Canadian cuisine is regionally contrasted — there's no single Canadian cuisine but strong regional traditions: Quebec (revisited French heritage), English-Maritimes (fish and chips, lobster rolls), Western (Asian-fusion in Vancouver, Alberta beef), Indigenous (bannock, game, wild berries).
In Quebec, the essential dishes are poutine (fries + cheese curds + brown gravy, now world-famous national dish — best addresses: La Banquise in Montreal, Chez Ashton in Quebec City), tourtière (minced meat pie, traditionally served at Christmas), pâté chinois (Canadian-style shepherd's pie with corn), pea soup, cretons (Quebec pork rillettes), pouding chômeur (maple syrup cake). Maple syrup (the famous Quebec product — 70% of world production) is enjoyed in sugar shacks (March-April, traditional meal: eggs, ham, oreilles de crisse, baked beans, all drenched in maple syrup, CAD 30-45/person, an essential cultural experience). Quebec cheeses (Riopelle, Bleu Bénédictin, Migneron de Charlevoix) now rival the best European cheeses.
In Montreal, two institutions: the Montreal bagel (St-Viateur, Fairmount, different from New York bagel, sweeter and denser, wood-fired) and smoked meat (New York Jewish-style smoked meat, pastrami sandwich on rye — Schwartz's is the legendary address, CAD 23-30 the sandwich). Montreal's gastronomic scene is among North America's best — Joe Beef, Toqué!, Au Pied de Cochon (by chef Martin Picard, gargantuan experience at CAD 80-120/person).
In Toronto, multicultural diversity expresses itself on the plate: Chinatown (dim sum on Spadina), Greektown (souvlaki and taverna on Danforth), Little Italy (pizza and gelato on College), Little India (Gerrard Street), Koreatown (Bloor West), Caribbean (Eglinton Avenue). The St. Lawrence Market (named world's best food market by National Geographic in 2012) concentrates local excellence.
In Vancouver, Asian-fusion cuisine is exceptional (historic Chinatown, sushi at Tojo's, ramen at Marutama, dim sum at Sun Sui Wah). Pacific seafood is remarkable: oysters, wild salmon, Dungeness crab, chowder.
In the Rockies, cuisine stays more rustic but quality — Alberta meats (renowned Alberta beef), bison, elk, salmon. Banff and Lake Louise offer a few remarkable tables (Three Ravens, Eden at Rimrock, The Bison in Banff).
Drinks: Canadian beer is rich (Molson, Labatt, Moosehead historic ones; explosive microbreweries everywhere, Unibroue in Quebec with La Fin du Monde, Trois Pistoles, Maudite). Canadian wine surprises: Okanagan Valley (British Columbia, riesling, pinot noir) and Niagara Peninsula (Ontario, world-renowned icewine, riesling). Quebec ice cider (Domaine Pinnacle, Cryo) is a Canadian exclusive.
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- Quebec — Cosmopolitan Montreal, UNESCO Old Quebec, Charlevoix and Tadoussac: French-speaking Canada 7h30 from Paris.
- Ontario — Multicultural Toronto, Niagara Falls, Ottawa the federal capital: the economic and institutional heart.
- Canadian Rockies — Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper: among the world's most beautiful alpine landscapes, turquoise lakes and glaciers.
- British Columbia — Vancouver facing the Pacific, legendary Whistler ski resort, Vancouver Island and British Victoria.