The Best Poutine in Toronto

The best poutine in Toronto exhibits a deceptively simple trinity of ingredients. The combination of french fries, gravy and cheese curds might sound crass to the uninitiated, but to the discerning palate, it can be a sublime harmony of flavours.

It's dish that, when executed properly, is able to straddle the line between lowbrow bar food and exquisite culinary delight, and as such, can be found in virtually any type of atmosphere across the country and enjoyed by all types of people. Perhaps it is for this reason that it's become our de facto national dish, one celebrated not just in the francophone townships where it was born, but the country at large. And although the poutine served in La Belle Provence may remain the example to which all others are compared, true poutine excellence has been achieved here in Hog Town as well.

Here is the best poutine in Toronto.

See also:

The Best Fries in Toronto

Note: This list was previously published on April 11, 2008. Most of the restaurants on the original list do not appear here. They include the following: the Blue Chip Truck at City Hall, Utopia Cafe, Dangerous Dan's, Cafe du Lac, Harbord House, Auld Spot Pub, and the Victory Cafe . Comments below made up until January 21st, 2011 are in reference to the old list. We've purposely kept the archived comments here because we believe they (mostly) add value to this topic. If you don't want to have to wade through all of them, simply hit the "sort by newest first" link at the top of the thread.

Poutini's

For those in search of serious squeak in their cheese curds, look no further. Every aspect of this poutine has been meticulously sourced and made in house, daily. From the hand cut, twice fried potatoes, to the thick, satisfying gravy, their cheese curds are always fresh and all their packaging is biodegradable. Plus, vegan poutine! More »

Smoke's Poutinerie

Smoke’s Poutinerie boasts the most extensive poutine menu in Toronto, with items like Curry Chicken Poutine and Nacho Grande Poutine, there’s surely something for everyone. But don’t let that deter you from sticking to the classics because even with all the choice in Smoke’s arsenal, the traditional poutine still satisfies. More »

Caplansky's

Caplansky’s poutine works for two reasons; first, they might just happen to have the best fries in the city—crispy, salty and fried golden. Secondly, they make their “gravy” using the very thing they’re known best for—smoked meat. The result is a poutine that is as delicious as it is unique, but bring a friend, it’s huge. More »

Great Burger Kitchen

Don’t be fooled by the name, GBK might make some mighty fine burgers, but that doesn’t mean they’ve put any less thought into their poutine. The plentiful pile of french fries aims to please with generous amounts gravy coating everything in a meaty glaze and the tang of cheese curds tying it all together. More »

BQM Diner

At BQM they don’t need to take any liberties to make a great poutine. They keep it simple and they get it right. Just perfectly cooked fries below a layer of rich, complex, beef gravy and a sprinkling of springy cheese curds. It’s deceptively simple, but perfectly executed. More »

Gilead Cafe

The thing about a Jamie Kennedy poutine is that you never really know exactly what it will be like before you get there—it changes daily. The one thing we can be sure of, is that whether he’s decided to use veal gravy, or a Bolognese sauce, it will always score high marks for both flavour and creativity. More »

Bamburger

The key to great poutine is balance—finding the perfect amount of fries, gravy and curds so they complement one and other. Bamburger found that balance. This poutine works because there is not too much or two little of anything. The gravy is perfectly seasoned, the fries perfectly crisp and the cheese curds perfectly integrated - perfect. More »

Craft Burger

In addition to having the best burger in the city, Craft Burger happens to also sport one of the best poutines, and they do it without any surprises. By starting with mid-sized French fries and then adding a dark medium bodied gravy and chewy cheese curds, Craft exhibits the same poise in their side dishes and they do their mains. More »