As I sifted through the culinary lineup for this year’s Canadian National Exhibition, I couldn’t help but smile at Toronto’s enduring love affair with outlandish fair food. The 2025 CNE, set to open next week, continues its tradition of pushing gastronomic boundaries with creations that seem designed specifically for social media fame.
“We’re seeing vendors really embrace the unexpected this year,” explains Fatima Rodriguez, the CNE’s food programming director. “Toronto foodies are sophisticated but still want that element of fun and surprise.”
Walking through the Food Building during yesterday’s preview, the butter burger from Burger Revolution immediately caught my attention. Picture this: a perfectly grilled patty topped with a melting square of maple-infused butter that creates a sweet-savory sauce as it dissolves. At $15, it’s not cheap, but the lineup was already forming during the media preview.
The most photographed item might be the sushi corndog from Tokyo Street Eats. Traditional corndog batter surrounds spicy tuna and rice instead of the usual hot dog. The visual contrast when you bite into it – golden exterior revealing pink fish and white rice – makes for an Instagram moment that’s already trending across Toronto food accounts.
“We wanted to bring something that honors both street food traditions,” says chef Kevin Park of Tokyo Street Eats. “Torontonians are so culturally diverse in their food preferences, we knew they’d appreciate this fusion.”
Not to be outdone in the unexpected pairings department, Canadian Comfort Foods is offering hash brown ice cream sandwiches. Yes, you read that correctly – crispy potato patties standing in for cookies, with a generous scoop of maple walnut ice cream in between. The hot-cold contrast works surprisingly well, though I’d recommend sharing one; it’s substantially filling.
The CNE’s food offerings reflect broader Toronto culinary trends. Local ingredients feature prominently, with Ontario-sourced produce, meats and dairy appearing in many vendor creations. Sustainable packaging has also become more visible, with the exhibition requiring eco-friendly containers from all food vendors for the first time this year.
Pricing remains a concern for many exhibition-goers. Most specialty items range from $12-18, with some larger portions pushing $25. For families already paying admission fees, food costs can quickly add up.
“We recognize that affordability matters,” says Rodriguez. “This year we’ve introduced a ‘Taste of the CNE’ passport where visitors can sample smaller portions of six different foods for $30, which represents about a 25% savings.”
Not everything on the menu involves culinary shock value. Traditional favorites like Tiny Tom Donuts, turkey legs and funnel cakes remain exhibition staples. These classics consistently draw the longest lines, proving that while novelty gets attention, familiarity keeps people coming back.
The 2025 CNE runs August 15 to September 1 at Exhibition Place. Food vendors will be concentrated in the Food Building, with additional options scattered throughout the grounds.
“Toronto has become such a sophisticated food city,” notes veteran CNE food vendor Marianne Levesque, who’s been selling her famous poutine at the exhibition for 12 years. “But there’s something about fair food that lets everyone embrace being a little ridiculous. It’s part of the CNE experience.”
If you’re planning to visit, my recommendation is to arrive with an empty stomach and a sense of adventure. The butter burger and hash brown ice cream sandwich are worth the splurge for pure novelty, but the sushi corndog might actually be the most satisfying of this year’s new offerings.
After 15 years covering Toronto food trends, I’ve learned that CNE food innovations often reflect broader culinary movements in the city. What seems outlandish in August sometimes appears on restaurant menus by spring. I’ll be watching to see if any of these creations make the leap from fairground novelty to mainstream menu item.
Whether you’re a culinary thrill-seeker or prefer to stick with the classics, the CNE’s food lineup remains an essential Toronto summer experience – equal parts nostalgia and novelty, just like the exhibition itself.
