Sometimes, Toronto’s best eats and treats come on the end of a stick. Sloppy and sumptuous, there’s nothing quite like biting into these hand-held edibles, making mealtime almost like a carnal experience. Add these sweet and savoury snacks served on a stick to your food goals and let the gluttony begin!
Deep-Fried Nutella Lollipops
If you’re nuts about Nutella, get your caboose over to Holy Chuck Burgers for a decadent dessert on a stick. A popular gourmet burger bar, the menu also includes a trio of deep-fried fritters bursting with thick hazelnut and chocolate sauce, served on a stick with a side of whipped cream. Utter bliss!
A "Poptail"
Booze on a stick? It’s not a dream: frozen cocktails served as popsicles are now a thing in Toronto, sold in restaurants and markets across the city. At the movement’s forefront is The Pop Stand, a pop-up purveyor of handcrafted frozen treats and cordials. Their flavours are ever-changing, but past "poptails" have included Lemon Rosemary Gin and Tonic, Cherry Bourbon Sour, Guinness Gingerbread, Peach Bourbon Iced Tea, and Campari Grapefruit and Mint. Rumour has it that the Pop Stand is opening a storefront on the Danforth in Spring 2017. In the meantime, keep track of their pop-up locations.
Chicken and Waffles on a Stick
The chicken and waffles craze has taken over Toronto – but did you know that this savoury snack is served on a stick at the Rogers Centre? In between innings, mosey over to Section 135 and find Toronto Street Eats, a stall that features street-style foods with a twist. Sink your teeth into a skewer of chicken fried in waffle batter and drizzled in a maple Sriracha syrup. But try not to swoon too hard and miss cheering on the Blue Jays!
Gelato on a Stick
Inside the tiny, three-wheeled truck, Bar Ape has a freezer full of artisan gelato bars dipped in a dark chocolate shell and served on a stick. The menu is small but mighty, featuring classic Italian flavours like pistachio, coated with crushed nuts in the gelato and the shell, and hazelnut chocolate, studded with chocolate chunks on the inside, and hazelnuts on the outside. The kookiest creation? A chocolate-coconut-almond bar – a flavour inspired by white Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Track the truck stops on social media, but beware of lengthy line-ups during Toronto’s balmy months!
Gourmet Corn Dog
Craving carnival cuisine? Fancy Franks Gourmet Hot Dogs makes an epic corn dog on a stick that you can enjoy year-round. Each meaty wiener is dipped in a crunchy cornmeal batter, fried until golden and crisp, and smothered in your choice of zesty sauces like curried ketchup or spicy Southern-style barbecue sauce. Hot diggity dog!
Cheesecake on a Stick
As if it couldn’t get any more gluttonous, put on your stretchy pants and track down Heirloom Food Truck & Catering– a farm-to-table food truck that’s selling cheesecake on a stick. Each one consists of creamy New York-style cheesecake slices with endless flavours: from a Matcha & White Chocolate Cheesecake with sesame brittle to a "PB & J" Cheesecake with crushed peanut butter cookies, salted caramel, and vanilla bean cheesecake. They also serve up a Churro Cheesecake on a Stick (a fried dough pastry made with vanilla bean Dulce De Leche, cinnamon sugar, and homemade cheesecake on a stick). Heirloom is opening a permanent location in Fall 2017, but in the meantime, chase down the truck by following their location schedule.