The top poutine places in Toronto are the ultimate destinations for when you need to satisfy your craving for crispy fries smothered in rich, flavourful gravy and squeaky cheese curds. These places will not disappoint.
Sweet and tangy, the 'Fancy Schmancy' poutine is jam packed with flavours that make it difficult to put the fork down. Every ingredient and topping blends together perfectly leaving you satisfied. The poutine is topped with a gravy made in-house daily, and all poutines have a particular flavour for particular tastes. The Fancy Schmancy is topped with Korean beef ribs, grilled onions, squeaky curds, gravy scallions and for good measure, a fried egg. This is easily a go-to every time. Although the fried egg was at first odd to see, it became a natural fit in the dish. Full of delicious flavours, it's easy to see why the poutine here, including the Fancy Schmancy, is making a name for itself in the city.
NomNomNom Crepes Photo by Jim Bamboulis
If you're used to walking past curb side shipping containers, then you may just happen to walk by one of the best poutine joints in Toronto. Located on Dundas St. West, just south of Kensington Market,NomNomNom Crepes is owned and operated by Marc, a young, energetic and friendly Montrealer who works in a confined, compact space, serving up both crepes and incredibly popular poutine. There's not much to this place. You step up, order and try to find a place to eat.The poutine here is the way Marc remembers it back home in Montreal. Traditional and authentic, but with a personal twist.'The Lumberjack' is among the most popular items on the menu.Ground beef, caramelized onions, sautéed onions and topped with crispy onions, gravy and squeaky cheese curds.For the price, you get a huge bang for your buck. If you decide to get The Lumberjack, make sure you're extra hungry. It's hard to finish it.
Leslieville Pumps
There really isn't anything else quite like Leslieville Pumps. It is a gas station, convenience store and restaurant all in one. This 24 hour, long-standing establishment in Leslieville has a vintage look and feel, with a staff that welcomes you in like they've known you forever.The potatoes used for the poutine at The Pumps are aged between eight to 17 weeks in order to achieve balance between the natural starch and the water content within the potato. Once ready, they are double blanched, flashed fried and tossed with The Pumps house-made herb salt mix.The Pumps prides itself with having rich, dark gravy made with beef jus from its smoker which runs 24 hours a day. The cheese curds come in the form of both white mozzarella and orange cheddar. Both melt over the fries, but the squeak is not lost.You can also opt for a Loaded Poutine, where you can add pulled pork, smoked beef brisket and hickory smoked chicken to your all-Canadian dish.
Beast Restaurant
Located just off King St. W.,Beast Restaurant provides an intimate setting. It seats 30 inside and another dozen on its front patio. The restaurant itself has an eccentric, rustic yet modern and elegant feel. With only a handful of art pieces, the decor itself is minimalistic; the focus instead is centred on the dishes, which are prepared with as many local and in-season ingredients and by a staff willing to take risks that blow your expectations out of the water.The poutine and the garnishes at Beast change almost on the daily. Despite the constant change, it continues to be among the most popular items on the menu.The standard poutine here is not prepared with fries. Instead, it's done with French-style potato gnocchi.Beast has used moose, boar, rabbit, sturgeon, duck and even an octopus Bolognese sauce on top of the fried gnocchi. On this day, the poutine was topped with shredded lamb neck tikka masala.Goat yogurt mixed with spices including, turmeric and curry, topped with cheese curds, creme fraiche and scallions. Every flavour in the dish is balanced nicely and given its chance to shine. The dish itself is fairly heavy, but incredibly delicious. This isn't your traditional poutine.
Photo courtesy Smoke's Poutinerie
Smoke’s Poutinerie is the first of its kind in Toronto (and the world) to cater solely to poutine Offering over 20 different options for toppings and flavours, this poutinerie gives a twist on the traditional Quebec classic. One of their more popular poutines is the pulled pork, topped with real cheese curds, gravy and piled high on top ofYukon Gold fries that are hand-cut and custom seasoned and fried to be crispy yet moist on the inside.
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