Offering a delectable combo of classic fair foods such as the iconic candy apple (celebrating its 110th anniversary) matched with downright crazy gastronomic concoctions, the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) has become renowned for its line up of tasty culinary creations. Indoors and outdoors, the CNE has a “treat in store” around every single corner of the fairgrounds. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people visit the iconic Food Building to experience more than 100 eateries serving a vibrant and varied mix of international cuisine and traditional fair favourites. This food offering is complimented by more than 60 concessionaires on the Midway and throughout the grounds. Not to mention, the nearly 175 treats offered as part of the $5 value food items throughout the fairgrounds. There’s plenty to fill every appetite and accommodate every budget.
Food is not just an attraction at the CNE; it’s a feature event! Opening weekend kicks-off with the CNE’s second-annual East Coast Kitchen Party from Aug. 18 – 19, chockfull of delicious East Coast cuisine and toe-tapping music, a Caesar competition featuring the city’s best cocktail creators, oyster shucking and more! Then, the ever-popular Food Truck Frenzy and Craft Beer Fest returns to the CNE from Aug. 24 – 26 with a wide variety of tasty treats from more than 20 food trucks, along with samples of locally crafted beers from 11 master brewers. NEW this year, on the final weekend of the CNE, in celebration of the Canada-China Year of Tourism, the TELUS Asian Market will line Princes’ Blvd. with artisans, entertainment and authentic fusion street food, Aug. 30 – Sept. 3.
2018 CNE New Food Highlights:
THE GOLDEN BURGER: A burger fit for a king! This mega-sized burger is piled high on a 5oz patty with maple bacon, peameal bacon, Canadian cheddar, onion rings, jalapenos, lettuce, tomato and chipotle mayo all in an edible gold bun. (Bacon Nation, Food Building and Midway)
GOLD ICE CREAM: A vanilla ice cream cone topped with a 24K edible gold leaf that is sure to be an Instagram superstar! (Eative, Food Building)
DEEP FRIED FERRERO ROCHER: How do you make the famous gold-foiled wrapped chocolate treats even better? You cover the classic Ferrero Rocher chocolate in cookie dough and deep fry it! (Deep Fried, Food Building)
S’MORE FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH: Sweet and savoury, this is a southern-style fried chicken sandwich, topped with roasted marshmallows, crushed graham cookies and Hershey chocolate in a chocolate cover brioche bun. Another sweet twist is the Apple Fritter Fried Chicken Sandwich, topped with cinnamon apple slaw between two apple fritter buns.
(Fried Chicken Sandwiches by Heartbreak Chef, Food Building)
COTTON CANDY ICE CREAM BURRITO: It’s so fluffy!! Your favourite ice cream flavours and candy toppings are wrapped with mounds of airy and colourful cotton candy – like a unicorn burrito! (Black Halo, Midway)
PICKLE ICE CREAM: Who said it wasn’t good to be “in a pickle”? Don’t miss your chance to indulge in these unique flavours only at the CNE. Crème de la Corn: straight off the streets of Tokyo, this ice cream is served in a fresh piece of corn on the cob; Pickle Ice Cream: this midway-inspired treat features a sweet and salty vanilla-pickle ice cream blend in a ranch dill cone; and Curry Coconut Ice Cream served in a coconut shell. (So Cute Ice Cream, Midway)
MEXICAN STYLE STREET CORN: The classic roasted corn is elevated to the next level. Hot off the grill, it’s brushed with homemade spicy mayo and rolled with three flavours of crunchy goodness: Flaming hot Cheetos, jalapeno cheddar Cheetos and parmesan cheese, to look like a candy corn! (Roasted Corn Booths, Midway)
DUTCH ‘LUV’ PUFFS: A traditional buttery Dutch treat known in the Netherlands as ‘poffertjes,’ is making its debut at the CNE! Small, billowing pancakes are made fresh to order in front of your eyes, then topped with sweet toppings. (Tropic Love, Midway)
SHOOK NOODLES: A convenient way to enjoy one of the hottest new food trends, ramen. Select from a wide variety of traditional ramen toppings such as Japanese Chashu pork, spam, green onions and tofu, pick a sauce and top it off with a poached egg — then shake and enjoy on the go! (Shook by Liberty Noodle, Food Building)
CACTUS FRIES: Fresh cactus imported from Mexico are sliced, battered and deep fried to perfection. (Mr. Vegetable, Midway)
PORK CHOP ON A STICK: Fair food is much more fun when it’s eaten on a stick! One of the most outrageous new food items on a stick this year is deep fried pork chop. Skip the knife and fork, and bite into a crispy pork chop drizzled in either southern BBQ sauces or get it with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. (Hogg Town, Midway)
CHOCOLATE BANANA STEAKCLAIR: Steak, provolone cheese, banana slices, chocolate sauce and whipped cream stacked on a chocolate éclair donut. (Philthy Philly’s, Midway)
SANFRAN FRIAR FRITTER: A veal and porchetta sandwich topped with a jalapeno popper, dressed with sandwich toppings and SanFran’s signature sauce, jalapeno peppers and coleslaw on a sweetened bread. (Sanfrancesco Sandwiches, Food Building)
THE COLD POCKET: A toasted sweet bun filled with Sweet Jesus ice cream creations with extra toppings and served in a burger bag. (Sweet Jesus, Food Building)
HONG KONG STYLE FRENCH “TOAST” CURDS: Deep fried cheese curds topped with peanut butter, condensed milk and a chunk of butter! (King of Curds, Midway)
More Must-Try New Foods at the CNE:
Apple Fries (Granny Smith Apple Fries, Food Building)
Bacon Onion Bombs (The Burger Joint, Midway)
Big Mag in a Box and Kimchi Dog (Maggie’s, Food Building)
Blue Jays Nest and Luck Struck Cheesecake on a Stick (Cake Shack, Food Building)
Candy Land Milkshake and Deep Fried Monte Cristo (Fran’s, Midway and Food Building)
Cheese Filled Churros and Concha with Ice Cream (Pancho’s Bakery, Midway)
Chocolate Cake Waffle Dog and Original Waffle Dog (Hungry Husky Waffle Dog and Deep Fried Cheese
Curds, Food Building)
Cookie Dough Brownie and Pretzel Dough Bites (The Big Scoop, Food Building)
Cookie Dough Supreme (Chimney Stax, Food Building)
Deep Fried Kit Kat (Deep Fried Treats, Midway)
Deep Fried Wine and Cheese (Hot Canadian Cheese, Midway)
Donut Poutine (Tim Horton’s, Food Building)
Fettucine al Bowlo (Eat My Bowls, Food Building)
Fruz Tea (Yogen Fruz, Food Building)
Garlic Bread Burger (Bubs Bad@ss Burgers, Food Building)
Inside Out Caramel Apple (Candy Time, Midway)
Mac and Cheetos Popsicle and Korean Fried Frog Legs (Farm to Fryer, Food Building)
Nashville Hot Chicken Box and Nashville Hot Sandwich (Tokyo Hot x Nashville Hot Fried Chicken, Food
Building)
Pastel (Rio A Taste of Brazil, Midway)
PB&J Pork Sandwich (Porkie’s Authentic Porchetta, Food Building)
Pineapple Poke Bowl (Fresh Chopped, Food Building)
Rainbow KitKat Crepe (The Royal Crepe, Midway)
The Big Pickle Tornado (Coco’s Concessions, Midway)
The Juicy Crab (Hotbunzz Street Cuisine, Food Building)
Thrilla in Manila and Big Poppa (Yatai by Liberty Noodle, Food Building)
