In the latest head-scratcher from Taste Atlas, Canada’s best and worst-rated foods were revealed — and, surprise, surprise, Toronto didn’t make the cut. While places like Quebec and Nova Scotia earned spots for their signature dishes, Toronto was notably absent. This begs the question: Does Toronto even have a food identity of its own?
The list, posted on Taste Atlas’ Instagram, showcases Canada’s best-rated and worst-rated foods, with 10 items in each category.
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Topping the best of list, smoked meat from Montreal which earned a mark of 4.4 out of 5 followed by cedar-plank salmon with a 4.3, and poutine and cheese curds in third and fourth spot both with a score of 4.2.
Coming in at fifth, the irresistible dessert Beaver Tail—a deep-fried doughy treat first introduced in 1978 at a fair in Killaloe, Ontario, when Pam and Grant Hooker decided to flip up their family’s recipe. Next on the list, Montreal’s iconic bagels take their place, followed by the quirky, but seriously delicious, Saskatoon pie at number seven. If you haven’t tasted this prairie staple, it’s high time you did.
Rounding out the list at number 8 are classic pancakes with maple syrup, earning a score of 4.1, followed by Quebec’s aptly named gooey sugar pie at 9th, and finishing off with Nova Scotia’s garlic fingers, also scoring a 4.1.
The worst-rated foods on the list include everything from pizza cake and boiled fiddleheads to Kraft Dinner and Windsor-style pizza.
Toronto (once again) is, thankfully, notably absent from this list as well.
Instagram comments flooded in, with Canadians expressing their outrage over notable absences like Nanaimo bars, butter tarts and all-dressed chips. Meanwhile, Windsor-style pizza (yes, the one with shredded pepperoni) made it onto the worst-rated list, sparking a whole other level of fury.
So, while Toronto is notably absent from both lists, the question remains: is this an oversight by Taste Atlas, or does the city simply lack a signature dish worthy of joining the ranks of garlic fingers and cheese curds?
Toronto’s food scene is a melting pot, with everything from Chinatown dumplings to Little Italy pizza. While some point to peameal bacon or sushi pizza as the city’s signature dish, maybe its strength lies in its diversity—why settle for one when you can enjoy flavours from all over the world?
