Loosen your belts: it’s that time of year again. As the dog days of summer draw to a close, the beloved Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) returns in all of its over-stimulation, adrenaline rush, and crazy culinary creation-filled glory. Toronto’s annual fair – which was founded way back in 1879 – kicks off its 2024 season today.
Food definitely doesn’t take a backseat to carnival rides and games at this sprawling fair. Countless calorie-cravers hit the CNE grounds for its creative culinary scene alone. Doing so means a visit filled with shameless indulgence, discovery, and countless flavours from around the world.
Here’s some of what you can expect on the culinary front at CNE 2024 (aside from leaving feeling more than well-fed – that’s inevitable).
Super-Sized “Snacks”
This year’s vendors are going big, with massive versions of beloved food items that will soon make their way to Instagram. Those with a soft spot for samosas will appreciate a giant foot-long, potato and pea-filled samosa from Bombay Spice Street that begs to be shared. On the sweet side, the super-sized samosa is only outmatched by a 15-inch diameter donut from Pancho’s Bakery that weighs over two pounds and is designed as a sweet treat for sharing and – of course – social media.
Deep-Fried Deliciousness
The CNE wouldn’t be the same without an assortment of deep-fried deliciousness. This year’s must-try creations include a deep-fried butter chicken lasagna from Rick’s Good Eats Food Truck, a deep-fried pickle Oreo from Sam’s Grill, foot-long deep-fried mozzarella stick hot dogs from Pizza Pizza, cheese-packed birria beef taco bombs from Deep Fried Co., and dreamy “Taylor’s Version” cheese curds from The King of Curds, which are complete with “wildest cream” icing, “bejewelled” edible shimmer, a side of cotton candy, and a friendship bracelet.
Summertime Spice
Spicy food lovers have no shortage of items “with a kick” to choose from. This means everything from Farm to Fryer’s whole Japanese-style soft shell crab-on-a-sick that’s drizzled with ketchup, mayonnaise, and hot sauce – a quick crowd pleaser at the media preview – to wasabi ice cream from Caf-Eh TO. The wasabi-flavoured soft serve ice cream is served in a charcoal cone and topped with orange sugar pearls and roasted seaweed. To wash it all down, there’s the refreshing jalapeño lemonade (with an appreciated bite) from Alijandro’s Kitchen.
Colourful Creations
If bright and bold temps your palate, the CNE is packed with colourful culinary creations this year. One of the most eye-catching (and healthiest) options is the Uni-Corn from Freshly Roasted, a fresh corn-on-the-cob that’s covered in rainbow-hued queso. The more adventurous set may opt for the Kool-Aid fried chicken sandwich, a chicken filet topped with a Kool-Aid reduction on a bun. Other colourful creations include the fruity cereal-crusted chicken tenders (why not combine two childhood favourites?) from Lucky Chicken or Real Fruit Splash’s purple lavender lemonade.
Sugary Sweets
The sweet tooth is easily satisfied at the CNE – and 2024 is no exception. Eva’s Original Chimneys is serving up a creme brûlée Chimney Cone, with a rich custard base topped with a layer of hardened caramelized sugar in a hand-rolled traditional Hungarian pastry ‘Chimney Cone.’ Meanwhile, Fried Chicken Sandwiches is offering their Crookie Sandwiches, a hybrid pastry of cookie & croissant that can be enjoyed on its own, or as part of a fried chicken sandwich. Those willing to take a gamble in the sweet versus salty department can opt for O’Mochi’s Sweet Or Salty Mochi Funnel Cake. The exclusive flavour reimagines the classic funnel cake with a signature mochi donut in a sweet or spicy flavour – that is a mystery in every batch.
Comforting Crowd-Pleasers
Other notable food offerings – especially for those who arrive hungry – include things like The Super Fly Noodle from Super Noodle Co., which offers extra-large portions of “floating” sauced instant noodles, topped with a choice of protein and unlimited toppings. Right up there in the taste department are the Banh Mi Tacos from Los Vietnamina, which brings zesty flavours of Vietnamese Banh Mi combined with a Latin flair to create Saigon fried chicken or crispy fish Banh Mi Tacos.
We’re no experts, but we’ve been to many CNEs in our years, so here’s a word of advice: you may want to work your way through the Food Building or food trucks after you’ve hit the ride-packed midway.
Find more info on CNE 2024 here.
