list of poutines by offering their unique pork poutine, buffalo chicken poutine, spicy Mexican poutine, green sauced poutine, or even their concocted version of Poutine Burger.
Also, their classic milkshakes are a cherry on the cake. With its homely ambiance, the café exudes quite relaxing vibes.
3 Fritz European Fryhouse, Vancouver
This food outlet near Emery Barnes House attracts a lot of Canadian customers wooed by the piquant flavors of its cuisine. Bacon Poutine, Bacon and Montreal Smoked Meat Poutine, along with its tasty sauces such as Parmesan peppercorn or Frittesaus (Dutch mayo) doused in gravy are the USPs of this place.
The Belgian-style fries and Belgian beer as well as the world’s best Belgian ales are some factors to be boasted by this place.
2 La Belle Patate, Vancouver
Offering 38 types of poutine with breakfast and BBQ chicken variations, La Belle Patate makes authentic Québécois cuisine. BBQ smoked meat poutine, as well as BBQ chicken along with La Belle, are a few of the recommended options.
Vegetarian poutine with green pepper, onions, and mushrooms makes a good feast for veggie lovers too. Apart from poutine, smoked meat sandwiches, steamed hotdogs as well as prime Quebec beer are its other go-to options.
1 Nom Nom Nom Poutine & Crêpes, Toronto
A tiny food stall in Toronto, Nom Nom Nom Poutine & Crêpes offers 10 variations of poutine with toppings galore as well as spicy lamb sausages and hot dogs. The smoked meat poutine with extra cheese curds and pulled pork poutine is the options in high demand.
Also, the traditional poutine and Reese’s Crêpe are worth trying.