page_title: Regional street food
section_title: Canada
hierarchical_section_title: Regional street food / North America / Canada
caption_attribution_description: English: The original location of BeaverTails in the Byward Market, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
context_page_description: Street foods, ready-to-eat food or drink sold in a street or other public place, such as a market or fair, by a hawker or vendor, often from a portable stall, have variations within both regions and cultures. For example, Dorling Kindersley describes the street food of Viet Nam as being "fresh and lighter than many of the cuisines in the area" and "draw[ing] heavily on herbs, chile peppers and lime," while street food of Thailand is "fiery" and "pungent with shrimp paste... and fish sauce" with New York City's signature street food being the hot dog, although the offerings in New York also range from "spicy Middle Eastern falafel or Jamaican jerk chicken to Belgian waffles." In Hawaii, the local street food tradition of "Plate Lunch" was inspired by the bento of the Japanese who had been brought to Hawaii as plantation workers.
context_section_description: While most major cities in Canada offer a variety of street food, regional "specialties" are notable. Poutine (french fries with gravy and cheese curds) is available virtually everywhere across the country with thousands of different flavours and combinations. Similarly, hot dog stands can be found across Canada, but are far more common in Ontario (often sold from mobile canteen trucks, usually referred to as "chip wagons") than in Vancouver or Victoria (where the "Mr. Tube Steak" franchise is notable). Originating in Montréal, the Steamé is a different type of sausage than the traditional hot dog found elsewhere, it is steamed. A more expensive version is called the toasté and is toasted. These types of sausage have spread across the country to some degree but they remain most popular in Montréal. Falafel and pizza slices are foreign dishes that are popular nationwide, to varying degrees in different cities. Shawarma is quite prevalent in Ottawa, while Halifax offers its own unique version of the Doner kebab called the Donair, which features a sauce, made from condensed milk, sugar, and vinegar. The donair has spread across the country in pizza chains and other fast food restaurants. Also originating in Halifax, and now having spread somewhat are garlic fingers, a pizza-like dish with baked dough, cheese, and garlic but no tomato sauce and a different crust. Ice cream trucks can be seen (and often heard) nationwide during the summer months.Corn on the Cob is found commonly as well, often grilled, particularly at country fairs. British influence is seen nationwide with the very popular fish and chips often sold at chip wagons. Crêpes are also found, with sweet or savoury fillings. A growing trend has seen the emergence of grilled cheese becoming popular as a street food as of late.
  In terms of desserts, butter tarts are extremely popular, as are nanaimo bars. Very popular as well as BeaverTails, a fried dough pastry originating in Ottawa. Vendors also sell fruits and nuts during the summer months and some move indoors, particularly to train stations during the harsh winter months.
  Unique Canadian street foods
  Poutine
  Montreal hot dog
  Donair
  Butter tart
  Nanaimo bar
  BeaverTails
caption: The first BeaverTails stand in Ottawa's Byward Market.
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